Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Aria Morgan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Aria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?
I’ve had so many touching moments throughout, but my first heartwarming story is the best because it gave me the confidence — right in my first year of teaching — to know that I AM doing good in this world:
Moji was a busy mom who struggled with several auto-immune conditions including fibromyalgia and chronic pneumonia. She hired me because her doctor had suggested meditation to help relieve stress, and because she wanted to get fit and “have a yoga body.”
I planned out several sessions ahead of time; it all fell apart on our first visit.
Pre-planning was not going to work with this client. I began relying on strictly on my intuition, the same approach I use for my own body. Our sessions began with questions and a check-in. Every session was different. Within the first two weeks, her eyes looked brighter and her energy levels had risen. She told me she was sleeping better and getting compliments from her friends. Even her mood had improved. She later wrote the following testimonial on my YELP page:
“A few years ago, I had chronic pneumonia, which means that I was constantly having pneumonia. Aria, the forever patient teacher, taught me meditation to calm my worried mind. She made body, mind, and spirit stronger. Even my doctor was in awe at my progress. Previously, I had to use an inhaler everyday. Aria taught me how to breathe correctly, freeing me from steroids and inhalers. Her peaceful composure and her non-prejudice attitude motivated and comforted me on the road to recovery and beyond. It got to the point where I was so confident in her healing abilities that I would get gift certificates for all my friends (they all loved her too). Recently, my husband had a major lung surgery and her breathing exercises and gentle movements helped speed up his recovery considerably. We love Aria, not only as a teacher, but as a beautiful human being. Anyone would be blessed to have her as an instructor.” — Moji M, via YELP
Working with Moji taught me to trust Divine guidance. By dropping into the Flow, I was able to “read” what her body needed on a daily basis. Instead of using my mind and thinking of and creating a template for her, I trusted, took myself entirely out of the equation, and the yoga and sequencing flowed through me: the results were beyond miraculous.
Aria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Sure! I help people find joy through yoga, meditation and breath.
When we feel better in our bodies, we become happier, grounded and more successful in life! Yoga softens spaces where our body is tight while strengthening weak areas. It teaches us how to breathe properly and harness our inner energy field, sometimes called Qi, in Chinese Medicine, or Prana in Yoga.
Yoga with Aria is a brand that is so much more than your average 15 – 20 yoga poses. Yoga with Aria offers peace, strength and balance in body, mind and spirit. Whether you’re dealing with an injury, cross-training for stability, desiring a beautiful pregnancy or wanting to regain your fitness afterwards, or just need some time to relax, my personalized approach will help you reach your goals. My compassion and expertise will ensure that you feel supported every step of the way.
And if you’ve been told that you can’t do something, but feel that just maybe you can, I can help you! Listen to my inspiring journey from near death to health in a recent podcast interview:
https://open.spotify.com/
Your life will change when you start doing yoga. You’ll experience more joy, strength and peace! It’s like opening up a whole new world.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Within five years of starting my business, all my students came through word of mouth and online reviews. My reputation comes from a passion for yoga and deep desire to help people. A dedication to my craft. A professional mindset. Kindness. Team-oriented: uplifting others (never speaking badly of a fellow teacher, studio, or client.) And above all — a willingness to be humble and always keep learning.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
Love. You must love this work or it will consume and drain you. Working with people is energy-intensive.
You must know yourself, your strengths and your limitations. Find out if you are a big-class or a small-class teacher: completely different pacing, sequencing, music, comedy and script for either. Do you like working with people one-on-one or in groups? How about workshops and teacher trainings? Can you teach a beginner yoga? How about folks with injuries? Can you modify on-the-go?
You must also recognize that you need dedicated time off. It’s tempting to teach 35+ classes a week when you first start out: I did. But that just wears your body down. Our bodies are our first indicators of stress and un-ease, imbalance. Listen to your body. Practice what you preach.
And, back to love. You must love people, or you can’t do this job!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yogawitharia.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogawitharia/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/layogawitharia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yogawitharia/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/yogawitharia
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yogawitharia
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/yoga-with-aria-la-mesa-2
Image Credits
Julia Yang photography Wavecrest Films photography James Brown Photography