The owner-operator of the Raffa Yoga studios in Cranston and North Kingstown, Christine has practiced Kriya Yoga for over fifteen years. As an avid runner since age 12, she ran her first marathon when she was 15 years old. With her quadriceps and low back extremely tight from training, she tried every stretching program she could find and nothing was correcting her muscular imbalances. Then, Christine began practicing yoga- to find balance in her personal, professional and athletic life. Christine notes that her "life is so blessed. I've had the opportunity to study with an amazing group of yoga teachers and experience first hand the healing power of yoga."
Her first yoga teacher-training was with Baron Baptiste of the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute in Boston and Cambridge. After completing levels one and two teacher-training of the Baptiste style, Christine noted that the "fluidity of Vinyasa Yoga was hard wired into her nervous system." Christine then completed a teacher-training course with Beryl Bender Birch of the Hard & Soft Astanga Yoga Studios in New York. Beryl's instruction in classical Astanga Yoga taught her an appreciation of the yoga lineage and a new found respect for this ancient art of self-expression through alignment, breath, patience, and strength.
Christine is a certified Forrest Yoga Instructor. She has completed the Foundational Forrest Yoga Teacher Training and the Advanced Forrest Yoga Teacher Training. Christine also assists at Forrest yoga trainings world wide. Christine feels this was an experience which truly transformed her life. Ana's yoga style brings intuition and wisdom into each posture which allows one to look deeply inside oneself. The Forrest Yoga Method assisted Christine in reconnecting with the healing power of the breath and intuitive nature of the wiser self.
Christine has studied structural biomechanics, advanced neuro-anatomy, physiology and myofascial pain syndromes for over fifteen years. She incorporates her expertise in functional rehabilitation, soft tissue dysfunction and biomechanics into her teaching style. She is a licensed Massage Therapist, certified St. John Neuromuscular Therapist, Somatic Emotional Release Therapist, certified Pregnancy Massage Therapist and advanced CranioSacral Therapist. She describes her teaching style as a blend of many yoga disciplines, drawing heavily from her background in anatomy, structural biomechanics and physical rehabilitation. She incorporates the principles of breath, postural awareness, meditative insight and common sense into all of her classes.
Christine believes that "yoga is for everybody. It is such a social equalizer for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. Everyone can benefit from a daily yoga practice." She has witnessed first-hand the amazing power of the human body to heal on a mental, physical and emotional level. She states:
"I have observed debilitating injury and emotional distress in yoga students who overcome the odds and create a healing path through a consistent yoga practice. I am so grateful to all my teachers in life and yoga who have unselfishly shared their wisdom with me. LIFE IS A MARATHON NOT A SPRINT. We all need to take one day, one hour, one minute, one moment at a time. Yoga is truly a gift of life. I am so thankful to have the opportunity to share my passion both on and off the yoga mat. I have found
in life there are few answers, but many choices. I have chosen yoga and breath."
