alex halenda

Whether we’re crossing paths for the first time, or you’ve known me for a while and have found yourself on my website, I sincerely welcome you. First off, I think it’s profound to cross paths at all. Out of billions of people and the many places you could be, let alone choose to practice and explore yoga, here we are. It’s my preference to keep an awareness of the magic in everything, even this moment.

That said, I understand you’re on this page because you’re curious about me.

The most practical information is:

I’m currently based in Los Angeles, CA. My home studio is Kinship Yoga in Highland Park. I teach around 10 classes a week, mostly hot vinyasa/hatha based classes, and a couple yin classes. I also lead classes in breath work, mantras, inversions, and teach a portion of the 200-hour teacher training.

These days, classes often sell out, which I attribute to maintaining consistency in my offerings over the years and building strong relationships. Students trust that I will provide clear cues, topics of contemplation, safe and creative sequences, offer modifications for all levels and create an inclusive environment for everyone in the room.

The history behind the how and why:

I’d like to give you some real insight to who I am and why I’ve chosen to devote so much time to teaching yoga.

My story begins in Miami, FL where I was born and raised by my well-meaning religious parents alongside my older brother. Their spirituality set the tone for our home in a significant way, and they always encouraged a meaningful approach to life. While their lineage was christian, many of the teachings that stuck with me could have come straight out of an ancient yogic text. They taught me to respect everything in the world as something sacred, to honor differences in others, to not covet material things, and to always seek to walk in the path of the wise role models we learned about in that tradition. I was also homeschooled up until I persuaded them to let me join high school kids for an attempt at a “normal” teenage experience. But those homeschooled years gave me a lot of independence. I learned early to how to figure things out, think critically, hold conversations with people of all ages, and I spent A LOT of time in nature. I felt most awe-struck climbing the neighborhood trees, singing songs to my dogs, watching the sunset and drinking a crisp ice-cold cup of water on a humid day. I learned to appreciate the simple, long stretches of quiet between activities. The silence of being at home without much to do after the lessons were over.

This beautiful, simple life was interrupted at the age of 7. While on a family road trip, we were involved in an unavoidable car accident that severely injured both my parents. Despite their incredible resolve to remain positive, commitment to their faith, and practice of willingness to be supported by loved ones - this really shifted things in my young life. I learned early how to care for others and set my own needs aside. I learned to hold space and maintain a sense of calm that helped others breathe through tough times. I learned a lot of skills that I practice today, and some that I have had to unlearn.

My journey into yoga feels interwoven with all the years of my life, as I look back I see how my perspective on things seems designed for it. But my actual discovery of yogic practices began around the age of 15.

Around that age I became curious about meditation. I had heard that you could experience incredible, psychedelic, dream-like states. I heard the journalism teacher in my high school was buddhist, and I was aware that meditation was something buddhists practiced. So one day after school I went to the journalism teacher’s classroom and introduced myself. I asked him if he would teach me how to meditate, and he said he couldn’t really offer a one on one class, but if I wanted to get a little group of students together than he would lead a meditation for a group. Being that I had childhood experience going door to door, I wasn’t shy to ask people at school if they wanted to try meditating. The first meditation group had nearly 50 students in attendance. I don’t remember what I said to get them there. Maybe I told them meditation would be “a trip.” Whatever it was, worked. And after that first session, we formed a meditation club.

TO BE CONTINUED… If you’re interested in the rest of the story, before I finish writing this, please contact me and give me a nudge.

If you would like to work with me, please contact via email at alexhalenda@gmail.com