Helen Hatfield

RYT 200

WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND RAISED?
I was born and raised in Ventura! 

TELL US A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOUR PERSONAL PRACTICE
My personal practice has been infused with yoga a majority of my life!  I was a ballerina and competitive dancer for 16 years, which always included many forms of yoga asanas in our conditioning.  Once I began going to festivals more my love for yoga and the deeper meaning behind it started to grow.  I joined Grassroots in 2022 and instantly fell in love with the community there and the message of the studio.  Yoga has now become my happy place, my release and a part of my lifestyle.

TELL US A BRIEF HISTORY OF YOUR TEACHING EXPERIENCE
I completed my Yoga Teacher Training in 2023, at the Maui Yoga Shala in Paia, HI mentored by Nadia Toraman, Sage Simpson, Karin Kuhn, Jennifer Bonadio and Shakta.  This experience opened so many spiritual, emotional and physical doors within me, as well as what type of teacher I want to grow as.  My training itself created a whole new family for me and showed me just how deeply yoga connects us all.  Hawaii holds a very sacred space in my yoga and spiritual journey, my hope is to be able to spread that energy within my teaching.  Prior to teaching at Grassroots, I teach teens in treatment facilities, as well as in Ojai.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE YOGA POSE?
It changes based on what I feel is needed but lately I have really been enjoying ardha kapotasana (half pigeon).  I also LOVE a supported Matsyasana (fish pose) to open my heart at the start and end of my practice.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE YOGA/SPIRITUALITY/SELF HELP BOOK?

“The Power Of Now” by Eckhart Tolle!  It offers a lot of self reflection, as well as how some of my patterns, beliefs and mindsets have shaped some of my path and how to better these all.

ANY ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS?
Be open to all the possibilities!  Yoga can be a whole new world in every sense if you just surrender to the possibilities of it and what it makes you feel!

WHAT DOES “COMMUNITY” MEAN TO YOU?
Somewhere you feel completely able to be yourself and supported in your journeys no matter what point you are in.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT VENTURA?
The sense of community.  My family has been in Ventura since the early 1910s and it makes me so happy to still be so connected within my community here, as all our generations have been.  No matter where I travel, Ventura always shines brightest for me. The accessibility to nature in multiple ways also makes me so happy to live here.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION?
Save The Mermaids! This nonprofit is focused on eliminating single-use plastics and our reliance as a society on them!  Through community outreach with all ages and local legislation to end our oceans (and earth’s) plastic waste!