Daily Inspiration: Meet Dr. Auburn Ellis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Auburn Ellis.

Hi Dr. Ellis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I started practicing at CorePower Yoga in Chicago in 2014, approaching class with trepidation. I was 30 and had not moved my body since college. I mistakenly read the schedule wrong and found myself in a 75 minute Hot Power Fusion class where I could only focus on the heat, sweat, and detox.

That experience, however, was enough to clear my mind, rejuvenate my body and get me hooked. I never thought I would be a yoga teacher, but my personal practice and passion for yoga continued to grow. In 2017, I relocated to Kansas City, Missouri and took a leap of faith. I decided to change my vocation.

I enrolled in the CorePower Yoga Teacher Training Program which affirmed that I was making a life-changing and amazing decision! That chance class of Hot Power Fusion took me down a path I never expected. I eventually moved into management and began to lead teacher training programming. That was soul soothing because it blended my educational past with the passion of my future. To me, yoga is the most beautiful form of adult education.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No great endeavor is without struggle! As a student, starting with my first class, the struggle was just making it through a full class. I was not an avid yoga practitioner nor that athletic prior to CorePower so completing a class was always an accomplishment. Immersing myself and learning the flow took months. The struggle was personally rewarding and powerful when measuring my growth from class to class. Finding balance in my body was important, but it taught me about finding balance in life. Today, I teach at several studios and run my own business, so a peak week can be up to 16 classes. CorePower Yoga pushes my boundaries and teaches me to keep going. I am confident and find strength in pushing forward and that ability serves me both on and off the mat.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My Doctorate Degree is in Adult & Continuing Education where I design workshops and training programs in multiple industries. Currently, I consult on DE&I training and anti-racism education. With several clients in the Kansas City area, I am able to apply the lessons of social injustice in our community to the CPY community. Recently, I was a guest speaker for CPY where I lectured on the history of African Centered Yoga (Kemetic Yoga) and the connection to our current social climate. Personally, I am a visual artist and my work has been centered on yoga expressions.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
This industry has so much potential for growth. Yoga is about being mindful and that is what people need more than ever right now. The physical practice gives an opportunity to find resilience and strength both on and off your mat. In the next 5-10 years, as things shift to our new normal, we will continue to inspire people to be better versions of themselves. Our current global catastrophe is already highlighting the need for unity, and we have the template in place already!

Pricing:

• All Access Membership: $119.00/MO
• 1 Studio Class: $23.00
• 5 Studio Classes: $109.00
• 10 Studio Classes: $194.00
• 20 Studio Classes: $344.00

Contact Info:

• Website: corepoweryoga.com
• Instagram: @corepoweryoga
• Facebook: @corepoweryoga
• Twitter: @corepoweryoga
• Youtube: @corepoweryoga
• Other: artandyogaflow.com