So we just opened up our calendar and realized that September 23rd is getting close.
Really close.
Which means we need to start introducing you to your NJ Global Mala teachers!
So without further ado, here is the wonderful, incredible Rachel Wallace. This interview got us REALLY excited for her sun salutations…and basically, any other chance we get to flow with her.
When did you start practicing yoga and why?
I started practicing yoga regularly in 2009 while studying contemporary dance in New Zealand. I had slipped a disc in my lower back and struggled with severe sciatic pain, muscle atrophy, and nerve loss in my leg. Due to this injury, I had to take a step back from dancing and was struggling to find a positive outlet. I had a friend encourage me to try hot yoga. It helped me heal so much and avoid surgery, so before I had even come home the following year I had googled hot yoga in NJ and couldn’t wait to start practicing at Jersey Shore Hot Yoga!
What got you hooked?
To be honest, I hated my first hot yoga class! (LOL!) It was so challenging for me!..But yoga in general has gracefully forced me to see the reflection of negative self-talk and doubt I was creating, and I needed that in order to shift my self-awareness in a more positive direction. I quickly grew to love how it kicked my butt, healed my body, made me more compassionate and surrounded me with an awesome community of peeps I truly call my family!
Where did you do your training?
I did two official RYT trainings with Jimmy Barkan (The Barkan Method of Hot Yoga). The first was in Westchester, NY in 2011, and the second was in Alajuela, Costa Rica in 2012. I consider the rest of my training a cultivation of everything I learn on a day to day basis from taking classes, reading, and connecting with and learning from my peers in this yoga community.
Where do you teach? (and tell us about it!)
I currently teach the core of my yoga classes at Jersey Shore Hot Yoga in Avon which I absolutely consider my second home. 🙂 Both the owner (and dear friend) Ann Healy, and AnnMarie Rung who was the senior Bikram teacher at the time (God Bless <3) were two people who encouraged me to go to teacher training at the time. I also teach at Root Hot Yoga in Marlboro. The owner, Kate McChesney, has also been a huge inspiration and mentor to me throughout the years. I also teach yoga and kids acrobatics classes at Animated Movement Dance Studio in Ramtown.
What’s your “style” on the mat? How would you describe your teachings?
With a background of 20 years as a dancer, I’d say my classes are heavily connected to movement and fluidity. Though I also love to find lengthy stillness in my teaching sometimes, I am all about that flow! I love to challenge myself and my students to move as creatively and seamlessly as possible from pose to pose, and emphasize that the meditation does not just begin once you arrive in each asana…it’s the to and from, the ins and outs, the coming and going…Graceful transitions on the mat translate to graceful life transitions “off the mat” too.
What’s your favorite pose and why?
Pigeon, baby! As someone who is always on their feet, whether teaching yoga or waitressing, my hips and lower back can get very tight. Pigeon is a savior! I also love the profound sense of pratyahara (withdrawal of senses/moving inward) that I experience in this pose, and I love that this pose can often provide an emotional release.
What advice would you give a yogi seeking to take their practice to the next level?
Ask yourself what taking your practice to the next level means! There are soooo many great layers of yoga to explore. Get out there and expose yourself to everything from vigorous vinyasa to calm yin classes. Go to challenging workshops or on a retreat to meet and connect with new people. Take a teacher training even if you don’t plan on teaching (I wasn’t planning on teaching either!). But most importantly, find moments to integrate quiet inward meditation, being of service, and becoming more mindful about the planet. Remember that yoga isn’t contortion, but rather self-awareness, peace, and the longevity of your wellbeing.
Are you going to attend the NJ Global Mala this year?! Our official charity is supporting WE FORUM! Click right here to get your tickets NOW!
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