Maria Ratliff

I begrudgingly accompanied a friend to her beloved yoga class at Down Dog Yoga, a studio offering heated vinyasa practices, in Washington D.C. And my life changed. Awed by the simultaneous intensity and serenity of that practice, I returned home seeking heat. I immediately began exploring various yoga styles and practicing consistently--with and without heat. An arm balance near miss (we’ve all had those :) led me to a workshop at Franklin Street Yoga Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. There my mind, body, and heart nestled deeply into Ashtanga vinyasa and Baptiste power vinyasa yoga. After cultivating a consistent practice for a couple of years, I completed my 200 hour training at Franklin Street Yoga Center. I still regularly practice Ashtanga as it offers a consistency that provides stability and an essential framework for my evolving asana practice. But the creativity and fluidity of vinyasa yoga allows me to "live out loud" in my practice and teaching style. I incorporate music, a sense of playfulness, and a bit of daring into my classes because rhythm, fun, and courage foster vitality. (Which is the stuff life is made of!) In class, I'll continue to draw your attention to your breath--the vitality you take with you everywhere you go. A breath of steadiness, a breath of ease, a breath of fun, a breath of courage...vitality in all its many forms, cultivated and practiced on the mat so that it's with us off the mat.