My name is Djenab (the D is silent). 
I'm all about taking life's lemons and making lemonade. The year 2020 has been the ultimate test, especially with the pandemic. Like many, I felt unmoored, stressed, depressed. So I leaned even more on my yoga practice for grounding, and decided to become certified as a yoga teacher. After completing my 200 hour certification in December 2020, I founded Joie Yoga to spread more joy, both within myself and to others. Joie = joy in French. Why French? My background is global: I was born in Beijing to a Chinese mother and Guinean father.  I lived in China, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, and France before my family immigrated to the Midwest, USA. 

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I have always been a perfectionist and over-stressed. In high school, my mom suggested I try yoga to de-stress. I wasn't keen at first, but gradually I began to enjoy my practice more and more. When I started at Berkeley Law, yoga became a consistent part of my life. Thanks to my background in psychology from Yale, I noticed and felt the difference that a regular yoga practice made on my mental, emotional, and physical health. Now as a practicing attorney, I appreciate even more the time spent cultivating awareness of breath and body through yoga. Time is always tight, yet my time on the mat allows me to show up better in other areas of my life. 

 

The sage Patanjali defines yoga as the process by which one steadies the fluctuating mind. My practice aims to bring balance to the body and mind, thereby counteracting the stressors of daily life. There is so much more to yoga than just the asanas (the physical postures), but incorporating both meditation and a regular physical practice into our lives brings health and more importantly, trains and disciplines the mind for clarity, vitality, and yes, joy. And we all need more joy.

 

Begin to bring more joy into your life and book a class with me.
For privates, corporate, institutional, or other inquires, send a message to nihao@joieyoga.co.