Meghan Tanella

Having to reflect on my yoga journey is a bit comical to me, as I was quite resistant to get started. I had always found my deepest connections and friendships to be with women who were fully immersed in yogic practices, but I always denied their suggestions to start. Part of me wanted to be like them, but the other part of me thought they were a bunch of wackos. Yet, I longed for the feelings of peace and contentment they were always able to find.

My journey with Yoga began after a deep period of grief, after dropping out of college and moving home to care for my mom in her illness, and both my mother and grandmother passing of the same cancer, with a matter of months in between each loss. I came to the realization that life is simply too short, yet too incredible to continue to let it pass me by, and I began to pursue my first bucket list item of getting my solo skydiver’s license. Within my course, my instructor told me that my homework was “not to come back to the dropzone until I take a yoga class,” and to “learn to chill the f*ck out.” I reluctantly took his advice, and joined a yoga studio back on Long Island in 2021.

From there, my life began to transform and unfold in unimaginable ways, and my physical and mental health finally started to find the healing I had always longed for. My journey through yoga brought me the courage to move out of New York and to begin pursuing my many dreams and goals, one of which was to become an instructor. Yoga has led me to find the inherent potential within myself, a beautiful community of like minded and encouraging friends, and the lesson that the life I live each day is an incredible gift. Alongside working towards my 250 hour certification and working with Onyx, I am a private vocal, piano and bass instructor, and the principal cantor and lead soprano at a church in Newark. In my free time, I enjoy skydiving with my boyfriend, Patryk, hiking and traveling, longboarding and kayaking, reading and embroidering, and spending time with my 12 year old dog, Kasey.