amanda larson-mekler
yoga student, teacher, teacher trainer, and consultant
When someone asks, "what do you do?" I tend to say, "I teach yoga." But the truth is that I'm a yoga student first. Seventeen years ago I stumbled through my first practice, and while my movement looks much different now than it did then, I still show up on my mat daily with curiosity and playfulness. When I'm not on my mat, I'm making a mess in the kitchen or laughing at a bad joke. I'm a fan of big questions, I love long flights, and I can't hide my Minnesota accent. If you hear me say the word bagel, you'll tell me I'm saying it wrong.
I feel most alive when I'm of service through teaching, and I find the greatest sense of meditation when chanting Sanskrit or chopping vegetables. My mission is for your yoga practice to bring more peace to your body, your mind, and your life off the mat. I take great joy in breaking down alignment and removing the obstacles of any posture, but ultimately I care less about whether you can hold a handstand and more about whether you can be kind to yourself while trying.
I believe that yoga asks us to wake up to exactly what is happening in each moment. When we release judgment and stale stories, we have space for clear perception. This work fits neatly on a yoga mat, but ultimately has a much greater reach.
I have profound gratitude for the many teachers who have woken me up to my habits, my walls, and my potential. I'm fortunate to have learned from and continue to study with Annie Carpenter, Tiffany Russo, Saraswathi-ji, and the dedicated yoga therapists at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. I'm also thankful every day for the students who have taught me to show up fearlessly and to see, listen, and speak with honesty and compassion.
I'm so grateful our paths have crossed.
I feel most alive when I'm of service through teaching, and I find the greatest sense of meditation when chanting Sanskrit or chopping vegetables. My mission is for your yoga practice to bring more peace to your body, your mind, and your life off the mat. I take great joy in breaking down alignment and removing the obstacles of any posture, but ultimately I care less about whether you can hold a handstand and more about whether you can be kind to yourself while trying.
I believe that yoga asks us to wake up to exactly what is happening in each moment. When we release judgment and stale stories, we have space for clear perception. This work fits neatly on a yoga mat, but ultimately has a much greater reach.
I have profound gratitude for the many teachers who have woken me up to my habits, my walls, and my potential. I'm fortunate to have learned from and continue to study with Annie Carpenter, Tiffany Russo, Saraswathi-ji, and the dedicated yoga therapists at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. I'm also thankful every day for the students who have taught me to show up fearlessly and to see, listen, and speak with honesty and compassion.
I'm so grateful our paths have crossed.
The name YOGA SOMETHING was born out me not knowing what to call this site. After weeks of scribbling "Yoga ____________" and using the word something as a placeholder for what I thought would be a more creative word, the placeholder itself started to stick. Yoga is a verb. It means to yoke. And it's not just what you do on your mat; it's how you yoga your relationships, your daily commute, your dishes, or your something. Fill in the blank.
