Health

8 Yoga Bloggers to Know in Washington

These bendy bloggers are at the forefront of the ever-growing local yoga community.

Peggy Mulqueen
Peg Mulqueen

Why you should read her blog: You’ll be inspired by Mulqueen’s posts, which cover her own trials and tribulations, lessons, and aspirations. She’s been writing about yoga for about ten years, and is often a guest blogger and writer for Yoga Journal.

Her favorite yoga pose: “Hands down—handstands! There are those who say that’s just gymnastics, but for a gal who came to the mat struggling to stand on her own two feet, to find the strength to lift myself up . . . well, that’s just cool. That’s the kind of discovery and possibility you can find on a yoga mat.”

How many times she does yoga in a day: “I practice five days a week, two hours a day, starting at 5 AM.”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Little River Yoga

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Kimberly Wilson
Tranquility du Jour

Why you should read her blog: The owner of Tranquil Space Studio is one of the top yoga instructors in Washington, and for good reason. She designs the eco-friendly fashion line TranquiliT, is the author of two yoga books, and is the director of Tranquil Space Foundation, an organization that exists to help girls and women. Her lifestyle blog is a “potpourri” of her passions: “style, yoga, sparkly things, vintage finds, mindfulness, all things French, do-gooding, creativity, and, of course, tranquility.”

How long she’s been practicing yoga: “I took my first yoga class while living in the mountains of Colorado in 1996, and the rest, as they say, is herstory. I was hooked and started my yoga studio Tranquil Space three years later in 1999.”

Her favorite yoga pose: The pigeon pose. “Baddha konasana is a close second.”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Tranquil Space and at various retreats abroad

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Sariane Leigh
Anacostia Yogi

Why you should read her blog: Leigh brought the power of yoga to Anacostia after she moved there in 2005. Thanks to her and a growing community of health gurus, the neighborhood has increased its awareness of yoga, Pilates, urban farming, and healthy eating. She started her blog in 2009 to help improve the “health, environmental awareness, and wellness resources for health-conscious communities of color and residents living east of the Anacostia River.”

Why she started doing yoga: “I started practicing yoga in 2003 after losing my mother to diabetes. I was in a state of great mourning, and a close friend taught me the sun salutation, bhastrika breathing and, alternate nostril breathing. I am forever changed because of this simple gift of yoga!”

Her favorite yoga pose: “I absolutely love virabhadrasana 3 (warrior 3). I think it is a powerful pose that allows you to access your full potential. Every time I transition into my warrior 3, I feel renewed from my toes to my earlobes!”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Hillcrest Recreation and Guy Mason Recreation Center

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Mary Catherine Starr
Starrstruck

Why you should read her blog: As Starr puts it, the blog is for “artists, creative types, and fellow urbanites looking for a way to slow down and find balance in their lives.” You’ll often find lessons on yoga and nutrition in her posts, as well as daily musings on the simple joys in life. Aside from being a yoga instructor, she’s also a CrossFit enthusiast.

How many times she does yoga in a day: “I’d say an average of two to three sessions per day. . . . Yoga is basically the main thing I think about all day, every day.”

Her favorite yoga pose: “Pigeon pose! I even wrote about my ‘love affair’ with this pose when I first started blogging.”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Tranquil Space

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Thais Guimaraes
Living in the (K)now

Why you should read her blog: This twentysomething DC yogi strives to share her passion for yoga on her two-year-old blog. She loves it so much that she just became a registered instructor. “Essentially I write about my life, the lessons I learn, and how that connects to yoga; whether it’s the asanas (yoga postures) or the more spiritual aspects of the practice.”

Her favorite yoga pose: “If I had to pick just one, I’d say savasana, but the answer varies by the day. On days I’m feeling powerful and light, I say dancer pose. On days I need to ground and withdraw, a simple forward fold is delightful.”

How long she’s been practicing yoga: “I tried it here and there during high school, but didn’t become serious about it until 2010. Once I fell, however, I fell HARD.”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Sol Yoga Studio

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Lisa Calandriello
Yoga Lisa DC

Why you should read her blog: Calandriello is relatively new to the blogging community—she just started Yoga Lisa DC in July—but you’d think she’d been doing this for years. You’ll find her musings about life on and off the mat, from lessons she’s learned through her yoga practice to healthy recipes or favorite teas she’s enjoyed.

Her favorite yoga pose: Astavakrasana.

How many times she does yoga in a day: “I do some asana once daily, either at home or in the studio. I also try to meditate every day.”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Tranquil Space

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Sarabeth Stone
Ripple of One Stone

Why you should read her blog: It’s just one year old, but it’s filled with life lessons, yoga advice, and fitness tips—perfect for “students who want to maintain a safe and healthy yoga practice.”

Her favorite yoga pose: “The eight-angle pose is one that used to intimidate me, and one I never thought I’d be able to do—until one day I tried it in my living room, and voilà!”

Where you’ll find her teaching: Sport & Health in Ballston, Capital Yoga, and WTS International

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Christine Saladino
Yoga Twist on Life

Why you should read her blog: Interested in becoming a yoga instructor yourself? Find out exactly what it takes by following Saladino’s journey as she completes her 500-hour teacher training program. Her posts also include her insights into the Washington yoga community, plus book and product reviews.

Her favorite yoga pose: “I tend to love the energy and excitement of the wheel.”

How many times she does yoga in a day: “I personally aim to practice yoga everyday. Sometimes it’s a full-on one-plus hour practice, and sometimes it’s a 5- to 15-minute practice. Other days it may just be one pose—for example, just lying in a restorative reclined position like suppine baddha konasana for a few minutes.

Where you’ll find her teaching: Tranquil Space

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Do you have a favorite local yoga blogger who isn’t on our list? Let us know in the comments.