Lexie Hallahan

Having been raised Unitarian, I had an understanding of world religions as reflected in practices and faiths from a social justice perspective.  In 1996, I started taking yoga classes in Cannon Beach, Oregon with a wonderfully wise young teacher named Sarahjoy Marsh. She was the founder of Living Yoga and is now the founder of the DAYA Foundation, a nonprofit yoga center that delivers accessible yoga alternatives and develops yoga curriculum to train allied health professionals, yoga teachers and students. For the last 21 years, I've had the opportunity to study with her in ongoing classes, numerous workshops, retreats and two formal teacher trainings.  My first teacher training was in 2004 in Anusara Yoga. Anusara is a modern Hatha Yoga system founded by John Friend. Its philosophy is one of "opening to grace", "following the heart" and remembering and celebrating life as a gift! At the time of this training until September, 2014, I was deeply committed to the primary care of my mentally ill mother. I started NW Women's Surf Camps in 2005 and began teaching Anusara beach yoga at all of our events. Needing to keep my schedule flexible to respond to and care for my mother, I did not take on the commitment to weekly studio classes until this last year after completing my second training with Sarajoy in Amrita Yoga. Amrita is a type of Vinyasa yoga with influences from Ayurveda, neuroscience, yoga philosophy, pranayama and mindfulness. It is taught in alignment with the rhythms of nature and in harmony with the changing of the seasons as well  as with the time of day and one's own life-cycle.  Throughout my journey with yoga, life events have been catalysts for my personal growth and spiritual development. During the fifteen years of care giving for my parents, it was my practice and commitment to yoga and meditation that kept me afloat in my personal buoyancy; my practice centered me to trust that in the Universe, "All is well". My practice  grounded me in the sense of One-ness that I hold close to, to this day.  My dharma or, life's purpose, is to teach. I will continue to share Amrita yoga, which translates to "the divine nectar" in Sanskrit, with my coastal and world community. My vision is to bring the yogic and spiritual vibration on the North Coast of Oregon to a higher resonance that touches all parts of our community, especially including those who are marginalized, shunned and isolated.  Namaste, Lexie