featured teacher of the month ~ christina alden
#yogahomies, meet Christina Alden, this month’s featured teacher! Christina is new to our community and can be found teaching 4:30 Slow Flow on Mondays and 9:30 Vinyasa on Tuesdays!
Through your work as a yoga teacher, what impacts would you like to make on the world?
Yoga is a practice of self-study-to observe the body and breath and how it all connects is truly fascinating to me. I really want to share that same excitement that I experience when I arrive on my mat with my students. There is something so incredibly magnificent and beautiful when you are in a class with others that are on the same journey, but watching how they approach the asana practice, accept the place where their work is and the effort put into that practice, then seeing the transformation starting to unfold is absolutely amazing to watch and 100% humbling as a teacher to provide the proper space to do that work and follow their path. To just be present for someone as they navigate, offering them hope and support when things get bumpy or uncomfortable, because life can be so very messy. We are all on the same journey, with our own path that we must carve out for ourselves, and knowing that I could be a friendly face in that journey is deeply rewarding and touching.
Who inspires you?
I have to pick just one person?! I don’t think I can do that because I have met and been inspired by so many beautiful people in my life already. Every single person in my life has greatly impacted me on a deep level of growth and personal transformation, which brings me such joy and peace in my heart. I just can’t wait to meet more!
How would you describe your teaching style?
Ooh. This is a bit tricky, as I love to teach many types of yoga and each requires a little different approach at times. I would venture to say that I am supportive and encouraging. I try to keep it light and fun too. I always have a plan in mind, or a certain theme or pose that I may want to explore, but I do “read my room” as I learned as being a first grade teacher before I had my son. It is incredibly important to know who is in front of you, what the energy level is, and being in tune with their needs. It is NEVER about me when I walk into a studio to teach. I always think how can I best serve those who are in front of me. I am as authentic as I can possibly be. I don’t know any other way of being.
Would you categorize yourself as a thinker, maker, planner, or leader?
What a good question! I would normally say a planner, and most of my life I’ve done just that, and I am beginning to see that hasn’t always served me well. Currently I am working on being more of a thinker, trying to pause more and contemplate a question or thought. I thought A LOT about these questions before I answered them, so thank you for the deep work! 😉
Of all Yoga Home’s core values {Connection, Acceptance, Love, Community, Growth} which do you connect with most?
All of these values are inherently important to me, but love overrides them all. Each one stems from this greatest value. Love. Always. Choose. Love.