ABOUT ME

 
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Hi! I’m Emily Cordes and I’m so happy you’re here. Practicing and teaching yoga is my passion and I’m excited to share it with you.

I have had a lifelong passion for movement. I began dancing at the age of 6 and have been exploring movement ever since. I was first introduced to yoga by my ballet teacher and started attending classes with my mom in 2011. Looking back, the funny thing is that I didn’t enjoy it at the start. As a high energy dancer, I wanted to move quickly with intensity and found yoga classes boring (to be honest).

But for some reason, I continued to attend classes. I was drawn in and could not really understand why. And I remember laying in savasana one day after a class that made sense in my body as I was starting to understand this connection, and the thought kind of appeared out of nowhere, “I’m going to become a yoga teacher”.

I grew to love the way yoga allowed me to move mindfully, similar to dance and have since grown a deep passion for the holistic practice.

It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self and intelligence

- B.K.S lyengar

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I first travelled to India in 2016 to complete my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Kranti Yoga and returned in 2020 to complete my 300 Hour training at Sampoorna Yoga.

I had never been to India. Didn’t know anyone who had. And honestly, I didn’t know that much about it, considering I was planning a month long trip there. But for some reason, I was drawn there and there was no denying that.

Even so, it wasn’t easy. I was nervous travelling alone to a place that was so unknown to me. The first few days were very intense. Full days of yoga and studies, poses I couldn’t do, words I couldn’t understand. I found myself thinking, this isn’t for me, I can’t do this, I’m going to go home.

And I nearly did.

Then, I was heading down to the beach the next morning for my 6am walk, and saw this quote. This changed everything.

These words helped me realize, yes, it’s not easy, yes you’re out of your comfort zone, but that’s a beautiful thing. This is where the growth is.

So I challenged myself, and I stayed. I learned how to grow through the challenges and how to show myself care as I did so. These lessons have been most important for me throughout my yoga journey. So even though those first few days were hard for me, I owe a lot to them and am so grateful to have had those experiences.

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Teaching yoga allows me to share the sense of peace and wellbeing that yoga offers with my students.

I love to teach classes which inspire students to explore their personal practices. It’s not about what the pose looks like. It’s about what you learn from and through the movement.

 

I am now teaching around the world on retreat and Yoga Teacher Trainings. It is a joy and privilege to connect with yogis from all over.

 

"I have been taking Emily’s classes for a few years. She is a gifted instructor who takes the time to move through poses with such thoughtfulness and ease of movement. No matter where you are in your practice - physically or mentally, Emily‘s classes are engaging and fulfilling. She is clearly an advanced yogi, however her teaching style welcomes the beginner while challenging the experienced. We are so fortunate to have Emily to guide classes, truly an amazing instructor and lovely person."

— Rita