SARAH BETTS

What's your superpower? / What do you want it to be?

Turning a hodgepodge of ingredients into something delicious and making the worlds best homemade kale Caesar salad. I would love to be able to fly; it would make getting to the top of a mountain and escaping city traffic much easier. If given the choice though, I would be torn between flying and nourishing – the ability to feed people well is an incredible gift.

How do you express gratitude?

Cooking. Good food has the ability to connect, ground, nourish and enliven people. A shared meal can say “thank you,” “I love you,” “let’s be friends,” “you are appreciated” and “I am grateful” all at once. For me, the gratitude I can share with others through nourishment goes beyond what I will ever be able to express with words. It’s like tangible love that feeds the body, mind and soul.  


Why do you share yoga?

I experience yoga as an incredibly powerful, deeply connecting practice that ignites energy, vitality and peace within me. These are sensations and experiences I think we could all use a little more of in our lives. I think we, as modern humans, have the tendency to give and give and give, often to the point of self-depletion. There’s a sense of emptiness, fatigue and exhaustion, despite the fact that we’re working harder and achieving more. The cycle is not sustainable unless we take the time to receive in return, to fill-our-own-cup so to speak. The practice of yoga is one way we can give back to the self, to nourish our minds and bodies and to show ourselves the amount of care we give to others. I share yoga to share the incredible sense of connection, care, love, energy and empowerment that I think all of us deserve. 

What's your favorite pose?  Why?

Viparita karani (aka “legs up the wall pose”) because my legs and spine feel so much relief. Especially after a long day on my feet, a hard run or a tough ski, this pose rocks my world. I love to close my eyes and imagine I can watch the blood emptying from my toes back to my heart until I can feel my feet tingle. When I get out of the pose I always feel a million times better than when I started. It sort of melts away stress and fatigue and anything else I have going on at that moment.


When was the last time you laughed out loud?  

Today, thankfully! I hope that’s my answer tomorrow and the next day too. Today it was at my dog who likes to wedge a tennis ball in the crook of the couch and then roll back and forth across it, giving herself a little doggie massage. She figured it out all on her own and it makes me laugh every time I see her do it. It’s a glimpse of pure joy and innocence and I love it.


What always makes you smile?

Fresh picked vegetables. Waking up to blue skies and sunshine. Reaching the top of a mountain. A meal shared with friends. Snowflakes. Connecting with good people.


What does flow mean to you?

Flow means the ability to let go of expectations, definitions and boundaries. It’s the ability to embrace change, realizing that when you stop fighting it change is the instigator of growth, adventure and experience. To me, flow feels like a state of balance between softness, ease, energy and excitement; it has both calming and vitalizing qualities. It’s both a quality and an experience that yoga has helped me embrace both on and off the mat.


What can our TGY friends expect from your class? 
FLOW - both the physical kind and all of the other definitions listed above). TRUTH – yoga is not all rainbows and unicorns - let’s be real - it’s a genuine inquiry into human nature, connection, movement, breath, reality and life and I honor that. HAPPINESS – even if it’s just a glimpse of a smile found in your practice on a really tough day. GRATITUDE – the practice of yoga helps us tune in and “be here now” so we can really see and feel what we’re experiencing and find gratitude for both the little and the big things. GOODNESS – whether you’re in handstand or shavasana, my goal is to share a sensation of goodness with everyone. I want you to leave your mat feeling better, stronger, happier, good-er or whatever else it may be!

Sarah is an RYT-200 and is studying to receive her Masters of Science in Holistic Nutrition (candidate 2014). She has been practicing yoga for 8 years and is a lover of mountains, sunshine, good food and good people.