Today we’d like to introduce you to Candace Glass.
Hi Candace, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
in 2002 I was diagnosed with depression and started doing yoga and meditation as a way to manage symptoms. As an educator of young children, I wondered how teaching them these skills would impact their learning. I started researching creativity, meditation, movement, and the brain. I got certified to teach children’s yoga in 2004 and started bringing these aspects of yoga, mindfulness, and art into my classroom. After many certifications and trainings in yoga, mindfulness, and life coaching I became the owner of Southtown Yoga. I loved the studio and the community that I had the honor to grow. Unfortunately, I had to close the studio in 2020. As a single household and with no outside or other support I was unable to sustain what needed to happen in order to stay open. I left St. Louis in 2020 grief stricken. I know when people see that I traveled and lived in Santa Catalina, Panama teaching yoga for a year then Elbert, Colorado taking care of horses and a two year old a year and a half that I was living this amazing life – and I was. And also I was living very remotely in both places and working through grief, anger, sadness. It was basically like being on a silent meditation retreat for an extended period of time. There were weeks that I spoke to no one but my dog, the cat, the horses, the hawks, and the land. It was hard and also the most amazing experience of my life. I learned so much about who I am, who I want to be, how I want to live, and just generally what matters most about living this life. And none of it costs money. I returned to STL because my family is here and with the way our country feels right now, it felt important to be close. What I am feeling more than anything right now is a deep passion to help build community again and to help educators realize the power that can be had by bringing yoga and mindfulness into their classrooms. All of these things are practices that if we give ourselves the time to actually commit fully will bring about a life more filled with joy.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Gosh no! But isn’t that part of the journey?! The struggles are the juice of the fruit. Without them life wouldn’t be as sweet. One of my biggest struggles has simply been letting go of EGO! It’s so easy to get caught up and at the end of the day the only thing that matters is how I treat and talk with kindness and love to myself and others. That I do my best to help my community in ways that I can and that I treat everyone fairly. This isn’t a Pollyanna type view. I see the world we live in and as a Black woman my struggles run deep because of this country and our refusal to speak openly and honestly about our history. But I do believe that the only way to move forward is by listening and actually hearing, being okay with not knowing something but being willing to and taking action to learn.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I feel like I do many things but at the heart of it all I am an educator and a guide or facilitator of yoga, mindfulness, social-emotional and classroom management skills.
I think what sets me apart from other yoga teachers is my education background. I instinctively know how to teach, it just comes naturally to me. I’m observant, I know how to differentiate the teachings I present, how to use my body and my voice, to sense when someone needs more of something or less. I don’t believe that yoga teachers are taught those skills.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Do the thing! Moving to Panama was a big one for me. I was scared and excited. I had to learn how to navigate a country that I’d only known by visiting. To get my residency and communicate, take buses, learning to surf and scuba. Then to move to Colorado and take care of four horses! I’ve always loved horses and I’ve taken riding lessons but everyday was a new experience with them. They taught me how to be brave and to believe in myself. The two and half years in those places showed me that I am courageous and can do hard things. And also that I am the creator of my own reality.
Pricing:
- 15$ yoga classes
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @candace-glass and @wandering_wondering_one
