Introducing Ashley Simonis:

We’re fortunate to have Ashley as one of our guiding lights at Central West End Yoga. She teaches yoga with an intention that goes beyond the mat. Constance sat down with Ashley, a former dancer turned yoga teacher, to explore her journey and hear her thoughts on bringing inclusivity to the practice. Here’s an inspiring conversation about transformation, self-love, and lifting others up through compassion and movement.

Constance: Alright, Ashley. Happy Halloween! Thanks for joining me today.

Ashley: So excited to be here! Thanks for having me! 

Constance: I’m interested in creating an intentional space—a resource for teachers and for accessible yoga. The intimate setting and the teachers here are such a big part of that vision. I’d love to help our community get to know you better as a teacher and as a person.

Ashley: I love it. 

Constance: So, let’s start with your journey. I know you began as a dancer. Am I remembering that correctly?

Ashley: Yes! Growing up, I was a competitive dancer, always competing against my peers—people I was friends with. That world is very focused on competition.

Constance: And then you found yourself in a yoga class. What was it like going from that competitive dance background to yoga?

Ashley: One of my first teachers in yoga said, "If you wouldn’t say it to your best friend, why are you saying it to yourself?” She was referring to self-talk, and that hit me like a lightning bolt. It felt like my brain exploded open. I had never thought about how I spoke to myself or the voice in my head. I just thought, "That’s me." And suddenly, I was in a space where self-love was encouraged. It was a huge shift—moving from an environment where I was always comparing myself to others, to one that was about kindness and gentleness.

Constance: A real paradigm shift! It sounds like that moment opened up a new way of relating to yourself.

Ashley: Exactly. And my teacher lived in a bigger body, which was also new for me. I’d never seen a yoga instructor represented that way. I felt so welcome and seen in her class, and I kept coming back because of that.

Constance: I love that. And you’re a powerful advocate for inclusivity in yoga; collaborating with YogaHour and with different organizations around St. Louis. You focus on yoga for bigger bodies and work with people who don’t see themselves represented in mainstream yoga spaces. Could you share more about that?

Ashley: Sure. When I started yoga, I practiced the YogaHour method, which has this way of being challenging but accessible through the teacher offering variations for different people. But even then, some postures weren’t accessible to me. So, it was a journey of figuring out adaptations for myself. Seeing teachers like Jessamyn Stanley also really inspired me. Watching how other people in bigger bodies move has helped me move better and more confidently in my own body. And since then, Darren, creator of YogaHour, has embraced my feedback and adapted the curriculum.

Constance: What would you say to someone in a bigger body who's curious about yoga but hesitant to try it?

Ashley: I’d just say, go for it. Start wherever you can. When I started, I would practice at home, close my eyes, and just let my body guide me. Building that trust in myself was huge. Sometimes, the things I’ve had the most reservations about have been the most rewarding. If you can get over the hump of whatever story you’re telling yourself, there’s so much growth and self-acceptance on the other side.

Constance: Beautifully said. It really is about creating a space for yourself, isn’t it? I know you don't have to be an introvert to enjoy yoga, but as a card-carrying introvert, I really appreciate how I can be in a room full of people, but still have this introverted, internal experience.

Ashley: Absolutely. Everyone’s there for their own journey. No one’s focused on what anyone else is doing. If someone is, that’s their own story to work through. Yoga has helped me appreciate that individual experience within a community setting, for sure. 

Constance: Has there been a specific moment or student story that reminds you why you’re so passionate about inclusivity in yoga?

Ashley: For me, it goes back to that moment with my first teacher, reminding me to speak to myself like I would to a friend. That shift reframed my whole life. And during my first 200-hour training, I felt the strongest I’d ever been—physically and mentally. Yoga became about lifting others up as well as myself.

Constance: And you bring such radiant energy to that! You’re always supporting others, helping them believe in themselves. Where does that drive come from?

Ashley: Growing up, I longed for that support, for someone to be my biggest fan. I think a lot of us do. My family was amazing, and I had a beautiful childhood, but that kind of encouragement wasn’t always expressed. So now, I try to be that for others. I want to lift others because that’s what I needed, and it’s what I still need sometimes.

Constance: That’s so powerful. They say to “become the person you needed,” and you embody that beautifully. That reminds me of the reparenting journey and is such a testament to the healing and transformative power of cultivating more mindfulness and trust in your body and being. Speaking of self-care, what role does your personal practice play in how you show up for your students?

Ashley: Being a student of the practice is everything. It’s how I learn, how I connect. Personal practice helps me enter that flow state, where insights naturally come. It could be asana, meditation, or even sitting in traffic—it’s all yoga. Those moments of personal growth are the most essential part of my teaching.

Ashley’s journey from competitive dance to compassionate yoga teacher is a powerful example of transformation. She brings a magnetic energy to the mat and a deep commitment to inclusivity and kindness. At Central West End Yoga, Ashley reminds us that yoga is for every body, every journey, and every story—each practice an invitation to move, breathe, and discover the magic within.