VALERIE

WILLIAMS

SHE/HER

RYT 500

Soulful, Extroverted, Humorous, Passionate, Creative

WHEN DID YOU BEGIN CULTIVATING YOUR PRACTICE?

In 2018, fresh out of undergrad and as a new mother. Yoga found me during postpartum, where I was trying to understand who I was all over again. I was exposed to yoga a few times in college, but it didn’t really resonate with me. When I found it again in 2018, I was moved by how transformative it was for not only myself, but my motherhood journey as well. It helped me relearn what joy was and how to cultivate gratitude in any moment. It helped me step into a new phase of life all while reconnecting with who I have always been.

WHEN DID YOU BEGIN HELPING OTHERS CULTIVATE THEIR PRACTICE?

 I began teaching yoga in 2020, at the very start of the pandemic. My first few months of teaching was strictly virtual, which allowed me to gain confidence and practice teaching without the huge audience in front of me. Even then, I knew I was right where I was supposed to be. By 2022, I quit my full-time job and focused on teaching yoga solely. I taught for various studios, schools, non-profits, corporate wellness programs, etc. Those experiences allowed me to grow as a Wellness leader in Cleveland. By the grace of God, I was offered a position as a Yoga Instructor for Cleveland Clinic and the Ohio State University in 2023. Since then I have dedicated my life to providing accessible, therapeutic yoga to all ages.

HOW DO YOU ENVISION CULTIVATE YOGA SERVING OUR COMMUNITY?

I envision Cultivate Yoga as a bridge between the community and accessible yoga. It breaks down the financial and economical barriers to wellness that many people face. Cultivate Yoga has a unique opportunity to expose so many people to the beautiful practice of yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Nowadays a drop-in yoga fee can equal the price of a full gas tank, a couple bags of groceries or even a bill payment. Cultivate strips away the idea that you have to choose between wellness and survival.

WHAT HAS YOGA HELPED TO CULTIVATE WITHIN YOU?

Yoga has helped me cultivate understanding, gratitude, compassion for self and others, as well as the confidence to live life loudly.

BESIDES YOGA, WHAT IS ONE THING THAT CULTIVATES JOY IN YOUR LIFE?

My two children, Indigo and Juelz.