Susan Hawkins

Yoga Instructor 

‏For most of her life, Susan has been a teacher and a person who loves to be active. She first found yoga in college decades ago as a way to recover from competitive Ultimate Frisbee, and practiced on and off over the years, seeking out yoga where she could. After working as an outdoor educator and group leader all over the east coast, she moved to Seattle in 1995, for the mountains, climbing, backpacking and to teach middle school. Yoga became a way for Susan to get centered and find quiet through movement. Fast forward to marriage and children, and yoga fell by the wayside. After struggling in the darkness of anxiety and depression for several years, Susan found her way into a regular practice of Baptiste Power Vinyasa in 2008. This practice was instrumental in her getting well and staying well mentally and physically. She eventually left classroom teaching, and was so inspired by her teachers and the healing power of yoga, that she took the leap to attend Baptiste Level 1 training and to complete her 200 hour RYT certification at Be Luminous Yoga in Seattle.

‏Susan loves the practice of finding breath, mental quiet, the union of body, mind and spirit as well as physical challenge on her mat. She aims to bring these qualities to her classes, where she supports students to find their edge and connect with themselves and something greater. She practices Yin and meditation regularly and loves to bring these disciplines to her classes. Susan encourages her students to use yogic and Buddhist teachings of compassion, non-judgement and contentment off the mat as well. It is through yoga that we can find connection to others, see our shared humanity, and ultimately be up something bigger than ourselves.

‏Always a student, Susan has trained with teachers Baron Baptiste, Rolf Gates, Desiree Rumbaugh, and Jodi Boone and been mentored by Lisa Black, Jo Parsons and Nicole Tsong. She seeks continued training in Baptiste methodology, is a Baptiste Tier 1 certified teacher and is working on her 500 hour certification.

‏When she is not on her mat or leading others in the practice, you can find Susan driving her teenage daughters to activities, walking in the woods or mountains with her husband, researching recipes that will get her family to eat more vegetables, and seeking out new places to explore in the Pacific Northwest and around the world.