ANGELS

These beautiful Rina Yoga Angels donate their time and skills to the studio!
The studio runs from their love and dedication to seeing
this yoga community grow collectively!
Thank you, Angels!!!

Kristin Eleazer
Web Directing Angel – Kristin assists with updating our website and our newsletters.

In another life I was a writer. In this one, I’m currently training to be a massage therapist. Rina graciously lets me keep writing in my life by allowing me to be the purveyor of her words online. I have learned so much by her guidance in my writing, in my yoga practice, and in life. I have practiced yoga on and off for over ten years, but wasn’t able to commit to it until I decided to take the Rina Yoga Teacher Training last year in order to deepen my practice. Rina promised the yoga teachings would change my life. At first I didn’t believe her, but yoga has opened me up to possibilities. It is the path to the highest version of myself. On which I have many miles to go, but through my role as Rina Yoga Angel web director, it allows me to progress on the path.

 

 

Liza Rios
Retail Managing Angel – Liza assists in updating our inventory and retail store.

I loved Rina Yoga from the first class I took here. I felt and enjoyed the benefits of my practice right away. With time, Rina’s positive outlook started to change my perspective of yoga from just a physical workout to a path for spiritual growth. When Rina offered the teacher training program for 2009, I decided to take it in order to go deeper into my practice and knowlege about yoga. Today, from my humble position of teacher trainee, I want to share with others what I have learned.

Thank you, namaste!

 

 

Harmony Varini
Assisting Angel – Harmony assists in cleaning the studio and greeting students.

‘When I first met yoga I was three years old. I started out with a Yoga For Kids video. Then when I met Rina Yoga I already knew about some poses. I also did yoga with my mom. She had a video that was taught by Rodney Yee. I tried some of the poses. Then Rina Yoga taught me how to do Sun Salutations, backbends, vinyasas, and more. Then I found out my favorite was backbends. So I am very flexible. I can fold in half when I do full wheel. I feel that yoga has taught me to be open and to also try my best!’

 

 

Gisela Gonzalez
Organizing Assisting Angel – Gisela assists in miscellaneous projects and organizing as needed.

Gisela has been practicing yoga for 5 years and completed her 200hr teacher training with Rina last year. She is also certified with YogaFit(tm) level 1. She is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering and Information Technology. She is now part of the Bioinformatics Research Group BIORG at Florida International University.

I wanted to start teaching because that meant I had a committment with yoga. My point of view regarding my practice has changed radically after finishing my certification. There is always something new and challenging about yoga that will guide you to a better understanding of yourself. Growing and evolving are directly related to yoga. I am very grateful that I have been able to incorporate this practice into my daily life.

 

Heidy Toledo
General Managing Angel – What does Heidy not do is a better question? The website isn’t big enough to list all her skills and tasks. 

A few years ago, I thought that people who did yoga were weird. But not too long ago, a good friend of mine introduced me to the practice of yoga. Now, it is my passion.
What do I expect to gain from Yoga? There was a point in my life that I was depressed, and I thought that life was just living day to day. Now, I know there is a much deeper meaning, because I am a different person. I would like to become a yogini. I think it will be a way to show the universe how thankful I am for all of my blessings.
Thank you Tess for showing me the way. Thank you Rina for giving me the opportunity to show what I have learned. If you cannot see God in all, you cannot see God at all. Namaste’

Karen Mejia
Communications Directing Angel – Karen assists in getting more exposure for Rina Yoga by giving out flyers, setting up tables at events, plus more.

Karen completed Rina Yoga’s first 200-hour teacher training certification with Rina and is certified with the Yoga Alliance. She focuses on Vinyasa styles of Hatha Yoga. Her first Yoga class experience was in college in 1999. Yoga helped her alleviate her severe back pains and scoliosis. She came deeper into Vinyasa Yoga 4 years ago and has not looked back. Since then, her love of Yoga has grown to a passion and expressing to others the art of joyful living. Her main goal in starting a practice in Yoga was to heal her body and find more enjoyment in life. Karen discovered her true calling in life. “I took Rina’s inspirational class & I knew that I wanted to teach Yoga from that moment on.”

One of her favorite aspects of Yoga is the amazing transformations and healing’s that take place physically and emotionally. She continues to deepen her practice through workshops and her work as a Nutritional Wellness Coach. Karen aspires to bring alive the wisdom of the eight limbs of yoga throughout asana classes. She continues to study extensively and is now certified in Kids Yoga.

Yoga has taught me that the truest depth of our being lies within the deepest aspect of the heart. Thank you Rina Angels for sharing this amazing journey with me. I am blessed for having all of you in my life!

Wendy Long
Programs Directing Angel – Wendy assists in managing and creating programs like the new library at the studio.

Wendy stumbled onto yoga by accident, taking her first yoga class because it happened to be at a convenient time at her gym. She immediately loved the physical challenges yoga presented and quickly developed a regular practice. After a few years of visiting many different studios, she discovered Rina Yoga. It was here that she began to cultivate the spiritual aspect of her practice. After studying with Rina for two years, she chose to deepen her practice through the teacher training program.

 

 

 

Joan Varini
Health and Safety Managing Angel – Joan assists in cleaning the mats, towels, blankets, etc.

It seems my whole adult life I have been actively searching for the one thing that fulfills my spiritual, physical, emotional, philosophical and artistic needs. Through the Universities this search yielded an MFA in Creative Writing. I have been a poet since my youth. Being a mother has strengthened my character and my awareness of the human experience. And my wandering spirit has found refuge in various ancient traditions. But all of my other odd and usual career experimentation’s have fallen short of my complex needs. Until last summer I realized the possible answer to my query was in my prescription for mental and physical health, Yoga. Yoga has been part of my life for over twelve years. Sharing this pathway, accessible to anyone, for physical health and beauty, mental and emotional balance and spiritual and self-awareness, has become my passion and obsession. I aspire to give honor to the perfection of this science of self realization and to the wisdom of Rina’s teachings.