Yoga has the potential to help us orient ourselves within the world, while offering us a space to be. And cake is our treat for being, however we are.
Before completing my teacher training, I had an on-and-off relationship with yoga. Like many in the west, my understanding was limited to the physical practice, inconsistent at best and superficial at worst. Still, I kept coming back even though I couldn't quite articulate why. For a while, I struggled to explain my draw toward synchronized movement in a dimly lit room.
But then I decided to follow my curiosity. During my 200-hour training with Prema Yoga, I finally understood what kept pulling me back: presence. Yoga's demand to be fully present in my body, within the moment, with each movement, instead of everywhere else. Something I find can sometimes be easy to lose while moving about the world.
This realization shapes how I teach. Each class, we’ll move into our bodies through a grounded, playful practice rooted in being rather than perfection. Moving with curiosity, we'll work on being present and noticing where our bodies and minds are, without judgment.
How I teach
How I bake
I’ve been in the kitchen for as long as I can remember, using my step stool to peer over the kitchen island, forcing my way into the action — eagerly cracking an egg, or licking a brownie battered spoon. And as I reminded my mom recently, Chopped raised me! (as did the rest of Food Network and HGTV). Like yoga, I find I always come back to baking, oftentimes to channel my restlessness but also to recenter, to calm.
Growing up, when I’d find myself caught up in my own thoughts, and deeply in the throes of suburban boredom, I’d wander into the kitchen to distract my mind with my hands. In a way, baking became a solace for me, a space to reorient myself. Over time, it’s grown beyond that, into a place of creativity and exploration.
I'm constantly finding inspiration, from the tart pillowy sourdough of the Bay, the vibrant colors of farmers markets, the familiar spices of my family's kitchen, and the endless rows of beans at Kalustyan's. I make everything from classic flavors to ones introduced by friends or travels, but the best part is always sharing. There's something I love about watching someone settle into the comfort of a familiar flavor or the excitement of something new, which is probably why I find every excuse to bake: for birthdays, gatherings, or building entire events around it. ;)
Baking has taught me patience and trust, encouraged my creativity, and shown me what I hope to bring to the people around me: good things to share, reasons to celebrate, and excuses to gather. And that’s what Yoga and Cake is all about.
