Path: For most of my adult life I’ve felt uncomfortable moving in my body and truly connecting with myself. I’ve spent time struggling with my body, not accepting it for all that it offers me, fearing it, and acting out of trauma instead of love. I’d been practicing yoga for several years about one time a week, and one day I walked into Carrboro Yoga Company and my life and connection to my body changed. I started attending classes there several times a week, learning how to breathe, move, build strength and connect with my body in a deep and profound way. I continued my practice several times a week and made a goal of going through yoga teacher training before 2009 was complete.

In May 2009 I completed 200 hours of Power Yoga Teacher training in Power Vinyasa Yoga at Franklin Street Yoga and was instructed by Lori Burgwyn, a fabulous yoga teacher and inspiration. I have also taken teacher intensives with Sarah Powers and Stephanie Keach and am currently enrolled in her 500-hour teacher training.

I notice a change in everything I do as a result of my yoga practice on the mat and off of the mat. Yoga has infiltrated all parts of my life including my clinical social work practice. I notice suggesting to my clients to try yoga or meditation. I notice thinking of various poses that would help a client connect their mind and body when they are talking about a specific issue. I notice yoga everywhere. I recently heard someone reference that people stop breathing when they experience trauma and it resonated with me deeply. It highlighted that yoga is a gift of life, breath, spirit, love and soulfulness, and that it offers people the opportunity to learn how to breathe again in their own time and their own way.

Favorites For Grounding: Breathing deeply, making pottery, cooking, and talking with someone who is a really good listener.

Practice: My asana practice is a vigorous power yoga practice influenced by ashtanga yoga. I like flowing and moving using my breath to take me deeper into a pose or to help me move through a challenging space. I love creative music accompanying my yoga practice to bring light, joy, and fun to yoga. I love healing work and want people to experience their yoga practice as a healing experience moment to moment and breath to breath.

Intention: My intention is to assist people in deepening their connection to themselves and their bodies using yoga. My intention is to help people find their breath. I want people to feel their spirit and feel what they have to offer themselves and others. I want people to learn to sit in the moment and see that whatever the moment is bringing them is a gift and point of reflection. I want to build community through yoga. I want to honor the tradition of yoga.

Inspiration: All of the people who choose to come to yoga, Lori Burgwyn, Allison Dennis, Kristin DeMarco, Brooks Rainey Pearson, Ti Harmony, Pema Chodron, and bell hooks. All of you have made me the yoga teacher that I am and will become. Other inspirations include the mountains, my partner, pottery, social work, and helping people move and shift through transitions in ways that make them feel empowered.

Favorites for Kicking It: Breathing deeply, hanging with my partner, gardening, making art, laughing with friends, power yoga to really good music, drinking good wine and eating yummy food.

Visit the website for Michelle's clinical practice.

CLASSES

Flow Yoga: Sundays, 4:30–5:45 p.m.; Tuesdays, 6:00–7:15 p.m.; Wednesdays, 12:00-1:00 p.m. (Blue Plate Special)

You can now enjoy a class with Michelle anywhere, anytime, by streaming it on YogaVibes!

See Michelle teach a Community Flow Yoga class, a fundraiser for the Orange County Rape Crisis Center.

Red on white photos by Scott Chmelar; garden photo by Heather McCuthen.