Gina Crane began her journey into yoga in the small town of Oneonta, Alabama. She attended classes at a local gym, and when she saw they had an open position for a yoga teacher, she signed up to teach a class. “I had loved yoga, stretching, Ayurvedic healing practices, healthy eating, and everything that’s involved with it for many years,” she said. She began teaching in a similar way to the previous instructor, but she said she felt like there was more she could give.
To enhance her skills, she signed up for a yoga teacher program through Lifetime Fitness in Vestavia. The 200-hour course spanned nine months. She spent one weekend a month doing in-person training to learn the principles of Power Vinyasa and the remaining weeks doing tasks like focusing on her diet, reading, journaling, meditation, and other community-building activities. “Coming out of that training, I felt like I was a better person, and I definitely brought more to the classroom,” she said.
Gina currently teaches a heated flow class at a nearby studio, The Yoga Circle in Southside on Mondays and Fridays at 6:00 a.m. She invites everyone in to relax, find their space on the mat, and notice how their body feels while she explains how to use the props. “I really want everyone to find their peace and leave everything else behind,” she said. “What’s most fun for me is after class, if I’ve cued any challenging poses like headstands or crow poses, some people stay behind and are still practicing them. They want to ask me where they can improve.” Because her class is an hour long, she has extra time before work to help and give tips. “Helping people is really what this is all about,” she said.
Gina also has training with Reiki. Reiki is an energy healing technique that promotes relaxation and reduces stress and anxiety through gentle touch. In regards to the practice, Gina said “I find that little bit of magic entertaining, but there is a lot to it. Like when you hurt yourself and you care for that wound, you can actually pray for that wound and breathe into that space. It will ease your pain, and bringing that oxygen into your blood will help you heal. For me, the healing is more about who I am becoming, and yoga is my platform to share this.”
Gina believes that yoga is not about being perfect, but it’s about being disciplined. “It’s not about having that perfect yoga pose. Yes, you want your body to feel right in the pose, but our bodies are built very differently. Your down dog won’t look like someone else’s down dog,” she said.
Gina incorporates small yoga practices into her life daily, even at her desk at work, because she says paying attention to the body and what it needs is very important. Sitting on the edge of the chair and stretching out the legs, pulling the kneecaps up, and flexing the feet is a simple routine that can be done throughout the day. “You might walk past my desk and find me with my chin to my chest, and no I’m not asleep,” she said jokingly. She is stretching her neck and vertebrae by breathing in, lengthening the spine, and exhaling to release tension. “The goal is to reset and return to your work focus.”
Through her yoga journey, the one thing Gina likes to be constantly reminded of is that self-love is not selfish. Focusing on one’s body can be a healing process, and it is definitely rewarding!
