“The work of a free spirit is to free other spirits”
— a philosophy from Daffodil Yoga
Daffodil Yogic Philosophy ⬇️
Why Daffodil Yoga?
Daffodils are among the first flowers to emerge after winter, often symbolizing hope, rebirth, new beginnings, and the return of light.
That felt fitting for a yoga practice.
The word guru is traditionally associated with the movement from darkness toward light, from what we don't yet understand toward greater awareness. But here, I believe that you are your own guru.
My role isn't to give you all the answers. It's to offer the tools, teachings, and space that help you listen more closely, explore more deeply, and discover what is true through your own experience.
Whether you're stepping onto a yoga mat for the first time, returning after years away, or beginning a new chapter in a practice you've had for decades, there is always an opportunity to begin again.
Welcome to Daffodil Yoga.
What is Yoga?
Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years, with its roots in India. Most people today know it for the physical poses, but at its heart, yoga is about cultivating awareness, learning to work with the mind, and understanding ourselves more deeply.
The physical practice is only one piece.
Yoga gives us tools to navigate chaos, observe our thoughts, become more grounded, and connect the way we move through life with the way we move on the mat.
Honoring the Roots of Yoga
In my classes, I honor yoga's roots by incorporating traditional Sanskrit names (and doing my best to pronounce them correctly), alongside more familiar terms when helpful.
I guide students beyond the physical poses, weaving in breathwork (pranayama), meditation, philosophy, and self-study (svadhyaya).
My teaching is primarily rooted in the Eight Limbs of Yoga described in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, while remaining open to other relevant yogic teachings and practices.
Because yoga isn't just something we practice for an hour.
It's something we learn to carry with us.
My Yogic Philosophy
I am a guide, not a guru.
I don't have all the answers, and I don't believe a yoga teacher should pretend to.
What I can offer are tools, teachings, and space for you to explore your own practice.
I can guide you through an asana. Teach you a breathing technique. Introduce you to a piece of philosophy. Ask you to sit with a question you may not have considered before.
But ultimately, the practice is yours.
My goal is to help you build a practice that strengthens your relationship with your body and mind while giving you tools you can return to long after you've rolled up your mat.
Traditional Teachers
Yoga didn't begin with any of us teaching it today.
It is a living tradition shaped and passed down through generations of practitioners and teachers.
I've had the opportunity to learn from teachers rooted in traditional approaches to the practice, both in the United States and during my time in Nepal. That experience was one of the first times I truly understood that yoga is so much more than physical movement.
It's a philosophy, a discipline, and a way of relating to yourself and the world.
That perspective continues to shape how I teach today.
These are a few teachers whose work and influence I encourage students to explore:
Sri T. Krishnamacharya
Often called the father of modern yoga, Krishnamacharya's teaching helped shape several influential traditions of modern postural yoga and generations of teachers who followed.
Indra Devi
One of the first Western women to study with Krishnamacharya, Indra Devi became an influential teacher who helped introduce yoga to new audiences around the world.
Geeta Iyengar
The daughter of B.K.S. Iyengar and an accomplished teacher in her own right, Geeta Iyengar dedicated her life to yoga and made particularly important contributions to the practice and teaching of yoga for women. Her work continues to inspire my own teaching.
Why Practice With Daffodil Yoga?
You don't have to be flexible.
You don't have to know Sanskrit.
You don't need the right clothes, the right body, or an already-established practice.
And you don't need to become someone else before you begin.
Yoga here isn't about getting in a workout or performing the perfect pose. It's about creating alignment between mind, body, and the way you move through your life.
Maybe you're looking for calm.
Maybe you want to feel stronger.
Maybe you're curious about the philosophy behind the practice.
Maybe it's been five years since you stepped onto a mat and something is telling you it's time to come back.
Or maybe you've never stepped onto one at all.
Start where you are.
The Sanskrit word satya is often translated as truth. But yoga isn't asking us simply to memorize someone else's truth. Practice gives us the opportunity to observe, question, experience, and understand for ourselves.
A teacher can point you toward the path.
The teachings can give you tools for walking it.
But your practice is where those teachings become lived experience.
And perhaps that's another reason the daffodil feels so at home here:
Again and again, it reminds us that we can emerge.
We can grow.
We can turn toward the light.
And we can always begin again.
Your practice is yours. Let's begin.
ABOUT ME
Hey, I’m Haley.
A yoga guide, traveler, and lifelong student.
I’ve been practicing yoga since I was 19. I originally found the practice as a way to understand my mind a little better—to navigate stress, emotions, and everything that sometimes felt like too much.
Over time, yoga became something I kept coming back to.
Not perfectly. Not always consistently. But often enough to learn that sometimes returning to the practice is part of the practice.
My relationship with yoga has grown and changed with me. What began largely on the mat eventually became a much bigger exploration of breath, meditation, philosophy, self-study, and how we move through the world.
Travel has shaped that understanding, too. Learning from teachers in the United States and Nepal helped me experience yoga outside of the version I first encountered in the West and deepened my respect for the tradition beyond asana.
I completed my training in Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga in 2020, but I still consider myself a student first.
I’m a guide, not a guru.
I don't believe my job is to tell you who to become or give you all the answers. My job is to share the tools I've learned, create space for exploration, and help you build a practice that belongs to you.
My classes weave together movement, breath, meditation, philosophy, and space to check in with yourself. Sometimes we'll flow. Sometimes we'll slow down. Sometimes we'll turn upside down. And sometimes the most important part of the practice won't look much like exercise at all.
My own practice is rooted in curiosity, freedom, play, and reinvention, and I try to bring that same spirit into my teaching.
Because yoga isn't something you have to be “good” at.
It's something you get to experience.
So whether you're stepping onto the mat for the first time, returning after some time away, or simply looking for a different way to practice—
you can begin exactly where you are.
If you're craving movement, perspective, connection, or simply a better relationship with yourself, you're in the right place.
Let’s move...gently, intentionally, and upside down when necessary. 🌼
CONTACT
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