I started my yoga journey eight years ago. It was on day date with my husband. I bought a Groupon (so romantic, right?!) Together we walked into a Bikram studio. It was a 90 minute class. One of us liked it. I can still remember the smells, how the air seemed so heavy, and the carpet – the lovely carpet! I survived what I thought was torture and I never went back.

Fast forward a few years, I got injured. As an artist/sculptor spending long hours at my table reeked havoc on my body, especially my shoulders, neck and back. My doctor suggested I try yoga, I decided to try again. This time was different. Same style Bikram class, but the studio had ditched the carpet and I didn’t feel tortured. The more I kept going, the happier I felt. This feeling off the mat spilled over into my everyday interactions.

I practiced everyday and it was a refuge in my life. It was a natural decision to go deeper into teacher training. As an artist, my motto has always been to practice, keep learning and never think you’ve mastered your craft: Yoga is no different.

After my 200hr training, I continued learning with various workshops. I was hungry for more yoga knowledge.  Also, I chose to become certified in Trauma Yoga and Y12SR. Yoga 12-Step and Recovery is a class offered to anyone dealing with addictive behaviors. Addiction is a family disease and it most likely has touched all of us in one way or another. I have found this to be a powerful tool in my arsenal of ongoing healing and growing.

When I’m not on my mat, I create. I’m a clay artist, junk collector, journal maker, vintage lover and over all, art supply hoarder. Art is another form of healing to me. It’s a lifeline and I enjoy sharing art with others.

Yoga and art are meant to be shared, I feel very lucky to practice both. Being on my mat is like a blank canvas or a mound of clay. It is creative time for me…I create space for my mind and body.

I enjoy many styles of yoga. Being on my mat is my favorite kind of yoga. The practice of yoga is meant to be a gift and to be shared.

Through the years, I’ve grown to love the stillness just as much as the physical poses.
Teaching for me is simply looking through the lens with openness. I learn so much from others. The community is such a huge part of my practice…finding that connection is my why.

Being creative and learning is the ultimate collaboration.

So let’s create, learn and grow together on and off the mat.

Namaste

Julie’s desire to improve her health began in her early twenties, when she decided to search for the root cause of her health concerns due to years of suffering. She has been a practicing dental hygienist for 30 years, but her passion for holistic living exploded in 2009 when she became a Certified Integrative Nutrition Practitioner through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. In 2011 she became Board certified from the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) and currently works with clients helping them heal and explore with an emphasis on Ayurvedic practices including nutrition, self-care, and Yoga.

Julie has always been very physically active and was a dedicated runner and black belt in Tae Kwon Do. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that she began practicing yoga to relieve her back and wrist pain from hygiene and knee pain from extreme sports. To her surprise, breathing and being still in the present moment was more challenging than any marathon or extreme sport she had ever done. Instantly intrigued, Julie dove in and hasn’t looked back since.

I began practicing yoga in 2007. I had a friend who opened yoga studio in Naperville and started taking classes. Some were group classes, some were private, and one on one sessions. I enjoyed them all. In 2009 I attended my first “hot yoga” class. I really liked the warmth with the yoga asanas. Being a hairstylist all my professional career, yoga helped me deal with the aches and pains that come with the profession.

In 2016 I enrolled at Prairie Yoga to earn my 200 hour teachers certification.

Yoga is a great way to stay in tune with your body and mind. I love spending time on the mat figuring out what I need to work on to center myself, to feel ready to take on the day. I enjoy many other physical activities, yoga practice helps me keep moving. I like to help others unlock their body and mind in my teaching practice.

Everybody comes in different shapes and sizes. My classes will work on improving flexibility, strength, range of motion and calming the mind.

One world, one love, one race. Let’s get together and feel alright.

Teri has a true passion for teaching. Her former business careers were even of a teaching and training nature including working as a Photography teacher at College of DuPage. In 2003, she took her first Bikram Yoga class and discovered her new journey. In 2006, Teri attended Bikram Yoga Teacher Training in LA and went on to expand the depths of her yoga knowledge.

In 2011 she became 100 hour Yin Yang Yoga certified when she trained with Master Paulie Zink, the founder of Yin Yoga and with Paul and Suzee Grilley in Yin and Yang Yoga. In 2012, Teri began training with Suddha Weixler in the yoga styles of Classical Hatha, Vinyasa and Ashtanga. Teri also teaches Power Vinyasa, after attending training at PYOM in Downers Grove with Karen and Mick Cesta. Teri loves the science of Yoga and truly believes in the benefits of the practice.

Her studies in Yoga and Anatomy Education allows her to help students in the healing of chronic pain. She safely guides and assists with modification to meet an individual student’s need.

Teri’s passion for Yoga encourages students and she enjoys watching them grow in their own Yoga journey! Teri instills the understanding that there is endless knowledge and benefits to be gained with a regular Yoga practice.

Teri loves the Yoga community and the friendships foraged.

She looks forward to seeing you in class!

Meg’n had a love-hate relationship with yoga when she first began taking classes, and then fell hard when she was undergoing a tough period in her life. She needed something to sink her teeth into that was not harmful. She explored many different styles, and didn’t think twice when Moksha yoga (Chicago) had a teacher training program in Naperville which Meg’n completed in 2007.

Since then, she has taught toddlers, kids, teens, chair yoga, has dabbled in Iyanger, Forest and Hot Yoga. It was Vinyasa yoga and it’s fluidity, beauty and meditative qualities of this practice that captured her heart and soul. Meg’n enjoys creative sequencing and eclectic music.

She finds immense joy, satisfaction and inspiration in seeing students discover their own personal yoga journey and hopes to nurture and encourage them along their path.

During her free time, Meg’n works as a stylist at several local boutiques, relishes traveling (and occasionally destination teaching) is an avid foodie, book and animal lover.