THE INSTRUCTORs
Anna Broome is the owner and primary instructor at SMTX Yoga. She has been practicing yoga for over 16 years. She is professionally trained as a Recreational Therapist and has worked as such since 2005. She began exploring adaptive yoga for her clients with varied abilities and mobility challenges in 2009. She received a 25-hour certification in Chair Yoga from Lakshmi Voelker in 2010. This led her to begin volunteering to teach at local assisted living facilities to hone her skills and share chair yoga with large groups. In 2011 she began offering her first public class at the Price Center in downtown San Marcos.
In 2016 Anna sought to deepen her personal and professional practice and received a 200-hour Registered Yoga Alliance Certification from Jenn Wooten and Angie Knight. The Waking Yoga teacher training course offered a focus on renewing yourself through your yoga practice. While Anna had not planned to open SMTX Yoga in 2017, the opportunity organically presented itself through her community connections in San Marcos. Serving the Price Center since early 2011 with a Chair Yoga class, Anna decided to expand her offerings there to 2 chair yoga classes, and 2 gentle classes. Anna also received a Level 1 iRest® Instructor Certification in 2019. Integrative Restoration (iRest®) Yoga Nidra is an evidenced based meditation practice that provides people with the tools to relax deeply, release stress, increase resiliency, improve interpersonal relationships and increase well being and sense of control in ones life. Anna offers iRest® on a monthly basis.
Xander is our Monday Chair Yoga teacher. This is what he had to say about who he is and what he offers….
Xander means the defender of humanity and I intend to live up to my name, through Yoga. I was initially drawn to the practice about 6 years ago, as a path of healing mentally, and physically. Faced with depression from a very young age; developing feelings of anxiety and existential crisis as I grew older; Yoga has helped me feel my connection, purpose, and significance in this immense universe. Guiding me to the experience of love as it’s essence. On the physical side of my existence, I’ve always been active with action and combat sports like Skateboarding and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. As well as working manual labor and heavy lifting jobs frequently; all taking their toll on my body. I feel blessed that Yoga has had tremendous impact alleviating my challenges with chronic back pain, inflammation, lymphedema, knee/shoulder discomfort, and posture correction. Strengthening the core of my being muscularly, and emotionally; Yoga has been a completely life changing and beneficial. I’m compelled to share my experiences with this ancient practice because I believe Yoga is for everyone, and that health is the new wealth.
Along with teacher yoga, I am also a certified Drumtastic Drums Alive Instructor. As a life long musician, I’ve learned to incorporate drumming as a form of health and wellness. Drumtastic is an evidence-based drumming, health, and wellness program. Based on science/ research that provides a “Whole Brain & Whole Body” workout; promoting physical, social, emotional, and cognitive health at all life stages. The process entails Drumming on large exercise balls, sitting on buckets, playing to music. In addition, Health Rhythms, is facilitated by playing on hand drums in a drum circle, and is accompanied by singing and chanting.