Hi! I’m Lana, pronounced as either “Lay”na or “Law”na; both are correct! You’ve likely already discovered that I’m the founder of Wild Thing School of Yoga , an avid photographer working through my other small business, Wild Thing Photography and a creative designing malas and jewelry with Wild Thing Malas so let me tell you some things about me you might not know. Born in South Carolina into a big family, my life took a nomadic turn early on with multiple family moves. I spent my formative years in the greater Chicago area and it’s there that I started snapping pics and never stopped. I feel comfortable behind the lens and love the experience of chasing that indefinable ‘spark’ a great picture captures. Furthermore when curiosity led me to try out a community center yoga class, I discovered something else I could fall in love with, just like that! The simple pleasure of movement was born and it was magical from the start. My understanding of the intricacies of practice have deepened and grown through a committed personal practice, further education, teaching experience, as well as through injuries and their rehabilitation. It is my joy to report that while my physical practice looks different than it did in the beginning, my delight remains. I still seek and feel the magic!
When it comes to defining qualities that have shaped my life; I’d place my love of adventure at the top of the list. At age 15, I got my first taste of wanderlust as I wandered around Europe with a backpack. Soon after I was off to Asia, and then back to Europe again. It didn’t take long to determine that traveling was my happy place. A deliberate desire to live abroad and learn Spanish took me to a smallish town in Mexico called Cholula where I lived for several years. From there, a whim which turned out to be a whisper of fate brought me first to San Antonio, the city I now know as home. Graduating in 2012 from Esther Vexler School of Yoga led by Emilie Rogers & Dr. Sreedhara was a turning point in actively pursuing my goal of pursuing yoga as a profession. Immediately following, I began teaching in studios and with time moved into a yoga studio management position alongside. When adventure called again I got my motorcycle license, and went exploring on a 125cc Honda named Lyra. Riding from Chile back home to Texas was an incredible experience.
Thankfully, the adventure did not finish when the trip ended. Soon after my return, a fortuitous encounter introduced me to the man who was to become the love of my life and it introduced me to Acroyoga (at the same time!). This variation thrilled me! It swept me off my feet into the air and ushered in an exploration of circus arts including lyra, trapeze, contortion, and handbalancing. All of these allowed for new ways of experiencing the endless possibilities of shape, motion and movement. With this enrichment under my belt, I chose to buckle down in a concentrated effort to further my professional education through an Austin-based Advanced Yoga Teacher Training led by Shanti Kelley & Gioconda Parker. Equipped with an E-RYT 500 certification, loads of hands-on studio management knowledge, and thousands of teaching hours I followed a completely new fork in the road founding Wild Thing Photography and School of Yoga, LLC here in San Antonio. The learning curve was sharp but I leaned in all the way and am loving it.
My roots are now deeper then ever in the home I share with my husband Alex Reyes and our little menagerie which includes 4 wonderful kitties, an adorable pup, and 7 sassy hens. From this home base we seek beautiful places, literally or between the pages of a good book. I currently lead online and in-person privates and classes from my private home studio. Yoga Alliance accredited 200hr and 300hr Yoga Teacher trainings are offered annually via Wild Thing School of Yoga. Photography offerings focus on (but are not limited to) my specialization and passion for Yoga, Portraits and Small Business Photography. Currently, I am hard at work developing original content for continuing education. The aim being to hone and sharpen a robust knowledge of anatomically nourishing movement for yoga students and yoga professionals. The most recent addition to my professional offerings is a personalized mentorship for yoga professionals keen to strategically grow their career. Read reviews for my yoga classes and mentorship here.
Inspiration: Shanti Kelley is my current teacher and co-teachers in both my 200hr and 300hr YTT offerings.
Yoga educators who have blessed my life with the gift of their teaching and guidance over the years include: Shanti Kelley, Jane Goldstein, Gioconda Parker, Annie Carpenter, Ana Hollis, Christina Sell, Todd Norian and handbalancer, Ivan Ivanov.
Why Unicorns? These mythical creatures evoke imagery of gentle wildness and an uninhibited sense of freedom. They are bold bright and colorful; exhibiting fearlessness while being completely themselves! These are qualities I desire to increasingly cultivate in my practice & nourish in those I teach.
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