Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Burke.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Allison. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
It’s been a bit of a windy road to get to where I am today. I’ve tried a lot of different career paths before finally landing in the health and wellness world professionally as a Yoga Teacher and Ayurvedic Health Counselor.
Some of my past job titles include: Barista, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Cocktail Waitress, Marketing Coordinator, Beanbag Salesperson & Bartender. But through most of them, one thing remained a constant: YOGA
I was 23 when I took my first hot yoga class. Something about yoga had intrigued me. It seemed a little weird, kinda mystical, Madonna was doing it, and I was curious. (At the time, I also really liked the idea of being bendy and toned –just being honest!) I had just entered the “real world” after college, working as a receptionist at a high-end car dealership, and I found a heated power yoga studio right by my work in Newton, so off, I went.
I remember the studio feeling like another world with the smell of incense and the dim lights. It felt very warm, welcoming and accepting. The class was jam-packed, very hot, very sweaty and very frustrating. I had no clue what I was doing, but after class, I felt incredible. I kept going back for more. I was feeling better in my body and my mind was at ease. It became more about how great I felt and less about the bendy-tone-body stuff.
I had an on-and-off relationship with yoga throughout the years. It was six years after the initial class that I decided to enroll in the Yoga Teacher training offered by the very same studio where it all began for me. At that point in my life, I was in the midst of a major transition. I had just moved back to MA (and back in with my parents!!) after spending three years in Hawaii. I was trying to sort out “what’s next?” I had dreamed about being a yoga teacher someday, so I decided to finally go for it. Teacher training was a life-changing experience with lots of ups and downs, but with the support from friends and family, and other teacher trainees, I found the courage to teach, and started teaching classes shortly after completion of my program.
Yoga led me to become more interested in others ways of feeling better in my body and I found Ayurveda- “the sister-science” to yoga. A fellow teacher and friend, Emily Griffin had been studying it and running workshops, and I felt drawn to it. I haven’t had the healthiest relationship with food throughout my life, so this felt like a very helpful next step for me. I wanted to keep learning more so I enrolled in the 650-hr Ayurvedic Health Counselor program through Kripalu School of Ayurveda, and became an Ayurvedic Health Counselor.
Currently, I offer private yoga sessions and Ayurvedic health consultations at my new practice Back Bay Ayurveda and Private Yoga. I also teach group yoga classes at various studios and I run a corporate yoga company On The Spot Well-Being that offers on-site yoga classes to companies in and around Boston.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Parts have felt smooth and other parts not so much. I felt that once I got up the nerve to pursue teaching, doors began to open for me. I followed in the footsteps of teachers I admired. I taught at gyms, was a substitute teacher at yoga studios and eventually worked my way up to teaching my own classes at the studios.
A big hurdle for me was (and still kind of is) my fear of speaking in public. In the beginning, I remember being so scared. Scared of how I would be perceived, scared of being seen, scared of making a mistake or my mind just going blank and looking silly. With time and lots of practice, it has become much easier and I’ve become more confident and comfortable speaking to a large group.
I also bumped up against the cruel comparison game, comparing myself to other teachers that had been teaching for years that I had no business comparing myself to. Self-doubt, self-criticism were other obstacles; Am I good enough? Will people like me and respond to me? Who am I to be doing what I’m doing?- the whole gamut. I try and remind myself that it is all part of the process. There will always be someone better, but the only person I have any business comparing myself to is the person I was yesterday. I try and remind myself how far I have come from where I was and that I’m still learning as I go.
Another major obstacle was/is trying to make a decent living pursuing a career in teaching yoga. For years, I supplemented my yoga teaching with another job- mainly bartending. Talk about two completely opposites sides of the spectrum. I used to joke that my service was helping people feel calm whether through booze or through breath. The hours were so hard, working late at night and then having to get up early to teach a class. My life was the opposite of balanced, but I had rent and bills to pay. I had to get more creative and out of my own way if I wanted my full-time career to be teaching yoga. By taking on private clients, offering workshops, assisting teacher trainings, teaching corporate yoga classes, offering diet and lifestyle consultations as well teaching group classes in studios I was able to leave the restaurant industry and pursue yoga and Ayurveda full-time.
Please tell us about Back Bay Ayurveda and Private Yoga.
Back Bay Ayurveda and Private Yoga is my latest venture and I’m so excited about it. I specialize in helping people feel even better in their bodies through one-on-one yoga sessions and diet and lifestyle consultations based on the principles of Ayurveda.
My business is based on the principle that we are all unique and that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health and wellness. A yoga pose that might be beneficial to one body may be detrimental to another body, and the same goes for food and lifestyle habits. A sedentary person may need to add a little more pep to their day, while the can’t-stop-won’t-stop-always-on-the-go-person may need to slow down and meditate more.
Through private yoga sessions, clients receive 1-on-1 attention that they would not get in a group class. By working individually I hope to teach my clients yoga poses that are best suited for their bodies to help them feel stronger and more connected to what they need. (They can take that information into the group class setting if they like!) 1×1 classes are a great for people brand new to yoga or the seasoned student looking to fine-tune their practice. I strive to offer a practice that leaves my clients feeling stronger, rejuvenated, and at ease.
I believe that being healthy is more than just a healthy diet and exercise. Just as “we are what we eat”, we are also what we watch, who we spend time with, what we do, and how we live our day-to-day lives. Through Ayurvedic Health Consultations, I help to educate my clients on food and habits that are best suited for their individual constitutions to feel best in their bodies. We work together to set goals that are attainable and not too extreme. I believe in the 80/20 rule and that baby steps are still progress! Somedays we may just need pizza or chocolate– and that’s OK!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wouldn’t change a thing. Through all my jobs, I’ve had on this winding road I’ve met so many amazing and interesting people. I’ve met life long friends as well as mentors and teachers that continue to inspire me. I am forever grateful for my amazing support system. My family, my friends and my now fiancé are always cheering in my corner and helping me to continue to grow and believe in myself.
I’ve grown to believe that everything happens exactly as it supposed to. What started as a superficial curiosity turned into a steady career path. I’ve landed where I am today by trusting my intuition that I am on the right track. There have been disappointments and set-backs and times where I was overwhelmed, questioning everything straight-up ready to quit, somehow I just kept going. Slowly, moving forward with my fingers crossed, I knew it would all work out. I look forward to all that lies ahead with my new business as well as the yoga and wellness industry as a whole.
Pricing:
- Initial Private Yoga Session 75min: $125 ($100 for follow-ups)
- Initial Ayurveda Consult 60min: $100 ($50 for follow-ups)
- Corporate Yoga Class (Group): $175
Contact Info:
- Address: Back Bay Ayurveda & Private Yoga
437 Boylston Street. FL4th STE402 - Website: www.backbayayurveda.
com - Phone: 617-903-0108
- Email: backbayayurveda@gmail.com
- Instagram: ginger_veda
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Back-Bay-Ayurveda-Private-Yoga
Image Credit:
Tracy Rodriguez Photography, Eric Derrico
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
