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Introducing Rachel Valbrun!
Rachel is fun-loving, dancing, thoughtful, empathetic, and dedicated to her loved ones. And it is her birthday (5/2) !
She was born in Florida, has lived in LA/London/and more, and currently resides in Northern Virginia with her family, including her niece and nephew. Her work is in architectural and urban design. She is also a certified yoga instructor. She practices via Zoom 1-3x a week as a member/subscriber since February.
Q & A with Rachel (R)
Q: How would you describe your favorite color?
R: A reflective prism because my favorite changes depending upon my mood, the setting and application.
Q: How do you like to celebrate your birthday (s)?
R: I absolutely love celebrating my birthday laughing about with close friends. (See photo of last year's last minute gathering below).
Q: What is your favorite yoga posture?
R: My favorite yoga pose is probably salamba sirsasana because it forces me to think about areas in my body that hold lots of tension (shoulders and hips) and move them with intentional gentle strength. Supported headstand is also where I become most conscious of my breathing, gaze, core, and the
amount of pressure I allow on my head -
something I often neglect to give attention to, figuratively and literally. Lastly, this posture has been an ongoing exploration for 10 years for me and it can be really telling of progression (and regression).
Q: Least (favorite pose)? Why?
R: My least favorite posture is probably pigeon because I have incredibly tight hips.
Q: What does 'yoga' mean to you?
R: This is a tough one to answer because at times I let the mainstream habitual idea of 'yoga' overshadow my own thoughts of yoga. For me, for now, yoga means a practice to becoming conscious of and accepting various aspects of my being - be it physical and mental or individual and societal. Yoga is a highly reflective time for me, feels like my body is working to recalibrate my mind in a sense, attempting to become more present and aware of what I am doing, thinking, and how they interconnect.
Q: How has your yoga practice impacted your life?
R: Yoga has helped me face and work through the challenges of life with a bit more clarity and resolve. It also allows me be have a little more fun and take things as they are.
Q: What activities, other than yoga, do you enjoy partaking in?
R: Running, bouldering, dancing, hiking, and pilates. Oh, and yoga sculpt, cannot forget that, lol! I would say anything that gets me to move but I also adore shavasana and sleeping. :)
April 2018 in Century City, CA - playing with new life/puppy
Thank you, Rachel, for sharing your profound thoughts and Self! <3