Tara Dawn Connolly

Yoga entered Tara's life in 2006 when she took a yoga course at her college to help her de-stress while she was in nursing school. At first, she found it to be very boring compared to her other physical hobbies such as long-distance running, rock climbing, kickboxing, and hiking. Six weeks into the class, though, her teacher introduced her to the Yamas and Niyamas, and she found herself much more interested. Yogic principles such as Ahimsa (non-violence) and Asteya (non-stealing) changed her perspective on yoga, recognizing it was much more than just a form of physical exercise. Since then, Tara has felt deeply connected with yoga and considers it to be a way of living that affects every aspect of her life. Yoga has played a huge role in her healing and thriving, which is something she tries to provide to her students. She was diagnosed with a neurologic disorder that greatly challenges her balance, suffered a significant back and neck injury after a car accident, and sustained permanent nerve damage to her right leg after her sixth knee surgery. Through it all, yoga has been a constant and the added challenges she has have only enhanced her desire to learn and grow as a student, to be gentle with herself when she can't "nail a pose," and to dive deeper into the mind-body-spirit connection inherent in yoga and to encourage the same in those she meets along her yoga journey. At the moment, Tara predominantly works with private clients who have mobility issues of any kind, focusing on chair, yin, and gentle hatha yoga to help her students move more comfortably in their bodies. It truly is a privilege to support others in their healing and growth. Tara also leads chair yoga, pranayama, and meditation workshops for groups at private events with offices and non-profit organizations.