Carmela Ribadeneira

During my freshman year of college, I experienced health problems. I tried various treatments before my doctor recommended I try going to a yoga class. I didn’t believe yoga would alleviate my problems, but I could not have been more wrong. I took my very first class at Mighty Yoga, and after a month, I felt different. As I noticed more benefits to my health, I began going to more and more classes. Eventually, I was practicing yoga a minimum of four times a week. 

Before I knew it, I started seeing the benefits of yoga not only for my physical, but for my mental and emotional well-being. Yoga helps ground me. The more I practiced, the less I would get caught up in all the little challenges in a day. My practice has helped me stay mindful and present despite all the stress that comes with being a student because I am more in control of my own thoughts and actions. For example, I used to have a hard time studying for an exam because I would get distracted by all the negative thoughts running around my mind. However, I found that yoga helps quiet the negativity and fosters a calm headspace ideal for studying.

About a year after I took my first yoga class, I decided to complete my teacher training to develop a deeper understanding of the practice I had come to love. I didn’t initially think I would be a yoga teacher. However, I felt drawn to share yoga with others because of the many benefits it has brought to my life. My focus as a teacher is not only to guide you in movements that will alleviate physical ailments, but to help you create a practice of mindfulness and mental strength.