Lara Jeletzky

“I started practicing yoga regularly at age 17 and started my psychology degree at the University of Victoria, 10 years ago. It soon became the daily medicine I needed to relieve chronic pain in my right hip & knee. On a physical level, yoga is an incredibly useful tool for relieving pain, while finding a balance between strength and flexibility in the muscles and joints. I have also found yoga to very beneficial in terms of relaxation and stilling my fluctuating mind, for example, I once suffered from debilitating panic attacks, depression and significant social anxiety; now I am able to love the work I do, standing in front of a group, teaching yoga! I also credit my yoga practice for helping me through the stressful experience of earning my degree, it has always been a great way for me to build better concentration, memory and focus. About 3 years ago when I finished my psychology degree, I starting intensively studying the 8 limbs of yoga with my primary teacher, Michelle Rubin, who continues to teach me a great deal, not only about the practice of yoga, but also the nuances of sharing the benefits of yoga with others. I believe in only teaching what I have practiced myself and found beneficial. Often I think of the body as a laboratory, where we have the ability to experiment, choosing what works best for us as individuals. I encourage you to come try a yoga class with me, feeling free to take what you like and leave what you don’t!”