This article from Sol del Valle has been translated for English readers.
Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and space.
Alejandra Rico is originally from Chihuahua, Mexico and has been living in the Valley for 20 years. She offers free yoga classes, though donations are welcomed, every Thursday at 6:30pm at Stepping Stones.
What led you to yoga?
A deep desire to heal from a tragic loss I experienced in 2007. I was married to a man who worked for Catholic Charities. We got married in 2004, separated in 2006 and in 2007, on his birthday, he hiked up Maroon Bells. On the way down, in a scree field, he slipped, fell and died.
His funeral, coincidentally, was on my birthday. His was Aug. 9, mine is Aug. 14. I fell into a deep depression, a very dark hole I didn’t know how to climb out of.
What was your goal when you started taking yoga classes?
To bring calm, containment and presence.
That practice felt like a lifeline in a sea where I was drowning. It was the beginning of my healing process. The discipline, the connection with myself, with the divine … transformed me.
I trained in Hatha and Kundalini yoga, but once I became a mother I found that restorative yoga was the practice I truly needed.
Motherhood changes our nervous system so much. Our children need us to be calm and present. It’s a blessing to be able to share this practice, especially with other mothers, though men and young people come sometimes too.
What do you enjoy about teaching yoga?
I love being nurturing to others. During final relaxation, I use lavender oil and give a gentle neck massage. I want them to feel cared for, like they’re receiving a therapeutic massage.
What advice would you give to someone who hasn’t tried yoga yet?
Give yourself the space to try it once or twice — it can be a powerful act of self-care and connection with yourself.
