INSTRUCTORS

Jayme Bushmiaer

I hope you leave my class feeling refreshed, challenged, and with a huge smile on your face!

I thought my yoga journey began 6 years ago, but I've actually been on it my entire life. Raised in a traditional Christian southern home in Southeast Arkansas, my parents taught me that things were never hopeless, not to let people or events affect you, that material things will not make you happy, and live for today. (True yogis and they didn't even know it!) They were and are the two most amazing people I will ever know.

I found American Power Yoga in February of 2003. The flyer was on my door and I laughed when I read the "We're nice." advertisement. Having spent just a couple of months in Dallas I wasn’t finding it nice at all compared to my hippy little town of Fayetteville, Arkansas full of trees and best friends. But the flyer struck me in a way that I felt I HAD to check it out. It took a couple of tries to walk in the door I have to admit. At this point in my life things were not good. I was unfocused, insecure, scared, unhealthy, and really missing my parents. By 1999 I had lost both parents to long battles of cancer. It was quite an irritating feeling because I had always been very outgoing and sure of myself. My parents’ death had been some years ago and I felt I had dealt with all of that already. I would quickly find out I had not.

Upon walking through the door I met Jen, Kurt’s sister, she was extremely welcoming, natural, and just cool! She was my kind of people! Immediately I took to APY. I began practicing avidly everyday. Physically I felt amazing; stronger, leaner, and tons more energy! Mentally, I began a journey of self discovery that I continue today.

Through yoga and now one of my best friends and mentor, Kurt, I realized that I hadn't dealt with my parents' death at all. My emotions were all bottled up with envy of people who seemed happy, in anger because I didn't have the parental guidance I felt I needed, and frustration because life was just too hard! Then the words, "just another pose" and "let go" began to seep into my brain and stayed with me all day. These ups and downs were not just happening to me they were happening to everyone. The real tragedy would be to let this "pose" ruin me. So I changed my attitude, all of my thoughts, all of my judgments. I began to ask God or the Universe to put me in a place where I would be the most useful. By the summer of 2005 I became a certified APY instructor, in January 06 I began running the studios, and in 2007 I began assisting and training APY instructors. I truly believe it was my life's destiny to walk through the doors of APY. Every day I learn something new whether it comes from my students (you teach me more than you know), my mentors, fellow instructors, and other "peaceful warriors". I'm honored to be apart of this time, at this studio, with all of you.

In my class you can expect that I will laugh and giggle a lot! It's just what I do. But seriously, I like to keep moving and not over think a pose. It may be because I think in life it's best to keep moving. I find when I over analyze things I usually talk myself out of it, so I try to just go for it. I try to get you to do the same. If it works, it works; if it doesn't, it doesn't. It's not good or bad, it just is. But most importantly, I hope you leave my class feeling refreshed, challenged, and with a huge smile on your face! Life is good. Keep Rockin’!

Jamie's Class Schedule

Kurt Johnsen comments on Jayme:
Jayme has been a fixture at American Power Yoga since it was known as Whole Life and after years of taking classes she decided to deepen her knowledge and become an APY Instructor. Since then she has become APY's senior instructor and continues to train with myself and with my mentor Roger. In fact now she helps me create APY instructors. Her story of how she found yoga and why she made it apart of her life is amazingly compelling. I invite you to find out more class, her story and her life.