Jennie Honda

Jennie grew up in a big family with four brothers and one sister. The FitzPatrick kids were always very active - from running bases to dodge ball. In keeping up with her siblings, Jennie established a go-getting attitude. She loves to run, hike, roller blade, and generally be active in the outdoors, and enjoys the way yoga has improved her skill in action. More than that, she appreciates how yoga has helped her slow down and enjoy the path as well as the pursuit.

When Jennie first started yoga, she was working in a fast-paced environment, and while she was ready to keep up with the non-stop demands of her job, yoga led her to realize that she didn’t have to. Instead, she learned to let go of the striving attitude to “get” something and focus more on the quality of each action. The result, as she explains: “I have fun in my practice, I explore in my practice and sometimes I come up against blocks. Being patient in my practice has helped me with the ever-challenging quality of patience in my life. I realize happiness is a state of mind and the sense of balance can be ever shifting.”

This attitude and experience is clear in Jennie’s teaching. One student explains, “Jennie has made it easy to find that balance between engaging and relaxing, between pushing yourself and respecting where you are at the moment. I am finding more of this balance everyday at The Yoga Tree.”

Jennie’s classes are known to be fun, physical, and sometimes intense, yet the heat of the practice is always balanced by a cool head – not to mention the occasional offbeat but surprisingly apt Star Trek reference. She encourages her students into more intentional awareness through a steady breath, precision in
motion, and a step-by-step perspective that highlights the quirky and
beautiful details arising in each moment.

In addition to teaching yoga, Jennie is studying physical therapy and works as a PT aide. She also has been a trainer in our YogaWorks Teacher Training. All this means that Jennie brings a lot of intelligence to her yoga. Her sequences are imaginative but just what your body needs -- building in a way that prepares the body for deeper poses, and winding down smoothly to allow for complete rest. Using clear verbal instruction and physical adjustments, she knows just how
to guide students into correct alignment – down to the level of even and balanced of muscle tone to prevent injury or work therapeutically. She is able to combine this precision of alignment with a high-energy practice, satisfying your itch to move, yet always guiding your efforts toward wisdom and calm.

If you have found yourself feeling restless in yoga classes, or find that your mind moves faster when your body slows down, Jennie’s class might be the perfect answer for you. It’s classic yoga, igniting and focusing your energy, channeling
your action and intention into inner clarity.