Many of us know what it feels like to move somewhere and feel as though we don’t have a place in the community. No matter where we are in the world, our practice can bring us to a new sense of community. We hear the instructor cue a pose and suddenly we are in a chorus of movement together. The feeling of being alone, begins to erase with the first inhale and exhale. One of our amazing Desk Angels Taylor, explains that when she moved to Tampa, she began searching for her home studio. Bella Prana brought her that sense of peace. While finding her community, she also found out about many other benefits, like anxiety relief, she never expected. Read below to learn about how yoga changed Taylors life.
How has your yoga practice changed overtime?
When I started at Bella, I had only been to a handful of classes, but I wanted to find my place in the community, having recently moved to Tampa. I loved how many different types of yoga and classes the studio offered, so I began trying all different types, finding what I liked and what I didn’t. This exploration helped me develop a habit of practicing almost daily. While I didn’t make a conscious effort to make yoga a daily routine, but rather just explore it for fun, I started seeing changes within my attitude, I felt more centered, was able to control my anxiety more, and felt overall more grounded and in control of myself. This realization made me dive deep into my practice, and I wanted to learn all the knowledge and theory behind yoga as I could, so I signed up for YTT. I didn’t sign up with the intention to teach with my certification, but instead to expand and deepen my personal practice. It’s been a wonderful journey so far to see how mine and fellow student’s practices have deep end throughout training.
What advice can you give to those who are just beginning their practice?
The best advice I can give to someone who is just beginning their practice is to go in with playful curiosity and try all the classes the studio has to offer, even ones you don’t think you’ll like. You can always be surprised! I fell in love with Hot26, but thought I’d despise it before I tried it, just because it was hot. Even a power flow can be drastically different with different teachers. Also, don’t worry if you’re not a “picture perfect” yogi. Yoga isn’t about the fancy postures, but instead about centering yourself and your mind, that you will ultimately see the benefits of off the mat as well.
What does being a Desk Angel mean to you?
To me, being a desk angel means being the first interaction the student has in the studio, greeting the student, assisting them in whichever way they need, so they can meet themselves on the mat with a clear mind and ready to practice. Students come from everywhere: work, parenting, hospitals, phone calls, traffic, and typically come to the studio to relax. Being able to help create an environment that students look forward to coming to is the most rewarding part of being a desk angel to me.
What’s one of your favorite (healthy) recipes that you would like to share with the Bella Prana community? Feel free to include a link and we will feature it on our website!
I love to snack, so peanut butter and chocolate energy balls are my favorite, since they’re bite sized and full of flavor, you forget that they’re packed with nutrients and healthy proteins, fiber, and carbs. Plus they’re super customizable so you could put in coconut, berries, or anything else your heart desires. Also, just as a personal preference, I put the oats through a food processor until they’re mostly ground, because I like the smoother texture, but the recipe doesn’t call for that!
Taylor, we appreciate you so much and are so grateful to have you as our Desk Angel of the Month for June!
Our mission at Bella Prana Yoga and Meditation, Tampa, FL is to serve the community with affordable yoga classes, meditation, and an overall holistic wellness experience in a neutral space for students of all beliefs, abilities, races, sizes, needs and ages – from in utero to seniors. We are proud to offer adaptive yoga for people with differences and disabilities. Voted Best in the Bay!