We had the opportunity to interview the amazing and inspiring Stefanie Messinger, an Yoga Instructor in Miami. Stefanie teaches a variety of yoga classes with seniors, children, athletes, active military members, wounded veterans, beginners, and children with special needs, with a strong emphasis on individual care. Stefanie’s classes are a celebration of life, connection and mindfulness. Stefanie shares with us her yoga journey and it is truly inspirational! We are so happy to have captured her powerful journey of transformation through yoga to share with you! Read below her answers to our questions.
1. What lead you to become a yoga teacher?
I looked to yoga to help with my scoliosis and pain. I continued to practice and started to feel better. Yoga made me feel like I was in control of my own well-being. As I went deeper into my yoga practice I had a calling to help others and expose them to yoga.
2. What has been your journey of transformation with your yoga practice?
I continue to study and enhance my yoga practice in my daily life. I’m honored to share these tools to help others lengthen, strengthen and restore. I work mainly with individuals who are experiencing pain, suffering or want to deepen their practice. I work with all ages, I work with children at various different schools to seniors at assisted livings. I help my clients with alignment, build strength, and clear energy channels to increase the life force. I love to empower people so they can live pain-free. I make yoga accessible to everyone.
3. What have you observed in working with your yoga clients in their personal transformation since committing to a regular yoga practice?
Just about everyone who practices yoga has been touched in some way by its transformative power. One way yoga encourages transformation is by helping you to shift patterns you’ve developed over time. Yoga breaks down the psychological, emotional, physical, energetic, and obstacles that inhibit us from thriving. Everything about practicing yoga involves intention, you set apart time in your day to do it, you move in a specific way, and breathe in a specific way. When you are mindful in your yoga practice, you create the opportunity to become more mindful in your life.
4. What are your favorite yoga poses and why?
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana- this pose stretches the hamstrings, spine, shoulders, lower back, and the sides of the abdomen. It provides a spinal twist that massages and stimulates your digestive organs, which helps to improve digestion. This pose also calms the mind, relieving anxiety, fatigue, and mild depression. Pigeon Pose- The posture has a component that helps produce a grounding effect. This pose helps open your hips and ease lower back pain. It may increase flexibility of the hip flexors and lower back muscles while also supporting digestion. The pose can alleviate mental stress or worry, since these emotions are stored in the hips. The vast majority of your body is laying on the floor when you do the posture. The majority of the body has the opportunity to drop, release, and let go into the floor.
Supta badokonasana – Reclined bound angle pose. This is a beautiful hip opener, groin softener, heart and chest opener. It stimulates abdominal organs, the heart and improves general circulation. The pose stretches the inner thighs, groins, and knees. It also helps relieve the symptoms of stress, mild depression, menstruation and menopause. Energetically, we are cultivating an energy of letting go, allowing, receiving, and surrendering. Feel the support of the earth below you as it holds you, receives and transforms that which you are releasing, that which no longer serves you, with each exhale. Feel how nourishing it is to surrender to the knowing that you are supported.
We hope you enjoyed reading Stefanie's responses as much as we did! If you want to learn more about Stefanie or work with her. We highly recommend working with Stefanie if you are looking for a yoga instructor. Visit her website: www.yogistefanie.com or email: yogistefanie@gmail.com
Namaste 🙏🏼
Stefanie
www.YogiStefanie.com
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