MEET LAUREN STAR

I have been practicing yoga since 1995.  I was introduced to yoga by a friend I was travelling with in southern Africa.  She taught me sun salutations and seated meditation that she had learned at a spiritual center in Kenya.  We were energetic young women, but the heat made it hard to do other forms of exercise. So every morning we would find a shady place to practice, no matter where we awoke in our travels!  

I began teaching yoga in 2003 when I earned my teaching certification from Ananda Kutir Ashram in Capetown, South Africa. The in-depth training at the Ashram touched upon many aspects of Yoga, including: postures, breathing, anatomy and physiology, philosophy, history, meditation, scripture study,  lifestyle/Ayurveda, and basic Sanskrit. The Ashram was started by Swami Venkatesananda and is part of the Sivananda lineage.

Since 2004 I’ve trained consistently with Roman Szpond in the physically challenging “power vinyasa” style. He has taught me a great deal about postures, sequencing, teaching, personal growth, and mastering my own energy.

In 2008, after 2 years of study, I received my certification in “Yoga Dance” and Somatic Therapy from Dan Leven, creator of DansKinetics.

Between 2003 – 2010 I was trained and developed by Landmark Education through various programs and leadership opportunities. I received intensive coaching, learned to coach at a high level, trained in public speaking and transformation. In many ways, the work of Landmark Education is a powerful modern interpretation of many aspects of yoga.

In 2011, while healing from abdominal surgery, I was certified by Jillian Pransky to teach Restorative Yoga.

Since 2011 I’ve been assisting Roman Szpond  in training and certifying  yoga teachers  at Inner Strength Yoga Studios. This is a true honor and joy. Training at this level keeps me on my toes and connected with the deeper roots of yoga practice.

I approach teaching yoga with confidence, humor and simplicity. My aim is to assist all levels of students to succeed.

I have seen ALL levels of students benefit immensely from yoga practice. A healthy body, clear mind, release of stress, increase in energy, and ease in parallel parking are common benefits!