Justina Gooden-Helton

Hi! I’m Justina, and balance has been a theme of my life for a very long time.  In a previous life, I sold wine and spent time in the vineyards learning how wine is made. I was fascinated by older vines. They can be gnarly and scraggly but grow deep and strong and produce something so elegant. This balance between strength and beauty always struck me. When I began practicing yoga over 12 years ago and heard the yoga Sutra 2.46, I was similarly enchanted. Sthira sukham asanam: “The posture for yoga meditation should be steady and easeful.” I tried to keep that balance at the forefront of my mind whenever I practiced.

Initially, I fell in love with the strength I developed and the meditative state I found in Power Vinyasa. But as my body changed, my practice evolved, and I realized I needed to balance out the Power Vinyasa with more stillness. Power shifted to slower Vinyasa, and I expanded my practice and teaching to include Yin Yoga. My body felt good, and my mind was calmer, but I craved rest and I found that in Yoga Nidra.

Through Vinyasa, Yin, and Yoga Nidra, I have truly found the means to create more balance, more sthira and sukha -- steadiness and ease -- in my life. I would love to share it with you!

I teach online and in studios around Boise, Idaho. Before moving to Boise, I lived on both coasts and in Europe and the Middle East. A lover of food, wine, and travel, I share this nomadic life with my husband, son, and kitty!