This morning LIFT yoga hour connects the mind and body through faster-paced, flowing sequences and breath synchronization. This full body workout is designed to build strength and flexibility, burn calories and stress, fine tune the core and body intuition in a fun and uplifting ambiance. These vibrant and dynamic poses help us to reap the mental health benefits of emotional regulation, stress reduction, sleep enhancement, and overall well-being in the present moment. Bring a yoga mat.

Mindy Smith took her first yoga class as a college elective and has been devoted to the practice ever since. She studied Vinyasa Yoga under renowned teacher Shiva Rea in Venice Beach, CA, and has been a full-time health education professor at West Los Angeles College since 2001. In 2008, she expanded her teaching to include semester long yoga electives for the kinesiology department.

Mindy's additional training includes prenatal and post natal yoga, yoga for children, and Mental Health First Aid. She has led college wide workshops on yoga, meditation, and self-care for students, staff and faculty, alike.

In 2011, Mindy spent six transformative months traveling through India, where she studied Ayurveda—India’s traditional “science of life”—and deepened her understanding of yoga, breathwork, and meditation at the source. She integrates this ancient wisdom into her own teaching, creating a dynamic blend of modern science, anatomical alignment and traditional practice.