The doorway of Yoga opened when I least expected. I had been serving the church for two decades when I stepped onto the yoga mat for the first time in 2004. The stress of ministry had become too much. In yoga I discovered the world of Breath, learned to synchronize movements in my body within its Flow, and experienced wellsprings of peace. Yoga changed everything. Stress lowered. Sleep improved. Relationships became more kind and loving. Faith deepened.

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With the blessing of my bishop, I left church ministry and returned to school. Moksha Yoga Center (Chicago/2007) and the Healing Yoga Foundation (San Francisco/2011) offered immersive training experiences. Anatomy to asana, pranayama to Patanjali, and Sanskrit to sequencing, opened the universe of yoga to me. I stepped through a new doorway. My teaching has been formed by the wisdom of T. Krishnamacharya, informed by the therapeutic applications of his son, T.K.V. Desikachar, and transformed by Christian faith and practice. Healing Flow Yoga and Retreat Ministries was born.

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I am Adrienne Ann Ilseman, an ordained United Methodist clergywoman and a Certified Yoga Teacher. I teach Yoga to help alleviate suffering. The students I serve represent a diversity of age, ability, background and belief. They are my sweetest blessing and most challenging teachers.