I have big things planned for Floating Yoga School for the rest of this year and next year! I just secured a bunch of dates for retreats and teacher trainings around the world, and I can't wait to share them with you. 

See below for the full schedule, and message me for more details!

I have to say, I’ve been riding high on a wave of inspiration these past few days. I usually find that I feel more inspired when I’m in nature away from from electronics (thus the sailing life), but I’m always drawn back to Facebook to see what my friends are up to. I love how social media has the ability to connect us, humanize us, and inspire us.
 
I think more than anything our world needs inspiration, and I truly believe there’s no limit to what we can achieve if we’re able to positively motivate each other. In a world full of frustration and negativity, we need more light and more love to keep us going.
 
I love that you stand up for what you believe in. To those of you who marched around the world: thank you for peacefully representing and improving our world. 
 
I love seeing photos of your cute kids, hearing how you balance career and home life and still have time to pursue passions, adventures, and community involvement. I love getting a glimpse into the future of our world. 
 
I love learning about the world through your travels and adventures. 
 
I love how you support your friends and community, and how you give so much of yourself unconditionally. 
 
I love that you’re building sustainable, positive businesses that impact so many people. 
 
I love how you hold space for others and are able to share your opinions so eloquently while fostering respectful discussions and discourse.
 
And I love the day-to-day realness, the permission to just tell it like it is. 
 
My biggest goal is to inspire others to live a life they love. (And that’s been a hard one for me to put out there because it feels like I’m saying “I want this to go viral” – and I know that’s not how it works ) I came out of 2014 completely worn out. Everything in my life was turned upside down. After a really painful divorce, a hard look at who I was and how I was living, I decided that I needed something different and I basically started over. It took two years of work, big decisions and even bigger changes, and I know the work is far from done, but I finally feel inspired again. If I can do it, you can do it.

I’d love for you to share my journey. Watch the videos and share with anyone you think they may resonate with. I won’t refuse financial support (boat life isn’t cheap!), but more than anything I’d appreciate if you’d help me share my Patreon page.  https://www.patreon.com/FloatingYogaSchool
 
Share it with someone in your life who needs a little inspiration. Share it with someone who wants to travel. Share it with someone who loves to sail (or who needs a reminder that even if you don’t sail well you can still buy a boat – I did!). Share it with young women and men who have big dreams. And share it with someone who needs a reminder that even when things seem really bad, you can reinvent yourself and create a life you love.
 
 
 

If you told me 15 years ago that someday I'd be a yoga teacher and that a big part of my life would be spent training other teachers, I wouldn't have believed you. But if you told me I'd be helping people find health and balance, teaching them how to discover their passions and live lives with more depth, I would have said, "yep, that sounds like exactly what I want to do!"

My path to Floating Yoga School and leading yoga teacher trainings was not a direct one, but I don't regret one turn. At 18 I was an eager premed bioengineering major at Rice University, finding balance as an adult on my own, studying hard for classes I didn't really enjoy, and stressing out over whether or not I wanted to commit to a career that seemed so competitive and intense. I slowly realized that my passion for medicine was less about the science side of things and more about helping people. I switched my major to sociology, felt happier and lighter, and moved to New York City after graduation to pursue a master's degree in public health at Columbia University. I worked in benefits consulting for a few years and moved to San Diego to create more personal balance and shifted my career toward corporate wellness. 

Although I found yoga in college, my practice didn't become consistent until a few years later. Now I can't imagine my life without it. That doesn't mean I'm doing handstand-heavy classes everyday. Sometimes my yoga practice is about sitting quietly, reflecting, or actively letting go of negative thoughts. Yoga is a personal practice and it looks and feels different to each of us. As cheesy as it sounds, I'm so grateful for what I've learned through yoga, and I feel very lucky to share the gift of yoga with others. 

One of the biggest reasons I love leading yoga teacher trainings is because we really get to explore everything that is yoga; there is so much to learn and a 75 minute class just doesn't cut it. You don't necessarily have to want to be a yoga teacher to do a teacher training. All you need is the desire to dig a little deeper. We all have something personal we can work on, something we can heal from, something more we want from life. Whether you've just gotten into yoga, or you've been practicing for years, taking a yoga teacher training gives you a deeper understanding and appreciation of the ancient and ever-evolving practice of yoga.

Maybe you're a therapist, PT, OT, or personal trainer. Understanding yoga can add to your professional resume, enhance your current practice, and provide something extra to your clients. 

Maybe you're a consultant or you work in sales. Learning to better understand how humans work on all levels can help you communicate more effectively, connect to your clients, and boost your sales. 

Maybe you're a teacher or caregiver. Imagine giving your students or patients the gift of mindfulness and meditation in addition to everything else you provide. A personal yoga practice can help you feel refreshed and replenished, and taking care of yourself allows you to better care for everyone else around you. 

Or maybe you're in a place of transition, ready for a new career but aren't sure what that is. Teaching yoga is a rewarding way to connect with people and can be an excellent source of primary or secondary income. Yoga can help clarify and solidify goals and future desires. 

Whoever you are, whatever your reasons may be, I promise that a yoga teacher training will enrich your life. I work really hard to make our trainings fun, inspiring, approachable, and affordable. Our trainings are Yoga Alliance approved, 3 weeks long, and feel like you're on a yoga vacation with amazing people in incredible settings. We have two 200 hour trainings coming up in 2017 and I would love for you to join us for one: February in Encuentro, Dominican Republic and July in Lake Placid, New York. 

Email me at Helen@FloatingYogaSchool.com with any questions or concerns you have! 

I've been wanting to go to Cuba for a very long time and it's finally happening! I'm so very excited to be teaming up with an awesome friend, Xenia Guido of Pura Vida Yoga, to put on this retreat. 

We'll be spending time in Old Havana soaking up the culture and art, relaxing on the white sand beaches of Varadero, and exploring El Nicho waterfalls outside of Cienfuegos. With daily yoga and salsa dancing, this is going to be an experience you don't want to miss!

Mark your calendar to save the dates: March 24 - April 1, 2017. 

Full details and registration available soon. Spaces are limited. Comment or email me to be the first to get the info email :)

It's hard to come up with a better idea of a dream job than a yoga instructor. Yoga instructors help people to realize their physical and mental strength, which is an incredible experience.

Many yoga lovers sign up for teacher training to chase their dream of becoming an instructor and sharing their passion with others. Some yogis sign up just to deepen their understanding of yoga and enhance their practice. Regardless of why you signed up, these tips will help make sure that your yoga teacher training is one of the best experiences of your career!

Prepare

Going to a yoga school will be enough to become certified and begin a career, but being ready for the challenges of a course lets you delve deeper into the art. You can prepare by watching yoga videos before training in order to understand the dynamics of the training process, or to get a leg up (literally!) on new routines. 

Network

In the 21st century, who you know is often more important than what you know. The training process shouldn't just be about learning new things but about meeting new people. A retreat or training initiative lets you get to know other yogis from around the country and maybe a few who are close to home. Make friends, trade stories, discover new routines and trade tips. You may even find another instructor to go into business with.

Reject the Normal

How many job training functions allow you to discover your life's passion while on a boat or at a resort? There's a reason why we got our name, and it's not because we put trainees in a crowded room to stare at a PowerPoint slide. Yoga teacher training should be as dynamic and vibrant as yoga itself, which is why trainees have the opportunity to break out of the usual and embrace the fantastic.​

Laugh

You spend so much time in yoga focusing on inhaling and exhaling that a funny joke might throw you completely out of your breathing rhythm. That's not a bad thing! Research shows that laughter offers many of the same health benefits as yoga itself, including lowering blood pressure and boosting mood. Take the time to laugh and make others laugh during training so that you can incorporate humor into your own classes.

Destination Training

It's one thing to go to a yoga school and learn how to push yourself to new heights, but training is made even more amazing when you get the opportunity to do it in one of the most beautiful spots around. A yoga retreat is perfect for those who are new to the occupation as well as those who have been practicing all their life. Not only can you hone your skills, but you will meet new people in an inclusive atmosphere with everyone committed to improvement, support and success.

Why bother training with the ordinary? Our yoga school offers everything you need to launch a career and have the most fun possible doing it. Check out the upcoming travel schedule and future retreats to become a yoga master and enjoy every second of it.