A Chicago native who recently returned to the area after several years on the West Coast, Tey brings a wealth of experience to her teaching – including certification from The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in southeastern New York.  “Teacher training helped deepen my practice all the more,” Tey says.  “And the beauty is – I’m always learning from my students.  We teach each other.”

Tey extols the virtues of coming together to do yoga in a class environment.  “We get so caught up in our busy schedules, and doing the asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing) together in class gives us a feeling of peace and connectedness,” she explains.  “When we say ‘Om’ in class, it reminds us that we really are all one.”

When asked what words of wisdom she’d give to those who are intimidated by the prospect of doing yoga, Tey feels that some think it’s more complicated than it actually is.  “I ask them to do a simple stretch, and, when they do, I let them know they’re doing yoga,” Tey explains. “Anything that gets the blood flowing to any part of the body and anything that helps us connect to our breath is yoga.”

Tey says it’s all about making the yoga studio a non-threatening, non-judgmental place.  “I want students to come to class knowing that they have a space where there they can let go of ego, let go of fear and live in the moment,” Tey explains.  “When we experience detachment and living in the moment on the mat in class – it’s easier to take that same feeling of detachment and peacefulness back out into the world.”