Megan Winzeler
Megan’s yoga journey began with the need for exercise and stress relief over 20 years ago. Her yoga practice turned into much more than that when she found Y Respira in 2014 while pregnant with her first child. Practicing yoga at Y Respira deepened Megan’s practice by strengthening her mind/body connection, grounding her, and teaching her how to breathe throughout pregnancy and childbirth (and everything after and in between!).
The pandemic prompted Megan to reevaluate her career in higher education, work/life balance, and priorities in life. Megan quit her job in December 2020 and started teacher training the very same week. Being able to take a deep dive into anatomy and the 8 limbs of yoga during this transition helped her to re-frame her identity and take yoga off the mat. Megan is excited to share the joys of yoga with others at Y Respira.
When did you start taking yoga classes?
I was first exposed to yoga in high school in the 90's. I started practicing regularly as a college student, mainly for exercise, and it has been a part of my life in some form ever since. I've relied on yoga for stress relief, for stretching during half-marathon training, for prenatal and postnatal health, and overall well-being. I've been practicing at Y Respira since 2014 when I was pregnant with my first child. I was looking for a studio that could help maintain a healthy mind, body, soul throughout my pregnancy. I found that and more at Y Respira and have been here ever since!
How did you know you wanted to be a yoga teacher?
I pondered the idea of doing teacher training for years and years. It was sort of always in the back of my head as something I wanted to do "when I had more time." I really wanted to dig deeper into yoga for the simple reason that it has brought so much positive energy and balance into my life for decades. When I finally had the chance to do training, it was a dream come true. Although I originally started teacher training to learn more about the philosophy and anatomy for myself, I have found that I genuinely love teaching others. It brings me great joy to guide people through a practice that has such a far-reaching impact on overall health and wellbeing.
What can someone expect from you in a private lesson?
In a private lesson, students can expect to have a well rounded practice that targets specific areas that need some extra love and attention. Private sessions allow plenty of time for fine-tuning alignment, deepening the poses, and working on goals unique to the individual student. Students can expect to be both challenged and supported. I get to know each student so that the practice is targeted to their individual needs, whether that means more stretch versus strength, or focusing on specific areas or muscle groups.
What is your favorite yoga asana?
My favorite asana is Virabhradasana II / Warrior II. It's such a fierce, strong, and powerful pose that really works the whole body. But more than that, I love the symbolism it conveys: if you're leaning too much to the front, you are spending too much energy in the future and if you're leaning too much to the back, you are dwelling on the past. To me, this pose reminds me to be present and stay grounded in the moment.