"Nothing Gets Between Me and My Mat"

My name is Danielle Teel, I am a 22-year-old college student living in Salt Lake City, Utah. Three years ago, I did my first certification with Yogafit at an MBF conference in Reston, Virginia. Within the next year, I did my level 2 certification and I have plans to complete my level 3 at the MBF conference in Salt Lake City this October. My journey with yoga began at a time in my life when I was insecure, troubled and unbalanced. I was suffering from a debilitating eating disorder and was essentially tearing myself to shreds; not only was my body shrinking, so was my mind. Today, I can say that yoga played a strong roll in restoring what I had lost and in bringing balance and joy back into my life. I went to my first yoga class with my big sister at a health club and immediately felt at home with my mat. That first class began a routine habit of practice, which in turn brought me to researching and networking where to certify. I believe Yogafit came in answer to a prayer I needed in order to find my path in this life. I soon switched my education focus from architecture to exercise & wellness with the dream of one day opening a yoga studio.

I love the motto “Nothing gets between me and my mat”. It represents the beauty of yoga, its essence, it’s core. To me, yoga is the blessing of a constant companion to the disheartened and broken. It’s the source of fulfillment to the joyful and energetic. Despite the experiences that come to us in this life, we always have our yoga mat to pull out anytime, anywhere. Whether we simply sit and breathe deeply or rock out our best standing splits, we are bringing more balance, more peace and more gratitude for ourselves and for our lives.

The beginning of this year, I was in a snowboarding accident and crushed a vertebrae in my spine. For 7 weeks, I wore a back brace from my hips to my collarbone and had to turn an especially active life into somewhat of an immobile one. While I couldn't run, weight train or do many of the things I love doing, none of this came between me and my mat. How grateful I am that in a time when I otherwise would have felt sorely disheartened, I could still have my practice. Sure, it wasn't the same routine, but that’s the beauty of yoga. It is keeping me strong, keeping me relaxed and at peace. I know that I will heal and one day return to life as it was, but as for now, I know I have my mat.

Namaste,

Danielle Teel