About Jessica Jiwa
One of Jessica’s goals is to dance & practice yoga for her entire lifetime. Starting at age 5, she trained in ballet, jazz, modern & gymnastics and upon coming to Hawaii in 2006, she fell in love with aerial dance, Hula and Tahitian dance.
She was first introduced to yoga in high school by her modern dance teacher but it didn’t become a pivotal part of her path until many years later, when she found herself suffering deeply from depression. She began to regularly attend yoga classes, sound bath meditations and ecstatic dance sessions and found it all profoundly helpful- filling her life with bliss, peace and community.
In 2014, she met her teacher, Adria, the founder of Hawaii Yoga Institute.
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” ~ Tao Te Ching
Adria encouraged Jessica to take her 200HR teacher training in 2016, a crucial turning point in her life- as it set her on a yogic path of lifelong, vibrant wellness and deep spiritual practice. When she took the training, her intention was only to deepen her yoga practice, especially in yogic philosophy- she didn’t plan to become a teacher. On graduation day, Jessica realized that sharing yoga through teaching was a crucial part of her dharma.
With an injury from aerial dancing, her practice and teaching style has shifted a lot. She loves to offer classes for practitioners of all levels- with the goal always being that the participants have a safe & comfortable practice that nourishes their body, mind & spirit.
