Teresa Perez

Path: I began practicing yoga in 2001 as a way to de-stress in my senior year of college. After graduating Bryn Mawr, I traveled to Central America where, among other things, I worked as a mountain guide raising money to help street children (www.queltzaltrekkers.org). Unfortunately, while there I developed osteoarthritis in my knee. When I got back State side, the doctor told me that I would probably never be able to really hike or dance again and that surgery was likely in the future. That is when the fun pass time of yoga that I had discovered a couple years prior became, what some of my friends call, an obsession. Thanks to my yoga practice, I am now able to hike (though going down hill is a real drag) and dance. I practiced and studied for years at Flow Yoga Center in Washington D.C. before moving to North Carolina. I am forever grateful to all of my teachers along the way, particularly Jill Abelson, who introduced me to the Jivamukti and the incredible idea that what we do matters, Debra Pearlson-Mishalove, the founder of Flow Yoga Center, Sarah Trelease, the director of teacher training at Om Yoga, and all the amazing teachers and people at CYCo, and in the greater Triangle Area. Inspiration: Jill Abelson, Pema Chodron, Sharon Gannon and David Life (with whom I hope to study some day), the Prayer of St. Francis, the mountains and the ocean. Oh, and puppies (who better to learn downward facing dog from?). Favorites for Grounding: Sun salutations and meditation. Favorites for kicking it: Pretty much when I am not practicing yoga, I am studying economics (boring, I know). I also like to knit and cook. Practice: My asana practice is a vinyasa flow practice that is heavily influenced by ashtanga and Jivamukti. I like to flow and really feel my body moving through space. I love reading books on yogic philosophy: the Yoga Sutras of Patajali, the Heart of Yoga by T.K.V. Desikachar, and Jivamukti Yoga being some that I have been slowly making my way through. Intention: As the Prayer of St. Francis says, make me an instrument of peace. Back to Home Page. Back to Bio Page Back to Schedule Page.