Another lovely name to add to the ever-growing Funky Buddha Wall of Fame – Kelly H.!
Described by staff as bubbly, friendly, and always excited about yoga, you’ve probably seen her around Forest Hills at all times a day. Many congrats on the 1,000 classes, Kelly!
We asked Kelly to share about her practice and tips for newbies:
- When and why did you start coming to Funky Buddha Yoga?
I was nursing a running injury the summer of 2012 and was looking for an alternative to the high-impact movement. I tried Bikram while in Miami for business and fell in love with the heat, but did not care for the rigidity of the practice. When I got home, I looked up hot yoga studios in the area and the universe brought me to the Funky Buddha. My first class was with Lindsay [insert heart emoji here].
- What’s it feel like to hit 1,000 classes?!
To me, it is not about what 1,000 classes feels like, it is about what happened on my mat 1,000 times. Some days I listened to my body – I felt strong so I went for it or I felt tired so my flow was gentler; and some days I didn’t listen – I felt tired but went for it anyway. Some days I showed up BIG TIME – grounded and present; and some days I showed up and fought every pose like I was being forced to be on my mat. 1,000 classes later, I am grateful for the opportunity to listen and show up, both on and off my mat.
- What’s your favorite yoga pose?
My favorite pose is dancer. The pose is an awesome shoulder stretch and I love practicing balance and taking my dancer down to bound half-moon and back up again.
- What’s one piece of advice you’d give to newbie Funky Buddhas?
I have always been a competitive person which is a perfect mindset for most sports, not necessarily yoga. My practice truly started to evolve when I stopped trying so hard to have the ‘perfect pose’ and instead focused on being completely present on my mat. My one piece of advice is not worry what the person next to you is doing, listen to your body and show up!
