Name: Kim Rasmussen
Class: Wednesdays at HeartSpace in Thiensville
How do you spend your days?
Walking on the beach, meditating in the morning, observing all the beauty around me, working on children and adults in therapy,and doing Reiki healing work and being with my family.
How long have you been practicing yoga?
I started doing yoga 35 years ago during my 1st pregnancy with my daughter, Jessica (see below), as I was looking for something to help center and stretch my being with motherhood. Through the years I have continued to take and practice yoga much of the time.
What's your favorite pose?
It was always the sun salutation and the tree pose that spoke to me, now as I get older it is savasana---looking for comfort, silence and peace with my body.
What pose do you find most challenging?
Downward dog, shoulder stands and head stands
Can you share a memorable yoga moment?
I have the most profound experiences in Amy’s classes at the end in savasana—when her words take me to places I am ready to visit—that’s where it all comes together for me.
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you?
I am a healer.
Tell us about your experience sharing a yoga teacher with your mom/ daughter.
When my daughter, Jessica, was 3 years old, I remember doing yoga with Kathleen Hitchcock on TV every afternoon during her nap. One day she woke up early and Jessica started to run circles around me as I was in a shoulder stand. After coming out of the posture, I sat with Jessica and started teaching her poses so we could do them together—sometimes she watched and sometimes she did them and yet other times I followed her lead...It was one of those lessons she taught me about centering myself in the midst of chaos and working with the energy that is present. I took her lead when she spoke of this wonderful yoga teacher, Amy, that she loves and came last summer to her class in Wauwatosa. I now take yoga with Amy at Heart Space in Thiensville. She is an inspirational yoga teacher and mentor. We all have so much to teach each other. Thank you , Amy for speaking to my heart and helping light my path.
Name: Becky Nethery Class: Greendale Yogis!!
How do you spend your days? I spend my work days at ABB in their Power Sales Division - working with all the major utilities across the US. My weekends are for family and friends.
How long have you been practicing yoga? I think a little less than one year - thanks to my friend Sonja inviting me to a Greendale class - I haven't looked back!!
What's your favorite pose? I like any twist because I feel like a twist works the inside and the outside of me. I also love legs up the wall - especially after a full day in heels!
What pose do you find most challenging? Most balance poses are a challenge for me.
How has practicing yoga benefitted you? Yoga has been a true gift for me. It has taught me so much about myself and about how to live this moment - joyfully! I have only experienced "Amy Yoga" but honestly I can't imagine a better kind. I love the way she talks us through the pose, our thoughts, our breath and always gives us images to remember once we leave our mats (like staying on the curb!!) It's amazing to me how much yoga I use outside of class. I come to class - breathe and surrender and I leave renewed and refreshed!
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you? I am an avid reader. My husband and I spent 14 years in the US Air Force, traveling from Texas to AZ to the UP, back to TX and back to WI (11 addresses in 13 years!). We can pack a 24 foot Ryder truck in no time!
Anything else? I am very grateful for my new community of friends!
(Photo courtesy of Jerry Styberg)
This month, we are featuring two students just to show how fun it can be to practice with friends!
Name: Brenda Humphrey
Class: Wednesday in Tosa
How do you spend your days? During the school year, as a School Counselor, working with student (grades 4-8) issues and concerns and teacher and parent concerns. In the early morning, meditation to prepare for the day. In the evening, decompressing from the day and daily walk. I enjoy being outdoors during these gorgeous days.
How long have you been practicing yoga? Off and on for 10 years
What's your favorite pose? Pigeon
What pose do you find most challenging? Recently, any balance pose - eegads!
What's your favorite thing about attending yoga together as friends? I get to see her every week, relax with her and feel her continued support and love.
How has practicing yoga benefitted you? Emotionally, I am more centered & grounded. Physically, more flexibility & strength.
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you? I get anxious in new situations and may hang back until I settle in.
Anything else? Huge gratitude for Amy's style of teaching and having the opportunity to practice in a wonderful circle of people.
Name: Wendy Schmidt
Class: Wednesdays in Tosa
How do you spend your days? By day, I am a nurse at St. Luke's and manage the Cardiac Clinical Trials Department. We work with drug and device companies to test new heart products for FDA approval.
How long have you been practicing yoga? Oh about a year (editor's note: more like 3 years :)) , thanks to my friend Brenda who suggested I just "try it."
What's your favorite pose? I think Pigeon. I was in a bad car accident years ago, my hips were the major extent of my injury. It feels soooo good to stretch them!
What pose do you find most challenging? Balance poses. Flamingoes were made to stand on 1 foot, humans, not so much......
What's your favorite thing about attending yoga together as friends? We're like sisters for about 20 years now. I never had one and her sister lives far away. We fill that void for each other.
How has practicing yoga benefitted you? As many of our Yoga circle knows, I usually fly in at warp speed!! I love knowing that my roots get grounded on Wednesday eve, it helps me focus in the middle of a hectic week.
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you? Really, you might think I can ever sit still. But yes, I can. I love to be in the garden, spend a weekend in a Bed and Breakfast and spend many hours on the back of a Harley watching the world go by.
Anything else? I think that about covers it. Oh yeah, you are great, thanks for your end of class reminder..........."Just let go."
Name:
Kathi VitasClass: Greendale
How do you spend your days? Part time work as school technology facilitator at Edgerton Elementary School in Hales Corners.
How long have you been practicing yoga? Seriously, about three years. Dabbled occasionally before I met Amy. I am now a work in progress, hoping to "grow in my practice" as I practice.
What’s your favorite pose? Ask anyone that's been in class with me - Pigeon!
What pose do you find most challenging? Balance poses and some inversions.
How has practicing yoga benefitted you? Breath awareness has helped me in my yoga practice and also in my daily life. The poses have helped with flexibility, balance, and strength. Beyond that, I live for the peace and focus that I feel during the yoga class and have the constant goal of bringing that into my life "off the mat."
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you?
I am pretty much an open book, so it might be hard to surprise anyone. Maybe that I have a (currently very latent) good musical ear and ability. Just waiting to re-blossom. As I said - I am a work in progress.
Name: Jim Karon
Class: Thursday night at Wauwatosa Lion's Club
How do you spend your days? Some of them I spend working at the bookshop in Milwaukee's airport (the oldest and largest used bookshop in an airport); some I spend learning oil painting at an artist's studio.
How long have you been practicing yoga? about a year and a half
What’s your favorite pose? the standing poses are among my favorites, such as the Warrior poses... probably because they can be challenging to hold for long, but I'm usually able to do so as long as they're on both feet, and fairly comfortable.
What pose do you find most challenging? Downward Dog -- my hands start to slip unless I put a lot of pressure on my wrists.
How has practicing yoga benefitted you? Better posture, flexibility, concentration, and stress release
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you? I used to do market and opinion research. I also used to be very active in folk dancing and still do a little. Now I draw cartoons (for fun) -- oddly, the yoga class hasn't appeared in any episodes... yet!
Name: Marnie Rand
Class: Monday Nights 7:00-8:30 at Heartspace
How do you spend your days? As an Environmental Scientist for an Environmental Consulting firm
How long have you been practicing yoga? At least 2 years
What’s your favorite pose? Forward bend, very relaxing.
What pose do you find most challenging? Triangle, challenging and rewarding.
How has practicing yoga benefitted you? I am more centered and have learned to relax more deeply.
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you? I used to fight forest fires with the US. Forest Service.
Anything else? I really enjoy time spent doing yoga with an exceptional yoga instructor who can really make the experience that much more enjoyable! Thank you Amy!
Name: Katie Kressin
Class: Healing Arts and Greendale Yoga
How do you spend your days?
Well…recently, getting a baby’s room ready and thinking about birthing the baby to go into the baby’s room!! Seriously though, my work week is busy as I work at Children’s Hospital in the Urology clinic as a pediatric nurse practitioner. There is much laughter and silliness that the children bring to my day, making my role quite unique and fun! At home, I am a puppy mom to a 95lb Bernese mountain dog named Rudy who loves to romp in the woods and snow. My niece refers to him as “some special kind of hill dog”. My husband Patrick and I love to go hiking, being up north in Eagle River, and going fly fishing. My favorite day is cozy on the couch in an empty house with a good book, napping in between chapters.
How long have you been practicing yoga?
For three years? Only Amy-style yoga though. Haven’t done yoga elsewhere.
What is your favorite pose?
Restorative…ahhhhhh. Soup-ta-batta-cone-assana (Amy please correct spelling "Supta Baddha Konasana"-- Amy)…the restorative pose with bound feet, back supported on trusty ol purple pillow, and arms down at side. Don’t forget the sand bags on both legs, mid thigh. Lovely.
What pose do you find most challenging?
Without a front porch…plank pose.
With a front porch…twists!
How has practicing yoga benefitted you?
For SURE yoga has helped me to become more aware of my breathing…the tendency to hold it during the day with the tensions that come up. But also, the incredible ability to relax the entire body with simple deep, slow, inhalation and exhalation. Yoga has helped me to remember to be centered and grounded in a whirlwind world that I tend to be a part of. I try to incorporate yoga into my everyday living…doing lunge poses while brushing my teeth, doing balance tree pose while cutting veggies in the kitchen, doing downward dog or forward folds in the shower.
What is something the people in the yoga circle may be surprised to know about you?
I have an outie belly button. Every night I sleep with the original blanket my mom knit when she was pregnant with me.