Meet Trailblazer Lisa Reeder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Reeder.

Lisa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
So many moments in my life have been transformational, mundane, joyful, challenging and full of grace and they all have placed me perfectly right here in this moment.

So, if I can hit the rewind button, I would tell you that my journey began in Panama in 1974. My dad was a fighter pilot in the Air Force so, as a family, we endured the challenge of moving every 2-3 years. As a kid, I remember being overwhelmed with each move–saying goodbye to friends, knowing that I would be faced to meet new ones soon, just to have to do it all over again in a couple of years. My fifth-grade year was the most memorable, I guess you could say. My dad came home from work to let us know we would be moving to Germany. WHAT?!? Germany – are you kidding me? NOPE.

As a military family, you don’t have a choice but to hook arms and say, “Ok, let’s do this!” So, off we went. The middle of my fifth-grade year. Culture shock. However, what I didn’t know at the time, was how my experiences of living in another country and traveling all over Europe would mold me into the open-minded, accepting, & compassionate person I am today. Game changer! Traveling had a way of opening my eyes to the vastness & connection of our world, the experiences and stories of others & that EVERYONE understands the power of a smile.

SMILE. Just do it! And do it often!

I always loved to move my body as a kid. When I wasn’t at the gymnastics studio, I was outside riding my bike, building forts, and adventuring around. I loved the feeling of being outdoors in nature and the high I got when I moved my body (even though I didn’t understand the physiological component at the time). This made me smile A LOT!

As I grew up and found yoga, I always experienced the high when I moved my body but didn’t really start to understand the connection between mind and body until I embarked on my first yoga teacher training. After leaving my career as a high school teacher, teaching students who were Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, I immersed myself into my yoga practice and studies.

Since then, I have completed over 1000 hours of teacher training and have taught over 1500 classes. I teach locally and also co-founded Signing Yoga for All, a company that brings sign-accessible yoga to all, regardless of hearing ability. You can catch our classes monthly at prAna in Boulder, CO.

As I dove deeper into my yoga practice, I found I was pulled to the beauty of women’s circles and teaching women the power and inspiration of this practice.

My business partner, Kristin Schooler and I, met in 2015. We both had a similar desire to change the world one woman at a time. Out of this passion, Wild Souls Yoga was born. Wild Souls Yoga believes in cultivating self-love and sisterhood through the timeless wisdom of yoga in order to be healthy and whole, in mind, body, and spirit.

We currently lead inspiring yoga retreats and workshops throughout Colorado, we offer intuitive healing and coaching sessions and private yoga lessons. We also will create an event unique to you.

I now know that I am living my soul’s purpose. It has been the journey of highs and lows, of introspection, of tears, of laughter, of really digging in and working through the stuff of my life that no longer serves me and my higher purpose. I am passionate about teaching what I learn and sharing ALL of my experiences.

Fast forward to October 2018, the year I went back to my birthplace. Beautiful, Sweet, Panama. As I walked up to the hospital where I was born, I was overwhelmed with gratitude thinking about what had transpired in the years since I had left this place when I was 2 days old.

Here I was. Standing on a sidewalk. Heart wide-open. Huge smile on my face. I was HOME.

Full circle. We are all connected. We all matter. We are ONE!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has my journey been a smooth road? Absolutely not. But whose journey really is? Its life and life is a wild ride. As we can all attest to, life can change in a heartbeat, without notice, without warning. The challenge then, comes in the form of our response and reaction. Will this make us or break us? It’s up to us. Is it always easy to respond with love and light? Heck NO!

But here in lies the choice. And programming ourselves to move from a space of gratitude will serve us better even though sometimes it might feel better to yell and scream and have an absolute meltdown – GUILTY!

One of my biggest struggles throughout my life was being concerned about what others thought about me. I never in my whole life wanted someone to think that I wasn’t good enough, or capable, or likable, or worthy. So, I would go to extremes, sometimes compromising my own soul, to make sure that I was accepted.

Maybe this stemmed from growing up in the military, moving every couple of years and having to always show up as the new kid—uncertain what my reality would be. Would I be acknowledged, would I be loved? Not ever really sure.

Once I became a mom, this worry and fear consumed me. I felt the pressure to be the perfect mom, wife, & career woman. It was hard. It was stressful. Even though from the outside it looked like I was just breezing through life, on the inside I was wreaking havoc on myself.

Through my yoga and meditation practice, I have been able to release the deep-rooted beliefs I once had. It wasn’t always a pretty journey but it was mine. I have allowed myself to sit through the tears and the uncomfortable so that I could find a more sustainable way to be in the world.

My advice for women today is to show up unapologetically in all of your beauty, wisdom, & authenticity. Do not sacrifice your soul and your beliefs to fit the mold. Spend time in nature, journal, meditate, or whatever gives you the opportunity to sit with your experiences. Question everything about what you think you believe and recognize how it feels in your bones. If it doesn’t resonate, CHANGE IT! You and only you have the power. Take control of YOUR life. I promise you will smile more, you will find ease and you will fulfill your life’s purpose.

Never easy, but definitely worth it!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Wild Souls Yoga – what should we know?
I have always loved to learn. I am in a constant state of curiosity. And I have realized at this point in my life, the more I know, the less I know. So, I keep learning. I keep an open mind. I explore. I question. I understand. I sit still and process. Then I teach.

I teach what I am learning and what I have learned. I believe I am on this path right alongside everyone else. We learn, we digest, we teach. We all do it—just in different ways! That’s the magic about receiving knowledge from someone else. It broadens our perspectives. It allows us to connect fully.

Connection. It’s in our soul. We were made to connect. We were made to be together. This is the piece that I love about what I do.

I teach yoga. I teach workshops. I lead yoga retreats. I teach private yoga lessons. I lead healing coaching sessions. I facilitate an online-guided program connecting us back to the cycles of nature.

Our company, Wild Souls Yoga, is growing faster than we could have ever imagined and we are so filled with gratitude. People are craving connection, validation, and worth in this day and age. We are so proud that we get to be a small part in the awakening of the divine feminine in all of us.

Our most favorite thing in the world is leading yoga retreats. We see women show up feeling drained from the pressures of life (we get it because we have certainly felt this in our own lives) and then we see them leave, rejuvenated, refreshed and alive.

It’s pure magic. This is a connection. To others and to ourselves.

Over the last couple of years, our retreats have been selling out a couple of months in advance, so if you are interested in one of our retreats or any of the services we offer, feel free to reach out to me at lisa@wildsouls.yoga. I would love to meet you, talk with you, connect with you. You can also visit our website at www.wildsouls.yoga.

Do you recommend any apps, books or podcasts that have been helpful to you?
Oh my goodness, the list is endless.

However, here are some of my favorites.

Favorite Books: The White Hot Truth and Firestarter Sessions by Danielle LaPorte, The Way of the Happy Woman by Sara Avant-Stover, Feminine Genius by Liyana Silver, Light on Life by B.K.S Iyengar, Tending the Heart Fire by Shiva Rea

Favorite Podcasts: Energy Matters with Cody & David, Feminine Power Time with Christine Arylo

Also, check out the Daily OM if you haven’t yet. Their messages of consciousness & awareness are inspiring.

So many inspirational people in the world.

And my favorite time to read is in the morning, by the fire pit with a cup of coffee in hand.

Pricing:

• Yoga Retreats & Workshops: Pricing ranges depending on the venue. Check our website for details.
• Private Yoga Sessions: $75/hour

Contact Info:

• Website: www.wildsouls.yoga
• Email: lisa@wildsouls.yoga
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildsoulsyoga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildsoulsyogasisterhood/

Image Credit:
Maclaine Reeder, Molly Steele

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