Gretchen “Suurata” Swank ERYT200 / RYT500, is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher.   She completed her RYT200 level certification at Yoga in State College Studio with Doug Hayward in 2010 and she went on to complete her 500 level certification at the Asheville Yoga Center in Asheville, North Carolina with some of the most well-known and respected teachers in various areas of expertise, such as Anatomy, Ayurveda, Meditation & Psychology, the Energy Body, Sanskrit, Yin Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, and Children’s Yoga to name just a few.   In 2010, upon completion of her 200 hour teacher training, Gretchen entered into partnership with Doug Hayward and became part-owner of Yoga In State College Studio where she continued to study and teach for nearly ten years.  During that time, Gretchen gravitated toward a preference of practicing and teaching Yin Yoga, the deep, “quiet practice,” to balance her otherwise active lifestyle and stay healthy.  Gretchen opened her own studio, Suurata Reiki and Yoga Studio, in the quaint Village of Boalsburg in April 2021.  Outside of her pursuits to assist others in their effort to quiet their minds and heal, Gretchen enjoys backpacking the Appalachian Trail and challenging herself in Wilderness Survival courses.  Gretchen has committed her life to helping others become their best self, and her Yoga classes take you on an individual journey to where you need to go to reach your personal goals.

 

Yin Yoga is slow paced, with long holds.  Incorporating principles of traditional Chinese medicine with yoga asana, Yin Yoga softens and stretches the fascia and soft tissue around joints, to create space, improve flexibility and mobility, reduce inflammation and pain, as well as quiet the mind.   Yin Yoga is often associated with the cycles of the moon; hence, invoking a “cooling,” calming sensation through one’s body and mind.  Yin Yoga is the perfect practice for those with an active lifestyle who are looking for injury prevention and longevity in their chosen activities.

 

Join Gretchen for Yin Yoga on Wednesday evenings from 6 – 7:30pm beginning September 4th, 2024.

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* Email Gretchen at SuurataReiki@gmail.com to reserve your place in class, as space is limited.

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