Zahrie (she/her) discovered the physical practice of yoga when she was 16 years old. Her father brought her to class and she immediately became fascinated with asana. As she continued taking classes, she recognized that yoga is not purely physical. She began to use yogic tools she learned on the mat into her life as she moved through major life milestones.

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Zahrie not only felt the benefits for herself, but saw the benefits yoga had on the disabled population, as she worked as a direct support professional at a non-for-profit throughout college. She taught chair yoga and developed classes based on the needs of the wonderful individuals she cared for. She then became certified through YogaFit in 2014, and taught at the university level to students and professors for several years. 

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At her university, she discovered there was a need for stress management and decision-making skills. Although students were learning from their academic classes and internships, they were missing the tools to manage it all and also care for themselves on the most basic level. Her classes started out as simple vinyasa flow, but quickly became a safe space for students to express themselves, explore the deeper underpinnings of the yogic path, and further evaluate what self-care really means to them.

 

Zahrie designed collaborative workshops with other yoga instructors to share their knowledge with the students and professors, as well as providing classes specifically for the following groups: yoga for athletes (Division 1 Men's and Women's sports teams), women/female empowerment, The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, and trauma-informed classes for victims of domestic violence and assault.

 

In 2018, Zahrie completed her 200hr RYT with Breathe For Change, an organization devoted to the yogic path and social justice. Dora Ananda Yoga was born shortly after, naming her studio after her Mami, Dora, who was a survivor of the Holocaust. Much of what guides the practices and classes offered at Dora Ananda Yoga is from what Zahrie has learned from Dora and the way she lived her life. 

 

Zahrie completed a Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training in 2019 with Sangeeta Vallabhan. Combined with her previous experience, Zahrie is able to create classes that are sensitive and inclusive for all walks of life. Zahrie is excited to be providing classes for individuals, businesses, and other focus groups in the NYC area to help them achieve their goals regardless of skill level or stereotype.