Karen Martin

200hrCYT, PTA, PWR (Parkinson’s Wellness and Recovery)Therapist

My introduction to yoga happened 35 years ago when I took it as a P.E. class in college.  I  expected yoga to be relaxing but not necessarily demanding.  Then I met Swami Joan.  Swami’s class challenged me physically and mentally.  Her favorite mantra (usually repeated while we were holding in a difficult pose) was: “It’s a shame to go through life half asleep”.  

That first class has always stuck with me.  My yoga practice has seen me through various small injuries, and has been my drug of choice for rising to meet life’s many challenges. Over the years, I have come to appreciate yoga as a dynamic and versatile practice that will meet us all where we are, and then grow and change with us when we are ready.

For the last 20 years I have worked as a Physical Therapy Assistant.  In 2019 I completed my 200hr yoga  certification and found that teaching yoga enriched my professional life and also opened up a new outlet for me outside of healthcare.  Becoming a teacher has reminded me that growth does not stop at 50 (or at any age) and that we all need to shake ourselves fully awake from time to time.