Rachel

"My journey into yoga first began in 2013 when life’s pressures encouraged me to look for a creative and satisfying outlet to cope with stress. Looking back, I know the yoga resonated on a cellular level but the physical practice didn’t stick - the timing just wasn’t right.

 

In April of 2018, after a very difficult few years, I was drawn back into the Hot Room by an Instagram ad for a free week of hot yoga. I was pushing through my second round of medical school interviews and simultaneously coming to terms with the realization that I was no longer passionate about the current path I was set on. I was feeling defeated, exhausted, and broken down. I knew I needed something to ignite that fire for life within me again! The yoga was exactly it, and I had no idea where it would take me. 

 

My personal practice consists primarily of hot 26&2 + Integrated Hatha. I love the heat, the sweat, the intensity, and the euphoric yet peaceful state of being you can drop into after a solid class! I also am curious about and dabble in the Ashtanga yoga lineage. Overall, yoga is my anchor, my anti-depressant and anxiolytic - my path to whole-self wellness. I am more connected, conscious, and at peace when I lean into my yoga practice. I credit the yoga for so much personal growth and the best community connections.

 

In the Spring of 2019, I attended my first TT - the 500-hour Level 1 (26&2) Teacher Training with Raja Yoga Academy in Victoria, BC. Since then, I have trained many hours for certifications in Integrated Hatha, Yin, Functional Range Conditioning, Functional Range Assessment, and Kinstretch. I am always learning! I am currently the Owner + Director of a studio, Hot Yoga Vancouver, and the Assistant Director of The Ivy Standard Yoga Institute. I am so grateful for this opportunity in life. Teaching is my passion and it’s an honor to be trusted to hold the space for the deep inner-work that happens when we show up on our mats. All in all, we practice yoga to get better at living... so let’s get to it!"