Laura Sutphen -
Laura has been teaching yoga for 9 years and is a certified Jivamuki Yoga teacher as of 2005. She has done nearly 200 immersion hours in the Anusara tradition, and has Vinyasa teacher certification through the Yoga Tree (200 hours) in San Francisco, CA. In addition to earning designation as a RYT500, she is certified Level 1 as a Reiki practitioner in the Usui Shiki Ryoho tradition. She has assisted her teachers David Life and Sharon Gannon at conferences in San Francisco and Washington, DC and has been a dedicated meditation student of Jack Kornfield since 2001 and returns to California to study with him as much as possible. But by far, her best teachers are her students!
Why you love doing what you do?
I am totally passionate about helping people feel free and happy in their bodies and minds, and helping to translate the ancient texts of Yoga into a fresh and modern perspective so students can take these lessons off the mat and into their lives. Our yoga mats are so much larger than the 72 inches of recycled eco-friendly rubber; I love helping people find their Yoga in all the little things in their daily lives, and to help them have fun doing it.
Why did you bring what you love to do to the Clinic?
Having just moved from San Francisco, California, where there are places to find holistic healing on almost every street corner, one of my first goals was to find somewhere here in Cleveland that offered the same services. I think the Clinic is doing this so well and wanted to be a part of its growth and in service of its mission!
What do you think the benefits are to providing an
integrated wellness clinic to this community?
I believe (strongly) that when we have tools to
listen to our bodies more closely, we can heal from within – and I
believe anyone can do this. I think a holistic wellness clinic is a
primary vehicle to listening internally more effectively.
Share with us the name of a few books that inspire you:
Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead. This was a pioneering book in alternative thinking. She wrote such rich, inspiring characters who were willing to live life differently and without boundaries.
John Kennedy Toole, A Confederacy of Dunces. The story of the wacky but lovable character Ignatius Reilly always reminds me of the power to say what you mean and mean what you say.
Jivamukti Yoga by my teachers David Life and Sharon Gannon. In their books and in their presence, they always remind me to walk the razor’s edge, be clear, not shy away from the truth, and live with a higher intention in all my thoughts, words, and actions.