Gentle Yoga is a supportive, unhurried practice designed to open the heart and rejuvenate the entire body. Emphasis is on loosening and strengthening the body gradually through a flow of gentle stretches and poses. A delight for those newer to yoga or anyone looking for a less vigorous, more soothing and restorative experience, this class focuses on:

• Breathing and relaxation practices that reduce stress and quiet the mind
• Simple stretches and rhythmic exercises to warm-up the body
• Foundational yoga postures—gently moving into and out of a variety of poses and how to adapt poses to your abilities

Yoga is foundational to Darlene's life. She was introduced to yoga in her late teens and has practiced intermittently until moving back to Buffalo in 2009. There she found Rising Sun Yoga and strengthened her practice with regular classes and workshops.

In January 2014, she completed "Kidding Around Yoga" training and began implementing yoga postures, breathing and relaxation into everyday instruction of her young students in Pre-Kindergarten.

With a desire to continue growing and learning yoga, she completed a 200-hour Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher Training program at Rising Sun Yoga in March 2015 and Bryan Legere’s Rope Wall Yoga program in September 2016. In May 2018 she completed a week long training for "Teaching Yoga to Seniors" at Kirpalu Center for Yoga and Health.

She teaches Outdoor Yoga (summers), Rope Wall Yoga, Intro to Yoga and substitute teaches at Rising Sun Yoga. Teaching children yoga continues to be a priority with weekly classes at Rattles to Reading Day Care and Pre-Kindergarten, ages 1-4 during the school year, and ages 2-12 during the summer. Also, she teaches chair yoga twice a week in the community.

She enjoys communicating the lifelong benefits of yoga to others through teaching and example while continuing to strengthen her personal practice.