Liz Preston

A good friend introduced me to yoga, and I am so thankful for her encouragement to try! Being an athletic person, I wasn’t sure if yoga would be enough for me. Would I get bored? Would it be enough of a work-out? Would I be flexible enough? Would I fit in? I wasn’t sure about the images I associated with yoga: chanting, incense, and bodies contorted into pretzel shapes. Though, like so many of us, I was stressed out from work, felt anxiety about world issues seemingly out of my control, and was restlessly tired.

What I have discovered through my own yoga practice, and eventually as a yoga teacher, is that the benefits of a regular yoga practice are innumerable. Yes, there are the physical benefits of stronger supportive muscles, increased flexibility, and improved balance. As we age, these are imperative to sustaining functional movement. Sound sleep comes easier with a regular yoga practice too.

What has proven to be most powerful is the ability I’ve cultivated to calm and center myself and to find softness and clarity within intense experiences.

With my educational and professional background in communications and movement therapy, I knew I wanted to share all the benefits I’d been experiencing with others, to help the circle grow! So, in spring 2015, I became a certified yoga teacher through Inner Fire Yoga’s Teacher Certification Program. Since that time, I’ve engaged in on-going trainings that focus on yoga for healthy aging, yoga to engage kids, breathwork and mindfulness, principles of Ayurveda, creating an inclusive yoga space, and anatomy and physiology.

I teach Vinyasa Flow or “power yoga”, slow flow, and Inner Fire Flow classes at Inner Fire Yoga. Whenever teaching, my aim is to help each student connect with their breath and their deep core or centerline. It is by integrating these facets that students can experience pain free and powerful movement that fosters a deeper connection to self. During classes I provide a range of options and modifications so yoga students, no matter their experience, can be challenged in a supportive way. I strive for a non-judgmental, compassionate, and inclusive approach to my teaching. Please join me for a class, new folks always welcome. I look forward to seeing you soon!