Meet Joy Scola | Yoga Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joy Scola and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joy, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Through facilitating Yoga practices both in person and on YouTube, my business helps to raise the vibration of each individual which in turn raises the vibration of the world. When we feel tension and pain in our bodies, it generates an environment within ourselves that is not conducive to feeling our best which affects how we interact with ourselves and others.

My goal when teaching is to leave students feeling more open, fluid, and relaxed in their bodies, emotions, and souls. My hope is that they soften to all experiences in and around them so that they are more capable of releasing traumas/stuck energy/pent-up emotions. In class, I emphasize that Yoga is not just about stretching but is actually a practice for life. How we meet and deal with a difficult pose is how we meet and deal with a difficult situation/person. By learning to slow down and forge greater distance between the trigger and our reaction, we’re able to have the space and time to think about what outcome would be a win-win for all.

When a person establishes ways of staying calm and centered, always coming from a place of love and listening then that ripples out when interacting with others. By acting this way ourselves, we demonstrate to others how responding vs reacting can create the best end result for any situation. This then produces a safe space for us all to come together to be seen, heard, understood, loved, and accepted – realizing there is no such thing as “other” for we are all connected.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My Yoga practice and teaching style are what make me unique as a Yoga instructor. Being an artist my whole life, I feel that creativity applies to teaching so that I adapt my classes on the spot based on who’s in the room/the events happening in the world. I weave together many forms of Yoga, breathwork, and meditation to create flows that meet the individual’s/class needs by first meeting the energy where it’s at then blending the modalities to influence that energy in the direction it needs to go.

The journey was not always easy, though! There have been many times when I have questioned if this was what I was meant to do in life. However, teaching yoga has brought some of the most beautiful and rewarding moments like hearing that I’ve helped bring peace and calm to those going through extremely difficult situations. Being deeply determined to serve others, getting that kind of feedback really warms my heart and inspires me to keep going.

Through all of this, I have found that it’s our trials/setbacks that make us uniquely capable to help others going through similar adversities. It’s about seeing the blessings in disguise by turning all experiences into learning opportunities. My dream is to help all others realize this in themselves so that they are able to love and honor all the parts of themselves to create lasting healing. Only then can we live truly fulfilling and healthy lives.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Still being somewhat new to Miami and exploring all it has to offer, I have been able to find some incredible places and experiences. Whenever I have someone visit from out of town my favorite itinerary is: -Morning Yoga class at Exhale Studio
-Stop at my favorite Venezuelan spot, El Sitio Coffee Bar for a delicious breakfast
-Weather permitting, A walk or jetski ride around Bayfront to watch the yachts and manatees
-Lunch at Cafe Bali
-Hookah on our balcony overlooking the water
-Exploring all the creative stuff the Art District has to offer
-Happy hour at Est. 33 Thai Craft Brewery & Kitchen which has the BEST virgin mixed-drinks
-Sushi dinner at Kone Sushi – always yummy and never crowded or Rooftop experience at The Citadel which lets you order from all the restaurants below
-Finish the night out with some live DJ’d Chill-Lofi beats at BOHO in Wynwood.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My practice and understanding of Yoga would not be what is if it weren’t for one of my biggest mentors, Jenn Wooten, and her Waking Yoga Teacher Training. It was her guidance while going through the trauma-informed certification program that led me to realize that Yoga was not just about accomplishing poses but instead seeing the true depth of what Yoga is genuinely about – a forever evolving journey of self-healing and acceptance.

Website: www.joyscola.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/joyscola

Youtube: www.youtube.com/joyscola