It's no secret. The VIPs at Winter Garden Yoga demand the best and they appreciate the value that WGY offers to their health and wellness.
Part of making that vision a reality was to establish a truly unique approach to yoga. So I developed my own method of teaching and practicing hatha yoga called
Functional Yoga Instruction (TM). Each of the instructors at Winter Garden Yoga are certified, by me, to teach Functional Yoga Instruction. It's a non-negotiable requirement.
Every year, I am asked to share this method with yoga students and yoga studios. The following entry comes from Cristi Craigmile, who was recently certified to teach FYI. Here is her amazing story of transformation in her own words.
"My story starts off pretty ordinarily. In the ‘90’s I was a young mom, wife, volunteer curriculum designer, and substitute teacher. I wore many hats, but I was feeling a bit disconnected. I had always been active physically, but wanted something “outside the box”. Here in Orlando, yoga was kind of “out there”, but I found a small yoga group and it just clicked! For me the physicality and spirituality of yoga was exactly what I wanted and I just liked how I felt and how “flexible” I was becoming.
"Fast forward five years, I found myself in a place I’d never imagined I’d be – Southern California, the "Mecca of YOGA!” There was a yoga studio on almost every corner. After years of searching and trying out different programs, I finally found a decent fit. It helped me find my balance living in a very fast paced area of our country and the demands of living with two teens and teaching middle school.
"Now I’m back here in Orlando and I knew my yoga connection was going to be crucial to feeling “at home” after so many years of absence. I had some health problems, was feeling anxious and out of sorts after the usual life changes. I felt that it was the time in life to finally follow through on my desire to teach yoga.
"One day, my tai chi friend (and fellow WGY VIP), Margaret, discussed with me the amazing results she had achieved at Winter Garden Yoga. The more we talked the more interested I became. She graciously invited me to come and try it out. I was hooked from day one and just so happened to meet Brian that first week. I boasted about being a long time practitioner and how I wanted to teach someday. He suggested I take a look at the FYI certification workshop and if I was serious I should enroll immediately. Without hesitation I signed up.
"Little did I know it was time for a wake-up call.
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| Cristi is one of only a handful of people in the world certified to teach Functional Yoga Instruction (TM) |
"During that first evening it started to dawn on me that maybe I was in over my head, that I wasn't as smart as I thought I was. I came back on Saturday and it took just a few positions for my body and mind to realize there was a lot that I didn't know! Well, I had a bit of a breakdown at home, after which I admitted to Brian that I’d been pretty full of myself and that I was there to really learn. Big slice of humble pie!
"The WGY crew- Brian, Karen, Janis, and Kathy-were all really patient and great mentors as I studied and asked numerous questions to prepare for my final yoga teaching certification exam. The multiple choice was a challenge, as my study skills were a bit rusty; the demonstration lesson was frightening at first, but a wonderful group of willing yogis put me at ease and offered great feedback; the dreaded push-ups were accomplished, and next thing I knew I was grinning from ear to ear because I had passed and was on to the next stepping stone of my journey.
"I've had many lessons in life so far and I know there will be many more. A big one through all of this is to learn to trust and just do it! I’m thrilled to have had this opportunity. In the meantime, I’ll be joining all of you on the mat to continue learning about proper alignment, its application in the real world and the next A-ha moment is surely right around the corner."
Winter Garden Yoga is a world renowned yoga studio recognized for providing a unique form of functional yoga instruction (TM) that gives you a toned, pain-free body that leaves you feeling great whether you’re currently flexible or not.
Unlike ordinary yoga studios with packed classes that over stretch and leave you feeling lost in the crowd, our services focus on strength, mobility, and nutrition all wrapped up into a caring, supportive, family-like environment you’ll call home.
Contact us or give us a call at 407-579-9889 for a free, no obligation consultation ($87 value) to find a package plan that is perfect for you.
