Today we’d like to introduce you to Yana Guseva.
Yana, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I remember myself, I was expressing myself through movement – gymnastics at three, followed by seven years of dance and two years of modern ballet. Few years after I moved from Russia to the US, I discovered yoga and quickly fell in love with how it made my body feel. It was a love story ever since. Through consistent practice, I started to find myself. In the silent spaces between breaths, in the way, I used my awareness to my body to understand my habits and my tendencies and how it translated “off the mat into the world.” I woke up to life. I wanted to share this obvious secret with everyone, so I took a teacher training course. Then, I took another one, then, I moved to Miami where I had a privilege of meeting, practicing with and learning from so many experienced and different teachers, – my knowledge and experience expanded so much. In the last eight years, my teaching style has been morphing into a variety of unique classes I offer – from guided meditations, sound baths, and restorative classes, to advance flows that physically challenge the body. Four years ago, I took a leap of faith and transitioned into teaching full time after leaving the comfy full-time retail management world.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Making the decision to leave the comfort zone and jump off the cliff into the unknown that your soul is yearning for is a thrill. It’s a chance I took first when I left South Carolina and moved solo to Miami, then, in Miami, when I left a full-time with benefits, paid vacation, and a steady paycheck job to work part-time at Lululemon and part-time teaching. A huge pay cut and a dive into the unknown while having all the financial responsibilities solo (this was also the first time in my life, I lived on my own, no roommates, no parents close by and rent higher than the total I split with college roommates)… I was often terrified of my decision, but in my heart, there was no other way, so I trusted the universe. And when I gave in and fully trusted the universe (a.k.a. started to 100% listen to my intuition), it gifted me with some incredible gifts that allowed me to keep following my heart in this exhilarating journey. In that process, I met some incredible people that believed in me and gave me a chance, I was presented with opportunities that I couldn’t even think up at the moment, and by taking these chances I am grateful to be where I am today – a successful and known wellness industry professional. If there is one thing that I can suggest to someone struggling with a big decision, it would be the cliche – “follow your heart.” Listening to your heart will never lead you astray. Trust it.
Please tell us about Yana Yoga.
I offer a variety of experiences (private sessions and group settings) from guided meditations, sound baths, reiki, and restorative classes, to advance flows that physically challenge the body. All of these experiences can be booked as a combination or stand-alone.
My group classes have evolved from being a “power” or “vinyasa” yoga that I taught straight out of teacher training into more intentional versions of such with creative names such as “recharge”, “release and restore”, etc. In my classes, the verbal cues allow the student to experience their body in a new way if they listen. The challenge here is to move slower, more intentional because the intention is to go back to basics, back to connecting to our hearts. Personally, the more “advanced” I become in physical practice, the slower I move because it is all the in-betweens that make up the big picture and I want to share that with students that come to me. In the world that has gained such a momentum forward and continuously strives for “more,” “better”, “faster”, it is so important to slow down, reground, check-in with ourselves, our intentions, hear our breath and the heartbeat even if for a few seconds.
Sometimes, we get caught up in the race and stop being curious about what really drives us, what really makes us happy, and I want to take my students there – home, back to the heart.
At the end of some group classes, I offer short “sound bath” using the alchemy series crystal bowls. The sound frequency heals the body on the cellular level and makes the brain slow down for deeper relaxation. I offer hour-long sound bath privates and events also.
Each private session I finish with a sound bath, sometimes placing the bowl directly onto the client’s body.
In short, I am an intuitive, a healer, and a channeler who uses the body, sound, breath, and energy to remind you of who you truly are.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
It is so full of flavor, colors, and spice! There is so much diversity in Miami in a small radius – the world-destination beach, the big city life, the art community, the party, the nature in the Everglades and the glitz and glamour, the conscious community. There is never a dull moment and there is truly something for all walks of life.
My least favorite thing is traffic and how it triggers some people to behave on the road.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yana.yoga
- Phone: 843-415-2772
- Email: yanagusevayoga@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yana_yoga/
Image Credit:
Max Reed, Lemuel Ruiz, Erik Lieux, Nicolas Stipcianos, David Tufino
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