Rachel Applegate
Private Yoga Teacher
about me
I’ve always been a seeker — curious about the meaning of life and how to be in the world. But I didn’t always know what I was seeking until I found yoga.
When I took my first yoga class in college in 2006, I felt awkward, inflexible, and unsure of what to expect. I wasn’t a “body person.” I was more comfortable reading, drawing, and living in my imagination than doing anything athletic. Being “it” in tag was my worst nightmare. But something about that first class shifted something inside me — I left feeling more alive, more connected, more present.
Yoga brought me into my body in a way I hadn’t experienced before. It taught me to listen, not to push or perform, but to pay attention. From that deep listening came awareness, and from awareness came healing.
Over time, yoga became not just a physical practice, but a spiritual one — a way of being rooted in love, service, and peace. It gave me a path to live more gently with myself and, in turn, more compassionately with others.
Teaching yoga feels like an extension of living and practicing yoga. A practice of empowerment, awareness, and compassion. My passion lies in making yoga accessible and sustainable for every body — so that anyone, regardless of age, experience, or ability, can feel supported in their practice.
Yoga is in the details. Noticing how we move, how we breathe, and how we meet ourselves in each moment. My teaching is non-dogmatic, non-competitive, and always shaped by the person or group in front of me. I offer a keen eye for alignment and mindful movement, but more importantly, I aim to create a space where students feel safe, seen, and encouraged to be themselves.
When we feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally, our focus can naturally shift from ourselves to others. Offering compassion to ourselves opens the door to extend compassion to those around us.
For me, that’s the heart of yoga.
My teaching draws from more than a decade of study and experience. I completed my initial 225-hour training at Yogalife Institute in 2010. My continuing education includes a 500-hour advanced teacher training, accessible yoga, private yoga, functional anatomy, sustainable movement, and mindfulness meditation.
I’ve had the joy of teaching yoga to beginners, older adults, and those recovering from injury in discovering a practice that feels healing, empowering, and uniquely their own.
Outside of yoga, I enjoy reading, baking, and hiking. As a former art teacher, I enjoying drawing and painting when I can. I live in Phoenixville, PA, with my husband and three children.
I’ve always been a seeker — curious about the meaning of life and how to be in the world. But I didn’t always know what I was seeking until I found yoga.
When I took my first yoga class in college in 2006, I felt awkward, inflexible, and unsure of what to expect. I wasn’t a “body person.” I was more comfortable reading, drawing, and living in my imagination than doing anything athletic. Being “it” in tag was my worst nightmare. But something about that first class shifted something inside me — I left feeling more alive, more connected, more present.
Yoga brought me into my body in a way I hadn’t experienced before. It taught me to listen, not to push or perform, but to pay attention. From that deep listening came awareness, and from awareness came healing.
Over time, yoga became not just a physical practice, but a spiritual one — a way of being rooted in love, service, and peace. It gave me a path to live more gently with myself and, in turn, more compassionately with others.
Teaching yoga feels like an extension of living and practicing yoga. A practice of empowerment, awareness, and compassion. My passion lies in making yoga accessible and sustainable for every body — so that anyone, regardless of age, experience, or ability, can feel supported in their practice.
Yoga is in the details. Noticing how we move, how we breathe, and how we meet ourselves in each moment. My teaching is non-dogmatic, non-competitive, and always shaped by the person or group in front of me. I offer a keen eye for alignment and mindful movement, but more importantly, I aim to create a space where students feel safe, seen, and encouraged to be themselves.
When we feel better physically, mentally, and emotionally, our focus can naturally shift from ourselves to others. Offering compassion to ourselves opens the door to extend compassion to those around us.
For me, that’s the heart of yoga.
My teaching draws from more than a decade of study and experience. I completed my initial 225-hour training at Yogalife Institute in 2010. My continuing education includes a 500-hour advanced teacher training, accessible yoga, private yoga, functional anatomy, sustainable movement, and mindfulness meditation.
I’ve had the joy of teaching yoga to beginners, older adults, and those recovering from injury in discovering a practice that feels healing, empowering, and uniquely their own.
Outside of yoga, I enjoy reading, baking, and hiking. As a former art teacher, I enjoying drawing and painting when I can. I live in Phoenixville, PA, with my husband and three children.
Yoga is a practice of connection between all parts of ourselves and the world around us.
