Betsy Weiner
Betsy originally found her way to yoga in Los Angeles through her friend and first teacher, John Robb in 1991. Her first class was an Ashtanga class and she was floored by its sheer physicality, but also by it's meditative movement and devotion. She took classes on and off for a number of years before moving back to Minneapolis in 1995. In 1999 she was introduced to Jennifer Gray and the Yoga Center of Minneapolis. Jennifer encouraged her on her path of yoga study and teaching and became her mentor (and still is!) Betsy completed her certification to teach Ashtanga Yoga through David Swenson in 2001. She has been teaching for Jennifer at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis ever since. Her love of the spiritual tradition of yoga led her to a 9-month study program through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago. She has also completed teacher trainings with Doug Swenson, Larry Schultz, Sri Dharma Mittra, and Ana Forrest. She has participated in workshops with esteemed teachers Dave Romanelli,Rusty Wells, Seane Corn, Baron Baptiste, Sri K Pattabhi Jois, Vinnie Marino, Kim Schwartz, Tias Little, Richard Freeman, Duncan Wong, Gurmukh, Desiree Rumbaugh, Jason Crandell, Sharon Gannon and David Life, and Jim Bennitt, and continues to find inspiration in many of the teachers she encounters in her day to day life! She has also participated in Kirtan (devotional chanting) workshops with Sean Johnson and Krishna Das.

Her main inspirations are Rusty Wells, owner of Urban Flow Yoga in San Francisco, and Yogiraj Rod Stryker. Rusty is a teacher of Bhakti Flow yoga and Betsy subscribes to his philosophy of combining music, movement, grace, pranayama, bandhas, laughter and love into each and every class; each student is inspired to find their internal experience and translate that into finding their own generous and compassionate nature. We can learn to let go of what no longer serves us and let go of our egos to prepare our hearts for the opportunity to be of service through unconditional love.

She has been fortunate enough to have been studying with Yogiraj, Rod Stryker, since 2005 and continues to study with him. Rod's style of yoga is called Para Yoga and is based in the ancient wisdom of Tantra Yoga. It is a 5000 year old tradition that blends Hatha yoga (asana), pranayama, bandha, mudra, meditation, chanting, kriya, mantra, visualization and other practices to create perfect balance and harmony within mind, body, and spirit. These teachers and methods have inspired her teaching and continue to deepen the experiences of her personal practice. She continues to study and expand her knowledge to incorporate many of these elements into her practice and carry it over into her classes.

Betsy is an experienced teacher and a humble student. She continues to draw on all of these practices in her classes; infusing them with love, humor, music and joy (and lots of sweat!) The physical challenges of her classes are simply a tool to move deeper towards self-understanding for each student. She passes along her gratitude for breath, body, and mind through yoga's time-honored practices. Betsy's classes blend pranayama, asana, and often mantra and meditation to create a unique and inspired vinyasa experience. She creates a dynamic and challenging flow that encourages each student on his or her path to finding their yoga both on and off the mat. Betsy is one of the senior teachers at the Yoga Center of Minneapolis and is one of the teachers of the Yoga Study program (both 200 and 500 hrs) as well as mentoring teacher trainees.

Betsy wishes to thank the many teachers that have helped shape her practice and her life including Jennifer Gray, David Romanelli, John Robb, Yogarupa Rod Stryker, and Rusty Wells.

Favorite Poses:
• Sirsasana (headstand)
• Astavakrasana (8 joint arm balance)
• Bharadvajrasana (Bharadvaja's twist)

View Drop-in Classes
View Workshops and Class Series