Nathalie Traikos

Class Vibe: My class vibe is mainly grounding and centering. I encourage curiosity and mindfulness - my goal is for students to reconnect with themselves, their practice, and life in a way that's empowering and freeing.

Training & Experience: I'm a 200hr CYT trained at Asana Soul Practice in Jersey City. I'm also a trauma-informed Mastery Method certified coach, an important perspective I keep while I teach. Recently, I've received a Vagus Nerve Function & Therapeutic Applications certificate, which I find very relevant for leading clients into relaxation and body restoration. I'm currently undergoing a face yoga certification, which I'm super excited about sharing soon! 

I used to work in the corporate world, and bringing regulation tools to professionals working in that environment is very meaningful to me. I first started leading mindfulness meditations to coworkers while I worked at Bloomberg full-time. And recently, after I left the corporate world, I had the opportunity to do something similar for a team at Prudential. I held a workshop where I discussed the nervous system, and I led employees through meditation, breathwork, and chair yoga as tools to reach the parasympathetic nervous system state. 

What’s the Heart of Your Teaching? I hope that students learn more about themselves, not in an over analytical way, but in a witnessing way. Where they can be the observer, and access their true Self and essence, reaching that state of being - the loving, compassionate, and free state.

Why Did You Start Teaching? What first led me to start teaching yoga was simply a "I need to let others know about this!" kind of drive. Now, it's developed into a mission of practicing yoga for self-empowerment. It's very rewarding to witness the shifts that happen in each student from the start to end of a class.

Extra Spark: I love using props creatively to build awareness of form and of muscle engagement. The effectiveness of intentional muscle activation with props continues to surprise me!

Off the mat: I love to dance as an expression of emotions and energy. And to sing. Though I do these in private for now! :)