Teacher Feature: Sara Strother

I spent a while today thinking about how to explain what makes Sara Strother’s class so interesting.  I’ve practiced in her classes for (gulp) nearly five years now, and I always find myself leaving feeling light and refreshed. But it’s tough to convey exactly what makes her such a great teacher. 

First thing’s first—she’s a pistol. She has the class laughing throughout the practice—and not just a little contented sigh here and there. I’m talking belly laughs.  Second, she’s smart. She’s Anusara certified, which is a big, big deal. Practicing with her, you know she’s completely prepared to walk you through any asana, answer questions, and help with creative and appropriate modifications. And third, she exudes a confidence that lets you know that she’s got everything under control—and also, that she trusts you to give that scary posture a shot.   

In my last practice with Sara, she focused on using asymmetrical poses to find the center—or more generally, to focus on difference as a path towards unity.  And even though she had me in and out of some very challenging asymmetrical postures, I wasn't exhausted after the 90 minutes.  I left her class feeling invigorated and excited and grounded. Her mix of heating and cooling postures made the class accessible, and her sequence was engaging and continually reinforced her lesson about unity.

If you’re in Chicago, hit up her website to check out her schedule and make it a priority to catch one of her classes. If you’re not in the windy city, no sweat; Sara has two awesome videos on yogavibes that you can download and do anywhere. (If you look closely, you may spot yours truly in there!)

Catch her while you can—this girl’s going somewhere. And it’s going to be good.