Student & Employee of the Month: Stories That Inspire
Student of the Month: Christine Coulson
There’s something special about your first real connection with yoga—the moment it clicks, when it becomes more than just movement. For Christine Coulson, that moment happened about a year and a half ago. What began as a way to build physical strength quickly evolved into something much deeper.
“I used to tell my friend I would float across the parking lot after yoga,” she says. That lightness, both physical and emotional, is what kept her coming back.
After enjoying outdoor classes over the summer, Christine stepped into Soul Society studio for the first time during the Winter Solstice event. That experience sealed it. “I knew I had found my place.” Since then, she’s shown up with heart and consistency—embracing her practice, connecting with community, and letting yoga transform her inside and out.
Here’s more from Christine, in her own words:
How long have you been practicing yoga?
A year and a half.
Why did you start practicing yoga?
I originally started yoga to build strength physically. The silver lining is the mental and emotional wellbeing that comes along with every class!
How has yoga transformed your life?
I took my first yoga class about a year and a half ago and absolutely loved it. I would leave every week thinking, I wish I could do this more. I used to tell my friend that I would float across the parking lot after yoga!
Over the summer, I took several Soul Society outdoor classes and met Kayla and Jessica. Then, I went to the Winter Solstice event with a dear friend—and the moment I stepped into the studio, I knew I had found my place. I've loved every class and event I've been to since. March Matness was the nudge I needed to really kick up my practice!
What is your favorite Soul Society Yoga memory?
The Winter Solstice event. It was my first time in the studio, and I got to experience the beautiful energy of that space.
What is your favorite class, yoga pose, or style?
I love the VinYin 75 class—it’s the perfect balance of working hard and gentle stretching. Kayla’s comfort sequences always include the most beautifully fitting affirmations, like “strength can be soft” or “grace over guilt.” It’s the perfect way to end a hectic workday.
If you could take a yoga class anywhere in the world, where would it be?
In the mountains. I love cold weather and the peace and calm of a good snowstorm.
Employee of the Month: Alyssa Martin
For three years, Alyssa Martin has been a steady, compassionate presence at Soul Society Yoga. Her classes are rooted in depth, intention, and authenticity—qualities that reflect her personal journey with yoga, both on and off the mat.
What began as a way to complement her workouts in college slowly revealed itself as a life-changing path. “I was always on the go,” Alyssa recalls, “but I was able to slow down when I practiced. My mind found moments of ease, and I felt clearer after class.” That clarity sparked something deeper, and over the years, yoga has become much more than a practice—it’s become a path back to herself.
Today, Alyssa holds space for others with that same gentle clarity and presence, creating room for healing, transformation, and reconnection.
Here’s more from Alyssa, in her own words:
How long have you been a part of Soul Society Yoga?
Since 2022—3 years.
Why did you start practicing yoga?
I started practicing yoga as a complement to my exercise routine in college. But around 2014, I started to experience the benefits beyond the body. I was always on the go, and I was able to slow down when I practiced. My mind found moments of ease, and I felt clearer afterward. I didn’t know how impactful it would be until I really began to notice those shifts.
How has yoga transformed your life?
Yoga has been the pathway back to my heart and spirit—a return to connection with the universe and all existence. It’s offered me healing, transformation, and deep inner listening. Through so many phases of life—healing my body and mind, pushing my limits, and even in moments when I wanted to give up—yoga has always been the constant that helps me understand myself more fully.
Osho once said, “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.” That journey has been the most profound transformation. Yoga has helped me meet parts of myself I once feared or felt ashamed of, and in doing so, it’s brought liberation. It’s helped peel back layers and deepen the connection between mind, body, and spirit.
It’s opened the path to self-intimacy, which has allowed me to show up more authentically in my life and relationships. At times when I questioned the point of living, yoga reminded me that life is a gift—one I get to live. That awareness shifted everything. Yoga continues to ground me, inspire me, and expand my connection to the experience of being alive.
What is one lesson you’ve learned from your students?
Every time I lead a practice, I receive a lesson. One that stands out most right now is: never underestimate the impact of your presence. Students may not realize the effect they have on me—their energy, their stories, even how I shape the message of the practice. Without them, the experience would be completely different.
Often, we think we’re coming to yoga just for ourselves. But each time we show up, we’re creating ripples in the lives of others—whether we see it or not. That ripple matters. Presence alone has power. It’s not about changing who you are—it’s about realizing that how you show up matters. Your presence is felt.
What is your favorite class, yoga pose, or style?
Lately, I’ve been feeling called back to Yin. I’ve spent the past few months immersed in Vinyasa-style practice, which I love—especially exploring poses like Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon) and Tittibhasana (Firefly). But there’s something in me guiding me back to Yin. It’s an invitation to slow down and return with deeper presence—a reminder of the balance between effort and surrender.
If you could take a yoga class anywhere in the world, where would it be?
India, at the Akhanda Institute in Rishikesh with Yogrishi Vishvketu. It’s the ashram of my training lineage, and being immersed in the roots of the teachings—where yoga has been practiced for thousands of years—would be incredibly meaningful. Learning from my teacher’s teacher in a place so deeply connected to the origins of yoga would be a full-circle moment.