Renée Balyoz, M.Ed

E-RYT 500

In 2015 I completed the 230 hour yoga training, at AYC, studying with many dedicated teachers, including Kimberley Puryear, who influenced my study of mindfulness. Later in 2015 I was lucky to attend a workshop at Kripalu with Angela Farmer, who strongly influenced my own practice exploring emotion and playfulness on the mat. I continued my studies in 2016 with the 300 hour training at AYC. I have spent additional hours studying yoga therapeutics with Joe Taft and Libby Hinsley, Viniyoga with Gary Kraftsow, Yin yoga with Paul Grilley, and continued my study of yoga philosophy, mantra, and Sanskrit with Michael Johnson.

I firmly believe that we should all be in touch with our inner child, and experience and contentment everyday. To be able to guide others to find this playful energy, I became certified as a Laughter Leader in 2019. Helping adults, senior citizens, and teenagers to stay connected with their inner child is so much fun!

If you attend any of the classes that I teach: Vinyasa Flow, Yoga Basics, Gentle Yoga, Yin, or Youth Yoga, you will receive a carefully planned experience sprinkled with yoga philosophy, wisdom from daily life, poetry, breath practice, and meditation. It is my intention that you will feel connected to the wisdom of the heart and body.

I first discovered the positive impact of yoga on my busy mind during my college years. My first practice of yoga was at home, teaching myself from a book! Once I actually attended a class in person, I became dedicated to my practice. Over the years this practice has evolved into daily yoga and meditation. The style of this practice varies day by day, but each time I sit on my cushion to find stillness, or I step on my mat to move and breathe, I learn something new.

Prior to taking yoga teacher training, I worked as a Montessori teacher for young children for over a decade.  Working with twenty-five young children each day required excellent skills of patience, calm, and persistence. My yoga and meditation practice supported me well. The skills that I cultivated in the Montessori classroom now extend into the Kids and Teen yoga classes that I offer. I received my Children’s Yoga training at Asheville Yoga Center (AYC) in 2012. When I teach yoga to young people I feel that I am teaching peace, not simply how to move and breathe. 

During the years of 2019-2020 I completed the Journey of Young Women training, and am certified to lead Girls Circles. Empowering young girls to be comfortable and confident in themselves is one of my passions. I continue this work of supporting women with my mini retreats for women on the menopausal journey, working with girls and women on the entire spectrum of growth and development.

When I’m not teaching yoga, I work as a Health Educator at the Poe Center for Health Education in Wake County and surrounding areas. In this role, I am able to educate children through adults about nutrition, physical fitness, anatomy, gardening, family life, mental wellness, and more!

  • “Renée is a consistently excellent yoga instructor, and that is especially evident in her menopause workshop. Her passion for women’s empowerment is palpable, and she creates a peaceful, nourishing environment where we, as women, can comfortably and honestly discuss our unique and shared experiences during this phase of our lives. Renée’s research, preparation, and expertise ensured the experience was fact based, while allowing for personal reflection and exploration. The yoga practice itself was both strengthening and restorative. I left feeling excited about possibilities for the future and relieved to be connected with a supportive group of women, especially Renée."

    Rachael D.

  • “Thank you for your contribution to the health of our community.  I’m happy to have discovered you.  I really like how you vary your classes and are always adding something new.”

    B. Stephenson

  • "One of your strengths is your ability to offer kind encouragement and gentle correction. More important is the way you not only instruct on the correct execution but also share the purpose of practicing certain poses. You include both the spiritual and physical aspect of the practice which incorporates the mind and body seamlessly. It is evident that your knowledge of yoga goes far beyond the basics. "

    Linda M.

  • "I always feel safe and strong when I practice yoga with you. You provide excellent cues, so it's easy to follow you even with challenging sequences. You build in smooth transitions that provide a true sense of "flow". I never get lost or feel like I'm falling behind. All of these elements create an atmosphere that encourages surrender so the yogi can enter into a meditative mindset, just flowing along without worry. "

    Aimee B.

  • "You have a calm and calming quality that is hard to describe. It is natural and goes beyond the yoga studio. It goes beyond a grounded, centered kind of mindfulness, it's more like a peacefulness. Being in your class is like an "ahhhhhh" releasing exhale, followed by smiles."

    Terry C.

  • "You have a gift for teaching. You really know and live your yoga. Whether it's a small group or a big class, you are able to identify those of us who need a little guidance and offer that in a very caring and respectful way. You don't allow classes to be routing and predictable, consequently, we work more muscle groups and are never bored."

    Linda P.

What is Maitrī?

The word Maitrī means loving kindness. It is found in yoga sūtra 1.33:

maitrīkaruṇāmuditopekṣāṇāṁ sukhaduḥkhapuṇyāpuṇya viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaścittaprasādanam ॥33॥

“For a pure mind, cultivate loving-kindness for people when they are well, compassion when they are in pain, joy when they are virtuous, and patience when they are weak.”

-Michael Johnson, 2019

The wisdom behind this sūtra is the intention behind my daily yoga practice, on and off of my mat. In the classes I teach, whether it is online or in person, my goal is to create an atmosphere of acceptance and kindness to all. I offer inspiration and provide a calm grounding strength to the group.  

In my workshop and retreat offerings, I combine yoga with other wellness modalities, such as meditation, mindfulness practices, art, acupuncture, sound, healthy eating, self-study, creative writing, the art of laughter, service, philosophy, and more, so that people can extend this same intention towards themselves and others.