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Meet Liz Baghaei of stretch in Burbank

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Baghaei.

Liz, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
By the time I was seven, my family and I had lived in four different countries spanning three continents. When we finally immigrated to Vancouver, Canada I was truly excited by the prospect of not having to learn any more languages.

I moved to LA in my early 20’s to pursue a career in radio and television and although it seemed glamorous at first, it didn’t resonate as my calling or path in life. I decided to take a break from Hollywood and do the rigorous teacher training for Bikram Yoga- it was initially more of a tool for self-reflection and clarity. However, I realized quite quickly the transformation that teaching would allow and in ways I never imagined.

As a new teacher, I had the unique opportunity to travel around the world and work with various lead mentors in our community. During those initial years, I immersed myself in secondary education, focusing on yoga therapy, posture mechanics, energetic connection and I began to master the art of giving constructive feedback as a reflection for other teachers.

Through the guidance I received, as well as helping to lead and run luxurious yet intimate retreats for students and teachers alike, I started to realize the power of authentic teaching and the effects of conscious language. It became clear to me that I possessed a natural ability to not only teach yoga but to help mentor other teachers through self-awareness.

I decided to open a yoga school, a place where everyone is a student, and we all hold each other accountable for truth and growth. This decision changed the path of my life for many reasons. I feel as though my life the last few years involved two parallel births. I had my son and my studio almost simultaneously, and the pressure and intensity of two such huge challenges almost broke me.

However, it didn’t, and the only reason is in fact due to my yoga practice. Every time I wanted to give up or break down, I would go and take a class and those 90 minutes of allowing my body to lead me gave me freedom from my thoughts and life. I would simply breathe through each posture and watch the stress dissipate as I compressed and cleansed everything on a cellular level.

Each class was a reset button that I desperately needed especially at that period in my life. It would reaffirm what I teach my students daily. That life is never easy and that the most meaningful parts of being a human come from extreme challenges and how we face ourselves in those moments.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My father has always been an entrepreneur, and he always supported my capabilities in every capacity while I was growing up. He also encouraged my natural abilities to teach and to understand the importance of my health since such a young age. When I approached him regarding an opportunity to purchase a space for this yoga school, he supported me 1000% and dove in: both physically and financially.

We purchased two free-standing lots in 2012 with the hopes of adjoining them and building a space that was vast, beautiful and could reflect the depth and true expression of this yoga series. I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined what was to come over the next few years. It took over 4 1/2 years just to permit the space in Burbank and another year to build it. After dealing with several architects and engineers, we made the decision to forgo a contractor in order to use the money for the build out instead. We had the hope that we could build a facility that was of higher quality if we were involved in every detail of the build-out ourselves. I didn’t even realize the gravity of such a decision.

Right around the time that our permits were almost complete, I unexpectedly became pregnant with my first and only child. I was not married nor was I planning on staying in that relationship long term. I remember a conversation my father had with me when he found out I had decided to have a baby. He gave me the option to sell the building, move back to Canada and help me raise my unborn son. While I appreciated his advice, I kindly refused because I am not the kind of woman to turn away from life and the constant challenges it presents, nor had he raised me to be somebody to give up on my dreams. I told him quite simply if he could survive and leave a war-torn country with three small children while building his business, I can survive being a single mom and opening my own yoga studio — famous words of mine that I have repeated solemnly on many occasions to myself in moments of darkness.

Right before the construction started, I gave birth to my son Logan. He has been with me every step of the way. Literally, I would strap him onto me in his carrier and run the many errands involved with major construction. This consisted of going to countless tile suppliers, lighting distributors, endless Home Depot runs, doing paint comparisons of various shades of taupe, overseeing the plumbers, electricians, and carpenters, creating the custom design of the reception furniture and bathrooms, and many many many visits with inspectors and city officials. We would take breastfeeding breaks in my car.

My personal life had its own turbulence, to say the least. Between the incredible life change it was to become a new mother, without any of my family living in the country, and the intense custody battle with Logan’s father, I used my practice of breathing and focusing through the thick of the situation. I made my life a moving meditation so that I could survive my own mind and the emotional roller coaster which followed. I remember the two weeks leading up to my grand opening so clearly. They were the longest yet fullest days I’ve had thus far in my life. Yet they led me to the day I got to stand up on the podium at my beautiful studio and teach my very first class at a stretch.

Please tell us about stretch.
I have an incredibly solid team of teachers and our studio manager Eva, who have all trusted in this vision and our shared philosophy. We believe in this practice and the incredible transformation it can provide because we get to see how it changes our students daily. Teaching and practicing are constantly evolving for me, and I recognize that like any other relationship I see as meaningful to my soul, it requires persistent work to find the balance between love and frustration. Our community of students and teachers are amazing people who have realized the effort it takes to better themselves, and I’m so proud to work alongside them. To provide the most authentic and educational experience possible and to raise the bar as high as endless potential.

What sets stretch apart from other yoga studios is the focus we maintain on correct alignment and therapeutic poses to heal and re-balance bodies. It is a luxury hot yoga space where the teaching is honest, educational and trustworthy. Where the facilities are impeccable, and the vibe is always authentic. It’s filled with genuine people wanting to heal their bodies and minds. The work we do feels raw and vulnerable, and I love coming to work. What we do here is stretch. We stretch our minds, our bodies and hopefully our potential through this rigorous physical practice of therapeutic hatha yoga.

I’m proud of the people who believed in me and supported me during the toughest time of my life. I’m also proud of myself for not allowing the negative chatter to take over and dissuade me from this path. I’m proud of the energy my teachers and I put into each class we teach and our continuous dedication to self-development and growth as teachers and practitioners. Every student we have has been a mirror reflection of this energy, and I truly love the work that I do. The accountability we create for each other and the truth that resonates in that studio day in and day out is rare in our world, and I’m blessed to be a part of the butterfly effect that this practice creates.

What were you like growing up? Personality wise, interest wise, etc.
I have always been an inquisitive and curious person… to this day, I have a deep need to understand the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ to support my full understanding and learning. Being the only girl had its plusses and minus’, it definitely toughened me up to deal with criticism and to never give up. I learned to stand my ground at an early age and having been born in a war-torn country definitely gave me a perspective on what real problems are.

Having such a tumultuous and constantly-changing upbringing helped me to develop emotional intelligence, and maturity beyond my years. Both have served me as a teacher, mother and studio owner. When I was a child, I used to organize talent shows in the lobby of my apartment complex with all the kids in the neighborhood and would find any reason to dance and sing.

Physically expressing myself has always been freeing and makes me feel vibrant and childlike even now. I have always been an avid reader, to the point that I would read with a flashlight under my covers so I could know just what would happen to my favorite heroine before bedtime. I eventually had to get glasses from this habit, but well worth the many adventures I could escape to from the safety of my bed.

I’ve always loved teaching, whether it was how to mix nail polishes to create new hues, how to put on makeup, baking, or even to help my friends with homework… taking the lead and helping my friends understand felt natural to me. Not surprisingly, I feel like teaching yoga is instinctual for me now as I honed those skills starting from when I was little.

Pricing:

  • Single Class | $26
  • Weekly Unlimited | $75
  • 15-Class Card | $360
  • Monthly Unlimited (Auto Debit) $129/mo.
  • Monthly Unlimited | $185/mo.
  • Yearly Unlimited | $1,700/yr.
  • New Student Intro Month | $69 (One Month Unlimited for LA Residents)*
  • 10% discount for students and seniors

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Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.

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