YOGIS

Passion, purpose, persistence, and pause; some of the greatest allies in my yoga practice. I began practicing yoga as a child, around nine years old. Yoga practice and culture has always been an integral force in my life growing up, and has further developed in adulthood through exploring and experimenting with various types of yoga, studios, and teachers (especially with my family and teachers in India!), I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at YogaOasis here in Tucson, Arizona, and I am also certified in teaching YogaHour. My aim in class is to provide a nourishing environment for students through music, alignment postures, and breath; I feel very passionate about helping people relieve themselves of pain. In my free time, I love to travel, explore the outdoors, read books, and try new recipes!

Cara is a registered yoga instructor and has been called the Mary Poppins of yoga, as she brings a cheery, positive, vibrant energy to her classes. Her initial study and practice of yoga began in 2003 with Annie Smith, in Tucson, Arizona. She has been teaching yoga since 2008.She received her Hatha Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training from Yoga Oasis, under Darren Rhodes, Sam Rice, Stephani Lindsey, and Bruce Bowditch and holds the designation of E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) certification from the Yoga Alliance, a professional association for yoga instructors. Her additional experience includes certification as an instructor of Les Mills BodyFlow and completion of training in Pilates, under Becca Franks, at the Animas studio, in Tucson.

Cara has been an educator for two decades. She received her B.A. in Elementary Education, from the University of Arizona, with a minor in dance; and her M.Ed., in Educational Leadership, from Northern Arizona University. Currently, she teaches yoga and dance at The Gregory School for grades 5-12, and she instructs classes at several yoga studios throughout Tucson.

I grew up in Northern California and had the great fortune of moving to Tucson in 2009. I came into yoga about 18 years ago following a knee injury due to skiing. I was told that I would require knee surgery before I turned 25 and was given a handful of physical therapy sessions and a prescription for pain medications. I expressed a desire with my physical therapist to be able to go without the pain medications and asked for any recommendations for pain management and he suggested yoga. For the first few years my practice was all about managing my pain and strengthening my joints. Slowly however, I began to develop a deep mind-body connection. It not only helped me manage my injury to the point where I no longer needed surgery, but I started to understand myself better. I learned how to tune into my breath and how that affected me both on and off the mat. Yoga is about connecting breath and movement, power and stillness. In 2018 I studied yoga under Darren Rhodes at Yoga Oasis. There I received my 200 hour certification in hatha yoga and yoga hour. I came to yoga simply to manage pain and ended up developing a deeply spiritual practice. My goal in teaching yoga is to help guide anyone within their own journey of healing, or to simply offer the joy of movement and stillness.

Originally from Southern California I moved out to Tucson in 2008. I completed my YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) 200 hr right here in Tucson through Yoga Oasis. As someone who enjoys exploring different types of movements and physical expression, I have taught rock climbing, kickboxing, and weightlifting, in addition to Yoga. When I teach a class, I always shoot for two things: funky and functional. Expect to see a good mix of classic basic poses and flows designed to help build baseline strength and mobility mixed in with some more creative transitions or sequences to help challenge your spatial awareness and mind body connection.

I discovered The Yoga Connection, a local nonprofit, in 2021 while seeking a solution for my painful frozen shoulder. Through their work-trade program, I earned my 200 hour certification in Hatha yoga. I went on to teach at Canyon Ranch where I had a full schedule and the opportunity to lead a variety of wellness and movement classes including restorative yoga, aerial, chair yoga and vinyasa. I fell in love with the fact that yoga can always meet us where we are. Teaching community classes and specializing in the development of physical and cognitive movement programs for senior citizens, my dedication to fostering accessibility and diversity within the yoga community took root. My focus is on the breath and cultivating a safe space to connect mind and body through movement. I remain a student by staying current with continuing education courses, finding new ways to celebrate movement through yoga, dance, skating, nature and now climbing. I am deeply grateful for and inspired by my students, fellow teachers and the enrichment you all bring into my life. I hope to share with you the transformative gifts that are given to me through movement and yoga.

My goal as a yoga teacher is to create an environment centered on harmony, self-awareness, and strength. I found yoga in 2017 shortly after I moved to Tucson by myself, looking for a way to move my body and build community in a new place. My practice quickly became a vital resource, helping me understand and appreciate the link between my mind and body. While there are times I don't want to hop on my mat and practice, I always come away feeling grateful I did. I hope to inspire you to feel the same through sharing practice together. I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at YogaOasis with Darren Rhodes and Sam Rice, and I'm currently working toward a certification in Yin Yoga. When I'm not on my mat, you can find me enjoying the outdoors through climbing, cycling, or backpacking.