Stacey began her yoga instruction through training with Gaia Living Arts, the mother of yoga here in Miami who started the first studio on Miami Beach. This 300 hr training allowed Stacey to discover her true nature as a teacher, and grow continuously learning from every individual student as they are just as much teachers to her, too. She believes that every class, every student, and every day is a different experience and should not be treated the same. Each class is geared toward every individual student, as she studies each person throughout the session to determine the postures or forms she chooses next for the students. Not one class will be the same with Stacey, although all her classes will be consistent.
After graduating from Gaia Living Arts, she continued her work as a Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga Instructor - a natural step for this Florida native. Stacey started surfing over 11 years ago, and has always had a connection with the water. Knowing she could bring yoga to the water was all it took for her to ride her training wave in this direction. She feels that flowing naturally with the forces of nature is a huge lesson for humanity, and this allows one to be that much more in tune with something bigger than themselves.
She then discovered Budokon Yoga, a mix of yoga and martial arts, and began practicing weekly. In December 2012, Stacey completed her 30 hr Budokon Yoga Teacher Training and found a lovely community of like-minded individuals to share ideas and train with. She explains that Budokon brought her a self-discipline that she was avoiding prior, as well as a new fire for keeping in line with one's personal values and word. With the connection she made with the Budokon method and life-science teachings, she continued in this system with the Budokon Mixed Matrial Arts program. Completing her first 30 hr MMA training weekend in February 2013 she received her white belt and first stripe, on an amazing journey to becoming a black belt.
Her Budokon yoga classes encompass the Budokon Yoga Primary Series, which is comprised of 7 sections that are the same each time. Having the same set of postures allows for a deeper understanding of alignment and fluid transitional movements. These 7 sections take you on a journey in understanding your own body, in a sequence made specifically to integrate the entire body and each movement with the next. According to the Budokon curriculum, the Budokon Yoga system can be summed up in one sentence: Budokon Yoga is the art of seamless transition coupled with the beauty of circular rotation. This balance of art and science sets the tone for a knowledgeable and engaging practice. "Balance is key on so many levels," according to Stacey, "taking this balance off the mat or board and into your personal life can prove to be an awakening and conscious experience."
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