Rachel Simone Wilkins

For me, yoga is a celebration of the cosmic, creative pulse that connects and moves us all. My personal practice and public offerings weave together intuitive movement, somatic awareness, spontaneous flow, thoughtful choreography, open meditation, and transformative pranayama. Our practice is a way to connect with the sacred within and to recognize the universal reflected within all of us. My approach to yoga is inspired by our innate connection with the greater whole: seasonal energetic shifts, lunar cycles, the radiance of the sun, the steadiness of the mountains, the fluid churning of the waves, the cleansing flow of the wind and the wild dance of the heart flames.

I grew up in rural, coastal Maine. I was always called to be a teacher and a healer, I just didn’t know what form it would take. In college, I immersed myself in dance, Pilates, art, as well as post-modern feminism, queer studies, womanist theology, critical race theory and philosophy. I moved to California shortly after graduating and completed my initial 200 hour certification in 2011 with Tracey Rich and Ganga White of the White Lotus Foundation, followed by advanced studies under their guidance. Shortly after, I completed an intensive training in Thai Massage with Phoebe Diftler.

I began studying with Shiva Rea in 2014 and completed my 500 hour certification under the Prana Vinyasa lineage, as well as an initiation into Kalaripayattu in Kerala, India. I received my Shamanic Reiki I & II attunement in Bali with Devi Ma Reiki master, and incorporate these energetic, subtle and astral body healing techniques into my offerings. In 2021 I completed a 300 hour advanced training with Jason Crandell that focused on yoga philosophy, modern asana alignment, biomechanics, anatomy, and injury-management techniques. I am currently immersing myself on the Bhakti path with Janet Stone. Besides my beloved private and public class offerings, my soul’s path, my dharma is leading my empowering Embodying Shakti ritual retreats and my Intuitive Vinyasa Flow RYS teacher trainings locally and globally.