NATALIE MORALES
Yoga is a vast subject. What attracted me to yoga as a young teenager is quite different from what draws me to it now. Over the last 29 years, my curiosity has lead me to explore varied approaches to hatha yoga: Anusara, Ashtanga, Bikram, Iyengar, Kundalini and most of all, the style some call Viniyoga. I've been in the presence of many inspiring teachers, but most recently, I had my mind blown by Erich Schiffmann during his visit to Miami. He reminded me that not only is it OK to try new twists on the yoga theme, it's highly recommended. Watching him work his magic in the gorgeous ballrooms at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables stamped a long-lasting smile into my soul.
As a teacher, my aim is to distill my studies, and channel the essence into classes that are not just physically interesting, but also meaningful. I coined the word funyasa™ just to emphasize the fun of movement. After 15 years of teaching, my most important lessons still come from my students. I try to guide them with clear instruction and laughter, safely coaxing them through challenging sequences to see them accomplish amazing things. In addition to my yoga work, I sometimes undertake projects to honor a few other passions, mostly in the name of art, gardening and food. I earned a Master's degree in Art Education, and have contributed to a few published cookbooks. I had a blast writing Perricone's Café: Story & Cookbook, and editing my (gorgeous) sister Dr. Patricia Fine's Elegant Dairy-Free Entertaining. And there's a rumor that I'm working on another project. It's true.