Teacher Spotlight: Beth Jacobs
My personal yoga practice began in 2011. My eldest daughter invited me to a beginner’s yoga workshop. The workshop was taught by Larisa Forman, our very skilled instructor here at the Yoga Loft. I was stuck in a rundown state at the time both physically and emotionally. The accessibility of the postures combined with breath-work brought a sense of calm to my whole being. I became a devoted yogi on the spot. I return to my mat everyday to connect or reconnect to my body and mind for my optimal well-being.
What was your first yoga experience?
What made you become a yoga teacher?
It felt only natural to join my favorite instructors, Larisa Forman and Vito Politano, in their first-ever 200hr Teacher Training Program in 2016/2017. Personally, I was seeking more knowledge of yoga as a whole. Interested in learning more about the poses than just their shapes. I was longing to learn their origins as well as the science and anatomy behind each posture. Now, I consider myself a forever student of yoga. After having completed my 200hr and 500 hr teaching certifications, as of 2018, I feel I have just began my studies in the practice of yoga. The love and passion of yoga is my inspiration to teach. I teach to share what I have learned from incredibly talented mentors. Teaching has in itself become a passion. The ability to pass this knowledge on and connect to the yoga community, is a gift to me.
Where do you draw inspiration from for your classes?
When designing a class sequence I typically draw from my daily life as well as from my surroundings. A passage I have read, for instance, may spark a channel I look to explore. Other times, a class is designed to focus on a shape or body part of my own that needs attention. Recently, I created a hip and shoulder flow after feeling tight myself from sitting hunched during a long run of rainy weather. Inspiration is truly all around waiting to be discovered.
What is something you enjoy outside of Yoga?
First and foremost, any activity with my husband and our three grown children. Secondly, I am a nature girl at heart. I am in my happy place if I am outdoors doing just about anything. My husband and I can be seen walking our dog all around our beautiful town for many miles. Travel and seeking experience with other cultures, if time and funds allow, is my latest passion.
My favorite pose changes on a daily or weekly basis. I show up on my mat needing or even craving something only to be surprised by what I discover. It can be an emotional, mental or physical element that I had not been aware needed attention. It is usually a release or reconnection.
Currently, Uttitha Parvakonasana (extended side angle pose) is my favorite. The length and stretch of this pose makes me feel powerful. The challenge of finding the slightest bit of a back-bend with the heart-opening quality of this pose brings me joy.