Nicole Summers

Nicole Summers has been an athlete since the age of 12 when she started running track. She began training in martial arts at the age of 17 and practicing hatha yoga and breathing techniques at 19, a practice serving as a tool to quiet her mind, learn to be in the present moment, and help build a relationship with divinity. At the age of 22 she joined the United States Army.

Upon her honorable discharge from the Amy, she returned to Cleveland where she worked for the YMCA as an instructor and Life Guard. She designed and implemented many different fitness classes to include aquasize and weight lifting from a chair for the elderly, baby and parent swim classes, and a dance and singing exercise class for children. She is now in the process of becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist and has been making that her main focus outside of Yoga practice.

She wrote the majority of a curriculum on Buddhism and Hinduism for 4th -6th graders as a Unitarian Universalist Sunday school teacher. This deepened her understanding of meditation and the origins of Yoga.

Sunset Yoga

Beginning with a simple introduction explaining what yoga is, Nicole will present breathing techniques and how they connect the mind and body. Chakras (the energy system of the body) will be explored with an emphasis on how they relate to yoga, and safety precautions will be discussed. A quick assessment of fitness and knowledge will be made in order to teach according to their level. The practical side of the class will start with centering and breathing, leading to gentle warm up poses and movements, then to more rigorous poses. Modification to challenging poses will be provided. The workshop will end with ground poses, a brief meditation, and positive affirmation chants.