Conversations with the Inspiring Rebecca Trussell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rebecca Trussell.

Rebecca, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been teaching yoga in some capacity since 2009. When I signed up for yoga teacher training, I had no intention of ever teaching, but I realized that I loved it and decided it was a good hobby and a way to take classes for free. By 2012, I had transitioned to being a full-time yoga teacher, but I laughed whenever anyone asked if I planned to open my own studio. Then in 2013, a friend asked if I’d like to sublease a small space in a building she was renting and open a yoga studio. I’m typically a person who agonizes over decisions and spends way too much time weighing the options, so I told her, I would think about it. I woke up the next morning and the first thought I had was “yes.” I opened my studio in September of 2013 with just me teaching all the classes. A year later, we had added several teachers and outgrown our space. We’ve been in our current location since 2015, and we’ve seen continued growth each year.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road, but it’s been rewarding. Owning a business is challenging, and owning a yoga studio has its own particular challenges that I doubt many potential studio owners consider. People often look at the studio schedule and assume I only work when I’m teaching classes. But as the owner, I’m also the administrative assistant, social media manager, marketing person, IT consultant, main sub, janitor, you name it. It’s a full-time job. I also made the decision starting out to handle things a little differently than traditional businesses. I wanted to create a space that offered a community, not one that focused on numbers or being trendy. That meant finding teachers who could create a friendly and inclusive atmosphere — but who also knew their stuff.

what should we know about Yoga Selah? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
The name of my studio is Yoga Selah. Selah is a Hebrew word and there is some uncertainty about the exact meaning of it. It appears frequently in the book of Psalms and seems to be a musical direction in the sense of a rest or a pause, so it often gets translated as “pause” or “stop and think about it”. The fact that this word doesn’t have a clear definition resonates with me. It signals space or pause but without a clear explanation of what that pause is supposed to be like and that was always what the practice of yoga did for me as well.

When I was envisioning what I wanted Yoga Selah to be, I kept coming back to this idea of providing space for people to find their own practice. I specialize in teaching alignment based yoga; my training has mostly been with teachers who have Iyengar or Anusara backgrounds. My first love is asana or the physical practice, but over the years I’ve been drawn more to the meditative practices of yoga, which have led me to pursue further studies into contemplative living. I’m currently a student at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM and I’m excited about bringing more aspects of contemplative living to my community. We’re located in a small town a little north of the city, but there’s been at least one yoga studio here for over 10 years.

Ten years ago, the styles of yoga classes to choose from were fairly limited. Yoga in this area is growing and there are a lot more classes for us to choose from without driving 45 minutes south. It’s been really exciting to be a part of that and to be one of the players in that growth. What I feel sets us apart from the yoga community is that we are simply about the practice of yoga. We offer the opportunity for our practitioners to take their practice deeper than just asana if they choose and to incorporate the mind and spirit as well as the body into the practice, but it remains their practice. At Yoga Selah, you don’t need to have special clothes or look a certain way or be able to do really advanced yoga poses (although we’ll teach you if you want to learn). You simply have to show up and step on your mat to practice with us.

What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Yoga (at least in the West) has always been practiced predominantly by females. So, I feel like yoga is a great place to cultivate female leadership. I personally have never encountered a barrier to becoming a leader in my industry, which I know is not the case for most women and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.

Contact Info:

• Address: Yoga Selah
  101 Meadow Dr Ste C
  Cumming, GA 30040
• Website: www.yogaselah.com
• Phone: 470-253-4088
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @yogaselah @bextrussellyoga
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogaselahpausereflect/
• Twitter: @yoga_selah

Image Credit:
Rebecca Trussell

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