Yoga Practice, Training and Teaching

I began practicing yoga in the form of meditation at the age of five with my parents. This sparked a lifelong love, study and practice of yoga and Eastern Studies. I have over 2000 hours of training and have been teaching yoga for 30 years. I am now deepening my life and work through a 300 hour Vajra Yoga Teacher Training program in Tibetan Buddhism and Hatha Yoga with Tenzin Bob Thurman and Michele Loew.

Some of the teachers who have informed and inspired my life and work, either through direct study with them or through their writings and online courses, are: HH the 14th Dalai Lama, Tias Little, Phyllis Rollins, Mary Reilly, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Ramanand Patel, Aadil Palkhivala, Richard Freemand, Mary Taylor, Tenzin Robert Thurman, Geshe Thupten Jinpa, Pema Chodron, TKV Desikachar, BKS Iyengar, the faculty at the Kripalu Center, Dr. Jeffrey Yuen, Marcus Sedgwick, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Margaret Atwood, Rick Berry, David Lynch, Ted Seth Jacobs, Michael Grimaldi and Tony Ryder.

My deepest gratitude to them all, and to my greatest teacher of all, this beautiful Mother Earth.

Learning and teaching yoga has been one of the greatest joys and passions in my life. The capacity we have to evolve, grow, heal and support each other never ceases to amaze me, and the way that yoga can support us on that journey is astounding and reassuring.

I feel the deepest medicine that yoga offers us is an increased capacity to slow down and enter states of deep stillness where our true nature is always abiding. The focus of my teaching now is mostly with individuals who are transforming trauma, chronic illness, post-surgery or injury, or other deep work in their life. It is a privilege to assist them, and I am forever transformed by the courage and beauty of my students. Learn more at wildteal.com

Mountain Woman

I am deeply in love with Mother Nature. I spend as much time as possible outside, mostly in the Rocky Mountains (Tséstho’e (Cheyenne) and Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ (Ute) land). Or, at my farm in the Appalachian Mountains (Tsalaguwetiyi (Cherokee) and S’atsoyaha (Yuchi) land).

My work, in all its expressions, is informed and inspired by the relentless beauty of the wild. I am a herbalist and make a great deal of plant and stone medicines. I am also a student of Dr. Jeffrey Yuen (88th generation Daoist priest from the Jade Purity School, Lao Tzu sect, and 26th generation priest of the Complete Reality School, Dragon Gate sect). I am a Level 4 Taoist Stone Medicine Practitioner. My stone elixirs can be found at Obsidian Butterfly Elixirs.

When I am not making things, or teaching yoga, you’ll probably find me playing in the woods with my pup, Bhakti, or exploring the world with my hubbie, Mike.

Art and Writing

Art is my joy and passion. You can find a small sampling of my work in pencil, paint, found objects and wool here, at: tealchimblo.com

I have always been an avid reader and writer. Currently, I have completed the first draft of my first novel. I am also working on a collection of poetry, and a book of short stories. I hope to complete these projects soon and seek their publication.

Life Experiences

I was lucky to be a child who grew up roaming in nature and this has formed me as a person more than anything else. I was also extremely fortunate to spending many of my formative years in the UK, Europe and Saudi Arabia. Traveling and living in many different cultures has been a great joy and education for me.

Fine Art, Art Direction and Design

I have had a long career as a fine artist, graphic designer, art director and product designer in diverse industries such as fashion, and the design of comic books and graphic novels. A number of the publications I worked on won awards such as the Gutenberg D’Argent Medal and several Spectrum Awards. I no longer do graphic design for others, but find it useful in my own endeavors.

A relaxing little video of me painting outside on my farm.

Saguaro study in watercolor, © 2022 Teal M. Chimblo