Team Member of the Month: January 2018
by Leigh-Ann Renz, 1.10.18
We’re honored + excited to recognize Sara Lewis as our Team Member of the Month for January! Sara is an engaged, invested and dynamic instructor – not to mention a kind, calm and all-around good person. We appreciate Sara very much, personally and professionally, and are so grateful to have her on our team!
Sara teaches several weekly classes and hosts regular workshops (check out her next one coming up on January 20th: Beating the Sugar Blues). Additionally, she has her own holistic cooking business and has provided us with healthy, delicious treats for other events. If you were lucky enough to sample any of the amazing food at our recent Holiday Open House, you know what a killer cook she is!
As part of recognizing her as our January Team Member, we gave her a goodie bag filled with WYC swag – and asked her to share a little bit about herself and her yoga journey. Check it out:
- Tell me about your experience with yoga: how it began, where it has taken you, and how yoga has impacted your life.
My first experience with yoga was around 2000 when I took a class at UNC-Chapel Hill. I remember distinctly having a floating sensation during savasana and I said to myself, “wow, I need to do this again!” At the time I was in a stressful job and traveling internationally on a regular basis.
That first class gave me a taste of what it would be like to slow down and focus on being present. A lesson that I continue to focus on every day! Regular yoga practice has been transformational for me, not just the physical aspect, but also breaking down psychological and emotional barriers.
- What are your favorite yoga styles to teach and why?
I enjoy teaching gentle flow and yin yoga because I think this style attracts new students. I love hearing new students express amazement about how they feel after a class! And I enjoy connecting with people and listening to their stories. Everyone brings a unique energy to class and that allows me to bring my own creativity to the mat as well.
- What are you doing when you’re not teaching or practicing yoga?
You can usually find me in the kitchen experimenting with local food ingredients and developing new recipes. I love trying to create something delicious out of just a few basic ingredients. One of my favorite things to do is to visit a friend’s house, and with their permission, peek into the pantry/fridge and dream up a dish from what’s available. You might also find me on my road bike, exploring hills and valleys, with a group from the Bicycle Haywood NC Club.
- Tell me something funny or unexpected about you.
I tend to bring home strangers (my husband, who is very tolerant and supportive, says it’s sort of like taking in stray dogs or cats, but in my case it’s people!). Many years ago, I met an elderly Japanese woman in the Miami airport when we both got stuck overnight due to flight delays. My new-found friend had purchased a “round the world” pass and was trying to decide where to go next.
She pulled out a map of the US, spread it on the floor and a group of us gathered around, giving her advice. I found myself saying, “you really should visit the mountains of Western North Carolina”. Next thing I know, we are both on a plane headed to Waynesville!
I was just returning from a 3-week work trip, had moved into a new apartment and had no food in my refrigerator. But we had a fabulous time and I showed her some highlights of our beautiful area. I learned that she was a translator/interpreter during World War II. Experiences like these are what makes life more interesting to me!
Please join us in recognizing Sara as an amazing instructor and simply lovely person! 🙂 Come experience one of her classes for yourself: click here to register via our class calendar.
