Meet Emily

I began practicing yoga in 2011 after discovering I had myxopapillary ependymoma, a rare tumor of the spinal cord. As I struggled with the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of an emergency surgery, as well as balancing the typical life of a freshman in college, I turned to yoga as a way to regain control over my body and my life. I found that the practice of yoga not only helped me build strength and flexibility, but also provided a sense of calm and inner peace that I had been missing.

I spent many years (like…10 years) practicing in big-brand yoga studios, challenging myself to achieve postures “like people with healthy spines” – headstands, wheel, camel – everything that was extremely difficult (and probably not recommended) for someone who had survived spinal surgery and radiation. Yet I saw it as a challenge to feel “normal” again. 

My identity was constructed around the idea that if I could do what I was able to pre-diagnosis, then I was successful.

I continued pushing myself in all areas of my life. Striving to become a manager in a career I didn’t love. Becoming increasingly anxious, and taking out my frustration onto the ones I love. I hit rockbottom in 2022, over a decade after my initial diagnosis. I was experiencing my third tumor recurrence, in an intense state of career burnout, and not feeling the bliss of life you’re supposed to “because your thirties are the best decade of your life”. The anxiety-induced heaviness in my chest and lungs was building to an un-sustainable point, spending many nights awake because I couldn’t catch a full breath.

“What am I doing?”, I thought. That “push yourself and you will heal” mindset was slowly but surely eating me from the inside out. I knew I had to do something about it.

I signed up for yoga teacher training that fall and learned the transformative effects that gentle, alignment-based practices can have on the mind and body. I learned how to “break-up” with yoga poses that do not serve your body. I learned how to listen to your body and build a practice that heals your nervous system, and is sustainable for life. 

I tried Trauma-Informed Kundalini Yoga for the first time, a practice that is literally designed to heal the spine and spirit and fell in love. It became my life-mission to share a gentle and alignment-focused form of Kundalini Yoga with others so they can feel the same transformative effects I did.

My body began to heal, and that heaviness in my chest started to lessen piece by piece.

I realized I wanted to share my story and knowledge with others through practice and ongoing education. So here we are. My approach to teaching yoga is grounded in the belief that everyone has the power to heal themselves, both physically and emotionally. We become our highest selves when we listen to our bodies and honor our limitations, while also challenging ourselves to push beyond our comfort zones to discover inner strength.

This is my story of how I wear my scars like wings. Are you ready to start writing yours?