Zurishaddai Ruiz Neira

(zur-ish-uh-dye) she/they

Welcome! I’m Zurishaddai (I also go by Zuri) and I’m a certified mobility specialist + yoga teacher of over 10 years.

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Without knowing it by name, the idea of mindfulness was introduced to me in childhood.

Thanks to my father’s stories of our Taíno ancestors in Borikén and my mother’s spiritual guidance in church, I developed a connection to prayer & meditation quite early in life.

In adulthood, however, and in the face of trauma, I drifted away from peace & mindfulness.

And when I decided to reconnect, heal, and evolve, that’s when I came across the teachings of Yoga.

Pranayama (a practice tied to breath control) became particularly significant for me. As I became more familiar with my breath and practiced ways to control it (and not control it), I noticed a calmer mind.

Then, practicing asana (yoga poses) with intention and discipline further nourished me by gradually reshaping my habits, decision-making, and the overall relationship with myself.

↑ And that’s how my Yoga practice began.

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In 2015, I completed my Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Certification with FlorYoga and Sarah Marsh in Jersey City, New Jersey.

In 2017, I began practicing with Cecily Milne of Yoga Detour™ to expand my knowledge on movement education.

In 2018, after fracturing my wrist in a snowboarding fall, physical therapy inspired me to train with Dr. Andreo Spina and Functional Anatomy Seminars, earning my certification as an FRC® Mobility Specialist.

Uniting my love for mobility training and yoga asana, I became a Registered Yoga Detour™ Instructor in 2021.

I am also certified in Prenatal Yoga with additional training, from 2015-2017, by educators and birth doulas: May Lane, Kimberleigh Weiss-Lewitt, and Michelle Timek.

Additionally, I am grateful to my teachers, Shoko Dubiski and Oneika Mays, for their wisdom and guidance since 2013 and 2015.