ashley nelson

Ashley Jean Nelson (she/her/they) is a southern California native, student of yoga and life, hatha yoga teacher (E-RYT 500), and human.

Yoga came into Ashley’s life in the summer of 2008, an Iyengar Yoga Restorative class found her falling in love with breath and life all over again, with surprisingly tender intercostal muscles a day later. After a few years of practicing mostly within the Iyengar system of yoga, with some Yin and a little bit of flow here and there, she applied for the 200-hr YogaWorks Teacher Training led by Nona Chiang and David Kim in 2011. At this point she began teaching Hatha Yoga at Yoga Desa in Old Town Topanga Canyon & Yoga Upstairs in Agoura Hills, all the while studying Iyengar Yoga more exclusively with the humorous and loving guidance of Paul Cabanis. In 2012, she entered the 300-hr Professional Program through YogaWorks with the compassionate mentorship of Nona Chiang, eventually becoming a YogaWorks Certified teacher. In the spring of 2012, Ashley started subbing and, within the year, teaching at YogaWorks until November 2018 with classes all over Los Angeles: Larchmont (Center for Yoga), Tarzana, Studio City, Pasadena, and Los Feliz. She assisted two five-month 200-hr YogaWorks Teacher Trainings (2015 & 2016) led by Lainie Devina in Westlake Village and a month-long summer camp style intensive 200-hr YWTT (2017) led by John Gaydos & Heather Seiniger in Santa Monica.

Since the fall of 2015, Ashley has been studying Shadow Yoga/Nrtta Sadhana & Ayurveda with Scott Blossom in Berkeley, CA & online, and has had the privilege to study with Shandor Remete & Emma Balnaves yearly since 2016: in San Luis Obispo, CA (2016 & 2017), Budapest, HU (2018 & 2019), and online (2020/21).

Over the years, Ashley has also led meditation workshops at YogaWorks, and co-led other yoga-ish workshops & events with friends & family in various communal spaces : WE DON’T CARE ABOUT YOGA ANYWAY : slow metal yoga, RESONANCE : slow metal yoga & dream workshop, MENSTURATION as practice, and ENTIRE TEA : an art gallery & gathering.

Other influential yoga teachers Ashley has studied with : Kofi Busia, Chandra Easton, Jennifer Elliott, Jeanne Heileman, Michelle Kronenberg, Jasmine Lieb, Carrie Owerko, Koren Paalman, Anna Pavlich-Connelly, and Cara Sorkin.

Currently, Ashley teaches yoga privately, is a nanny to a toddler, and is back in school studying Psychology with an interest in Somatic Psychotherapy.

Ashley is also a Certified Cosmetologist and studied at Vidal Sassoon in Santa Monica (2003-2004). For a couple years, she worked as an assistant & stylist at Art Luna Salon in Santa Monica… right across the street from a YogaWorks. She also worked at the Roman Salon in West Hollywood for a year, but now haircuts and fringe trims are rare and reserved for family, friends & neighbors at home.