Carmen’s Bio

Greetings! My name is Carmen Greenleaf and I’ve been teaching fitness and movement based classes since 1995. I found yoga in 1998, and fell in love! What first hooked me was the physicality of it- I’d taken ballet from a young age, and was drawn to yoga’s combination of strength, grace and flexibility. I felt successful in yoga; I could execute most of the postures, yet they were challenging both physically and mentally. A few years would pass before I started to realize the psychological and spiritual benefits of yoga. I sought out a deeper understanding, and completed my 200 Hour Teacher Training with Baron Baptiste. For many years I practiced and taught the Baptiste style of Power Vinyasa, but after a while I sought out different teachers and styles of yoga. My practice and philosophy have become a blend of all those who have influenced me, most notably Sadie Nardini, Stacy Dockins, Philip Urso, Richard Schactell, Jeanne Heileman, Stephanie Adams, and Baron Baptiste. I completed my 500 Hour Teacher Training with Twist Yoga in 2015, and I’m currently E-RYT 500, YACEP, as well as an ACE Certified Group Fitness Instructor.

When you take a class from me, you can expect a good dose of Pranayama (breathwork) with your Asana (physical postures.) I usually begin and end each class with breath and mindfulness. I often theme my classes with either a physical or philosophical topic, as well as a meditative anchor to return to when minds get distracted. I continue to value and teach a class that is physically challenging and sometimes sweaty, but I give clients the space to work at their own pace and to honor and appreciate their bodies. My true hope is that people will leave my classes with a sense of peace and contentment, and that they feel better than when they first walked into the studio.

Originally from Boise, Idaho, I currently live and work in the Edmonds area. I’m the mother of three boys who’ve all grown and flown at this point; my two youngest are in college and my oldest is married and has two kids of his own. In my spare time, I enjoy running, skiing, dancing, sewing, and home improvement projects which never seem to end!