ANNA GIARD

Anna’s yoga journey started in 2010 when she attended her first kundalini yoga class. She became dedicated to this style of yoga wholeheartedly and practiced every morning before going to work. The practice of yoga helped Anna to overcome loss, reduce the level of stress related to juggling the family and career in the competitive environment of the corporate world, gave her better awareness of her emotions and reactions and better understanding of her mind and thoughts. Anna’s curiosity and eagerness for learning eventually led her to explore other styles of yoga and study history of different yoga lineages.

In 2015 Anna became a practitioner at Enlighten Yoga in Charlotte, where she subsequently completed her 200-hour teacher training under the guidance and mentorship of Shari Goldstein, Hilary Kossack and Marilyn Brown. In 2020 Anna finalized a 300-hour advanced yoga study certification and became a Continuous Education Provider under Yoga Alliance. Her areas of interest in the 300-hour program were yoga therapeutics (Ghosh yoga lineage), yoga history and ayurveda. She enjoys teaching workshops and posture clinics at Atha Yoga. In January 2024 she is excited to join Atha Yoga Teacher Training faculty as one of the lead teachers.

It is an honor and privilege for Anna to share her love and passion for yoga with her students. Her classes are a well-balanced combination of structure and playfulness, opportunities for challenge and surrender. She enjoys sequencing classes in a way that promotes safe and healthy movement, supports student’s understanding of alignment principles and different lineages of yoga, challenges students and motivates them in their yoga endeavors, at the same time providing a soothing, playful and non-judgmental environment, opportunities for exploration and acceptance. Anna is extremely passionate about introducing yoga to beginners and it is her great joy to see new yogis coming back to their mat, establishing regular practice. Anna teaches with empathy and compassion and believes in the power of a kind word, encouragement and supportive environment.