ELISSA IS A WONDERFUL YOGA TEACHER, with whom I’ve had the fortunate pleasure to practice yoga as best as I can, Fridays at my office building. I am constantly amazed at the person I am when I begin a session and the almost unrecognizable person I become at the end. My job often demands a great deal from me and my co-workers, and it wreaks havoc on all of the things that Elissa seems to focus on in our weekly practice. Working through various poses and postures and movements, the damage done while sitting for over 8 hours a day melts away, a distant memory in the moments following each workout.

Life can be a war of sorts. Finding and achieving balance in one’s life is often a constant challenge.
There are our kids, spouses and careers, often the former two being compromised by the latter. There are some weeks where we can feel pushed and pulled apart, twisted in knots and put through a physical and mental shredder.

It is extremely rare to meet someone who shows such care, warmth, compassion, love and attention to their students. Elissa is such a person. She is keenly aware of her students’ limitations, orthopedic issues, alternatives to movements and the gentle, guiding touch of placing a yoga block beneath a students’ head, directing a yoga ball to a different region to achieve the intended purpose of its being there. Amazingly, she guides us each in our own way to achieving the most out of that days’ practice and somehow makes it all work.

I truly cherish my time in each session, although it sometimes will be weeks ’til I can get back. Elissa stresses the importance of taking some time to slow down and take time for ourselves, to focus on the present and clear one’s mind of the chatter, the stress and the chaos that can plague our days in times of great stress.