Sarah Hutchinson | Demi Garner | Debra Weller
Sarah Hutchinson at home on the Grand Mesa, Western Colorado
I came to yoga because I couldn’t touch my toes. I came to yoga because the obligations of family and work prevented me from disappearing into the mountains, desert and ocean for days and weeks at a time to get my nature fix. I came to yoga to breathe deeply when my life hurt. I came to yoga because the clothes looked comfortable and many yogis looked so happy! Now I am a yogi and I can touch my toes, get my nature fix, wear comfortable clothes and breathe through the pain that comes my way…and I have found community, an unexpected level of wellness, a deep inner smile and comfort beyond measure. Most of the time I look, and am, happy!
Of course I became a yoga teacher, it is my nature to share what I have learned. Having spent a decade instructing for NOLS and Outward Bound, I was used to taking people to unfamiliar places and guiding them to new awarenesses. As an R.N. of 30 + years I have observed and pondered the human condition, and had many unanswered questions about longevity and well being. My yoga studies have answered those questions and I myself am healthier at now than I was 20 years ago. I became a yoga teacher to share these life enhancing practices.
I was lucky enough to find Anusara Yoga and take the in-depth training leading to certification. Anusara’s Principles of Alignment captivated me: here is a brilliant, simple and profound way of systematically opening the body! It works on elders, children and everyone in between. As an R.N. I am always alert to safety and efficacy: the Principles of Alignment offer both. I can safely teach anyone, at any stage of life and mobility, to become more comfortable. mobile and flexible. I know how to help with recovery from chronic pain, injury, surgery and chronic conditions. My teacher’s Martin Kirk, Desiree Rumbaugh, John Friend and others have given me the knowledge to teach asana safely, effectively and therapeutically.
Then, I found out how tired I was! This happened when I took my first Restorative Yoga class with my friend Kelli Davis. I came out of that class aware of my need to deep rest; and I figured I wasn’t the only one. So I studied Restorative Yoga with Shannon Paige Schneider, and now I offer that too: The Science of Rest, and how we learn to nourish ourselves to prevent burn out. Check my schedule for public classes, or schedule a private session.
My continued curiosity lead me to study the sister science of yoga with my soul sister Cate Stillman. Ayurveda is an intimidating word, I mean, I couldn’t even pronounce it at first! Now I can (r-yur-veda) and I LOVE to teach this stuff: there is a whole lot here I never learned in nursing school! My yoga classes incorporate Ayurvedic tips and I do private consultations for those looking to feel better.
Now I am studying with Rod Stryker, deepening my experience of meditation, pranayama ( breath work) and prescriptive yoga practices. Can’t sleep? Experiencing anxiety? Grieving? Need more energy and focus? There are specific ways to move and breath that will help!
Everyday Wellness teaches is an integrated approach to life, where the sacred and mundane are not held apart. Our yoga is empowering and cultivates happiness, health, peace and prosperity. What I have learned and experienced, I teach. These practices are available to all comers: be it stress reduction, weight management, flexibility, sleep enhancement, all of these are available through the yoga that I teach. Come give it a try, even if you can’t touch your toes! The first class is free!
Sarah Hutchinson R.N. B.S.
RYT 500
About Demi Garner
In 1994, I found yoga in a hospital waiting room while my father was undergoing spinal surgery. After experiencing 10 minutes of yoga, I felt calm and peaceful, realizing that this was something very powerful. I began to practice yoga regularly and have since reaped the rewards of this amazing practice. Yoga has helped me to survive and thrive through some of life’s greatest challenges, including breast cancer and the death of my husband. I enjoy guiding others as they work through the difficulties in their lives and onto their paths towards wellness.
I have been a teacher for most of my life with a BA in Education and 30 years teaching in the public schools. I have taught yoga for 7 years and draw on my training in Anusara Yoga, Parayoga, and Ayurveda. I teach classes in the Community Centers of Palisade, Collbran and Mesa and offer workshops and private sessions.
About Debra Weller
I wish I could remember the name of my first teacher. I do remember the melody of her voice and her gentle invitation to move on the waves of the breath. But most of all, I remember the feeling I experienced after class. As I lay on my mat for the final relaxation pose, wind chimes gently sang, and I floated away on a cloud of calm. It was the memory of that guided relaxation that came back to me as I contemplated the doctor’s proclamation. I turned the car around and signed up for classes at the “Yoga Shack”. There I met Anne Richardson, one of Beryl Binder Birch’s senior students. I studied with Anne and several other wonderful teachers including Angela Phillips in Virginia for several years. My weight dropped, the arthritic symptoms disappeared and I no longer suffered from wild hormonal shifts.
Over the last fifteen years, I’ve had the opportunity to study with many gifted teachers of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda including my daughter, jen sole weller. Currently, I’m a candidate for certification in the Para Yoga Master Training Program directed and founded by Yogarupa Rod Stryker. My classes offer students of all levels the opportunity to tune in and move in a way that helps access our innate potential to live a vibrant, healthy, and fulfilled life.