Prior to her practice of yoga meditation, Ayako was often companioned by anxiety, insecurity, and fear. She would use all sorts of substances to give her a false sense of confidence, easy to blame people and situations for emotional disturbances, and felt like a hamster in a turning wheel with no real direction. Yoga & meditation were the tools she used to face these narratives, helping her find her true self. As the dark night sky helps us see the light of the stars, she was able to now see the light of who she is against the dark narrative of this false self.

Her rock bottom became her springboard to her highest potential. With practicing yoga since 2008, becoming an instructor in 2012, and going on yearly vipassana meditation retreats since 2014, she was able to use these tools in other areas of her life. These tools have helped her see the noble purpose behind divorce and cancer. She even experimented to see if she could stay equanimous while training and competing in the ironman 70.3 in 2021. It has been truly amazing to see how these ancient practices can be used in modern times to great challenges with grace, compassion, and love.

These tools have helped her see the noble purpose behind divorce and cancer. She even experimented to see if she could stay equanimous while training and competing in the ironman 70.3 in 2021. It has been truly amazing to see how these ancient practices can be used in modern times to great challenges with grace, compassion, and love. She has taught yoga at several studios around the dfw area as well as facilitated sound healing mediations for gaia flow yoga and dallas ashtanga yoga shala. She also works with corporations such as methanex to provide health and wellness to their employees.

She has learned under the guidance of Taylor Hunt, Kino McGregor, patrick beach, dean hollingsworth, eddie stern, jodi roberts, and many more senior teachers. Her dedication to her own practice as well as to helping others landed her the position as a lululemon ambassador. She believes that we all have been blessed to walk this earth to wake up to our true selves. We all have the potential to reach for our dreams and to let go of the narrative that holds us back… We all have a guru inside leading us to greatness. All we need to do is quiet the narrative long enough to hear and feel the light of pure awareness and pure love. This is what yoga & meditation can do for you.

ABOUT YOUKA SCHUPP:

I stumbled upon my first yoga practice in 2006 while I was recovering from a running injury, never imagining that the yogic way would become an inseparable part of my life journey.

With a degree in Art, I started my career as a Fashion Designer and shortly after graduation moved to NYC to pursue my career. The buzz about yoga and all positive things related to it were just beginning to spread up there and studios were popping up through the city. However, I was consumed with my running habits and was not open to anything outside that. Until my body began to retaliate and a few years later after moving back to DFW, I was instructed by my doctor to take it easy….

Out of frustration, I decided to take a quick class at the closest studio to my work and that’s how it all began! Three months later I was on my way to become an Instructor just so I could share my new found way of life with others. I received my 200 RYT certificate in 2006 and taught a few classes until my life completely shifted from corporate world into this new amazing world that I had found.

During that time my life took a few unwanted turns and twists and if it wasn’t for my practice/ teaching I could not have emotionally survived the storm. My physical health began to improve as well as my spiritual being.

During this journey, even more than practicing yoga, I have cherished the opportunity to lead others through their practice and hope that they can find the internal fulfillment I found on the mat.

Throughout the years I have taken different workshops and attended trainings such as Dharma Mittra workshop. I have also had to take a few breaks due to surgeries and having a baby. Through it all I have had the joy of watching many of my students finding their way in the yoga world and advancing to become amazing instructors and inspiring leaders helping others including myself.

At last I have to add, the joy I feel helping my yogis find their way on their mat and the fulfillment after seeing their beautiful smiling faces at the end of the practice, leads me to truly believe that I have found my calling in this universe.

ABOUT DALTON PRESSON:

My friend had to drag me to my first yoga class back in 2012. The main reason I was resistant was because it was out of my comfort zone. Finally, and reluctantly, I went to a class with him and by the end thought to myself, that was awesome. I kept going back and eventually fell in love with yoga because of the blend of good vibes, great people and community, a place of non-judgment, self-discipline and especially when I began to realize that the practice was so much deeper than just the physical postures.

Since then, yoga and meditation have helped me open up and crack out of my shell in so many different ways in life. It has softened me and strengthened me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, and has brought so much peace and balance to my mind and life. Ultimately, it helps me stay in line with a higher version of myself and always brings me back to the right path when I veer off track – and although life still has its bad, stressful and dark moments, Yoga has given me the tools to meet them in a more enlightened way.

My goal as a teacher is to help create the space and experience in which I can help share these gifts that I have gained in my life with others. I have been teaching since 2015, am an E-RYT500, YACEP, have facilitated multiple 200 & 300hr YTT programs, have been a continuous student in many different YTT’s over the years, have sat multiple Vipassana meditation courses, love being outside all things mind body relate

ABOUT CARLA PINTO:

My introduction to Yoga happened at a young age in collaboration with my extensive dance training. As a Yoga instructor, dance artist, and educator, I share my acquired body intelligence with students by bringing mindfulness into practice.

Following a BFA in Dance, my 200 hr RYT certification was completed at the Dallas Yoga Center in 2014. My lifelong passion for dance has translated into an anatomically sound teaching style in Yoga, creating conscientiousness and ease in movement. I look at the student as a whole being, body, mind, and spirit.

My goal is to continuously be an advocate for self-care, personal health, and wellness. Here to hold space and share the love and joy of Yoga with you. In yoga, the focus will be on the whole self, body, mind, and spirit. Knowing each individual is unique and holding space to connect to self and rebalance the body and energy centers.

In Yoga, our attention will be on using bodily postures (Asana), breathing techniques (Pranayama), and meditation (Dhyana) with the goal of bringing about sound alignment, a balanced healthy body, and a clear mind. Bringing mindfulness into practice while finding ease and flow within our bodies.

Mindfulness is the practice of being deliberately aware of each moment of one’s experience. It is tuning into the stream of consciousness and staying in the present moment with this awareness. Together we will tune our awareness and increase our conscious connection through the art and science of Yoga.

ABOUT KEISHA HENDERSON:

My yoga journey and practice began in 2007. I was searching for something… anything… to distract me from my truth. Although I have a family that pours love and acceptance into me, I chose to listen to the world chatter that communicated you are not pretty enough, smart or good enough. Thus began a vicious cycle of trying to please others, conforming to what society saw as beautiful, attempting to maintain complete control and striving for perfection. In doing so I lived in fear, behind a mask with a wall around my true emotions. It resulted in an exhausting pace with self-driven expectations that resulted in a brief hospital stay and a diagnosis of anxiety and depression.
I attended a yoga class while in graduate school for my doctorate (still looking for worth by obtaining things) and thinking I’m okay with these “stretches” it feels good but then came savasana. While in savasana uncontrollable tears began to flow. I had no idea what was happening — it scared me. I jumped off my mat and left the studio with the intention of never returning again. However, the experience never left me and a few weeks later I found myself back on my mat. It was on my mat I discovered it was the only place I allowed myself to take a deep breath and quiet my mind, body, and soul. Yoga allowed a transformational shift in my lifestyle that supported a healthy mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing by combining eastern and western philosophies and wellness practices.
I moved to Texas in July of 2013 and found a yoga home. I was guided by outstanding individuals who introduced and taught me how to incorporate the eight limbs of yoga into my daily life. I began to work on myself by removing the mask and practicing acceptance of self with love, compassion and nonjudgment. My yoga and meditation practice has been a constant through my self- development journey. I have been teaching weekly yoga classes since 2018 when I obtained my 200 RYT certificate. I furthered my yoga training by receiving my 500 RYT and mindfulness certification.
I hope to see you on the mat so we may continue this journey together.
All my light, all my love and all my blessings,
Keisha

ABOUT LEAH KNIPPEL

I am so grateful to have found my new teaching home at The Alchemy Yoga Studio.  I have loved being a student here since Ayako opened, and have grown so much in my meditation practice from spending time with Ayako and attending her sound healing classes.  This studio just feels like home. 

ABOUT EVONNE BRAZELL

The first time I took a yoga class I was in college looking for a new workout routine. It was, quite frankly, boring and I did not go back.  In truth, I probably wasn’t ready for concepts like “going inward” or “breaking down your ego.”  “No pain, no gain” was what I was raised on and “finding stillness” was not for me yet.

Ten years passed and while working my corporate job, it seemed many people did yoga and to my surprise…they enjoyed it!  In 2015 I decided to try yoga again.  I took a class at the studio closest to me; at the time, proximity was my most important criteria.  It felt different.  It was challenging, but somehow I felt more energized at the end than when I arrived. I remember my mind was clear for the rest of the afternoon.  I wanted more of that feeling.  I canceled my gym membership that week.

One of my favorite parts of yoga is that it forces to you to be present.  The breath, the movements and the mantras all work together to help you appreciate what’s happening now. I started noticing small things that I really looked forward to in my practice – how deep I could make my inhales and exhales, how focused I could become, and how calm I felt.

Off the mat, I started seeing the spiritual sadhanas my daily life.  I found more joy in everyday moments. I started feeling grateful for what my body could do instead of focusing on what it looked like.  I found more love for myself.

In 2018, I chose to take my journey a step further and I completed my 200 RYT teacher training.  I love guiding others through playful and exploratory movements in a breath centered practice.  I hope to help others find gratitude for their everyday.  I hope to help others find joy in their journey inward.

ABOUT JAMES STRINGFELLOW

I came to yoga when I was looking for something to help with injuries I had acquired through different activities. I had been lifting mainly, playing different sports occasionally , and sometimes a yoga class.

I found an unlimited weekly special at a studio near my house and ended up going 14 times that week. After that I jumped in headfirst and started to see the benefits of yoga in other aspects of my life I would never have expected. From a health perspective my body started to recover, my allergies weren’t as severe, and surprisingly I felt even stronger than I had lifting all the time. I also started to realize benefits in my work life feeling calmer and more accepting of things that happen,.

The longer I have been practicing yoga my practice has evolved to focus more on personal breathing and using that within my daily life.   My Astana practice has developed and grown to have a focus towards inversions and hand balances. Yoga has helped me, and I hope to give that back through my teaching.

ABOUT SIREESHA CHIRALA

I was brought to yoga by the amazing, influential people in my life, who encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try something different. After my first class, I was hooked. One of the many definitions of the word yoga is “union.” For me yoga is that—a sacred union between the mind, body, and breath.

While physically challenging, yoga can be so much more than the asana practice. I see yoga as an empowering life-tool, something that helps its practitioners navigate the challenges and stresses that are a natural part of life. Yoga has given me space to breathe. It has helped me through anxiety and grief, opened my mind to new ideas, and continues to challenge me both physically and mentally. Life isn’t easy, but yoga makes it better.

My goal as a teacher is to help students find balance, to get them in tune with their inner-strength, and to help them learn that the practice yoga is for themselves. With that intention, I weave yoga philosophy into my classes. I offer variations on poses, lightness, and compassion to help students find the fullest and safest expression of their yoga practice for their minds and bodies.

Yoga is a continuous journey and I am constantly learning from my teachers, my peers, and my students. I completed my 200-hour training in Austin, Texas and finished my 500-hour training with Libby Cox of Two Birds Yoga Training.

ABOUT KRYSTLE SANGILLO

Her yoga journey began in 2011 when she was in search of something to keep her grounded while dealing with heavy challenges in her personal life. From the moment she stepped onto her first mat, she was hooked. And over time, she became stronger and more balanced – physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Krystle’s practice is a daily reminder of the freedom that comes with acceptance of self and appreciation of the beauty of the present moment. Her goal is to help her students find that same clarity on their mats. She received her 200-hour certification in 2015.

When not practicing or teaching yoga, she is living a life she loves with her beautiful young daughter and head up content production for a telecom marketing agency based in California.

ABOUT KATHLEEN ALLING

Movement is an integral part of my life. At my insistence and whining, I started taking dance lessons when I was about four years old. Those continued through young adulthood, and as dance started to conflict with my schedule, I added gym workouts, group fitness, weight training and running. After having children, consistent exercise became my biggest challenge. Running seemed to be the easiest to incorporate into an unpredictable day, but it wasn’t.

After years of aching joints, injuries, and general frustrations, I finally realized it was time for a change. I needed a good workout and something to lose the baby weight, not to mention my baby was five years old. I knew a small, very small, amount about yoga. As a child, a family friend taught yoga at the YMCA and I fondly remember her teaching my brother and me how to sit in lotus and Om. I had seen a few videos of yoga workouts, so I knew it was more than lotus and oms.

I decided to take a class at my gym, and I vividly remember my heart pounding, thoughts of trepidation and a nervousness I hadn’t felt in a long time before I walked into the studio. At the end of that class, I knew yoga would be with me for life. Yoga gives me a larger appreciation for the important things and clarity of mind in my daily life.

After starting a consistent yoga practice, not only did my physical body begin to evolve, but mentally, I began to feel less stress, and my days were clearer. And I have learned a very important lesson: it takes practice. Continued practice. And then more practice, because the universe constantly provides challenges and opportunities that push me to find my edge physically, mentally, and spiritually. 

It is a great honor and gift to be able to share this practice, to teach and to learn from so many. I am beyond grateful for this beauty of movement, breath, and awareness and look forward to practicing together. 

 ABOUT JULIA LEE:

I teach yoga because yoga is a gift and a gift is meant to be shared. The gift includes nurturing physical agility and mental confidence in my students and I am there to help them to reach their highest potential. 

Without caring, any asana means nothing. I care deeply about the wellbeing of my students first. In my class, we meet where we are without judgment.

I pay acute attention to all my students and assess how I may adjust the difficulty level of the class to make sure all feel welcome, while offering enough challenge for them to grow and go places that are possibly less comfortable yet needed. A growing process for all. Frequently, I offer hands-on adjustment on a need-base that helps students grow faster and go into their practice deeper.

My yoga journey, initially as a means to get back in shape after giving birth to my two children, has transformed my physical body and my outlook in life. I credit my yoga practice as the main tool that gave me the resilience and equanimity needed to navigate through the challenging times in my life.

I have been practicing yoga since 2007 and have received my 200 hr RYT in 2021 during the pandemic and will be getting my 500 hr RYT with Jonas Park and Paula Weithman at Second Side Yoga in May 2023. I have taught Advanced Vinyasa at Horizon Hot Yoga and Second Side Yoga in Dallas and hosted workshops and retreats between both studios. 

ABOUT JENNIFER LOVE:

I began my yoga practice in January 2011. After going through a divorce in 2010 and finding myself a single mom raising two small kids, I was lost. I didn’t know what I was looking for nor did I know how much yoga would give.  I took my first 200 hr RYT certification in 2017, my second in 2019 and completed 500hr RYT certification in 2021.

My Purpose

I teach to share the gift of connection and finding awareness that allows for union to your deepest self. Becoming aware allows for healing, acceptance, transformation and wholeness. It allows you to remember who you are at your authentic core and guides you to gratitude in mind, body, breath, and soul.

How I will share this with my students

Yoga showed me a path to myself, a place I’d only ever experienced in moments, only seeing fleeting glimpses of myself. Yoga showed me the places of pain, tension, darkness but also illuminated the strong light that lies within. Yoga taught me how to quiet my mind, so that in that quiet I could be free. Yoga is a love story, an adventure, a continual path and practice to healing, knowing, liberation and love.

Yoga is life, to me.

ABOUT TANYA MICHEL:

Yoga has been a true gift that I am grateful to have received and continue to grow through, and most importantly, share with you.

A little about me…

My first yoga class in was in 1998 in the basement gym of a company in which I worked. At that time I was a runner and found that my running was enhanced on the days I would attend that class. I attended occasionally but was not consistent.

Over the years, I grew in my running and away from yoga. I ran multiple marathons and coached many through theirs. It was a passion for many years. Over time, the damage from running long distances took its toll and I shifted to more strength training with other forms of cardio or shorter distance runs. I still aimed to maintain a good “stretch” regimen and occasionally attended yoga classes.

2014 began my professional fitness journey. I was certified in personal training and group fitness to start. From there my passion for health and wellness grew and I obtained a PiYo certificate. I began instructing classes in group fitness, PiYo, mat Pilates and yoga, as well as personal training to individuals and groups. I eventually acquired certifications as a Health Coach and in Fitness Nutrition. This was all good and well, but something was still missing.

Throughout the years I attended various yoga classes. Once I experienced hot yoga, it became more of a passion, and I was driven to grow further in my journey. While I taught yoga through the years, I was still not officially certified. So, in 2020 I obtained my RYT200.

In the past I tended to turn to yoga as a physical subsidy to my other fitness regimens. Now I acknowledge yoga, not just as a physical practice, but as a mindful experience, an expression of the inner self, a primary part of life’s journey. The whole being: body, mind, and soul.

I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to share my passion for health and wellbeing with so many. My goal is to provide a safe, mindful space for you to practice and provide an opportunity for true self-expression. I look forward to getting to know each of you and to walk alongside you on your journey.

You are a beautiful soul, and I am honored to share the gift of yoga with you.

In love and light,

~ Tanya Michel