Have You Met Claudia Menendez?

We are SO excited to be welcoming Claudia to our weekly teaching staff. This mama carries such wisdom and heart! She’s offering a Sunday Bilingual Vinyasa Flow 11:30-12:30pm starting THIS WEEK!

We asked her some questions so you can catch her vibe!

Tell us about your yoga journey and what motivated you to teach?

I attended my first yoga class when I was in high school and quickly connected with the practice and fell in love. No matter where I’ve lived, I have found time to develop my own practice and take classes where possible. Since discovering yoga I have always wanted to take yoga teacher training but had not found the right time or place to study. I am a teacher at heart and I love creating experiences and sharing what I know and am learning. Yoga has been a part of my life for many years and I have been inspired by my many teachers over the last three decades. My new year’s resolution in 2023 was to finally take a yoga teacher training. November 2024 rolled around and I had still not pursued finding a yoga teacher training program. It is at this moment that Be Free entered my life and this new chapter begins to write itself.

What is one of your favorite yamas/niyamas and why?

 Oh, I love this question. The Yama and Niyama are an endless fountain of wisdom of traditional yoga philosophy that lend themselves to deep self-discovery. The first Yama I learned was Asteya. The word “asteya” is derived from Sanskrit and can be translated as “non-stealing” or “non-taking.” It is about respecting what belongs to others and not coveting or desiring what others have and not taking advantage of others in any way, whether it’s their time, energy, ideas, or possessions. For example being late all the time is a form of stealing others’ time. This was my learning. I immediately recognized this pattern in myself of pushing the clock which means I take time from others when they have to wait for me. Another side of Asteya is the awareness to practice and cultivate a sense of contentment and gratitude and recognizing and appreciating the abundance in one’s life, rather than comparing yourself to others which can lead to jealousy, feelings of inadequacy and sadness. To practice Asteya daily express gratitude for all you have, for who you are today. Listen to your body. Respect the environment around you. Honor your boundaries and those of others.

What do you do when you're NOT teaching yoga?

When I’m not teaching yoga I have a full active family life catering to the needs, interests and desires of my 11 year old daughter, Lucia, and 14 year old son, Emilio. They are involved in so many activities that luckily my husband, Sebastian, and I also enjoy like skiing, soccer, band concerts, cello concerts, middle school plays and so much in between. It’s a joy and such a blessing. Another big part of my life is working for the City of Fort Collins as the Equity & Inclusion Officer. This fills my days with opportunities to engage with a wide diversity of community groups and individuals, staff and councilmembers and together work on building a community where we want to live. I get the opportunity to consult on city programming, budgeting, and strategic planning. If you’re ever in City Hall, stop by for a visit.

What is currently lighting you up in your life?

Honestly, it is this opportunity to join the Be Free familia of practitioners. I love creating nurturing and energizing yoga experiences and helping folks find their flow, connect to their inner strength and peace so they can go out into the world to give and receive love, respect and harmony.

What is something people might not know about you?

I was born in El Salvador, was raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and have lived in Fort Collins since 2009. I have had the honor of working in Central America, Cuba, and Uganda.

I speak English.

Hablo español.

Je parle un peu de français aussi!