Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Cummings.
Ashley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My “yoga love story” started in Miami Beach, Florida, 22 years years ago in a guided Astanga class led by Rosella Rossi, “Ma Laca”. I had taken a few “yoga classes” before finding Rosella, but none of them incorporated BREATH, yoga is not yoga without breath! I had studied ballet, gymnastics, but minored in Modern Dance at the University of Miami, but to connect the breath to the anatomical movements, creating the moving meditation that is Hatha Yoga; was beyond exhilarating for me and my body. Hatha Yoga is defined in the “Hatha Yoga Pradapika” as simply breath plus movement, without the breath, the “poses”, or shapes, are simply not proper yoga. I found my way to my foundational Yoga Teacher Training in 2006, it was held at Miami Yogashala, South Beach, Miami, and was facilitated by Fred Busch and Paul Toulozsious. This RYT-200 (Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher/ 200 hours Teacher Training), changed my life for the better and forever.
In 2008, I opened my first yoga studio, JUST BREATHE YOGA, in Sunny Isles Beach, FL, it was surreal. A tragedy in my family would take the trajectory of my life to Los Angeles in 2011, I gave my baby “JUST BREATHE” to trusted friends, and moved to LA to care for my mom, who had suffered a stroke. Starting over in Los Angeles was difficult to say the least, but by 2014 I opened my second studio, AGNI YOGA, West Hollywood, CA, perhaps even more surreal!!!! When it was time to renew my lease in 2017, as fate would have it, another family tragedy would occur, this would be the loss of my father, a loss I am still, on a daily basis, proud of myself for surviving; as I never imagined I would.
From 2017 to 2019, I was mostly healing, running a few private Teacher Trainings and classes. In 2019 came Venice Canals Yoga and Venice Beach Yoga, where I teach classes on the beach, until 2020 and the whole world effectively shut down. I started a YouTube channel to try being of service through Yoga and Mediation online more, as the world slowly, sometimes quickly, but surely changing due to the pandemic.
Today I teach hold public classes on Venice Beach, teach private clients and looking forward to the return of Yoga Expo January 2023. Looking forward to connecting on the beach or online!
Much Love,
Ashley Cummings
https://youtube.com/c/AshleyCummingsYoga
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I believe that anything real/ substantial in this life, attained, or realized, comes with at minimum; some struggles. I also know that the more difficult, inauspicious events and circumstances that we traverse, will only make us stronger, smarter and more resilient if this is our choice.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am most proud, in this life, of being by my father the two years before he went to heaven. Regarding yoga, meditation and bodywork – every student I have ever been blessed to be in front of was a beautiful experience for me.
I look forward to so many more!! I guess a few things that would make me “stand out”:
– Teaching 18 years.
– Experience creating /owning/ managing 2 successful Yoga studios.
– I have taught people/ classes all over the country and most of the world.
– Facilitation of over 70 RYT 200 Yoga Teacher Trainings.
– Raja Yoga teacher in the lineage of Krishnamacharya and Patanjali.
I’ll be teaching Beginners yoga at Yoga Expo La 2023, tickets available for purchase now at https://theyogaexpo.org/.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Resiliency. Unconditional Self Love. Forgiveness of others.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ashleycummings420.com
- Instagram: @ashleycummingsyoga
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/AshleyCummingsYoga
Image Credits
Tim Calver Photography www.timcalver.com
