Lynnette Van Epps-Smith

Prior to this my exercise routine had included weight lifting and aerobic dance exercising. I discovered that unlike my younger years, I enjoyed moving my body! When I had my first serious back injury while walking my dogs, I got serious about Yoga as a means of rehabilitation. Lucky for me I found just the right teacher and was able to get very personalized lessons that helped me to establish a knowledgeable approach to Yoga mechanics. I have never looked back. I have enjoy going to Yoga Workshops in different places and have done so in Baja, Italy and Costa Rica. Combining traveling and Yoga is a great love of mine. I have been attracted to Anasura principles of good body alignment with strength training becoming my focus. For my celebration of my 70th birthday and surviving 2 bouts of cancer in the past 33 years, I sent myself to Black Hills Yoga School and graduated this January 2022 to deepen my own personal practice. Having had experience in the teaching profession, I soon realized I would enjoy sharing my passion with others and seemed a way I could give back to my community. I found a opening for instruction at our local community center and interest as many "seniors" who are curious about Yoga but maybe not comfortable going to a regular yoga studio full of younger people. What my volunteering since March 2022 has provided is a venue for those who have interest to get stronger and stay moving. In September I completed a 100 hour Therapeutic Ayurveda Yoga course through Swastha Yoga International. The team of Kevin McQuillan and Serena Arora from Peace Resort in Costa Rica came up to work with Sol Yoga for the 7 day workshop. Through this workshop I was introduced to Ayurvedic Health principles and Swastha yoga philosophies that have furthered my studies in the philosophy, history and human potential approach to the teaching of Yoga. In November I was then graciously approached by Melody Francis owner of Black Hills Yoga School to take over her OM/Flow class on Wednesdays which has been a great venue for me to implement other aspects of Yoga practices I have been investigating. I completed in March 2023 my 64 hour CEU course Yoga and Alzheimer Prevention through the Alzheimer's Research and Prevention Foundation. Through this course I have brought to my students more brain related exercises, meditation with breathing routines as well as diet discussion and an open atmosphere for social interaction. I love to learn and studying to be the best Yoga teacher ever has been an enriching adventure! I have had some pretty wonderful role models to help me on my way!