Catherine Followell (She/Her), Owner, Authorized Level 2 (SYC)
Yoga is a likely, yet unlikely path for me. I dabbled in gymnastics as a kid, so I guess the interest was always in me, but after my first yoga class I didn’t think I’d ever be back again! I was one of those students with one eye open in Savasana, praying for the teacher to tell us we could get up and leave! It wasn’t until a year later that I was searching for a way to work out that didn’t feel like working out when I took my second ever yoga class and everything changed. I was resting in Savasana and came to the realization I had just spent 75 minutes completely present and focused, and understood there was so much more to yoga I had yet to uncover.
I completed a 200 Hour Yoga Alliance certification through Yoga East, Inc. in 2015 in an attempt to learn just what this yoga was really about. That’s where I discovered and fell in love with Ashtanga Yoga. I made my first trip to Mysore, India in 2019 for my 30th birthday, and I’ve been back four times since. In November 2022 I was honored to have received Level 2 Authorization from Sharath Jois. I opened Ashtanga Yoga Louisville because I knew I needed to share the practice in the way my teachers shared it with me, and I wanted a place to offer to others what the practice has given me.
Why Ashtanga: I practice Ashtanga Yoga because it has allowed me to realize my own potential and build a level of resilience I never imagined possible. When I encounter a challenge on my mat and negative thoughts start to pour in, there’s no one to convince me to muster up the strength other than myself. Each new challenge presents a new opportunity to learn and grow, and trains me to meet all challenges in my life with the same attitude.
Erin Cronin (She/Her)
My first yoga experience was in Bowling Green, KY before there was even a yoga studio in the city. A small group of us would go to a friend's house and a local yogi, Wilson, would come and teach a group of us in the living room. I was a Theater Minor at WKU. My ballet instructor was also a yogi and taught a strength and flexibility class which was basically yoga for dancers. I remember seeing her do a headstand and was amazed and impressed with her strength! She opened the first yoga studio in Bowling Green, which I attended, starting in 1997 around the age of 18. I had an instant love for yoga, as I have always been drawn to physical movement and expressing myself through it. After moving to Louisville, I eventually attended an Ashtanga led class at Yoga East. I knew there was no turning back.
I am certified RYT 500, graduating from Yoga East’s 200 Hour training in 2009 and 300 Hour training in 2012. I studied at KPJAYI with Sharath Jois in Mysore, India and have been blessed & influenced by many teachers including Taylor Hunt, Laura Spaulding, Kino McGregor, Tim Feldman & Catherine Followell.
Why Ashtanga: As I said, Ashtanga had me hooked from the first class I attended. I loved the intensity of the class; however what kept me coming back was the meditative aspect of the practice along with the physical, and the internal transformation as well as the strength. I learned to breathe through the practice and this has been a blessing to me in my daily life as well as on my mat. I have learned that everyday is different, and will continue to be, on and off the mat and that that is okay. I have learned, and continue to learn, to be grateful for each and every day.
Kim Eisner (She/Her)
I honor how each moment in life can be an opportunity to learn and grow and I believe we become more open to recognizing these opportunities each time we step onto our yoga mats. I graduated from Yoga East’s teacher 200 hour teaching training program in 2006 and completed her 500 hour Yoga East Alliance Certification in 2009. Laura Spaulding has been my teacher and an inspiration for over 20 years. With 2000+ teaching hours, I hold the designation of Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT) 500 and have made 6 journeys to India to study Ashtanga Yoga with the Jois Family including four trips to Mysore, one trip Goa and a Yatra in the Himalayas. I am also grateful for my time and studies with the Jois family, Tim Feldman, Kino Macgregor, David Garrigues and Taylor Hunt. I graduated from Nicholls State University in Louisiana with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration and currently work for the Legislative Research Commission in Frankfort, Kentucky where I implemented a wellness initiative which includes leading a free weekly yoga class to the legislative staff for the past 18 years. I am also a volunteer yoga teacher at the YMCA.
Why Ashtanga: Practicing Ashtanga Yoga provides a constant foundation for my life off the mat. The morning ritual of the asana practice and the grounding effects are everlasting. Ashtanga yoga is so much more than asana, it’s a way of life and this practice has made me a stronger woman on many levels.
Allison Longino (She/Her)
Hi! I’m not what you’d call a “traditional” yoga teacher. I worked in the service industry for about 10 years and now work in the music industry. Being a non-traditional person is what I think makes me a well-rounded teacher. I’ve met, loved, learned from, and taught so many different kinds of humans in my life. And I can’t wait to meet, love, learn from, and teach YOU!
I attended teacher training at Yoga East in 2016 and have been teaching since 2017. I have studied with Catherine Followell, Erin Cronin, Kim Eisner, Steven McGuire, Becky Thompson, Laura Spaulding, Susan Reid, Robert Moses, David Garrigues, Ramanand Patel, Eddie Stern, Taylor Hunt, Doug Keller, Lara Land, and Sharath Jois. I went to Mysore, India to study with Guruji in February of 2024 and cannot wait to make my way back!
Why Ashtanga: I grew up in dance and physical expression was how I worked through everything. Learning routines and doing them over and over and over again, at some point, I was able to let muscle memory take over and just get lost in it. I feel the same way about Ashtanga. While the physical movement is the same everyday, my body and mind are not. I get to check in with myself, see where I’m at before I start my day, and process whatever I’m going through on my mat. And just like in dance, my relationship with my teachers is sacred. While I may not believe I’m capable of doing a pose or weeping through backbends, my teachers know I am. They hold space for me when I can’t hold space for myself. There’s no other practice like it. Ashtanga is my home. And I hope you find your home there too.