Jess Gannon

Hello! My name is Jess Gannon and I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of the optimal community. I absolutely love the energy as well as sense of calm felt when being here! Growing up in the Downingtown area, I love supporting local businesses in Chester County. I became an instructor after yoga became a grounding force during college while attending West Chester University. When telling my friend I wanted to become an instructor back in 2015 their response “don’t you need to know more about yoga and be able to do certain things to be an instructor?” So I did just that! Now I have multiple certifications and over 400 hours of training. I feel like there is so much to learn and as a lifelong learner there is still so much I have yet to explore. I have held yoga classes in Jamaica with my friend who lives there who I met through yoga, and look forward to the days when I will hold a bigger yoga retreat there. I feel very grateful that I took that step I was being called to take to pursue this passion project that has turned into much more and want to help others find where yoga can fit in their life. After graduating with a degree in Early Childhood and Special Ed I am also using the yoga techniques I’ve learned to help children and teens to have confidence to try yoga and have fun while doing it! I love seeing others be able to learn more in a way that is relatable for them. With mental health and self care being so necessary, using yoga and breath work to show gratitude for our bodies and everything they do for us is a message rooted in my classes. Meeting yourself on your mat-or in life, with loving kindness without judgement, knowing that no two bodies look the same and it’s okay to look different than your neighbor is an important reminder. If you have a body and can breathe, yoga is for you, as it quite literally is for every body. See you on your mats!