The Story Behind This Space
How It All Started
I never set out to become a yoga teacher, much less someone who talks about yoga on the internet. Five years ago, I was a marketing coordinator living in Portland, Oregon, spending my days creating campaigns for tech companies and my nights wondering why I felt so disconnected from my own body and mind.
The turning point came during what I now call my “season of too much” – working 60-hour weeks, training for a marathon, maintaining a social life, and trying to keep up with a yoga practice that left me feeling more frustrated than peaceful. My body was exhausted, my nervous system was fried, and I was beginning to resent the very practice I thought was supposed to be helping me.
That’s when my teacher, Linda, introduced me to Yin yoga. “What if,” she asked, “instead of doing more, you tried doing less?”
The Practice That Changed Everything
In those first few months of Yin practice, something shifted. Instead of fighting my tight hips or judging my wandering mind, I learned to settle into poses with curiosity rather than criticism. I discovered that holding a simple shape for five minutes could be more transformative than an hour of intense flow.
As I deepened my practice, I also fell in love with Hatha yoga – the methodical, mindful approach to movement that taught me how every single pose could be a meditation in itself. Where Yin taught me to surrender, Hatha taught me to find stability and strength through patience and breath.
Why I Share This Work
After completing my 200-hour certification in 2020 (via Zoom from my living room, like so many of us did!), I started teaching small classes at local studios and community centers. What struck me was how many students felt intimidated by yoga, thinking they weren’t flexible enough, young enough, or somehow “yoga-y” enough to belong.
This website exists to change that narrative.
What You’ll Find Here
Every piece of content I create comes from a simple question: “How can this actually help someone feel better in their real life?”
You’ll find:
- Practical guides that explain the why behind the poses, not just the how
- Real talk about the challenges of maintaining a practice (because life happens)
- Accessible modifications that honor different bodies and different seasons of life
- Science-backed information about how these practices affect our nervous systems, sleep, and stress levels
- Stories and insights from students who’ve found their own unique relationships with these practices
My Philosophy
I believe yoga should be:
- Accessible to every body, regardless of age, flexibility, or experience
- Practical enough to fit into real life, not just perfect Instagram moments
- Honest about both the benefits and the challenges
- Kind – to ourselves and others, always
I also believe that the best yoga teachers are simply students who love sharing what they’ve learned. I’m still learning every day, still discovering new layers to poses I thought I knew, still working with my own patterns of tension and stress.
Beyond the Mat
When I’m not writing or teaching, you’ll probably find me hiking the trails around Portland with my rescue dog Luna, experimenting with new vegetarian recipes (often unsuccessfully), or buried in a good book with a cup of chamomile tea.
I live in a small apartment with more yoga props than furniture, which seems about right for someone who believes that your living room can be just as sacred as any studio.
Let’s Connect
This website is meant to be a conversation, not a monologue. I’d love to hear about your own yoga journey – the wins, the struggles, the moments of insight, and the times when you couldn’t find your way to your mat for weeks (we’ve all been there).
Feel free to reach out through our [contact page] or connect with our growing community of practitioners who are all figuring this out together.
Remember: you already have everything you need to begin. The only requirement is showing up as you are, right now.
With deep gratitude for your presence here,
Sarah Chen
Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT-200)
Student of Life, Always
P.S. – If you’re wondering whether you’re “ready” for yoga, let me save you some time: you are. Exactly as you are, right now.
Editorial Team
Matt Robinson
Editor-in-Chief
Jessica Heim
Managing Editor
Anna Miles
Senior Editor