Erin McGuire, of Los Angeles, has been engaged in the art of Yoga for over a decade: learning and teaching the craft while exploring the many possibilities and incarnations its presents. TourDeFIT.com® recently partnered with Erin’s dynamic Yoga studio, Pure Light Yoga, to bring private Yoga lessons of the highest quality to our dedicated users. TourDeFIT.com® was lucky enough to sit down with Erin to discuss her initial attraction Yoga, her amazing travels which have brought her deeper into the art, and why private Yoga lessons are so beneficial.  

Erin on her personal Yoga background: “I was first introduced to Yoga twelve years ago in college. I needed extra credit and I took a yoga class. I didn’t think much of it at the time because I was a long distance competitive runner- I honestly didn’t really like it. After this I stopped doing Yoga for awhile. I got back into it when I moved to Los Angeles.   Its so hectic here and I needed some peace and calm so I found a studio near my house called Golden Bridge where they teach Kundalini Yoga. This was a transformational experience like I’ve never experienced. Around this time, I wanted to do some volunteer opportunities and give back to the community. I connected with a Woman’s Shelter, which was in need of a Yoga teacher. I told them I didn’t teach Yoga, but they wanted me for the position, so in a way I was kind of forced into teaching Yoga.  I taught one class there and I was blown away by teaching. I loved it. So that’s how I got started teaching Yoga”

Erin on her experiences traveling abroad and teaching Yoga: “I decided to get certified teaching Yoga and I searched for about 6 months to find a studio I really connected with. I finally found a company and I attended the first teacher training in Bali, Indonesia. I got certified at the 200-hour level and then I went back to Los Angeles and decided to continue with the company and received my 500-hour training. I then completed another 200 hours of training so I could be a teacher trainer. I’ve also spent the last 9 months traveling the world. I’ve traveled Australia, Bali, Thailand and Europe and I taught Yoga in Bali and Thailand. It was really incredible.”

Erin on how teaching abroad enriched her experience and understanding of Yoga: “It made me think outside of the box in my Yoga teachings. When I was in Thailand I was teaching at a private resort. I would teach every single day twice a day and some of these people would be on a retreat for 10 days and attend every one of my classes. I had to be creative and come up with something new every single class due to this. I added meditation and workshops so it broadened my skilled set and made me a lot more confident. Now I feel like if I could do that I can do anything.”

Erin on the variety of services she offers from Pure Light Yoga: “I’m a certified personal trainer and a second level Reiki Practitioner. I really enjoy energy work with people and just transmitting energy and healing people. If you have a block in some area of your body it can manifest in a lot of different ways such as headaches or body aches or something more severe. It’s so important to keep all of that energy flowing. I also like to teach basic meditation to people who have never meditated before. I also lead people in visualization. In visualization, you use the power of the mind to create what you want in your life. Meditation really does change your brain, your body and your whole outlook so it’s crucially important. “

Erin on the benefits of taking a private lesson: “I teach private lessons which are great for somebody who has never tried Yoga and who may be nervous about being in a classroom with other people. You can go so much deeper into the benefits of Yoga this way and you also get the privacy of allowing yourself to ease into Yoga without being forced into anything. This is really important when you first start so you can align everything correctly instead of just throwing yourself into a class and possibly hurting yourself. There are so many benefits of Yoga that my private sessions will teach, including relaxation, a calmer sense of mind, increased flexibility, brain stability plus an overall transformation that will lead to a deeper connection between you and your body. People are so out of touch with their body and they never think about breathing, but yoga teaches you to pay attention to your breath, which is so important. Also, through private lessons I can tailor the program to each client’s specific needs. If you want strength training I can teach that, if you want increased flexibility we can focus on that, if you want a calmer peace of mind we can target that. You get to dictate the program, and I’ve had a lot of success with this approach.“

For more information on Pure Light Yoga and to book your private session with Erin visit her page on TourDeFIT.com®.