Recommendations

Yoga is something I have always been very interested in, but as you can imagine, weighing in at 300 lbs with bad knees, I was very intimidated and assumed it was not for me.

I was introduced to Jean and her yoga classes through a dear friend and I don’t think I have ever felt as comfortable in my own skin.

I have been studying with Jean for two years now and I am still amazed at the things my body can do, regardless of my size.

Jean is warm and welcoming and is always there to make every pose and posture possible, regardless of anyone's personal challenges.

I couldn’t possibly touch on all the benefits I have reaped from yoga, but I have seen a huge improvement in my balance and flexibility but, more importantly, I am much more centered and better able to deal with stress in my life.

Jean and yoga are without a doubt, one of the best things that have ever happened to me.
Shelly

I have always had an interest in finding out what yoga was all about — it intrigued me, but I thought I was too overweight to try. So I put those desires at the bottom of my list and carried on with life.

At age 33 I decided that enough was enough — I wasn't going to wait to do anything in life because I was overweight — including yoga!

I e-mailed Jean and arranged a private yoga session. From the first moment I stepped onto the mat, I felt madly and deeply in love.

Jean has a gentle, compassionate teaching style that enables her students to challenge their bodies, while respecting their limits at the same time.

After two private classes, I signed up for a class session. The rest is history. Now, I cannot imagine life without yoga.

Practicing yoga has awakened so much inside of me — stronger muscles and weight loss are merely details at this point.

As someone who has struggled with their weight for most of their adult life, I can tell you that no one is too big to do yoga.

Give it a try — it may just change your life!
Jennifer

Yoga to me was something that already thin people did. Surely, those new-age types only go to show off that they can stand on their heads. Yet I wanted to have new experiences if the situation was right.

I don't even remember how I met Jean. Maybe she came to speak to us at a TOPS meeting, but I remember feeling a sense of comfortableness with her and Jean was no bendy twig, so maybe there was more to yoga than I knew. I was willing to try out a session with her.

That first session was titled 'Yoga for Challenged Bodies'. I was less challenged than I realized. Jean introduced poses to us and modified them to work for each of us.

What a feeling I had after each class! I felt parts of my body that rarely received attention. The stretches and proper breathing did wonders.

You could feel the difference by the end of the class. I was more limber, felt taller, had better posture.

I was hooked! I am a gal of considerable size, but I finished the 'Challenged Bodies' class, moved to 'Beginners' and then 'Level 2'. There is little that I can't do in Level 2 that the other students can. If I can do gentla Hatha yoga with Jean, anyone can do gentle Hatha yoga with Jean.

Yoga is something I think I will do for the rest of my life. It's good for my body, my mind and my spirit. Give it a try - it could be just what you needed!
Joyce

I had tried a Yoga video taught by a contortionist. It was supposed to be for beginners, but it was difficult for my plus-sized body and it was boring because I couldn’t do the poses the way the instructor was doing them.

As with everything, I wrote on my Facebook status that I hated Yoga. One of my friends commented that I needed to try Jean Short’s 'Gentle Path Yoga'.

At first I was a little sceptical because of the video, but I did e-mail Jean and decided to take the Beginners course. It was amazing!

After my very first session I felt better, and had more energy and less stress. If there was a pose I couldn’t quite get into, Jean modified it for me.

Jean is an amazing lady; she has so much positive energy that just being around her makes you feel calm.

The classes are very open and if you have a question, Jean encourages you to ask, so you can get the most of each session!

I decided on Yoga because I work in a stressful environment and I needed to learn to relax. I wasn’t so concerned about the exercise part, although it was definitely a huge benefit.

I have learned breathing exercises to calm me at work and poses that I can do while waiting in a line for groceries.

I practice bits and pieces of Yoga in my everyday life and the results are obvious, so much so that my husband decided to try it too.

I recommend Jean Short’s Gentle Path Yoga to everyone, big, small, young, old, female or male! You’ll enjoy it!
Andrea