About the Teachers
“For many Indigenous peoples, including the Taíno people of Borikén (where I am from), the Sun represents life. The Sun has long been recognized as a mighty god who delivers strength and longevity to the people and Earth.
In Yogic context- otherwise known as ancient wisdom developed over thousands of years by the Indigenous people of the Indian subcontinent- the Sun provides life, intelligence, and consciousness. For this reason, I’ve named this space, Sol Mind Moves.”
-Zuri
Zurishaddai Ruiz Neira
Welcome! My name is Zurishaddai (zur-ish-uh-dye) [she/they] and I’m the creator of Sol Mind Moves.
Without always knowing the name for it, I’ve been practicing mindfulness since I was a child. Influenced by my father’s stories of Borikén (Puerto Rico) and my mother’s prayer guidance at church, mindfulness has always been familiar to me. Still, after facing trauma in adulthood, I found myself in need of additional guidance.
In seeking a healing practice, circa 2013, I found Yoga.
Pranayama, for me, was the most impactful part of this new practice because while learning to control my breath I was learning to manage my mind, too. Soon, my body connected with the asana (the yoga postures) and I watched how this new practice nourished me. It informed my habits, decision-making, and my self-relationship in a fulfilling way.
In 2015, I studied with FlorYoga in Jersey City [NJ, USA] and received my Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Certification, CYT-200. In 2019, after fracturing my wrist in a snowboarding fall and regaining mobility post-therapy, I trained with Functional Anatomy Seminars becoming a Certified Mobility Specialist, FRCms.
Bridging together my appreciation for mobility training and yoga asana, I studied with Cecily Milne of Yoga Detour™, becoming a Registered Yoga Detour™ Instructor, RYDI, in 2019.
Additionally, I have guided pregnant people in wellness & yoga asana since 2015, trained by birth educators and doulas: Michelle Timek, Kimberleigh Weiss-Lewitt, and May Lane.
With your support, I aim to expand this platform and share the space with various practitioners and teachers alike. Thanks for being here!
Ariel is an artist and educator with a deep connection to holistic and spiritual healing practices.
Recently, she has shifted her focus to further develop as a yoga teacher, artist, and entrepreneur.
She began to practice yoga as a way to relieve stress and improve her relationship with her body and mind.
Combining her love for travel and yoga, in 2015, she ventured to Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica to study and receive her yoga certification. She received her CYT- 200 yoga certificate in Hatha, Shivanada, and Ashtanga Yoga through Yoga with a View, led by Corrine Akulah.
Ariel is also certified in Reiki Level 1; a Japanese energy healing practice, and has worked with various spiritual mentors involved in holistic healing and spiritual healing methods.
Through her teaching, she desires to create a safe space for all body types and bring more attention to pranayama, meditation, art, and energy healing practices like Reiki.