Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon Alviar.
Hi Shannon, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I genuinely feel as though I am blessed with a miracle. The impact yoga has had on my life is nothing short of extraordinary. It not only increased my flexibility but also enhanced my physical strength. I went from struggling to open heavy doors to balancing on my hands—a feat that would have been unimaginable just a few months prior.
Surprisingly, my emotional resilience also improved. I started experiencing positive changes in my life that were nearly effortless. I quit smoking, my sleep improved, and I began to eat more vegetables and salads (which I had never enjoyed.) I started drinking more water. Chronic pains that had plagued me for years began to vanish.
My journey began in a home that prioritized intellectual pursuits over physical activity and nutrition. I was incredibly weak and failed miserably at the “Presidential Fitness Test” we were required to take in school. My picture should have been in the yearbook under the caption, “Least Likely to Exercise.” A fitness career was inconceivable.
My health was a constant struggle. I endured chronic back and shoulder pain, a muffin top that I could never seem to eliminate, even though I was thin, and I was an emotional wreck. My mood was in a constant state of turmoil, characterized by depression, anxiety, and intense outbursts of anger. I was deeply unhappy with myself in every aspect of my being—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
Then, I stumbled upon a life-changing book titled “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, and It’s All Small Stuff,” by Richard Carlson; it was full of strategies for leading a more peaceful and calm life. One of his recommendations was: “Do Yoga.” Intrigued, I purchased a video and gave it a try. Almost instantly, it transformed my life in every conceivable way.
I was different—still me, but the best version of myself, a version I had never even dared to imagine. My muffin top shrunk, and my daily back and shoulder pain diminished, eventually disappearing. I had lived with fibromyalgia for over a decade. Now, not only did I have more energy, but one day, I realized my sciatica was gone. I could sit and stand for much longer periods. After enduring intense and long-term pain from a herniated disc in my lower back, I found myself doing the unimaginable—standing up out of and dropping back into a backbend!
I would say that Yoga gave me my life back, but my life had never been this good. Yoga gave me a new life—a life I never even knew was possible. This complete mental and physical revolution so dramatically impacted every aspect of me for the better that I knew I had to share what I had learned with others. My quest began. How many people could I help? How many lives could I transform by sharing this incredible gift?
I got certified to teach, and helping others has been an immensely gratifying experience. Working with each person to help them unwind layers of stress, unlock their innate potential, and surprise themselves with what they are capable of has been the greatest gift. My daily morning mantra is, “I genuinely improve the lives of the people I work with physically, mentally, and spiritually. I do all I can to make the world around me a better place, and I know that the people I work with and for appreciate me as I appreciate them.” This mantra helps me attract more of what I want into my life and helps me stay focused on what I believe is most important—helping people.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Building your own business from the ground up can be a challenge. At least initially, you’re everything – marketing, sales, accounting, customer service…. It can be a lot! I have invested in many trainings. I have studied and practiced for decades. I consider teaching yoga to be a form of art. Like a lot of artists, valuing myself and charging what I’m worth has been one of my biggest challenges.
Eventually, I realized that if I didn’t believe in myself, no one else would believe in me either. Creating art is sharing your soul with the world, and also offering that soul up for judgment by others. If you don’t believe in yourself, it’s too easy to hide. Believe in yourself. You are worth it and you can do this!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I think my secret sauce is that I am able to take complicated poses and sequences and break them down into smaller parts so that people are able to find a way to do as much as they can, even when they are physically limited or have other limitations. Everything is impossible before the mind conceives it and the body figures out how to navigate through it.
I am most proud when a student does something they were sure they could not do. My style of teaching invites each person to inquire within to ask physically, mentally, and emotionally… Where am I right now? How am I doing today? How is this knee/hip/shoulder feeling? I invite my students to check in and remind them that every day is different. Just because their body did something yesterday or last week, does not mean it wants to do that same thing today.
Bodies are not one size fits all. So, I believe each person’s practice should be tailored to their unique body. There are so many ways to inhabit each pose! I work with each person to help them find the shape that feels good in THEIR body in THIS moment.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Over the summer, I offer a sunrise class in Boynton Beach at the Inlet. You can take a group class with me at local communities and health clubs. I also teach private lessons in person and via Zoom/Skype for anyone that isn’t local. Additionally, you can check out my YouTube channel, Instagram, and Facebook. Search So Flo Shannon Yoga to find my website, reviews on Google and Yelp, and more.
The best way to try me out is to check out my YouTube channel. I have over 150 classes and there is something for everyone from beginners to advanced. There are faster sweatier flows, meditations, slower paced and yin style practices, as well as chair classes you can do at your desk when you feel stressed, or if you have limited mobility. Classes are organized by type and length and run from 2 minutes to over an hour. The sunrise classes are particularly beautiful to watch, and it’s always free.
Pricing:
- 1 hour Private Yoga $100
- 1 hour Private Pilates $125
- 1 hour Private Best of Both Yoga & Pilates $150
- Sunrise Class by Donation
- YouTube classes – Always Free!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofloshannonyoga/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sofloshannonyoga/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sofloshannonyoga
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/0nhDLwSNH3
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ShannonAYoga
Image Credits
Photographer @alchemylettercraft
