Isabelle Casey

THE BEGINNING I knew I was home from the first time I placed my hands on my yoga mat. From that point, my journey of exploration began. I was taught Ashtanga yoga as a supplement to my gymnastics training curriculum. Once I decided to not be a gymnast anymore, I continued to practice yoga. I found a yoga studio and continued my practice. I continued practicing Ashtanga yoga, and eventually began to branch out studying other styles: Hatha, Iyengar, Anusara, Universal, Yin, and Power.

TEACHING & LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE Eventually, teaching found me by “accident”. I attended my regular Ashtanga Yoga class, and there was no instructor to lead. With a bit of encouragement from my fellow yoga peers, I stepped in. Though nervous during this experience, the high I felt from sharing my practice with others was huge. My teaching journey continued on… I started began teaching yoga in 1999, to a small intimate group of yogis. In 2001, my formal training began at 8 Limbs Yoga Centers in Seattle under Anne Phyfe Palmer and Melina Meza, Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga, Levels 1 and 2, Bryan Kest, Off The Mat and Into The World Leadership Training, and the Global Action Summit- both under Seane Corn, Hala Khouri, and Suzanne Sterling. I am currently studying under Yoga Rupa (Rod Stryker) in the ParaYoga Master Teacher program. In addition to my yoga certifications, I have completed Landmark I, Advanced Landmark Education, Igolu Leadership training under the fabulous, Suzanne Conrad. I am also a certified Life Coach through the International Coaching Science Research Foundation.
I am the Director and Lead Trainer of the Be Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training Program and mentorship program. My dharma is serving community. I teach weekly classes that vary in level from beginner to experienced; class style: hatha, vinyasa, pranayama, and meditation; and subject matter: philosophy, bhakti yoga, ParaYoga, Ayurveda, and energetic anatomy and physiology.

One of my teaching passions in particular is tween yoga for girls. I remember vividly what it was like to be in this age group and recognize the struggles and concerns that often times lead to limited thinking as women. I lead small group tween classes to empower young girls to be strong, confident, and be in alignment with who they are. In addition to teaching weekly yoga classes, I also present at yoga conferences, and lead workshops nationally. I also own and navigate My Yoga Scene, a community website- blog, event hosting, promotion, and directory. I am a lululemon athletica ambassador alumni, and hold current ambassadorships with Asha Patel Designs, and KiraGrace. I love serving our community and knowing my work lends to positive personal growth and spreading of the yoga tradition.

FREE BIRD I was born in Tuscon, Arizona, and at 9 months old, moved to Cocoa Beach, Florida. I lived there until 1987. During that period of time, our brood of 6 moved cross-country between Seattle, Washington & Florida numerous times. My father was the bread winner and my mother managed the home and us kids for the most part. Finally, my father had the opportunity to stay in FL or move to WA. Seattle won! I lived there until 2005 in which I moved to Atlanta, Georgia where I currently reside. In April 2016, I will be fulfilling my goal of moving to Boulder, Colorado. I’m beyond looking forward to this next chapter. As a result of my upbringing, traveling and experiencing new opportunities is an innate passion. Growing up, our family road-tripped cross country numerous times. I have taken 9 cross-country trips to date. I continue to travel nationally and internationally for my own personal growth. This year, I will venture to the motherland, India- a trip that only now I feel ready to take. Through these experiences, my eyes have continued to open from exposure to beautiful cultures and people on our planet. Our world is big, we are small, and life is short. If there is a window of space to explore, I consider it an invitation from the universe to get out and entertain wonderment. Inspired by all of this, I encourage bigger perspective in others by facilitating national and international yoga retreats. I have led retreats in Washington state, Georgia, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, and Italy. This summer, I will lead a retreat in Nicaragua.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY Aside from my formal yoga trainings, my most profound teacher is life itself. I take into consideration what and whom I’ve studied from, but march to my own beat. My family, experiences, opportunities, and the beautiful people in my life are my guide. My personal practice has organically transformed from the intensity of any set style to more introspective, honing a strong flow that is attentive to the body in motion and grounding stability from our deep core. I teach to who comes to my class and draw inspiration from my own personal practice and share that with others. I truly believe that we are here to share our personal experiences. I also believe in authenticity, teaching and sharing from your own personal experiences. We are all teachers. Be your message. I am naturally drawn to not following an agenda. I have learned that it makes no sense to assume that everyone I teach is the same. We’re not! Yoga, asana in particular to classes, is subjective. Assuming that one posture or breath technique works for everyone is no different than administering aspirin to everyone. It will make some better, some sick, and some nothing. As a result, I am creative and honor the individual and their needs to the best of my ability in the present moment. My goal is to create a space for students to explore where they are in their practice. In class, the foundation is laid by breath work as a metric to follow. We explore a fusion of modalities: dynamic sequencing, physical and energetic core work, pranayama, meditation that cultivate a deeper sense of interconnectedness. My inspiration is derived from my personal, life experience, and wisdom. This creates engaging, yet strong classes that release physical and energetic boundaries in the body and mind. I encourage all to tap and trust their empowering inner wisdom and sharpen awareness on all levels in our experiences. This is yoga. This is the personal catalyst that inspires me to share the teachings of yoga.