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Jan 21, 2009
Empath Yoga with Erica Boucher
Coming back to Sagada from the intensity of Manila, I needed to decompress. By that, it meant back to yoga, meditation and pranayama...things I can't seem to practise in Manila. As if by divine grant, Erica Boucher, an American yoga instructor from Orlando, Florida is now in Sagada offering an off-the-beaten-path type of yoga to locals and tourists alike - Empath Yoga.
Erica Boucher
Erica is a Registered Yoga Teacher trained in Integrative Yoga Therapy and Kundalini Yoga. She is also a Meditation Instructor, Life Coach and Licensed Massage Therapist. She formerly owned and operated Yoga for Transformation in downtown Orlando. Erica holds a B.A. in Organizational Communication from Rollins College and is the former Adult Education Coordinator and Instructor at Anthony Houses Adult Leadership Center. She created their comprehensive 4-week, 120-hour, Life and Career Development Program and is responsible for developing educational programs offered to families and individuals throughout the community. Erica has taught workshops on behalf of Goodwill Industries, the Lisa Merlin House, the Salvation Army, the Downtown Orlando YMCA and other local organizations.
For years she has used a unique combination of all of these tools to assist clients in removing the blocks to living successfully in todays world. Erica began her work as a life coach and counselor almost ten years ago, and found that in order to experience lasting change, many of her clients needed a physical and emotional release in addition to an intellectual understanding of where they were stuck in their lives. In her yoga sessions, she discovered that as clients opened up their bodies they started asking questions about the emotions that were being released. In all cases, her clients sought greater self awareness and peace of mind. Ericas practice has evolved in response to the demands of her clients. Now, any effective lifestyle change that her clients seek is approached from all of these angles.
Empath Yoga Empath Yoga is a unique combination of yoga and meditation with elements of hypnosis and empathic listening skills. Here, students will learn how to create and hold the space for others to help them move through stuck emotions, transform limiting beliefs, and heal their bodies.
Local Session We practise 3 times a week at the bigger St. Jo's Café to accomodate a growing number of clientele. Since most of the participants are newbies, the sessions are appropriately gentle, catering to the lowest common denominator. However, it can still be intense depending on how far you want to push a certain pose.
International Yoga Teacher Training Program Starting Feb 15 to 28, she'll be conducting a yoga teacher training program in Empath Yoga right here in Sagada. Beginning at 6 am and finishing at 9 pm daily for 2 weeks, totalling 200 hours, it promises to be intense and comprehensive. Accreditation with the international Yoga Alliance is currently being worked through. Cost: P25,000 (~US$500). Interested? Visit this site for details.
Ending Thoughts I don't know until when Erica will be in Sagada, but she's doing a wonderful thing sharing her experience, passion and expertise. Thank you Erica.
Nice things like that seem to be a staple in Sagada. People with unique skill sets passing through this quaint mountain hamlet, becoming enchanted by the serenity of the place and the warmth of its people, that they take it upon themselves to give back. Just a week ago, a 3rd generation Japanese potter, world reknown Yasou Terada, was in Sagada conducting a free workshop to the potters of Sagada's Ceramic Center. Sagada is magical that way.
--- TheLoneRider
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