Ashtanga Yoga Retreat

Ariel and Lily

Ariel is an Ashtanga yoga student and teacher authorized by Paramaguru R. Sharath Jois. She has made multiple trips to India to study the Ashtanga lineage directly with her guru, deepening both her practice and understanding of the tradition. She has completed two 200-hour Yoga Teacher Trainings and, as one of the founders of Ashtanga Yoga Chicago, helps run a Mysore program that supports a dedicated community of practitioners. Her teaching is grounded in direct experience and sustained study, with the goal of passing down the teachings she received from her guru in the most honest and true form, honoring his lineage and guidance. Ariel first turned to yoga in her early twenties as a way to better understand herself. She explored various styles and immersed herself in yogic philosophy, literature, and pranayama. In 2015, she attended a Mysore class and encountered the traditional Ashtanga method. Since then, she has maintained years of committed daily practice. In addition to teaching yoga, Ariel works in physical therapy with a clinical focus on breathing dysfunction and airway-related conditions. She is an Oxygen Advantage Instructor and trained in Buteyko breathing, integrating science-based breath training with traditional yogic principles. She draws from both her clinical background and her traditional Ashtanga training, using each to guide students toward meaningful transformation in their practice and in their lives.   Lily began her journey in movement earlier than she can remember.  After years dedicated to dance training, she took her first yoga class in 2014. Curious about what she experienced, she explored different modalities. It was through encountering the Ashtanga Yoga method that she felt a profound resonance. With Ashtanga, her devotion to the practice was born, and what began as exploration evolved into a committed daily practice and ongoing path of self-study. In 2018, Lily moved to Chicago to continue expanding her professional work as a mental health therapist. Wanting to deepen her understanding beyond the physical aspect of yoga, she completed her Yoga Teacher Training under the guidance of Gopi Om (Nicole Sopko), grounded in classical Hatha Yoga teachings. She has also had the honor of studying with and assisting her teacher Todd Boman, strengthening her connection to the traditional Ashtanga lineage. Lily has pursued additional training in Trauma-Informed Yoga, pranayama, and meditation, dedicating years to contemplative and embodied study. As both a psychotherapist and yoga teacher, she approaches the work through an integrative and professional lens, honoring meditation, breathwork, and embodied awareness as meaningful tools for mental health and overall well-being. She remains deeply committed to her daily practice and to her continued formation as an Ashtanga practitioner. For Lily, Ashtanga is a lifelong path of study, humility, and transformation. Currently, she co-holds space through Ashtanga Yoga Chicago, committed to continuing to share and uphold the integrity of the Ashtanga method. Through this practice, Lily has experienced profound personal transformation and is devoted to creating spaces where others may explore their own path with steadiness, patience, and grace.

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