Ashlee Goite
E-RYT 500 Hour, Yoga Alliance Certified with over 2000 hours of teaching experience.
Q & A with Ashlee
What and when was your first experience of yoga?
I first discovered yoga when I was fresh out of college. Accustomed to being able to take my runs on the beach or head to the gym at my leisure while in school, I was searching for a simple way to start my day, to get my body moving before heading off to work and sitting at a desk for the rest of the day. I started getting up early in the morning in my living room and turning on the local PBS station, which aired “Yoga Stretches with Priscilla.” After several months of daily practice with Priscilla, my interest in yoga blossomed and I started searching for classes in my area.
What or who inspired you to deepen your practice and study, and to become a teacher?
After experimenting with several yoga classes, I met Dawn Yager of Shanti Yoga. Her classes were like nothing I’d ever experienced: dynamic and challenging, but with great intelligence and grace of movement. I fell in love with yoga upon my first class with Dawn. I started practicing 3-4 days a week, and even started taking my lunch breaks at the yoga studio. It was Dawn who encouraged me to become a teacher, and shortly thereafter (after moving to Atlanta) I researched yoga teacher certification programs, and committed to the most in-depth and intense program I could find, completing my 200 hour teacher certification in Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga at OnlYoga. I have also completed my 500 hour certification with Sri Dharma Mittra in NYC. It has been Sri Dharma Mittra who has influenced me and inspired me to not only teach yoga, but to live and breathe yoga in my daily life. Most recently, I completed another 200hr teacher training with Tim Feldmann and Kino MacGregor which I believe took both my practice and my teaching to another, better-informed, more mindful and compassionate level.
Key yogic philosophy?
Ahimsa. Non-violence. Period. It is the first of the yogic ethical restraints (yamas) of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga, and I believe it to be the root from which the rest of the yamas and niyamas (personal observances) emerge.
Talk about your personal practice. What does “living yoga” mean to you?
I strive to live my life according to yogic principles as much as I can, as much as I know how. I practice yoga daily, whether on the mat or off it, incorporating awareness, compassion and love as often as I can into every interaction, although not without a full dose of missteps and failings. But, I believe that it is the awareness of missteps and mistakes that is a greater teacher than any seemingly-effortless, seemingly-flawless performance. Awareness, practice and compassion are key to evolving into a better human being.
What else inspires you, what else are you into?
I love reading, and spending time in the outdoors with my family–my husband and our two dogs–and traveling wherever and as often as I can. I also teach college-level Spanish online, which means I get to keep in touch with the disciplines I’m passionate about.
What is your favorite yoga posture?
I love inversions! Anything where I’m upside down—but pincha mayurasana (forearm balance) is my most favorite. And Marichyasana A.
What is the last book you read? What is the last yoga book you read?
I just finished Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World, which I highly recommend for all those interested in exploring the deeply transformational practice of yoga, and in becoming a social change agent so that we can create a world that is just for all. It is a must-read for yoga practitioners everywhere who are interested in taking the yoga practice off the yoga mat and make it, not just a part of their life, but a map for living.
What advice do you have for people first starting yoga?
Allow yourself to be a beginner. Move slow. Take one step at a time. And, don’t ever allow yourself to be intimidated by more advanced practitioners; everyone has been a beginner at some point—enjoy the newness and adventure of discovering something that can teach you so much about yourself and the space you occupy in this world. And keep this mindset over the course of your life.
What tips can you offer for avoiding yoga injuries and getting the most benefits from it?
As I mentioned above: take it slow, and go one step at a time. You cannot expect to get from A to D without going through B and C, too. Practice ahimsa with your body—yoga should never hurt or be painful. And, in order to receive the most benefits from yoga, develop a regular practice, where you’re on your mat at least every other day. Whether it’s a few sun salutations or a full 2-hour practice, the key is practice.
What style(s) of yoga do you currently guide, and where can we find your classes?
I teach Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga and Dharma yoga at several area studios. However, I truly value the effectiveness and tradition of one-on-one instruction, and teach private yoga sessions to individuals, small groups and small businesses.