Connie Fedel’s amazing life story creates her vision and motivates her to help people find peace within themselves.

“The benefits of yoga helped me to save my life,” says Connie Fedel, Taylor Yoga yogie. “Yoga has been around for thousands of years.

When practiced regularly, it can lead to greater health, mental control, and ultimately self-realization. I believe that I can help others, and doing so allows me to give something back for all that I have gained from my yoga experience.”

In 1998, at the age of 32, Connie was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus. Lupus is an auto immune disease, the cause of which is unknown. Her doctor at the University of Michigan Medical Center once described it to her as “friendly fire” where the body’s natural immune system is over active, causing otherwise healthy cells to attack themselves. She began to experience an inflammation around her heart causing chest pain, extreme fatigue, rashes on her face and body, swollen painful joints, seizures, and elevated levels of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) in her blood that indicated something was drastically out of balance.

In June of 2001, Connie had a hysterectomy to remove a grapefruit-size tumor from her uterus. Soon, she was taking 38 medications a day. By September 1, 2001 she was extremely depressed, disabled and unable to work. Knowing that stress was a major detrimental factor for anyone with Lupus, she decided to take control of her life and make some needed changes. Connie changed her diet and picked up an instructional video on yoga for stress relief. After watching the video several times, she started practicing yoga, doing little bits at a time. After several months of practice, she learned how breathing exercises could calm her mind and body. In doing so, she was able to meditate and focus on her inner-self.

By August of 2004, Connie was down to one medication a day and practicing Yoga regularly. Her journey into a Yoga lifestyle has helped her to realize that “we are all in control of our own health.” Stress and the way we react to it, are in our control. In September of 2004, she returned to work full-time, she was medication-free and the Lupus is gone!

Over the past few years Connie has studied numerous forms of yoga including: Bikram, Iyengar, and Astanga. She also participated in an intensive 7-day Isha Yoga course which enhanced her breathing and gave her a deeper understanding of yoga. In 2005, Connie began teaching yoga. She has taught from beginner to advanced level classes as well as private lessons for individuals with special needs helping all her students to find health and healing from within.

In May of 2011, Connie’s dream of having a serene tranquil place to practice and teach yoga will become a reality. She will open the doors to the new Taylor Yoga Studio on Telegraph Road in Taylor, MI. Check out the Classes/Schedule page on this website to find up-to-date class times and offerings. For health and wellness, start your journey today!

Connie believes that, “Yoga helps people to see that many physical, mental and emotional problems can be avoided when we look after ourselves in a more caring manner.”