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Hi Everyone!
I’ve recently received a wonderful, dream-fueling opportunity to attainment my Yoga Teacher Certification at the Studio in Madison, WI., this summer! This will entail going through a three-week, 200-hour intensive immersion course, where I’ll be learning and practicing day in and day out, sun up to sundown. I’m so thrilled to have been accepted, but I need your help! At about $3500, the program is quite the pretty penny (that’s 350,000 pennies, to be exact :), so anything you can donate toward this cause will be very much appreciated. Please read on for more about me and why I want to be a yoga teacher! (Hint: It’s about my people.)
Peace and gratitude,
Savannah
A little about me…
If we haven’t yet met, my name is Savannah Windham and I am currently a student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. I will graduate this May with a Bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies, with my sights on eventually immersing myself in the world of alternative and complementary medicine.
My Yoga Story
The beginnings of my yoga journey were far from gentle. I was first introduced to yoga through the Tae Kwon Do studio I belonged to in my hometown, Washington, D.C. I was in grade school training for my next belt level, and a guest instructor led a yoga class for all advanced students. I only remember feeling miserable and confused the entire time, wondering how contorting our bodies into such odd poses could benefit our sparring skills. It wasn’t until my early teen years, when I was grappling with questions of my identity, my purpose, and my social responsibility (the big “me” questions) that I really began looking into the range and depth of benefits possible with a regular yoga practice—and I jumped right in. Throughout my high school days, you could find me lost in the mother’s homeopathic and alternative health library she had since my brother and I were toddlers. And the wonders of YouTube! I followed multiple webinar series and how-to videos for a better understanding of the poses introduced in that Tae Kwon Do class. Within a year I was hopping around yoga studios all over the D.C. area. I focused my study on Hatha yoga, first studying Ashtanga yoga with Rexx Samuell at Buddha B Yoga Center and Vinyasa flows with Faith Hunter at her studio, Embrace with Faith Hunter, and instantly gravitated to their athletic demands. I then explored other western styles like Power Yoga and discovered a love for Bikram Yoga at Haute Bodhi Yoga under the fabulous guidance of Debbie Nachmann and Maggie Doctors.
Sadly, during my sophomore year in college, my father was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, which spread to his spine and left him paralyzed just months before he passed away that same year. He was my best friend, my mentor, my idol, and the best father in the universe. So when he encouraged me to stick with my yoga and mindfulness practices during his decline, I listened. I can’t imagine any more logical a path as I make my way, still, through the grieving process. With his wisdom and the support of my family, I continue to practice Ashtanga, Anusara, Iyengar and Kundalini styles of yoga, all in an effort to connect my energy, spirit and emotional tropes with the physical postures that baffled me so during that Tae Kwon Do class so long ago.
Throughout my yoga journey I’ve learned quite a bit, not just about myself, but my community—my people— and that learning process has been a powerful driver of what makes me want to be a yoga teacher: I am an African American woman who was raised by a loving, nurturing history professor and father, and a womanist, health conscious, die-hard-loving mother. I was born into a powerful tribe of family members and grand ancestors and therefore remain deeply connected to the health and wellness of my sisters and brothers. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons, black people—especially black women—are among the most unhealthy groups in America, with little or no opportunities to learn and add to “alternative” forms of health care, such as yoga and other mindfulness practices. The issues surrounding “why” are complex, some stemming from access and affordability, others involving the belief that these practices are “just a white people thing.” My work with Mindfulness For The People, LLC has surely opened my eyes to that perspective. In becoming a certified yoga teacher, I’d like to show my community that yoga is for everyone. I want to base my teaching approach around the wisdom of communities of colorâ, of marginalized communities, of communities that may benefit from the survival and self-preservation strategies made possible through yoga and meditation.
Why The Studio?
I first visited and practiced at The Studio in 2014 while exploring Madison and its yoga community. At the time I was still relatively new to the city, but as a budding yogi, I’d grown thirsty for a comfortable place to practice. The Studio welcomed me with opened arms—I vividly remember all of the sincere smiles and warm energy that only made the challenging class I took more fulfilling. Though I very much wanted to become a member and regular visitor, I’ve only managed to stop by occasionally for a drop-in class, due to time, transportation and financial constraints. However, each and every class I’ve taken has been so worthwhile. I’d be thrilled to finally commit my time and energy to building my practice at The Studio through the training program.
What do I hope to gain from this program?
During this program I hope to better locate my true voice and gauge how I might share the yoga practice with the world. Surely, I expect challenges, whether they be confrontations with the unexpected, personal limitations, or even feelings that might currently be suppressed. But I hope for joy. I hope that this program may spearhead my journey toward love, wellness, selflessness, and toward becoming my own best yoga teacher.
Some Fun Facts
· I’m from Washington, D.C. (born and raised!)
· I love discussions about health and wellness, especially those that include practical approaches to how to heal..
· I love to laugh, particular at relatable memes of the black feminist, or “petty” and/or “slapstick” genres.
· My favorite color: purple
· Currently listening (on repeat) to: Kendrick Lamar, Charlotte Day Wilson, James Blake, Moses Sumney, Solange, Noname, Rhye, Yuna and Lianne La Havas
· My Superheroes: My parents
· A few favorite icons: Angela Davis, James Baldwin, Elaine Brown, and Donald Glover
I’ve recently received a wonderful, dream-fueling opportunity to attainment my Yoga Teacher Certification at the Studio in Madison, WI., this summer! This will entail going through a three-week, 200-hour intensive immersion course, where I’ll be learning and practicing day in and day out, sun up to sundown. I’m so thrilled to have been accepted, but I need your help! At about $3500, the program is quite the pretty penny (that’s 350,000 pennies, to be exact :), so anything you can donate toward this cause will be very much appreciated. Please read on for more about me and why I want to be a yoga teacher! (Hint: It’s about my people.)
Peace and gratitude,
Savannah
A little about me…
If we haven’t yet met, my name is Savannah Windham and I am currently a student at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. I will graduate this May with a Bachelor’s degree in African-American Studies, with my sights on eventually immersing myself in the world of alternative and complementary medicine.
My Yoga Story
The beginnings of my yoga journey were far from gentle. I was first introduced to yoga through the Tae Kwon Do studio I belonged to in my hometown, Washington, D.C. I was in grade school training for my next belt level, and a guest instructor led a yoga class for all advanced students. I only remember feeling miserable and confused the entire time, wondering how contorting our bodies into such odd poses could benefit our sparring skills. It wasn’t until my early teen years, when I was grappling with questions of my identity, my purpose, and my social responsibility (the big “me” questions) that I really began looking into the range and depth of benefits possible with a regular yoga practice—and I jumped right in. Throughout my high school days, you could find me lost in the mother’s homeopathic and alternative health library she had since my brother and I were toddlers. And the wonders of YouTube! I followed multiple webinar series and how-to videos for a better understanding of the poses introduced in that Tae Kwon Do class. Within a year I was hopping around yoga studios all over the D.C. area. I focused my study on Hatha yoga, first studying Ashtanga yoga with Rexx Samuell at Buddha B Yoga Center and Vinyasa flows with Faith Hunter at her studio, Embrace with Faith Hunter, and instantly gravitated to their athletic demands. I then explored other western styles like Power Yoga and discovered a love for Bikram Yoga at Haute Bodhi Yoga under the fabulous guidance of Debbie Nachmann and Maggie Doctors.
Sadly, during my sophomore year in college, my father was diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer, which spread to his spine and left him paralyzed just months before he passed away that same year. He was my best friend, my mentor, my idol, and the best father in the universe. So when he encouraged me to stick with my yoga and mindfulness practices during his decline, I listened. I can’t imagine any more logical a path as I make my way, still, through the grieving process. With his wisdom and the support of my family, I continue to practice Ashtanga, Anusara, Iyengar and Kundalini styles of yoga, all in an effort to connect my energy, spirit and emotional tropes with the physical postures that baffled me so during that Tae Kwon Do class so long ago.
Throughout my yoga journey I’ve learned quite a bit, not just about myself, but my community—my people— and that learning process has been a powerful driver of what makes me want to be a yoga teacher: I am an African American woman who was raised by a loving, nurturing history professor and father, and a womanist, health conscious, die-hard-loving mother. I was born into a powerful tribe of family members and grand ancestors and therefore remain deeply connected to the health and wellness of my sisters and brothers. Unfortunately, for a multitude of reasons, black people—especially black women—are among the most unhealthy groups in America, with little or no opportunities to learn and add to “alternative” forms of health care, such as yoga and other mindfulness practices. The issues surrounding “why” are complex, some stemming from access and affordability, others involving the belief that these practices are “just a white people thing.” My work with Mindfulness For The People, LLC has surely opened my eyes to that perspective. In becoming a certified yoga teacher, I’d like to show my community that yoga is for everyone. I want to base my teaching approach around the wisdom of communities of colorâ, of marginalized communities, of communities that may benefit from the survival and self-preservation strategies made possible through yoga and meditation.
Why The Studio?
I first visited and practiced at The Studio in 2014 while exploring Madison and its yoga community. At the time I was still relatively new to the city, but as a budding yogi, I’d grown thirsty for a comfortable place to practice. The Studio welcomed me with opened arms—I vividly remember all of the sincere smiles and warm energy that only made the challenging class I took more fulfilling. Though I very much wanted to become a member and regular visitor, I’ve only managed to stop by occasionally for a drop-in class, due to time, transportation and financial constraints. However, each and every class I’ve taken has been so worthwhile. I’d be thrilled to finally commit my time and energy to building my practice at The Studio through the training program.
What do I hope to gain from this program?
During this program I hope to better locate my true voice and gauge how I might share the yoga practice with the world. Surely, I expect challenges, whether they be confrontations with the unexpected, personal limitations, or even feelings that might currently be suppressed. But I hope for joy. I hope that this program may spearhead my journey toward love, wellness, selflessness, and toward becoming my own best yoga teacher.
Some Fun Facts
· I’m from Washington, D.C. (born and raised!)
· I love discussions about health and wellness, especially those that include practical approaches to how to heal..
· I love to laugh, particular at relatable memes of the black feminist, or “petty” and/or “slapstick” genres.
· My favorite color: purple
· Currently listening (on repeat) to: Kendrick Lamar, Charlotte Day Wilson, James Blake, Moses Sumney, Solange, Noname, Rhye, Yuna and Lianne La Havas
· My Superheroes: My parents
· A few favorite icons: Angela Davis, James Baldwin, Elaine Brown, and Donald Glover