She’s spicy. She’s soft. She’s intentional. She’s kind. She is everything you want in a yoga instructor. She is Christina, our August Employee Spotlight. We are so lucky to have her on our team! Read on to learn more fun facts about this amazing instructor.
If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Her Journey Home
How long have you been practicing yoga? What made you want to become a yoga instructor?
I first discovered yoga in 2009 when I was pregnant with my first child, and my doctor recommended prenatal yoga. I was immediately drawn to the mind, body, and community connection yoga fosters. Over the next few years, I kept coming back to yoga as a place to center, strengthen, connect, and heal. Always an athlete, I was first drawn to the physical asana of yoga - but it's become so much more. Yoga has opened SPACE - creating a quiet place of exploration, curiosity, and growth. I credit yoga to becoming a more mindful parent and person, to getting (and staying) sober, and to making the most amazing friends and community.
Since finding yoga, I always had that spark about teaching yoga, so in 2018 I completed my
200-hour teaching training in Power Vinyasa. Since then, I’ve completed additional trainings in Hatha, Yin, Sculpt, Myofascial Release, and Prenatal Yoga.
Soooo, we heard you love to hike! Can you tell us about your favorite excursion?
It’s hard to pick just one, as I’ve had so many amazing excursions and adventures! Summiting Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Baker were amazing experiences, as well as multi-day kayak trips through the San Juan Islands. While I’m naturally drawn to Type 2 Fun, there’s also so much joy in simple outdoor adventures with friends or family. Hiking reminds me so much of yoga - a moving meditation -- connecting to the natural rhythms of life.
What yoga pose(s) makes you happy?
I love a good hip release -- lizard, pigeon, and all the lunges! Throw in some twists and shoulder opening and I’m a happy yogi. Rather than a specific pose, though, I’m drawn to building into a peak flow - starting mindfully and then intentionally building into more complex and strong movements. Finding that beautiful oceanic rhythm of soft vs. strong; open vs. closed; and getting out of our heads and into our bodies and breath. This type of movement fills me up, and I love to teach and practice in this way.
If you could go anywhere in the world for an all-expenses paid vacation, where would you go and what would you do?
Tickets to Iceland, please! For all the hiking, hot springs, water sports, spas, waterfalls, glaciers, and northern lights.
What is the funniest place you have ever fallen asleep?
I plead the 5th.
If your kids could describe you in two words, what would those two words be?
Adventurous and empathetic.
What's a pet peeve that you would make illegal if you could?
Slow walkers in public places - let’s move it along folks.
Anything else? Is there a surprising fun fact you'd like to share?
One of my summer jobs as a teen was to be an “Ivar’s Clam” in the TorchLight Parade and local fairs. Google it. It’s quite hilarious (and the costumes were heavy!). I can also curl my tongue and whistle through it. That’s my party trick.
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