About Erik (he/they)
I love yoga, hiking, Buddhism, and life. I aspire to live fully and to help others live their fullest lives as well. I can't wait to meet you!
Yoga
I started practicing yoga in high school when ordinary gym class got turned into yoga class every Wednesday. Little did that rebellious high schooler know that this was the beginning of a lifelong practice. Life did not go as planned after graduating high school, but yoga helped. During a world religion course, I was reintroduced to yoga from a Hindu perspective and fell in love again. Over 900 training hours later, things still don't go as planned, but I am content with that.
Hiking
It's nearly impossible to grow up in Utah with loving the outdoors. I love the duality of accomplishing a hard thing and appreciating the beauty all around. Sometimes I hike with the goal of reaching a peak and other times I hike simply to enjoy nature. My favorite hikes are often the alpine lakes rather than the peaks. Nothing matches the peace and serenity of an alpine lake. I lead group hikes of various sizes.
Buddhism
I practice Buddhism in the Plum Village tradition started by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. This is a mindfulness tradition that focuses on how to apply Buddhism to modern life. I don't lead any events specifically related to Buddhism, but it permeates everything I do. I regularly attend a local group called Awakening Valley Sangha in Provo, Utah. Give their website a visit if you want to know more about Buddhism or you want to try attending to see it for yourself. I would love to see you there.
