New Trails, New Teachers
Yoga Hike is happy and proud to welcome our newest Adventure Facilitators. You are going to love being on the trail with these two heart-centered teachers. Your time with them, on an adventure, will open you to new possibilities and the beauty and support which can only be found in nature. You can meet them both, this weekend on the Mary Moore Searight trail.
Tara Ebersole
My whole life has been about finding balance, which I’ve found to be a never ending journey, and nothing has brought me closer to that goal than yoga. Yoga, for me, has been an amalgamation of peace, connectivity, physical fitness, over all wellness, as well as a ton of fun and my favorite thing to do.
I never would have imagined that I was born to teach yoga. My journey began after the birth of my first child. I tried a yoga class at my local recreation center. It was much more challenging than it seemed, but I was captivated. I attended my first yoga certification program on a whim when I saw an ad at the rec center and thought, “what the hell, I’ll try it.” It was the most enriching and life changing experience of my life. When I had my first audition to teach, despite my nervousness, it felt natural and right. Watching the growth and joy of my students and introducing yoga, through a non-judgmental and slightly silly style has been beyond fulfilling.
In 2005 I acquired a Physical Fitness Specialist certification through Cooper Institute in Dallas. Through YogaFit, I obtained certification for Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training-2005, Level 2 and Pre/Post Natal-2008, then Level 3 in 2010. I continued my education with Cream Rises, Secrets of Education through LifeTime Fitness in 2009 and Yoga and Mindfulness Therapy in 2016 through Pesi. I am thrilled to have recently completed my 200 hr YRT certification through Black Swan Yoga. My instructor career began with LifeTime Fitness where I taught for six years and then spent two years building my own Yoga Business, Finding Balance Yoga, through Meetup. After a two year break, I am so excited to return to teaching and continuing to make yoga accessible, inviting, and fun to as many as I can, even non-yogis.
It is my incredible honor to be a part of Yoga Hike. Two years ago I tried my first Yoga Hike at a time when I was feeling lonely, a little lost, and looking for an activity I felt comfortable doing myself. After the sunrise hike at Pennybacker Bridge, I was hooked. There is nothing like the sustaining pride I felt performing Tree Pose on a cliff overlooking the river. It was so much better than sleeping in! I love Yoga Hikes because they are a combination of my favorite things: Nature, Hiking, Yoga, Meditation, Mindfulness, Exploring, Adventure, Socializing, and Connectivity with myself, the universe, and others. I am beyond excited to facilitate and share this amazing experience. Come find and explore your trail with me.
Ashlie Newman
Hi Yoga Hikers,
My name is Ashlie, and I am thrilled to meet you! I hope to see you soon on the trail. 🙂 Here’s a little about me before we get to meet in person…
I am a native of Central Texas and have lived in Austin since 2016. I was lucky to have parents and grandparents who valued a little adventure and a lot of nature. I have so many fond childhood memories of hiking in and exploring around state and national parks throughout the country. They planted a seed of reverence and admiration for the beauty of the natural world in me that has steadily continued to take root over the course of my life. Time spent in nature is now a fundamental aspect of what keeps me grounded in, nurtured by, and appreciative of the precious gift of life in the present moment.
I happened upon my first yoga class in 2004 and kept it up without too much frequency amidst other athletic pursuits for the next ten years until – after several sports injuries and entry into a phase of massive life transitions – it was time for me to go deeper. At that point I became an avid student without quite knowing why at first, but the healing powers of both yoga and meditation have continued to draw me in as I see and feel them working in myself and in others near and dear to me. I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with the wonderful team at Practice Yoga in 2017, and I am currently pursuing further education in meditative practices with Randi Marks.
My connection with both hiking and yoga is founded upon an appreciation of the expansive energy and beauty of our natural world – both inner and outer. I love that the quieter I get and the deeper I breathe, the more I continue to discover. Yoga Hike presents such a unique opportunity for us to take a breath, make a friend (possibly with a tree!), and begin to see or hear what lies just outside of our daily lives… I can’t wait to share this experience with you!
See you soon..on the trail!