We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brandy Rametta. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brandy below.

Brandy, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I was in the fashion industry for quite a number of years. I traveled a lot and took a lot of pride in the work I did both creatively and professionally. To top off a great chapter to my life, I also fell in love and was looking forward to the future. When I got married and had my first child, I did not know what to expect. I never struggled with depression or anxiety. I was usually an outgoing, friendly type who loved being out and about and was overall a “people-person”. But what happened after the joy of meeting my beautiful baby was a shock. I started feeling really down, not a big desire to be around others. The only person I felt a huge desire to be around was my son. It was as though every ounce of love and positivity was all for him. I started to have worry and fear of the future. At this point, my role at my company had dissolved, I went from having a million friends to feeling a huge sense of lonely. I slowly started falling into a dark whole. Being that this was my first time dealing with depression, it took me awhile to figure out what was going on and further more what I needed to do to help myself.
I started doing yoga back in 2004 but after having my baby I had not jumped on my mat almost a year. One day at 9 months postpartum, I decided to go to a class. Ninety-minutes of sweaty hot yoga, and it was like no time had passed. As I lay in shavasana, soaking wet, and so much was tugging at my heart. I saw the last year of my life soar through my mind, and I was filled with emotion. I realized, how deeply I had become attached to the dark cloud I was in and I now knew I wanted to come out of that dark cloud but did not know how. Tears fell down the sides of my face like a stream. This first effort into my yoga practice was the medicine I needed to pick myself back up and start doing the inner-work. I made a commitment to yoga, therapy, walking and eating better. As I decided to commit to my yoga education, I also had a clear vision to start building community and to share this sacred practice with others. As I completed my yoga certifications, I starting teaching kids and adults and I knew I needed to take a risk. Putting all of my faith into my plan, I quit my job, filed for my business licensed and started teaching in my own backyard. I transformed my setting into an outdoor yoga studio and I started to introduce yoga to groups everywhere from corporations to adult community classes, senior citizens and the underserved such as cancer and dementia patients and to kids with disabilities. Today, we now have a non-profit organization called The Local Wellness Foundation focusing on building classes, workshops and events focused on mental health and wellness. In addition, we are getting ready to open our first brick and mortar in the lovely Uptown Whittier. There is power in community, in believing in yourself and in taking risks. I may have started alone but now I’m never alone but in community. Not too bad for a girl who started in her backyard!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Established in 2019, Heart & Soul Yoga brings more than just yoga. We are focused on diversity, inclusion and mental health. We want everyone to learn that yoga is more than just the movement of the body. Yoga is your breath, yoga is the intention that you set when you wake up, yoga is how you react when you are tested, how you forgive yourself and others, it is how you connect to yourself and to the world. It does not matter how flexible you are, or if you can stand on your head. Heart & Soul Yoga does not care about the expensive yoga outfits and fancy accessories. Heart & Soul Yoga wants you to accept where you are in the present moment and to release the realms of the material world. We focus on the energy system, ways we can cope with stress and how we can practice being more connected in our daily lives.

The mission of our non-profit, The Local Wellness Foundation is committed to enhancing health and wellness diversity, transforming self-care practices, and cultivating diverse leadership and community advocacy through engaging classes, workshops, and social wellness events. Through advocacy, education, and community engagement, we are committed to promoting mental health awareness and providing accessible resources for individuals in need. Our classes are people of all levels and our services are also tailored for individuals with special needs, under-served, and diverse community groups.

We offer yoga for special needs, kids, seniors and special community groups. And we are filled with passion to offer these services to our community members.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Building unique relationships has been key in building trust with my community. There are many who have instilled trust in me, because I am so honest with them about who I am and the struggles I too have had to overcome. I think sharing our truths and pulling each other back up through our challenges, makes us feel that we are not alone in our trials. The humility that exists in our interactions with others reminds us that we are all human and life is all about trial and error.

I also am HUGE on being consistent and reliable. I show up when I say I am going to show up. I stay transparent so in a case I cannot show up and do something, people will know they can still trust in me.

I stay in my authentic energy. I do not fabricate who I am or what I am capable of as a yoga teacher or business owner. I let people know where I am educated and certified. I let them know what I teach and how I share the sacred lessons of yoga. I love sharing all of my experience and my background, so people know who they are investing in and learning from.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I’ve been going through my own healing journey since 2016. From postpartum depression to overcoming deep rooted generational trauma. I have not been afraid to share my trials and challenging life experiences with others. There have been many roadblocks along my journey of building Heart & Soul and The Local Wellness Foundation. Everytime, I felt I might give up, I ground myself with my yoga practice and my community. And every single time, I find myself on the other side, stronger and better. I am a testament to my mission. I am a testament to the “work-in” workout.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.handsyoga.com
• Instagram: heartandsoulyogaandwellness

Image Credits

Hilda Centeno