Dear Friend,

My name is Jessica Ballard and I started this site to share my experience and appreciation of yoga with you. I have been practicing yoga in Ottawa since 2004 and teaching since 2007.

Yoga has allowed me to experience in-depth glimpses into topics relevant to me during certain time in my life—teaching me who I am and how to enjoy life. Yoga is my passion and I enjoy sharing it with others, whether it's teaching private, partner, or group lessons in your home or in my beautiful private home studio located in Ottawa.

Yoga is more than just learning about how to stretch your body. It's also about learning how to breathe. In fact, if you're not breathing properly, you're not doing yoga.

Many of us are not aware it, but we tend to hold our breath, or we only breathe fast and shallowly in our chests. We don't breathe into our belly, so this means we're not filling our lungs to their maximum potential and missing out on many benefits—including increased energy and focus.

Stop right now and observe your breathing pattern. Are you breathing deep into your chest and belly, or are you just breathing into the upper part of your chest?

When you learn how to focus on your breathing, you're learning how to do yoga. In yoga, and in life, breathing is everything. Proper breathing combined with yoga has the power to change your life.

• Do you suffer from back pain?
  
  
• Do you work long hours at a desk or stand all day?
  
  
• Do you have a stressful job?
  
  
• Do you have problems letting go?

The great thing about yoga is you can bring it anywhere you go. I can show you how to incorporate yoga into your life today and minimize the pains you live with every day. We're so used to living with these pains in our bodies that we begin to believe they're normal or that we do not have the power to change them, but we do, and Yoga can help.

We all say we don't have enough time to exercise, but what we don't realize is that exercise gives us more time. It makes us more efficient. It gives us more energy. It helps us live longer.

Anyone can do yoga—any time, anywhere. Age doesn't matter. There's a yoga style for you. You can practice while stuck in traffic or while waiting for an interview. You can literally learn how to breathe and stretch your way to a happier and more fulfilling life.

Take control of your life today. Every little bit helps. With regular group, team, partner, or private classes, you can begin to change your life for the better. Don't wait. Discover yoga your way today.

To your health,

Jessica Ballard
Yoga Ottawa Instructor