Training
2012-2014
Ongoing workshop series with senior Iyengar Yoga teacher Chris Saudek. Three weekend intensives per year focusing on asana, pranayama, yoga philosophy, and teaching skills. Madison, Wisc.
May 2013
Iyengar Yoga National Conference. Three days of workshops with accomplished teachers of Iyengar Yoga, including headlining teacher Birjoo Mehta from Mumbai. San Diego, Calif.
April 2013
Weekend workshop: asana with Chris Saudek, Sanskrit chanting with Leslie Freyberg, yoga philosophy with Joy Laine. La Crosse, Wisc.
November 2012
Weekend intensive with Jawahar Bangera, senior Iyengar Yoga teacher from Mumbai. Minneapolis, Minn.
May 2012
Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with Barrett Reinhorn. Learned how to craft a yoga practice for the physical/anatomical as well as the mental/emotional journey of the childbearing year, including attention to common conditions of pregnancy. Somerville, Mass.
September 2009-June 2011
Iyengar Yoga Teacher Training with Patricia Walden and Peentz Dubble. 325 contact hours with attention to asana, pranayama, yoga philosophy, anatomy, hands-on adjustments, and teaching skills. Cambridge, Mass.
February 2010
Alignment and the Asymmetric Body with Karin Stephan (two full days) and Yoga for Scoliosis with Deborah Wolk (one full day). Cambridge, Mass.
October 2009
Shining Light on New England. Regional conference for the Iyengar Yoga Association of New England. Three days (16 hours) of classes with instructors including Patricia Walden, Karin Stephan, Victor Oppenheimer, Linda di Carlo, Roni Brissette, Peentz Dubble, Nancy Turnquist, and Jarvis Chen. Providence, R.I.
May 2009
Three-day, 18-hour workshop with Stephanie Quirk, visiting teacher from the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute in Pune, India. Cambridge, Mass.
January 2009
Sanskrit immersion weekend with Leslie Freyberg. Three-day, 13-hour course based on a training developed by the American Sanskrit Institute. Cambridge, Mass.
2008
“Sadhana Pada.” Three-day, 15-hour course on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali taught by Edwin Bryant. Cambridge, Mass.
Yoga Journal Conference, Boston, Mass. Coursework included daylong workshops with Seane Corn (“Detox and Renew: Vinyasa Flow”) and Bo Forbes (“The Lymphatic Web: Revitalizing the Immune System and Emotional Body”); “Protect Your Knees” and “Hip Opening,” both with Julie Gudmestad; “Hip Openers: A Doorway to Inner Space and Freedom” with Patricia Walden; “Open Your Hips” with Natasha Rizopoulos; “A Call for Change” with Desiree Rumbaugh; and “Meditation: Understanding and Practice” with Gary Kraftsow. 24 hours of instruction in all.
Three-day workshop with advanced senior Iyengar teacher Manouso Manos. Iyengar Yoga Source, Cranston, R.I.
2007
Functional Anatomy for Yoga Teachers.Three-day, 20-hour course taught by Ellen Heed at Raffa Yoga, North Kingstown, R.I.
2006
Yoga Journal Conference, Boston, Mass. Coursework included a daylong workshop with Ana Forrest; “How to Work with Tight Hamstrings” and “Anatomy Awareness in Asana: The Foot, Arch and Ankle,” both with Julie Gudmestad; “Balancing on Hands and Feet” with Patricia Walden; “Yoga Abs: How to Move From the Power of Your Core” with Judith Hanson Lasater; “Saving, Protecting, and Healing Your Knees” with Mary Dunn; and “Common Aches and Pains: the Upper Back, Neck, and Shoulders” with Gary Kraftsow. 26 hours of instruction and 1.3 ACE/AFAA continuing education credits in all.
Teaching Yoga in a Fitness Environment. Daylong course with Stuart Rice. ACE and AFAA credit approved for .7 CEC’s.
Photograph by Liv Gold
Photograph by Liv Gold
Photograph by Liv Gold
Photograph by Liv Gold
About Elizabeth
Yoga is an inquiry. Each time we practice yoga, we demonstrate our devotion to setting aside time for stillness. Away from the incessant noise and unrelenting pace of the outside world, we can truly listen to ourselves.
Like many people, I came to yoga seeking physical benefits. Years of running had left me with very tight hip flexors that were starting to cause me back pain and knee problems. Yoga helped with these problems—but that was just the beginning.
Yoga introduced me to an entirely new way of relating to my body. I learned that exercise could be nourishing rather than punishing.
Yoga brought a new level of body awareness. With practice, I mastered instructions that had sounded impossible at first. (“You want me to move WHAT body part?”)
Gradually, I became more open to the idea that yoga could have emotional benefits, too. This started when I noticed that my insomnia disappeared on days when I had taken a yoga class. Later, I came to view yoga as a tool for processing difficult emotions. My yoga mat became a laboratory for discovering feelings I didn’t know I had.
I believe that yoga offers an alternative to the predominant “guilt and shame” culture, in which we view ourselves as intrinsically flawed and spend our lives mired in perfectionism, joylessly trying to make up for what we lack. One of the fundamental principles of my teaching—grounded in yoga philosophy—is that each of us is perfect as we are. Our practice—and, for that matter, life—is an exercise in revealing that perfection, like polishing a precious jewel. For me, yoga is a spiritual, as well as a physical and emotional, practice. In my group classes, I offer students this perspective, but am mindful that not all students will agree with me or be interested in this aspect of yoga.
As a student, I was drawn to the Iyengar method’s clarity and precision, and you will find this in my classes as well. Instead of flowing from pose to pose, we linger long enough for reflection: make an adjustment in the pose, and observe the effect. We pay careful attention to alignment, and adaptations are offered for various physical challenges and body types. Some styles of yoga primarily build strength; others focus on flexibility. My classes cultivate both, as well as balance (both literal and figurative).
The path to becoming a certified Iyengar yoga teacher is long, and I am currently on it. I completed a two-year teacher training program in Boston with Patricia Walden and Peentz Dubble, spent a year and a half apprenticing with Jarvis Chen, and study with Lisa Hajek, Faith Russell, and Chris Saudek in Wisconsin. I passed the first level of assessment (Intro I) in 2013 and plan to take the exam for full certification (Intro II) in 2015. These studies have greatly enriched my teaching. In addition, see a list of trainings I have completed.
Private Lessons
Private lessons can be a wonderful way to enrich your practice. They are also a great way to “dip your toe” into yoga for new students who find going to a group class intimidating.
With the teacher's undivided attention, you have the opportunity to ask questions specific to your situation and needs. I will plan your lesson from scratch based on your requests for what you would like to work on. At the end of the lesson, you will receive a handout that summarizes the material we covered so you can practice it on your own later. The lesson price also includes follow-up by e-mail if you find that you have further questions.
My hourly rate for private lessons is currently $60. Lessons take place at the Yoga Co-op of Madison or at my home studio in southwest Madison. I may be able to come to your home if you are in the Madison area; contact me to discuss further.
Class Schedule
Monday 7:15 - 8:30 p.m.
Level I (Continuing Beginner)
Yoga Co-op of Madison
812 E. Dayton St.
Madison, WI 53703
$15 drop-in
Tuesday 8 - 9:15 p.m.
Evening Wind Down (Restorative)
Hatchery Hill Yoga
2981 Cahill Main
Fitchburg, WI 53711
$15 drop-in
Friday 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Hatha Challenge (Intermediate)
Hatchery Hill Yoga
2981 Cahill Main
Fitchburg, WI 53711
$15 drop-in
Photograph by Liv Gold
Photograph by Liv Gold
Photograph by Liv Gold
Photograph by Liv Gold
I study and teach yoga in the tradition of BKS Iyengar. Click “About Elizabeth” at left to learn more about me and my approach to teaching.