Abby Kraai received her initial 200-hr yoga training from Yoga Tree in San Francisco, CA, and completed her 500-hr with Jason Crandell. She has studied a rich blend of styles including Vinyasa, Hatha, Iyengar, Meditation, Yoga for Scoliosis, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Kids Yoga, and Yoga for Athletes. Abby first came to the mat as a teenager, when she was diagnosed with a severe case of scoliosis. When back braces, chiropractors, and yoga were not enough, she received corrective surgery in 2002; two stainless steel rods, twenty-two screws, and eleven fused vertebrae later, Abby found new meaning in the word flexibility, and a refreshed appreciation for the miraculous nature of the human body. She took up distance running, cycling, and Ultimate Frisbee,and soon found herself pulled back to yoga. Through a balance of Vinyasa, Restorative, and Meditation practices, she built a stronger connection between her breath, body and mind – this connection followed her out of the studio and onto the Frisbee field, the race course, and into her daily life. In every class that she teaches, Abby hopes to inspire her students to appreciate their bodies, stretch their limits, and never to take themselves too seriously. Abby’s other interests include Ultimate Frisbee, distance running, cycling, improv comedy, cooking, organic farming, and petting small dogs.
Trainings and Certifications
500-hour YTT with Jason Crandell – Love Story Yoga, San Francisco, CA (2017-2018)
Infusing Your Teaching with a Trauma Informed Lens with Molly Boeder Harris – The People’s Yoga, Portland, OR (2017)
Ignite Your Practice. Inspire Your Teaching. with Jason Crandell – Yoga Pearl, Portland, OR (2015)
Gravity & Grace with Peter Sterios – The Yoga Space, Portland, OR (2014)
The Fiery Furnace Asana Immersion – The Bhaktishop, Portland, OR (2014)
Yoga & Fitness – Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, MA (2014)
MS Ed: Inclusive Adolescence Education – Nazareth College, Rochester, NY (2014)
200-hour YTT with Darren Main, Dina Amsterdam, et al. – Yoga Tree, San Francisco, CA (2012)
Abby, it seems like you’ve built quite a yoga following — fantastic! I’ve added your site to my google reader and I shall have to come to one of your classes when I return from Ukraine.
Wonderful! Can’t wait to hear about your adventures live and in person! Keep on rocking!!
Abby, I really enjoy everything you bring to teaching yoga, thank you. And your music selection is the best!!!
Thank you, James–’twas a treat to have you in class! (And congrats on your excellent musical tastes as well! :))
Abby, I’ve nominated you for the Sunshine Award:
http://taplatt.wordpress.com/2014/05/22/sunshine-award/
No pressure to follow through with the post — I just wanted to give you a shout for inspiring me.
Abby, I am so inspired by your story. I am having scoliosis surgery this Oct. and would love to talk to you. If you get a chance please contact me at carlycash30@gmail.com. Sincerely, Carly
Abby
Thank you for yesterday’s class.
So very helpful…. Hopefully my body will remember.
And it was great being with you.
Have a wonderful day.
Love and Light
Marla
So lovely to work with you, Marla! Hope to see you on the mat again soon. 🙂
Hi Abby, I would like to see if you’re available for a private session on Nov. 23, 24, 25, or 26. Thank you.
Hi Gloria! One of those days could work! Why don’t you send me an email and we can figure out what works best? abigail.kraai@gmail.com Thanks for getting in touch!