Alia J. Khan
E-RYT, YACEP
I'm Alia, owner of Oak + Lotus Yoga, and I just wanted to introduce myself and share a bit of my story with you! I'm a recovering attorney turned entrepreneur, and after a long and winding journey, found my calling as a yoga teacher and studio owner.
But first, I was a student. I began practicing yoga at the same time I began practicing law in 2008. In the beginning, I kept coming back because I liked the way it made my body feel. Then I noticed that I was always in a good mood after a yoga class; and, perhaps more importantly, that when I skipped yoga, I was NOT in so good of a mood! And so began my journey into the stress-relieving benefits of yoga.
Ever since then, my yoga practice has been a crucial tool for maintaining my physical, mental, and emotional health. (To learn more about my yoga journey, click here.)
Much of my journey as a yoga student involved sifting through the "hippie dippie" stuff and zeroing in on the aspects of the teachings that actually related to my everyday life. It also involved coming up with creative ways to modify the practice and its poses to fit my body. I've always had a curvy body with tight hips and back muscles, and often felt left out in yoga classes because teachers couldn't offer me guidance on how to adjust the poses to my body. Instead, they'd just tell me to skip it and wait til the next pose. So I started coming up with my own variations and creative ways to use props to make the poses work for me, and now that I'm a teacher, I love sharing those tips and tricks with all of you!
My mission as a teacher is to teach you how to use yoga to feel your best mentally, physically, and emotionally. I'm also passionate about making all of my students feel comfortable on the mat by keeping my teaching secular and relatable to everyday life, and by incorporating options and instructions into my teaching that will work for ALL of the bodies in my classes.
The mission behind my yoga studios is to create a community where all bodies feel welcome, safe, and included - especially those that have had negative experiences with movement or fitness in the past.
From the moment you walk in, you'll notice that we do things a little bit differently from other yoga studios. And I hope you love it as much as I do.
Welcome to Oak + Lotus - I'm so glad you're here!