Rachel G.

What drew you to The Collective?

A beautiful space with big windows that operates with integrity, that celebrates individual autonomy, and is populated with kindly lovers of consciousness— it’s kind of a no brainer! I am very excited about being a part of The Collective.

What kind of teacher are you?

I learned to teach through apprenticeship in the Mysore classroom. Ashtanga yoga is an embodied tradition. Its transmission is person to person, and is mostly non-conceptual. Teaching skills are transmitted and developed through relationship between teacher and student via daily practice in the classroom, over a long period of time.

Angela Jamison is my teacher. She is the founder of Ashtanga Yoga Ann Arbor (AYA2). I was Angela’s full-time teaching apprentice from 2012-2017. I have made four long study trips to India. The three most recent I spent in Mysore, practicing once with Saraswati Jois, and twice with Sharath. I intend to return to Mysore for practice with Sharath. I return to AYA2 twice a year (in normal years) for renewal and inspiration in my practice and teaching.

What else are you up to?

I practice yoga daily. I have held to a traditional 6-day a week Ashtanga yoga practice for 10 years, without fail. Sometimes I have wondered why I do this. My reasons for coming to the mat each day have certainly changed over time. All I know for sure is that I always feel excited to meet the tender, determined, extraordinary spirit that comes alive in me whenever I step onto the yoga mat.

I have a blue belt in Gracie Jiu Jitsu and I am completely obsessed with the gentle art. I train almost daily.

I’ve been a Massage Therapist for 20 years. I provide a unique style of barefoot massage therapy that I learned during my study trips in India. My business is called Lilac Door Yoga & Massage. I offer Chavutti Thirumal exclusively, and I specialize in pain relief for hardworking people at the brink of exhaustion.

I grew up in Southwest Utah. My daughter and her young family still live there. Our hearts are very close, and I strive to be an involved and present mom and grandma across the distance. I lived in Ann Arbor, MI for 10 years and completed a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at the University of Michigan. I moved to Florida in the fall of 2017 and have been settling in gradually ever since. St Pete is a wonderful place to call home!

Schedule

Friday 9:15am-11:00am - Ashtanga Half Primary*

For barefoot massage therapy sessions and yoga lessons, visit LilacDoorMassage.com