Naani Sheva
How did you get to Telluride? I packed up my Toyota Corolla and left Vermont with my heart set on moving to Crested Butte. A brief detour to Telluride to visit friends and ten years later I’m totally in love with this place.
What is your astrological sign? Sag, baby!
What brings you the most joy? Being outside in all seasons. Being on skis, bikes and my own two feet with Butter the dog.
Who or what influences your teaching style? I feel super lucky to have been able to study and mentor with many incredible teachers. When I hear something that rings true to me, it becomes a part of what I’m teaching. To me, those unforgettable ah-ha moments, when you feel like you’ve really stumbled on truth are the greatest teachers.
How do you apply practice to your life? To me this is a daily exercise in observing the mind and body, meeting both where they are, and using the tools we have to be as present and embodied as possible.
About Naani: My first yoga classes in college were taught in a gym with 80+ students. The teacher was a powerful and magnetic woman, I didn’t know it at the time but she was teaching Jivamukti. Those classes helped me through the hard years of growing up. I graduated and moved to Telluride to spend a winter skiing. After my first winter I moved to SFO for my 200-hour training. I continued to mentor, assist and study with teachers like Brian Campbell, Allison English, Seane Corn, Rebecca Butler, Heather Lilleston and our own Jessica Fertig.
What to expect from class with Naani: A nugget to contemplate, an inspired soundtrack and a sequence based on form and function are the building blocks of my class. Our lives in Telluride are full-on. I teach a practice to balance what we do off the mat so we can walk into the world more capable and spacious — ready to meet the moment.