Today we’d like to introduce you to Siva Taswell-Woods.
Hi Siva, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story began before me being born. My Mother was born in Panama and was brought to New York City as a young child. She was born to Costa Rican parents who instilled the importance of prayer and faith. My Grandparents also laid the foundation of having servant hearts, treating everyone equally with respect and kindness regardless of their circumstances, the importance of education, being your authentic self, and having a good work ethic. My Mother practiced yoga while pregnant with me, and my biological Father (now deceased) practiced yoga towards the end of his life in India. When I was born, they named me Siva after the Hindu God Shiva, whose role was to destroy the imperfections of this world to recreate a world for beneficial change; Shiva was also the first yogi. They also named me Kali, who evolved into a Black Goddess and was a symbol of Mother Nature who was creative and nurturing. Of course, none of this made sense to me as a child. However, as I grew older, I knew that having a unique name with such a powerful meaning, me not being born in India (born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in Miami, FL), along with witnessing first-hand examples of my Grandparents and Mother having servant hearts, my purpose in the world had to make a huge impact of helping others. Therefore, I always knew I wanted a career that would allow me to do that.
I am a proud graduate of Our Lady of the Lake University, where I received a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Social Work. I have been a Licensed Social Worker since 2007, working in the medical field and school settings. I currently work full-time as a high school Social Worker, prn as a Hospice Social Worker, and teach an online class at a local university. However, when the pandemic hit during the middle of my divorce, I not only had to do something to care for me and my daughter’s mental health, but I also felt a strong desire to help other individuals access services to empower them to reach optimum wellness through self-care and inner awareness for their mental health as well.
I considered myself a yoga dabbler (one who does yoga on and off), which I had done most of my life. However, I started practicing more when I moved to San Antonio, TX. I am even blessed to say that I took yoga classes from Esther Vexler, who was considered the “Mother of Yoga” in San Antonio and the oldest yoga practitioner in Texas and maybe even in the United States; she was in her 90’s when I took those classes with her, and she passed away at 98 years old. There is now a yoga school here in San Antonio, TX named in her honor. During the pandemic, I became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) and attended Total Harmony Yoga school here in San Antonio, TX, where Sharon Ballenger was my teacher and mentor. I completed a 200 hr. training program in September 2021. Upon my completion, I began teaching Yin Yoga classes at Total Harmony Yoga. Unfortunately, the yoga studio suffered a huge loss due to the pandemic and closed. We (owners, teachers, and clients) were all devastated by the closing of our studio, which had been a part of the community for many years. At that time, I decided to take a leap of faith and registered with the National Yoga Alliance. I opened up my own business, Siva Kali LLC/ Devoted To Serve Wellness, where I began teaching yoga classes virtually to individuals and organizations. However, with the world “opening back up,” I have now focused on doing private yoga for individuals, groups, and organizations virtually and in person.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Nothing has been a smooth road for me. Firstly, the college I attended right out of high school lost its accreditation after my first year; I thought that I wanted to be a Nurse. Through the ups and downs of transferring credits to several colleges/universities and trying to discover what career path I knew was preordained for my life, it took me 16 yrs. to obtain my first degree and, thankfully, only one year for my second degree.
Next, I became a work-from-home Mom for 6 yrs. by becoming a consultant through an amazing company called Premier Designs Jewelry (a direct sales company which existed for over 30 yrs.). This company allowed me an opportunity to earn an income, give back to others by hosting fundraisers, and being a leader to other individuals wanting to provide for their own families as well. Unfortunately, in 2020, Premier Designs closed due to the pandemic, and my marriage also ended at the same time.
Then, when I decided to attend yoga school in 2021, I was doing better mentally since my divorce. However, I was limited physically due to being diagnosed with a frozen shoulder after injuring my shoulder and playing pickleball (LOL). I had so many doubts about practicing yoga while having an injury. I was afraid of attending yoga school even though I had been doing physical therapy to resolve the injury. However, I quickly learned the importance of teaching individuals how to modify yoga poses due to my own limitations.
Lastly, the pandemic was one thing to struggle with, but I never thought the world “opening up” would potentially affect my virtual yoga business as well. Many people wanted to do more in-person yoga. Therefore, I learned to be even more flexible as a business owner. The list goes on and on about my bumps along the road which also included a miscarriage and being diagnosed with alopecia. However, through hard work and perseverance, these “BUT GOD” moments have increased my faith, made me stronger and more resilient, and made me the person that I am today. I have learned to give myself 24 hours to process/pray through the difficulties, and then I get “gangsta” by pushing forward.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
Siva Kali LLC/Devoted To Serve Wellness focuses on ensuring inclusivity by accessing services to help people reach optimum wellness through self-care and inner awareness. A huge part of this can be done through yoga which stretches the body and the mind into a journey of calmness and focusing inward. I have been blessed to be able to continue bringing awareness to help people understand that they are not required to look a certain way, not required to have a particular body type, and are not required to be flexible to practice yoga. Often, people tell me they are afraid to take a yoga class because of something they have seen or heard regarding how hard yoga is based on those above, and that saddens me. Everyone’s body is different and unique. If you have breath in your body, you can do yoga!
What sets me apart from others is that my brand focuses on the original foundation of yoga, which encompasses the needs of the person, mental health, inner/self-awareness, and breathwork, which are all important to me. It is not focused on the level of flexibility (especially pushing past the level of comfort), yoga Sanskrit terms, being trendy, doing a lot of yoga poses (especially without modifications), whether or not you are vegan, and does not matter what your religion is; I have personally witnessed and experienced all of these things myself in yoga classes. Yoga is not supposed to be painful and is not a religion; a common misconception.
I am certified to teach any style of yoga. However, I am known for teaching gentle yoga, yin yoga, restorative yoga, and chair yoga, which all incorporate relaxing breathwork, calming the mind, and relaxing the body through simple flowing sequences to warm up the body using slower gentle, paced movements with and without modifications. All of this can be done privately at your location of choice, with a group of friends, or through organizations. I am “on the go” in person or virtually to provide these services wherever I am needed.
Let’s end by discussing what matters most to you and why.
Most importantly, my daughter is my “WHY” in everything I do. I have instilled the same values in her that were passed down to me. I also want her to continue understanding through the examples from my life that despite how little or how much we have or any difficulties we may have faced or continue to face, there will always be people in this world to help. Despite everything she has faced, she will graduate this Spring with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology to pursue a career as a Medical Lab Scientist. I am so proud that she also wants to make a difference in this world by finding cures for diseases in that role. My family and friends (who I consider my family) are known as my village and they all also matter to me. It goes back to the foundation from my grandparents of knowing how precious time on earth can be and the importance of spending time with your loved ones because of it. The last but not least that matters to me is helping others become the best possible version of themselves mentally and physically. My heart is full of joy when I hear that I have made a difference in someone else’s life. One of my favorite responses that I have heard since starting my business is that they feel more relaxed, and the pain in their body has either been reduced or even eliminated. I will forever have a servant’s heart in all that I do, and that matters to me.
Pricing:
- If you are interested in pricing information for yourself, a group, or an organization, please do not hesitate to contact me at: [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devotedtoservewellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/devotedtoservewellness
