Hi there! I'm Cecilia de la Rocha, please let me be introduced. I am the creator of Yoga by Cecilia de la Rocha and I am a wife and a mom of two beautiful children (10 & 7 years old) that I'm so rejoiced to share life with. I studied my bachelors degree in Architecture in Mexico and a MS of Interior Design in the US.
I practice and apply all my creativity everyday in my life with my kids, in my house, in my kitchen and in every single thing I do. I am a big fan of creativity and beautiful things. Since very young age I expanded my creativity with oil painting classes, watercolor, drawing, ceramic, and ballet, and a lot more. My family and I practice a lot of hiking and yoga. We see that in every hike and every step we take, we pause a moment to admire the beautiful things that surrounds us, so I take pictures and ideas and get inspire. When we get home, we draw, color, paint, do crafts, and we get fun and creative in the kitchen; where right now we are experimenting with a vegan lifestyle (another story that I can share later ;) ). I really like to find clues around me every step I take, so I can find inspirations to create something new and wonderful ;)
My family lifestyle is about having fun, playing, enjoying food, hiking, practice yoga and meditation every day. We practice to love and care our bodies and minds and our soul every single second.
I welcomed yoga in my life as lifestyle when I was pregnant of my first child. Back then my life was’t the way it is today. I used to be a depressive person. I didn’t believe in my strength or uniqueness. I was just following what others where doing; marriage, pregnancy, kids, friends, and so on. My pregnancy was very interesting, even with all the ups and downs, the itchiness and the complains (maybe you relate); but I LOVE IT! I enjoyed the different feelings and smells, like if I was in a different body. At this moment in my life, I started to learn to be a mom, by reading, researching, and asking questions on my prenatal yoga classes and everywhere. There, I notice something new in me, Body Awareness. But again, I had my child and my life was only about my husband and all my energy was for my child, but not about Me. I told my doctor I was not feeling myself, my energy was low, my mind was foggy, and of course, my doctor told me “you are depressed”. I was prescribed to do more exercise, to eat healthy foods and to take antidepressants (good thing I just try them for a month, I didn’t like what I became). Sadly, I thought that was my new normal me. I was a stay home mom, seated watching my kid to play, eat, sleep and then, next day the same. But I didn't want to give up un me. One year later, good news, we got pregnant again!. And there you go, the kind of the same story started again. I was tremendously happy about my pregnancy, but at the same time there were unclear things in me. And doctors where not giving me real solutions. But this time, I committed myself to my postnatal yoga classes more seriously.
Magically to me, I founded out that I was getting physically stronger. I saw my self able to get up from the floor without the need of hands anymore. And I started to pay more close attention to my body and my mind. I questioned myself about the silence during my stretch and... I founded my flexibility. I was paying close attention to my muscles and... I reached longer. And I discovered something I was not total aware about me. Deep in me, I knew I needed to find out what was right or wrong "for ME", not to others. So, I realized that everybody shares a beautiful uniqueness. I joined together breath and stretch (body) and I saw a new feeling evolving. I decided to bring that breath awareness to my daily life, in my lifestyle. If my kid was upset or my baby was crying or "I" was upset, I intuitively started doing my yoga breath exercises. By doing deep sounding breaths back in my throat, “ujjayi breath”, suddenly my kids and I got calmer. That was amazing to me! Considering my emotional state. Then, I was running in the park with my kids, taking care of them, but also taking care about myself. But then, suddenly from nowhere, questions came to me: why I don't learn to teach yoga? Why not share your journey to others? What about learning to be a yoga instructor?...
And I did listen! In my yoga teacher training, I learned to care more about me. Every breath, pose, and new learning showed me how to heal my past, to be ready for a later future but must importantly how to be in my present. When I started teaching yoga classes, I realized how beautiful my life felt when I shared my journey with my example to others. I also learned that I wasn’t really teaching yoga to others, I was actually teaching yoga to Myself! My job here is to be an instructor of yoga poses, breath work, but also instructor of a life journey example and inspiration to others. In every class I share my experiences, my life, and it has happened that people get related and leave the yoga sessions ready to keep working in their life journeys. Because the most enjoyable part of life is not about seeking a goal, it is about working and enjoying yourself everyday.
If you relate to my journey or my knowledge and you like it, you are welcome to use it if as need it. Yoga can be part of your daily lifestyle. I like to share how magical the mind is, how beautiful messages the body always have for us. I have discovered that all can be uncovered in a yoga class. Yoga teaches us to enjoy every breath instead of looking forward to enjoy a pose (goal). Yoga teaches us to flow in life. Yoga teaches us to look through our mirrors. All of this, can be yoga as part of your lifestyle. I truly believe that If I am cooking, with my family or friends, with my kids, or hiking, I can always find answers. That is yoga! If I feel unbalanced and yoga helps me to find my center. That is yoga! Bad things can happen in our way, but if we listen closely, we can find answers. And yes, that is yoga! Every breath or prana or life force (according to yoga philosophy), is meant to you to be and feel grounded and centered. If I just by simply stand up on my feet, can make me be present. That is yoga! Every single thing that happens around us is meat to us to practice yoga. Finding creativity, is yoga. We can find our balance like in yoga (junk, unite mind and body)
Here is my thing, What if we put art and creativity and yoga as part of our lifestyles? Maybe we can live yoga by cooking or taking care of our family as part of our lifestyle. Maybe we can practice meditation and consciousness in our lifestyles in your daily life. That is what I'm seeking here! I am looking to share my experiences about making yoga as part of my lifestyle. And, I hope my life can be a nice example to others that are going throw the same experiences I had or I experienced and want to live a fulfilling life. I hope I can bring some light and sparkle in your life the same way I have been working on.
I am so happy to start this project, and I am so happy to share my lifestyle with you; yoga as a lifestyle. -Cecilia de la Rocha
Cecilia de la Rocha is founder of Yoga By Cecilia de la Rocha, a creative and enthusiastic yoga instructor with professional training in hatha & anusara yoga. Always willing to share more with people in a different, loving & fun ways. Her teaching is an innovative fusion of yoga, metaphysics, mindfulness and shadow work that has taught many families, from moms to be, to kids, to adults of all ages and limitations, and to celebrities who want to incorporate yoga as part of their lifestyle. She loves to facilitate privates and group workshops. For more information about her work, please visit: https://yogabycecilia.wixsite.com/yogalifestyle