Meet Carmen! She is a dynamite manager at Flow, creating a wonderful sense of community on every shift. Learn more about her below :)
What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?
Most recently, I started going to evening Mysore which is something my first dc-based yoga teacher, Kalah Hill, suggested to me. It’s not something I ever thought I would try but it’s been fun and a challenge. I very much appreciate Cory’s approach to Mysore - it’s a very accessible way to practice for any student which works well for me.
What inspires you to practice at Flow?
I was initially drawn to flow because of the different class offerings, particularly there were a lot of options for practicing Ashtanga at Flow. I stayed at Flow because I really liked the teachers and of course, the people. I remember Amber was the first person that ever called me by name at Flow and now I work with Amber on Thursday evenings to make other folks feel as welcomed and known at Flow as she made me feel. It’s a full circle of community.
What was your first yoga experience like?
My first yoga experience was in 2001 in Texas while I was an intern at Johnson Space Center. I was coming off of tough junior year of college and I decided to take a beginners yoga class at a local studio. It was great. We had a typed up curriculum and everything. I was very fortunate that my teacher was a black woman so there was someone I could identify with in my class. I remember she taught us how to breathe. We spent a lot of time on breathing which is what always stayed with me.
Who are some of your most influential teachers?
In terms of yoga, Kalah Hill was and still is pretty influential in my yoga journey. As divine nature would have it our paths crossed at just the right time. She taught me how to be aware of my body and breath as well as the beauty of mutual benefit of a student-teacher relationship. It’s really important to build the trust and I think she learned as much from me as I did from her. My “losses” have taught me a lot over the last few years since I’ve been here. I’ve learned that I’m pretty resilient and nothing is ever really a loss. I appreciate my family and friends as teachers and reflections of who I am as a woman.
What is something the Flow community may not know about you?
I have a twin sister that also lives in DC and we were born on our dad’s birthday - 2/2. My sister is fraternal so you don’t have to worry about seeing double :)
Anything else you would like to share?
“God is good all the time and all the time, God is good.” -The Black Church