Let's Hear the Winners of Our 30 Days Yoga Challenger in July 2017, Emily and Raluca, What they say about Free Soul Yoga...

"I'm a yoga beginner. I cannot do Lotus position but good at virasana. Before coming to Free Soul Yoga (FSY) I am not able to push my body away from the mat when doing the up-dog due to weak arms. Stiff body, tight shoulder and hip, weak back and no core at all....I might never imagine one day I can do a hand stand like most yoga buddies do, at Chloe's last inversion class after a few days practice, my very first time. And soon after, this is also how I start to take Jade's 30-day yoga challenge.

It's not only a commitment to myself, but I'd rather would like to see how my body will change after every day practice. I have to take one week away due to my diving trip in July, so I try to catch up with both morning & evening venues if I have time. I am not an early bird, but Bene's ashtanga woke me up in a very gentle and stretch way, refilling energy during the hottest days of a year before work. As most consulting jobs do, I find it helpful to stretch my intensive body after work as much as possible, an easy way to clear stress and negative emotions out of my mind. The more I focused on how to control my body when doing each pose in class, the better to keep my attention on what it is I am trying to accomplish.

It was enough to trust what I've done in 30-day challenge was meaningful and inspiring. I did my second, third, fourth....hand stand, and full wheel, following Jade's instructions and help, and it still kept improving. Sometimes I was able to stay in lotus sit with my knees touching the ground. I shaped well in this summer, felt more strength apparently all through my body, I slept tight, changed my bad late-sleep habit, even magic, I laughed more, with unhappy feelings detoxified maybe. Looking for balance in my body in some way led me to find the balance in my soul.

Before FSY I have tried several studios from Move Shanghai app. But FSY was special. To know that feeling the breeze across big French windows and seeing beautiful trees and Shanghai old town outside was enough. Everybody all together here is like a community. Outdoor yoga is my favorite part, finding it more relaxed and stretched through every breathe along with the body motion. The sunshine, fresh air, raindrops are so close to us, even…..bird droppings haha. How natural it is, just let be. My diving coach said breathing under the water was just like yoga, doing inhale and exhale in a tranquil way and to feel how your body flow.

The number 108 is held to be the most auspicious, a perfect three-digit multiple of three, its components adding up to nine, which is three threes. And three, of course, is the number representing supreme balance, as anyone who has ever studied either the Holy Trinity or a simple barstool can simply see. The 109th bead’s chateranga, I offer thanks to all my teachers, Jade, Bene, Chole, and Janya, who have appeared before me these days in so many inspiring forms, helped me to keep looking for the supreme balance both in the body and soul, and sharing this inner happiness with all lovely yoga buddies. As Jade said, there would be more beginnings and experience. Keep practice and keep good things up. Time will tell." --- Emily Ren (China)

“30 Days Yoga Challenge” became to me more than I was expecting and for sure I was expecting a lot. It was not just a physical transformation and for sure not just a physical need. I have joined the community of Free Soul Yoga, after doing a lot of sports in my life before moving to Shanghai and even though I loved all of them, I needed something more than just physical movement. I needed something to calm my mind, to make me a better person, to help me understand how to live in the present, not in the past or in the future and in the end, but not at least, I needed around me kind people, who just enjoy life and want to be happy. After living in an extremely competitive way all my life, I found this amazing place, where you don’t have to prove anything, you just need to learn how to understand your body, mind and soul, accept them and the people around you. But I truly started to understand all this benefits after doing yoga every day, for 30 days. For sure, your body starts to feel better, you manage to do things you couldn’t do before, but the most important things that I have discovered after this 30 days, are not connected to my body, but with my emotions. I have experienced classes where, while being extremely happy, I cried and felt even happier for finally being able to release all the tensions I held in my body. I have experienced a way to start my mornings with a smile on my face, a smile that could not be explained but also could not be erased. I have experienced a way of taking care of myself, as a total: body, mind and soul, without punishments or frustrations. I have discovered amazing teachers, like Jade and Bene, or better said mentors, that will not just take care of your body and pay attention to your needs, but will also take care of your feelings. I have learned how to let go to things that are not good in my everyday life and to embrace what I am in a certain moment, without judging myself for what I can or cannot do. I have discovered another type of discipline, completely different from other sports, one that comes from your heart and is not forced. Finally, I have learned and experienced yoga, as a way of living, as something that will come to you and help you even when you are outside the studio, something that will influence the way you think and act, will make you smile and accept life and people around you with good and bad and for this I can only thank one million times to Jade and her studio. --- Raluca Pestisanu (Romania)

Jade is the best yoga instructor my wife and I have ever had.  We have done both individual and group classes with Jade and I can honestly say that in both settings it feels like you are getting individualized attention.  She has a strong focus on form so we both learned what we were doing wrong from past yoga experiences and, in my humble opinion, showed great improvement in our forms and flexibility the more than two years we studied with Jade.  But for our transfer out of Shanghai, we would will still be studying with Jade today.  If you get the chance, do not pass up an opportunity to practice yoga with Jade! --- Rene Gonzalez, Corporate Lawyer (USA)

Jade is a thoughtful and professional yoga teacher. Being my first pregnancy I was a little scared about trying yoga and doing something that might hurt the baby. The midwife that recommended Jade was right, there was nothing to be afraid of.  I started prenatal yoga while I was in the second trimester of my pregnancy and have enjoyed every minute! Jade gave me confidence to keep doing yoga and adjusted positions when needed for anyone in the class. She helped me manage any pain related to my pregnancy and work on essential parts of my body. I am looking forward to starting postnatal yoga with Jade after I recover from my delivery! --- Chanelle Ohayon-Crosby (USA)

A typical session with Jade usually goes like this. I enter the room, the yoga mat and all other equipment already laid out, and I am greeted by a warm smile and sincere, “Hi Tiffany, how are you?.” We engage in some small talk to ease the environment out of any tension there may have been as she guides me through a warm up. Once she feels I am ready for something more demanding, we move into either a stretch or twist. She demonstrates the pose and reminds me of a couple things I should keep in mind when I replicate. I get into the pose as Jade takes a moment to assess, she identifies my errors and shows me how to correct them. We do a variety of poses over the course of the session, ranging from stretches and twists, using a variety of equipment such as the yoga chair, yoga block, bolster, and more. She ends the session with an extremely effective cool down pose that puts my body in a relaxed state after a demanding hour of yoga.

Just from observing one session with Jade, you can easily tell how prepared and professional she is. Not only is she a great yoga instructor, but she is also very kind and just an overall good person. I was very lucky to have her as a yoga instructor for nearly a full year. ---Tiffany (USA)

I began practicing yoga with Jade in the beginning of my second trimester. Jade was always aware of my limits and made sure I was comfortable during class . I liked how she incorporated poses that specifically helped me work on parts of my body that became sore because of the extra weight. Now at 5 months postpartum, she continues to help me maintain active and positive with her classes and lots of useful recommendations and tips. She has a good routine but there's also something new in every class. I am impressed with how knowledgeable and resourceful she is about anything health related - she is my go-to lady for almost everything! She has created a community of health conscious people and I am glad I am a part of it.  --- Fengyi (Taiwan)

I have been taking yoga and fitness classes with Jade for over a year now.  She is a wonderful, kind and thoughtful person but also an excellent instructor, accommodating and engaging her students in class, motivating them so that they reach their true potential.  For me, at the age of 58 years this was the first time that I started a fitness program and it was a real challenge but with Jade’s support and enthusiasm I succeeded and exercise has become a part of my daily routine.   The overall holistic approach of Jade’s teaching reflects her philosophy that the physical and mental wellbeing of her students are paramount. --- Beth Moller-Tank (New Zealand)

'Jade;  encouraging,  purity, bravery and honesty. That’s how I would describe her. Always happy and positive. When I faced any discomfort or difficulties during the class she would sense it and think of a solution.'--- Haaneke (Holland)

For many years Jade gave me private yoga class. She truly understands the body and gives in a very calm/relaxing but hard working way classes. Definitely my favourite yoga teacher in Shanghai :) ---- Annemarie (Holland)

“My physical health was far from perfect. I was overweight, no core strength and suffered from sciatic pain. 
Through Jade Qin’s training advice, she helped me find the motivation to improve my diet & exercise and introduced me to yoga.
Jade is knowledgeable, experienced, encouraging and nurturing. Thank you Jade for helping me on my journey to better health and life.”  - Marie M., Vice-President with a multi-national company, Shanghai and Houston (USA)