Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliana Provvidenza.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Juliana. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
How I got started is not that different from many others. Most yogis are familiar with the saying, “yoga will come to you in a time of need”. As cliché as it sounds, it is true for many- as well as me.
To be honest, there are many reasons why I needed yoga. My family was going through an incredibly difficult time- I was battling with an eating disorder and many internal demons. My life was headed in a direction that was unhealthy. So yoga saved me. It completely accepted me. It was waiting for me.
The first time I stepped onto my mat, I was with my mom. She was actually the first person to bring me to a yoga class. She received a gift of class passes to a nearby studio from a co-worker. Out of the fear of going alone, she invited me (did I really have a choice?) to attend the class with her.
I remember very distinctively the first time I stepped onto my mat. It wasn’t like a typical sport. I was alone, forced to confront myself, listen and accept everything that was happening in my life, and lastly, I was given freedom; I could lay in Savasana for the entire class if I wanted, or just drop down to Child’s Pose if I felt the need to. No-one was pushing me to do anything, because the practice was for ME.
There was no going back. Yoga completely shifted my life on another track. By age 16 I applied to work at the juice bar inside of the yoga studio. Part of the gig was that I got free unlimited classes. Before high school, I would wake up at 5:30 AM to make the 6 AM yoga class. I would practice for an hour, go home, shower, go to school (skip to do yoga sometimes) and then went right back to the yoga studio. There was something about the flow of a sun salutation that made me feel ALIVE. I was addicted to the practice.
My love for yoga has never faded. When I came to Chicago to attend DePaul University, my first stop was a yoga studio on campus (CorePower in Lincoln Park). It was there that I got my 200-hour certification. By age 18 I was a certified yoga instructor and reiki healer. I immediately started teaching yoga around the community wherever I could.
Since 2015, I have taught over 500 yoga classes in Chicago, New York, Indiana and Costa Rica. I have led 3 retreats and continue to teach public classes at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center (a gym facility in Lincoln Park). I currently have a MeetUp (Chicago Yoga MeetUp) that has over 700+ followers and am proud to say that I am able to make a living with teaching (something I never doubted but feared).
My story is far from over. I find myself excited at age 20 to see where my yoga career goes. What different shapes will my yoga practice (both individually and systematically) have? How will I continue to evolve?
Please know that every story is unique and different. Yoga will come when you need it the most. Your body will accept the poses, the practice, the breathing and find it as a way to release. I hope my story will not only inspire you to give yoga a chance but realize that your dreams and passions deserve to be explored.
Has it been a smooth road?
Following your dreams is never a smooth road. I think of the exploration as a test. How bad do you want it? I have found that yoga (the physical practice and starting my own business) has been purely about discipline. One of my main struggles was figuring out if I wanted to have the responsibility of teaching others the practice of yoga.
I think that something yoga instructors have to evaluate is if they actually want to teach yoga. What I mean by this is if they are passionate about not just doing yoga. As Yoga instructors, we all have something in common- we love yoga. We want to practice it all the time and enjoy the physical and mental benefits. It seems easy then to believe that we want to teach this amazing journey we have embarked on to others. However, once we start teaching, we are no longer practicing just for ourselves.
We are practicing for a larger purpose. We are practicing, analyzing, studying, and indulging for the sole purpose of sharing with others. We have taken on this responsibility of caring about others’ practices. We no longer can just walk into a studio and leave unnoticed. We have this knowledge and the responsibility to share it. This could take many different forms, such as giving a teacher feedback at another studio, sharing tips to a student on a posture, correcting alignment, listening and being grounded for when students share something with you that is deeply personal and teaching with positive energy.
This adjustment is hard but beyond amazing. Having others trust in you to guide them is beyond humbling and such a privilege. I believe this needs and must be recognized by every instructor. It is easy to have a passion, but is the passion truly in the right place? Can you provide quality service? By quality, I am not alluding to how “good” someone is in the asana practice (or postures), instead of when I say quality, I am talking about the intention.
Another hardship has been to practice what I preach. It is easy to tell others to live a more mindful, healthy, and spiritual life, but harder to follow it. I have evaluated if I actually believe in what I am saying. Can I live a more mindful lifestyle? I don’t have to prefect a healthy lifestyle (things happen in life), but can I at least be on this journey of trying to figure out what is healthy for me in my body? Can I share my experiences with my students?
Due to this, my lifestyle has shifted in many ways and continues to evolve. I try to be as open and honest with my students as I can. This has taught me that yoga is truly not about the destination, but the journey.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Chill Yogi is a yoga service that focuses on being affordable. By being sponsored by brands or partnering with local partners, Chill Yogi is able to bring yoga workshops and classes to the Chicago community for extremely cheap (free or by donation). All MeetUp classes are by donation (give what you can) and welcome everyone.
Chill Yogi also provides private lessons for people that wish to get deeper in their practice in the comfort of their own home. By working in small groups, or on an individual basis, one is able to truly explore what their body needs.
What I am most proud of is how affordable we are. With everything from classes, workshops, and retreats, Chill Yogi has made the average person be able to indulge in something that is sadly becoming a luxury.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Starting a yoga practice anywhere can be intimidating due to how many studios are around.
However, if you truly believe you have a gift, then share it. People will respond. People will come because they want you to guide them. All it takes is for one person to walk into your class and you have the opportunity to change their life. If you are passionate about it, share it, preach it, do it.
Follow what your mind is telling you because anything is truly possible if you believe. You just have to go for it. Chicago, along with any other place, has space for your gift.
Pricing:
- Single drop-in fee at the Ray Meyer Fitness Center= $13
- MeetUp= by donation (suggested $5)
- Private Yoga Class (Home or Public Space) = $75 per hour or $40 per half an hour *class packages are available on my website*
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ChillYogi.com
- Phone: 585-690-5023
- Email: provvidenza3@gmail.com
- Instagram: @ChillYogi
Image Credit:
@loafingyogi
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago 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.
