about me -
val tee.
When I first stepped on a yoga mat 12 years ago, I expected to see improvements in my physical body. I quickly discovered that practicing yoga was beyond what the eye could see. By connecting breath to movement, I was able to find emotional release and alleviate anxiety. Finding healing in both body and mind, I was inspired to share this knowledge with others and to become a certified yoga teacher. In 2018, I studied with Modo Yoga (formerly known as Moksha Yoga) and completed 500 hours of teacher training. I later completed Hands On Restorative Training with The Feelosophy in the Fall of 2019. Ever-evolving as both a teacher and student, I am currently studying trauma-informed, anti-oppression practices with New Leaf Foundation.
Influenced by a variety of lineages and movement styles, I blend the guiding principles of Hatha yoga with the fluidity and freedom of Vinyasa flow. In leading meditation and restorative yoga, I seek to honour the connection of stillness and physical practice to the spiritual world. With a call to inspire mobility and healing for all, I have led classes for women, athletes, children, youth, families and communities that are marginalized and underserved. I currently provide movement and meditation offerings online and in the Greater Toronto Area.
my story
My first experience on a yoga mat was in a hot room. I was overheated, overdressed, intimidated by my scantily clad neighbours, and I was, or so I thought - completely inflexible. Aside from the occasional dance class here and there, I was never an active person growing up. I had a feeling that I needed to move my body in some way. I felt suppressed, like I was holding onto something - but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. As I walked out of that sweaty room that day, I felt different, strangely lighter. With continued practice, I started to see some physical differences in my body, but I felt like something had shifted deep inside of me.
I would feel the weight of the world as I pressed my forehead into the Earth. I gripped the floor beneath me when I let my spiralling thoughts run free. I pushed the air out of my lungs when my muscles would twitch. I would lie in Savasana with my heart exposed after years of closing off my chest for protection. And then, the tears began to flow. I was cracked wide open. I was vulnerable. At this point, there was no turning back. I had to continue to unravel.
After years of living with anxiety, battling depression and experiencing trauma, my yoga practice has helped me to discover that if I could connect to my body and mind, I could begin to heal my pain. Yoga gives me the freedom to release hurt, to let go of my ego and question my self-inflicted suffering. I learned that when you open up to all the nuances of yoga and move beyond the physical practice, you can uncover the path towards creating a life of deep meaning and connection. My wish is to share this incredible knowledge and to hold space for others in their own healing journey.