Meet Rose Walters | Yoga Teacher ~ adults and kids

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rose Walters and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rose, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
I have learned that most people just want to be seen. If we feel seen, we feel more safe. In a practice like yoga- where at times you can be totally vulnerable physically and emotionally- having your teacher look out for you can make all the difference. You become an individual in a group class, and this is true for both adults and kids practicing yoga. How do I do this? First, very basic but important- I learn people’s names. I had a yoga teach for many years- Bradlee Frierott- that would say a student’s name and give them individual cues, so I learned this from him and adopted it into my own classes. Then I try to learn a little bit about the person’s life- what’s going on physically, what stretches/poses do they like to practice, what they do outside of yoga. This allows for both empathy and connection. I believe connection and feeling seen create a warm, welcoming space and that’s what I try to provide for those who show up for my class.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
When I started teaching yoga in my early 20s, I was a broke college kid. I needed a place to teach yoga with little overhead cost and that’s when a friend suggested teaching an outdoor class on Mt Helix. That day, I emailed the executive directors of the park, introducing myself and my idea. They were very receptive- saying it something they’ve always wanted to do but hadn’t found the right fit- and the following week allowed me to teach an interview class. Thankfully that went well, and I started teaching a donation-based yoga class that was open to the public.

It was important to me to keep the class donation-based, as I wanted the class to be accessible to all. Again, I was broke when I started practicing and teaching, and yoga studios can be very pricey, so I was always mindful of that. I didn’t want anyone to be turned away because they couldn’t afford it. In fact, in my first few years of teaching on Mt Helix, I had a woman coming to my class that I learned was living in her car and would donate a few dollars. To me, she deserves yoga as much as the rest of us.

Of course it was hard at first- how do I get people to hear about the class and then show up? And honestly, that’s still one of my greatest challenges. But I have always stuck with it- consistently showing up week after week. And through word of mouth, people started showing up and coming back. And then I started making connections with people that grew my business. I met the head of HR and started teaching yoga at a business downtown. I met a woman that needed a weekend class and she helped me start a Saturday class. I met Sunje, owner of Yoga Rascals, and took her teacher training and started teaching kids classes. Everything started on Mt Helix and grew from there, that is why my business is called Helix Yoga.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would probably take them to a yoga class at Spirit Yoga in PB then eat at Fig Tree Cafe, and finish with a walk on the beach.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I will always be grateful to the former executive director of Mt Helix Park, Tracey Stotz, and assistant executive director, Peggy Junker, who were receptive to my idea of teaching yoga on Mt Helix, giving me a chance and then continuously supporting me once the class was established.

I also have to shout-out Sunje O’Clancy, owner of Yoga Rascals, who had been a boss and mentor for over 10 years. She embodies professionalism, kindness, and fairness and always has a listening ear if I have questions or concerns. Her guidance and wisdom has definitely helped me navigate my yoga business.

Website: https://helixyoga.com

Instagram: @helixyoga

Youtube: Rose Walters / Helix Yoga

Image Credits
Photos by Alandra Michelle Creative