At Radiant Hot Yoga, we believe in celebrating the dedication, progress, and positivity of our community members. Each month, we shine a spotlight on a student who exemplifies the spirit of yoga through their practice, perseverance, and passion. Our Student of the Month section is a tribute to these inspiring individuals who not only embrace the physical challenges but also embody the mental and spiritual growth that yoga fosters. Join us as we honor their journeys, share their stories, and highlight their achievements both on and off the mat.
Introducing our Student of the month Annalisa V.
Annalisa has been a cherished member of our Radiant Hot Yoga community for 5 years. With her beautiful, sweet soul, she embodies the true spirit of yoga both on and off the mat. As a dedicated nurse, Annalisa devotes herself to helping others with compassion and care. Her presence is a radiant light, inspiring everyone around her. We are so grateful to have her as part of our yoga family!
1. What motivated you to start yoga at Radiant Hot Yoga, and how did you discover our studio?
What motivated me to start yoga at Radiant was when I was looking for more peace in my life… peace with where I was at in life, peace and trust in knowing that my life is turning out the way it is supposed it. I wanted to let go of the hustling and bouncing around in life. I was seeking a deeper connection to myself and to my body. I was looking to ground myself using my body and my breath. My spirit was truly seeking all that yoga has to offer and I found all of that at Radiant when I started searching for local yoga studios in my area. I had just had my spiritual awakening in Hawaii and I was ready to push my limits and learn more about yoga by attending Radiant Hot Yoga.
I found Radiant on the GroupOn app. It was a 2 week pass for a discounted price. I was in. And before completing the 2 weeks, I was sold and I wanted a monthly pass. I needed one. I was having spiritual experiences in class. In Savasana. In the flow. In it all. I realized there was much more to yoga than I truly realized. Making the choice to become a member at Radiant was life altering. Completing my teacher training course was even more heart warming, uplifting, and inspiring than I could have imagined.
2. How has your yoga practice at Radiant Hot Yoga influenced your physical, mental, and emotional well-being?
My yoga practice at Radiant has influenced my physical well being by giving me the best workout and detox of my life. Truly. I have never had a more difficult workout in my entire life than I have at these Radiant classes. I played college softball. I have pushed myself throughout my life but no workout compares to workouts at Radiant. Radiant’s classes are hot and the heat is medicine. Sweating is such a powerful form of detox. I feel completely cleared out after class at Radiant. All the icky stuff I ate gets processed through sweating and in such a profound way through our yoga poses. The twisting, the bending, the stretching, the breathing. Those aspects and more are all woven together in our classes to help us wring out our bodies of impurities whether it be foods we shouldn’t be eating or thoughts we shouldn’t be thinking.
Radiant has improved my mental state because it is such a powerful meditation all throughout the class. Many times during class we need to focus and bring our attention back to our breath. We calm our minds. We clear our minds. This is so necessary in my life and in my body. I am someone who thinks too much. I constantly have things on my mind. Being an ICU nurse also keeps my mind and body very stimulated constantly which can be very tiring and wearing. Coming to Radiant and quieting my mind is very healing for me.
Healing my mind at Radiant is significant in my life because it helps me tune more into my heart center and also into how my body feels. Radiant has also improved my focus in life all around me. The focus and work we do in the hot room also reflects in our daily lives around us and how much focus and attention we give to all aspects of our life.
Radiant has significantly influenced my emotional well being because I am a happier person when I go to yoga. Little things don’t bother me so much. I am much more patient with other people when I go to yoga . Taking classes at Radiant is the time I give to myself to not only connect to myself spiritually but, it is where I go to push my energy levels, to heal my body, to heal my mind, to calm me down, to wring me out. Radiant is the place I go to get a reset and balance myself out again. Radiant is where I go to let the tension in my mind and body go. Radiant is also where I go to feel good.
3. Do you have a particularly meaningful yoga pose or sequence? What personal significance does it hold for you?
There are so many yoga poses I truly enjoy. Seated forward fold will always seem simple yet, it is so profound for me. I connect deeper to my hamstrings and my lower back. I always feel tremendously better after doing seated forward fold because of the way it promotes blood flow through the body. I immediately feel more clarity and connection through seated forward fold.
I also love Eagle pose. It is challenging yet it feels to be the most powerful posture I have gotten into. The deeper I go into the posture with the best format, the more powerful the healing magic I feel running through my body. Eagle pose is profound for me because of what I experience in my body during the posture. As I am twisting my arms together and legs together, I feel my organs getting wrung out. All the toxins and all the junk leaves my organs the more I tighten my limbs around one another. As I release my arms to get out of the posture, I feel the stagnant energy in my body flowing through and out of me. This is the magic that yoga offers. If you are brave enough to keep trying, yoga will heal you. The worse that can happen is you fall down and then it’s just another opportunity to get back up and try again.
4. Can you share a memorable moment from a class at Radiant Hot Yoga that has stayed with you?
The most memorable moment this far has been when EvaLouise taught class last week. Her voice, the way she spoke, the way she carries herself. EvaLouise is 17 years old and she inspires me because she teaches and because of the way she teaches. She lets her greatness shine and it makes me realize I should let mine shine too.
Ashley taught a really memorable class for me today because I could feel the power of her experience as a yoga teacher. She really helped us get into our postures more deeply. She really pushed us and encouraged us tremendously the entire way through. The class was challenging yet everything I needed. Ashley’s class felt very medicinal and healing. Her experience and her love of yoga was felt deeply.
5. How do you weave yoga into your daily life, and how has it impacted your personal and professional relationships?
I weave yoga into my daily life by stretching and doing exercises when I can, even if I am working in a hospital. I like to stretch my hamstrings and quad muscles. I also like to stretch my arms and my back while I am working. Sometimes when I am doing these exercises, it opens up the conversation about yoga. People start asking what I am doing and I start talking about yoga. I can then spread knowledge and share about the healing powers that yoga offers.
6. What advice would you offer to someone contemplating starting their yoga journey at Radiant Hot Yoga?
Do it! You won’t regret it. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. It is life changing. You will become more connected to yourself and your body. You will feel healthier every day. You will have more energy, more happiness, and you will share this feeling with the people around you. This decision will not only impact you, it will change those around you because you truly will be happier and you will radiate that energy out to the world.
7. Discuss your personal goals within your yoga practice and how has the studio environment supported your pursuit of these goals?
Being a member at Radiant has given me the space and pushed me to get closer towards my goal by doing just that, giving me the time and space to connect with myself, my breath and my body. One hour of my day in the hot room, makes me a happier and healthier person every day. Every teacher at Radiant really pushes us past our limits in the hot room. Pushing ourselves harder than we have ever pushed ourselves before really allows the magic of yoga to flourish within us, healing our bodies.
Radiant has completely exceeded my expectations of what I thought yoga could do to my body and my spirit. I know there is still much more room to grow and learn within my yoga practice. None of this healing and nothing profound would take place if it were not for every teacher at Radiant Hot Yoga. Nothing would be as good or profound if it was not for every soul that works at Radiant.
I definitely still desire to be a yoga teacher at Radiant Hot Yoga. When I started my teacher training, I did not see myself becoming a teacher. The more time I spend at Radiant, the more I want to teach. I want to use my voice and my heart to move people. I have had such profound classes and moments at Radiant. I want to do that for other people. I want to use what I know I have in me, to inspire more and more people to do yoga. I know if I become a teacher, more people that I love will do yoga and become healthier and that is important for me. I love helping people. I can’t think of a better way to help people than by guiding them through a yoga class. If I did not complete my teacher training at yoga, I wouldn’t believe I can do it. But I know I can do it now. Radiant Hot Yoga has shown me that I can be more than I ever thought I could be. Each person who teaches at Radiant is an inspiration. If they can do it, I can do it too.
8. How has being a part of the Radiant Hot Yoga community touched your life beyond the mat?
Being part of the Radiant Hot Yoga community has touched my life beyond the mat because getting to know people really touches your soul, especially getting to know Darlene. One of my favorite parts of teacher training was getting to know Darlene, the owner of Radiant Hot Yoga. Darlene shared the deepest parts of herself giving us space to do the same also. Darlene showed us how connection to one another is so important. But most importantly Darlene taught us that our connection to ourself is the most important. Darlene went over the importance of yoga throughout our daily life and how it includes the way you carry yourself and what you put into your body. Darlene is the prime example of honoring your body, your mind, and your spirit as a temple and a sanctuary of love and healing.
After I completed the teacher training at Radiant, I felt so much more immersed into the Radiant family. Now I was not just some random girl coming in trying to do all these poses and not die during class. Now, I was AnnaLisa a dear and loving friend of the Radiant community. Being part of Radiant has allowed me to open up my heart more to other people. Being a part of the Radiant community allows me to see each person and myself on a deeper level and it also allows me to honor each person I encounter and also honor myself on a deeper level as well.
9. What elements of the Radiant Hot Yoga community do you find most enriching?
This is a hard one! There are so many profound and enriching elements to Radiant Hot Yoga. First and foremost Radiant has always been a sanctuary. A sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety. Radiant is this for so many people. It is the one place we go that is away from home but feels like home.
It is the safe space we go to, to feel good and to feel love. JOY is a huge part of Radiant. I feel being joyful and spreading positivity is a really important element of Radiant. Energy is contagious! That is a huge aspect of what keeps the fire burning at Radiant. When others are pumped up, we feel pumped up. If others are tired, we feel tired. Keeping our energy elevated, feeling joy and also feeling gratitude in our hearts always are huge elements of what Radiant stands for. Giving back in any way that we can is a beautiful element of the Radiant community. At Radiant it feels very profound when someone teaches a class. That is a huge way of giving back to the community. At Radiant, I love how people help each other. People help one another clean up after class. Some people wash mats for the teachers. Other people help Radiant by helping clean up the floors after class. You can help Radiant by just making sure you don’t leave a mess behind. You can even contribute to Radiant by pushing yourself in class and giving people energy that way. Whatever it may be, Radiant is a community and I love the way each person helps and inspires others in their own unique way.
“Don’t think. Just do.” This one comes up next in my heart. We are all loving being with limitless potential. The Radiant phrase, Don’t think. Just do. To me, this encompasses not being in the monkey mind which is something I struggle with at times. Radiant is a place that is grounded and grounding. Being present is so important. Being present when we are at Radiant and even when we are not, is so important. Leaving all thoughts and judgements behind as we have learned at Radiant, we get out of our heads and into our hearts. Being in our heart if such a huge element of the Radiant Community. Not thinking allows us to be in our heart. Don’t think. Just help. Just do, all that you can do to be a better you and to help others be a better them.
10. Reflecting on your journey, how has Radiant Hot Yoga influenced changes in your personal life and outlook?
Radiant Hot Yoga has influenced my life on so many levels. Where do I start? I am a calmer person. I am more grounded. I am more patient. I am more kind. I am more understanding. I am more innerstanding. I am healthier. I am happier. I am more loving in all my relationships because Radiant has done the above listed things for me and more. I definitely have more self-realization because of Radiant Hot Yoga and this is huge for any person. To have more realization of ourselves, we are able to tune and adjust the things about ourselves that needs adjusting. For me, life is about being happy but, life is also about self-evolution. If you are seeking either, happiness or self-evolution, you can find those both at Radiant Hot Yoga, my home away from home, my love sanctuary. I have so much love for Radiant Hot Yoga. I pray blessings on Radiant and on all those that are part of the community. Long live Radiant Hot Yoga.
Reflecting on your journey, how has Radiant Hot Yoga influenced changes in your personal life and outlook?
Reflecting on my journey, Radiant Hot Yoga has played a huge role in helping me become a better version of myself. I’ve grown stronger, not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well. Yoga Practice has given me the determination to pursue success and happiness in all areas of my life. It’s helped me develop a more positive outlook, teaching me to approach challenges with resilience and clarity. I now feel more grounded, focused, and ready to take on whatever life brings. Radiant Hot Yoga has truly been a catalyst for positive change in my life.
