Tammy Lyons
Founder of Bliss – Certified and Registered Yoga Teacher
I came to the mat almost 25 years ago in search of a sweeter physical expression, craving a spiritual ground and a need to make peace with my body.
After receiving my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification at Silver Lotus Yoga Institute in the fall of '01 with Susan Hamadock in Rehoboth Beach, DE, I opened Inner Bliss Yoga Studio on January 2, '02 in the original Lakewood location. We moved to Beachcliff in Rocky River 18 months later and then into the current Lake Road location a year after that. In August of 2012 we opened our second location in Westlake. After losing our lease in the original Westlake location, we move into our new Westlake home that we love at 30311 Clemens!
The intention of Inner Bliss has always been to encourage a vibrant yoga community in Cleveland with a safe, nurturing environment for the the practice of vinyasa yoga.
I am thankful to all of my teachers, past and present, but the greatest teachers are my students who fill me with inspiration and gratitude even during my most difficult moments.
My teaching style is uplifting, high energy and fun and in equal measure grounding, powerful and meaningful.
I hope my students experience their walls coming down, their hearts opening, their bodies getting stronger and more supple as their minds relax for moments at a time.
I practice yoga… I practice yoga to slay the demons in my mind and to get stronger and more supple from the inside out.
I find peace… I find peace in the early hours of the morning with my candles burning and my purple flair pen moving across the pages of my journal after some breath work and meditation.
My favorite snack is… homemade popcorn with grass fed butter! I also love a good decaf latte with oat milk!
I’m happiest when… I’m happiest when I’m with Happy (my beloved rescue dog) and my people - laughing, talking, running and having fun!
I couldn’t live without… I couldn’t live without my goose, my boys, Happy, yoga, my pillow, books, sparkling water and my CLE hat!
When I’m not at inner bliss: I am running through the streets of Bay Village with my dog and a variety of others, walking the sidewalks and talking, sitting on my couch working, enjoying the beauty of the lake of Erie, having dinner at Luca West or getting a smoothie at Green Farm Juicery!
My favorite mantras are (side-note, mantras are a giant part of my soul practices):
strong getting stronger
the best is yet to come
young getting younger
head up, heart open
Every day I try: to be better.
Read Tammy’s Full Bio Here
One of the greatest gifts our practice offers is the benefits that arrive from our breath while we are inhaling up and exhaling down. Here are some of my favorite breathing benefits.
I fell in love with the breath and movement right from the start, but my enthusiasm for the practice grew exponentially when I experienced vinyasa yoga in a heated room!
There is nothing like the immersive feeling of that soft, squishy rectangle of paradise.
Over the years, my love of Mother’s Day has shifted, changed & evolved - like most things.
The sneaky beast, aka self-doubt, is hiding in the corner, silently scoffing, rolling its yellow eyes as I once again lift up my head and heart and stand tall in somewhat contrived confidence.
When I found yoga, it was medicine for my soul that healed me in ways I never thought possible.
What I am sharing below was inspired by that entry and in a way, version 2.0 of the original.
To feel truly grateful is one of the most intoxicating and powerful feelings possible for humans.
We can invest in our own health and well-being and know that as we care for ourselves, everyone around us is inspired, on some level, to do the same.
There are so many micro ways that our yoga practice sneaks into the fabric of our being and surprises us in moments like these…
We know we want to get “there” but how do we get “there” from “here”? Consider this strategy of simply focusing on the “what.”
I encourage you all to find ways to rest. Put yourself in savasana at home, come to practice and linger in savasana as long as possible, enjoy savasana completely - never miss it!
We have all experienced the feeling of indescribable ease at the end of an exhale as we lay down to rest in savasana.
This except is from a bigger piece that I have been working on forever and it may be triggering if you struggle with body negativity and/or food related negativity.
Notice what you choose to pay attention to today and if you find yourself fixated on something not in alignment with what you want to see more of, shift your attention.
