The journey begins

In 2011 I began my college education at Elon University for Theatrical Design and Production. My love for theatre led me down a path of exploration and curiosity about the world. I began by exploring scenic and lighting design, asking questions about the environments that we craft to understand the characters on stage. Quickly my focus changed towards Stage Management, in this role I was able to support all aspects of a production. During this time I had the privilege of working with some inspiring directors that influenced my path toward directing. In this role, I would sink into the core themes of a work and work with designers, actors, and management to cultivate the vision and experience of the show for the audience.

My life in theater imbued a sense of curiosity about the way people uncover and envision the world. After college I moved to Chicago to pursue the vibrant theatrical scene that became known to me as one that was constantly crafting new works. Unfortunately, due to my excitement to get into the world, I lost sight of my ability to support myself and had to leave after a year. Ultimately my experiences during that time turned me away from the interest of pursuing a career in theatre. Despite working on an adaptation of a novel and having a reading in New York City, my focus shifted towards financial stability.

My return to earth

After returning home I sought out a job at a Farm-to-Table Restaurant. I had experience as a host, and after visiting the beautiful restaurant that was on a multi-hundred acre farm and meeting the manager I started quickly after. The community that we cultivated as a team felt familiar to my days in theatre, we all supported each other and had a passion to deliver a great experience for our guests. I moved through a few positions in the restaurant before becoming a server. All the while I was able to establish myself financially, take time to understand what I wanted in life, and become somewhat obsessed with the natural world. My yearning to have a home, garden, and kitchen of my own was sown here, so I bought a school bus to convert into a Skoolie. I had the freedom, time, and drive because of the job. But unfortunately as my comfort was setting in the restaurant needed to close and it left me unsure of my next steps, how to continue work on the bus.

The next few years felt a bit aimless to me, trying to understand how to combine the freedom that the work as a server had afforded me all while continuing to pursue my desire to live off the earth. I started a small micro-greens company, I worked as a bartender and assistant brewer for a brewery, I continued serving, I was the general manager at a new restaurant. And then Covid came, and gave me time to evaluate and take my first true step towards yoga. 

Embracing Yoga

When Covid came I continued to work as the manager at the restaurant for a while, but the drive and interest was lost. Like many people I was a bit lost, but with time to explore what I actually wanted to do without the stress of money. As things started to settle a little, I traveled to get my 200hr Teacher Training Certification, with no interest in actually teaching, and because my mom wanted me to go take the program. With the free time the pandemic afforded I didn’t have much reason to say no. During the two weeks I felt my body become stronger, my sense of curiosity returned and directed towards the philosophy of yoga, and I found out that I loved to teach yoga!

When I returned I started co-teaching classes with my mother and slowly we started teaching more, found a space indoors to teach through the winter, and kept at it. Here is where I took my first weekend intensive in Ayurveda. By the end of the weekend I was looking for schools to get my certification and was registered to start just a few months later for the 12 month program. I continued to teach, to practice, I got my advanced teaching certification, lived at the ashram I studied yoga at, assisting in training programs, and finished my Ayurvedic Counseling Certification. 

After time I left the ashram to return to PA, started another restaurant before finally being able to leave the industry, to teach more yoga, to train at a gym, and start my ayurvedic program, to craft The Yoga Code. While I have many aspirations for what The Yoga Code could turn into at its core it is to help people gain control of their life, their health, their happiness. This stems from the comfort and joy that yoga and ayurveda have given me, easing my tension, focusing my aspirations, and giving me control of my life.