We are unbelievably excited to welcome Amy Mertz to the Stone Turtle Yoga teacher team! Amy has been teaching yoga in Gaylord for a few years now, and she has graciously accepted the role of sharing her experience, knowledge, and passion for teaching with our growing yoga community. Her yoga background and teaching style will be a great addition, and will compliment our current teaching styles really well by reflecting the same yogic fundamentals of alignment, precision, and mindfulness, while adding her own authentic touch. Above all, Amy will add to our overall mission to provide yoga instruction in a safe, welcoming setting.
Here are a few words from Amy about her yoga story and her life now. Please join her for Hatha Yoga this Sunday, December 7th at 2:00pm in Grayling. Amy will be on the schedule full time starting in January!
I first tried yoga because I heard it was very helpful for dealing with stress. Between moving to a new town, new marriage and career, I was looking for an avenue to help with so much change. I took my first yoga class in 2001 at a community class offered at Grayling high school. I was unsure about what I had experienced, but liked the overwhelming calm feeling I felt after class. That class led to a lot of exploration, reading and yoga classes. I developed a passion and love for it, that I knew I wanted to share with others. After ten years of practice, I became a certified yoga instructor.
I completed the Yoga Alliance 200 hour registered teaching program at Yoga for Peace in Southgate, MI in September of 2011. Yoga Alliance is a national 3rd party organization that insures proper training and certification of Yoga teachers. Yoga 4 Peace is a non-profit organization that seeks to keep yoga accessible to all, through volunteers and community service.
My teaching style emphasizes alignment, form, and safety. I thrive to inspire students to use the skills and ideas taught in class to develop a home practice, but also, to use those themes in class in everyday life off the mat. I study the Iyengar method, with Mary Reilly, a Senior Iyengar Yoga Instructor in Petoskey, Michigan.
I currently teach at Stone Turtle Yoga and for private clients in Gaylord, where I live with my husband George, and children Caroline and Georgie. I enjoy cross-country skiing, paddle-boarding, down-hill skiing and most of all being a mom.