Let's Get Personal

I was born in Wisconsin and spent my childhood in a small town in the country. I lived my childhood summers outside, riding my bike or running around in the woods imagining myself as Laura Ingalls Wilder.  I loved to write stories, sing to myself and lay on the grass staring  at the clouds to see the hidden shapes of animals and mountains there. Throughout my teens, into my college years and even after, I spent a lot of time in theater, my first love.  It was in college where I had my first official teaching job teaching acting and directing skits for a school children's theatre troupe.  

 

I graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science Degree in both English and Theatre Education in 1998 and made my way to California to teach High School in both subjects.  After just a few years I abruptly realized that this chosen path teaching school was not my passion, even though I had made it my entire life.  After I left teaching in the school system, I had a variety of jobs.  The common thread for these jobs was that they each involved my leading others and choreographing events.  Not long did I realize, that I was still a teacher at heart and I did really thrive on learning creative ways to lead.  The resentment I was holding onto because of my decision to leave my career slipped away with this clarity of my purpose.  The job that led me back to my passion was my management job at a local woman's gym and THIS is where I met my yoga mentor and enjoyed my first yoga class in 2007.  In 2009 I received my first yoga teaching credential and began my teaching journey.  After 1000s of hours of study and 15 years teaching in studios, gyms, parks and various clients' homes, my passion is still to lead, sharing what I know with others.  I believe the reason I continue to have passion to teach yoga is because I am an equally passionate student.  I spent my private time studying the texts, taking classes from master teachers and I continue the ritual of my practice. 

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I met my partner, now husband, Bryan in 2000 and I am stepmom to his 3 adult children and Gigi to our 2 granddaughters. We have a sassy little Vizsla named Birdie who drags me up the hills of Ventura to hike.  I am grateful for a life with this man who has given me support throughout some very challenging health issues and career changes that I have faced.  We are a strong partnership together but also best friends.  I feel incredibly lucky to have Bryan in my life and to live in Ventura. I truly found community here in Ventura our lifestyle here is so nourishing for ou souls.  Ventura is home for us and where I have my yoga community.

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Currently my studies take me deeper into pranayama (breathing practices) and mindfulness meditation.  In 2022, I graduated from the MMTCP training program hosted by my beloved mentors Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield and along with a diverse support of mentors and peers that I meet with weekly for 2 years.  This amazing program has completely transformed my meditation practice and has given me tools to share with both my yoga and meditation groups.  What an honor it has been to do this work.   I now share these practices in my Awakening Together Sanghas for Women held 4 times a year, within my Yoga classes and in my Radiant Heart Retreats.

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The path of yoga and mindfulness is a winding, never-ending and journey and I am so grateful to be on it. I humbly bow to my teachers and mentors and their teachers and mentors before them who have and continue to honor the roots of these practices through their teachings as they pass them down.  My practices are influenced by several lineages of yoga's rich history rooted in India, specifically the teachings of  B.K.S. Iyengar,  K. Pattabhi Jois  and my intention is to share practices that honor the birthplace of Yoga and those who brought this practice to the West.  I do not stand on my mat and proclaim this practice as my own. I stand on my mat, my two hands together in reverence for those who have come before me on the path.  I share my practices with my heart open to include all yogis without discrimination based on color, religion, gender, politics or ability. ALL ARE WELCOME. 

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In Gratitude,

Heather

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