GRETCHEN’S STORY

I started practicing yoga in 1990. As a wife, a stay at home mom of 3 teenagers and attending college full time, I felt the need to participate in an activity that would fulfill my needs on a physical and mental level. Yoga was the best fit plus a yoga studio had just opened near my home.

I can account from experience, the healing powers of yoga as a 16 year cancer survivor. I meditated through chemo and visualized my daily practice which got me through the ordeal. My physician recognized my positive perspective and resilience that came from my practice. My husband witnessed how my practice worked, he started going to yoga with me in 2005 and hasn’t stopped. I may not be able to do the perfect physical poses but mentally and spiritually I’m there.

My Sankalpa is to be teaching and helping individuals that may be going through a trying time regardless of their situation, that they can be present, breathe and heal.

Jackie’s Story

Jackie sought yoga after a significant illness 42 years ago and she’s been practicing ever since. Originally from England, Jackie came to the States 22 years ago when her husband took a job here. She received her 200-hour teacher training in 2009 and her 300 hour in 2014 – both from Angela Phillips.

New to teaching at Shine, Jackie is a perfect fit for our team of easy-going and compassionate instructors. Having practiced at Shine for three years, it was a natural choice to have Jackie officially join the team.

Jackie and her husband have a small cottage in Kill Devil Hills where they like to occasionally escape and enjoy the great outdoors. They have two daughters and four grandchildren plus three large grand dogs. Jackie’s currently an early childhood special education teacher’s assistant at Kempsville Elementary and when she’s not wondering if we’ll ever be back in school, Jackie loves to play golf, ride her bike and go kayaking.

Wren’s Story

Wren started practicing yoga in high school, mostly as a way to stretch after long competitive runs. A developing injury in college began to fizzle her competitive running career; she remembered yoga and adopted it as a more gentle form of fitness to nurse her body back to peak health.

The more she practiced, the more she noticed the craving for peace and comfort that is found only on the mat. In 2018, Wren moved to a new town where she didn’t know anyone. Diving headfirst into yoga, she made it her primary source of mental, physical, and social release.

In early 2021, Wren completed a 200-hour Yoga Alliance teaching certification at a Tahna Studio in Provo, Utah. Tahna, an important Buddhist concept, meaning “thirst, longing, desire” reflects her personal yoga mission regardless of the style of class. She’s passionate about cultivating deep inner connections in all of her classes and fostering an environment for self-discovery and self-care. She truly believes our minds and mats are a place for healing, having seen it first-hand in her own life.

Wren and her husband Nicholas have been in Virginia Beach since June 2021, having moved here after falling in love with the area on a short vacation.

Amy’s Story

I am a CHY-200 instructor and an RYT-200 with Yoga Alliance. I’m also a multi-certified coach. I know what it’s like to navigate stress having been an only parent who raised two boys while working in both the media and nonprofit arenas. I have been committed to my physical fitness for over three decades and am a huge believer in the numerous benefits of yoga, meditation, and breathwork. I am a regular blogger for the Moravian Board of Cooperative Ministries.

Our yoga mats are sacred spaces where we breathe, move, and be still…. where we are grounded. It’s my intention with every yoga class I teach to share that same sacred space with my students.

Fun facts: I can wiggle my nose, put my leg behind my back, and blow bubbles the size of Texas…. or close to it. 🙂

Jude’s Story

Jude considers herself forever a student who puts all trust in the Universe. Her love affair with yoga started in her twenties; she’ll never forget her first savasana (final rest) after an active yoga practice. She couldn’t believe how one hour could yield such euphoria.

When times got tough, the yoga mat was where she laid all of her frustrations, disappointments, and challenges. She always looked forward to landing on the mat, and she enjoyed seeing positive changes in her life that weren’t just physical but were most importantly mental.

For five years, Jude had the amazing experience of running and managing a yoga studio. With that came the pleasure of guiding amazing students, training other teachers, and writing her own curriculum. She is currently enrolled in yoga therapy training to further her ability to help those who need it the most.

Jude’s classes offer the exploration of mindful movement, breathing techniques, and yoga philosophy so that you can tap into the inner light that is waiting to shine.

After closing her studio in New York, Jude moved to the Hampton Roads area to be closer to family.