February Teacher of the Month: MJ Lounsberry

MJ Lounsberry

What brought you to yoga?
I was first introduced to yoga when I was 4 and watched Inhale with Steve Ross with my dad on the Oxygen channel. I practiced yoga frequently as a kid and then infrequently as I got a bit older and became more dedicated to competitive sports. My time was filled with school and basketball, track, soccer, etc. practices. In 2014 I moved to Chicago for college and that’s where I met my yoga teacher, Suddha Weixler, who has run The Chicago Yoga Center since 1984, he was also teaching yoga for credit at my university, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (Suddha has since retired from teaching at the school). After taking Suddha’s yoga course at the school a few times, I decided to become a teacher as well, and embarked on my yoga teacher training course with Suddha at the Chicago Yoga Center. I have been teaching ever since! 
 
What is your approach to teaching?
Through movement and breathing I am interested in teaching how to deepen the awareness of the mind and the body and discovering the profound peace in silence and stillness, and enter the space beyond your ideas to discover your true authentic happiest self. 

I’m interested in creating unique and fun Hatha Yoga sequences to create an enjoyable and fun yoga flow. 

Why do you choose to teach at 5KY?
I choose to teach at Five Keys because of the studio's beautiful energy and community. The space is calming and grounding and I love teaching and practicing yoga here. Erin and Rita have cultivated a truly magical yoga studio and I feel so fortunate and humbled to be a part of Five Keys. They care about the little things, like fresh flowers every week, the best kind of people.  

What makes your soul sing?
Besides practicing and teaching yoga, my soul sings when I’m painting, gardening, playing basketball, skiing, surfing (most adventure sports), and cuddling with my sweet cat, Prince.

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You can find MJ at 5KY teaching Dynamic Intermediate Yoga on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 PM and Advanced Techniques on Sundays at 1:15 PM (starting Nov. 5th).

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