YOGI OF THE MONTH

November 2026 - Daina Fawn

What first brought you to yoga and how long have you been practicing?

My first yoga class was with David Scarbrough when I was about 13 years old. During a guided meditation, I experienced a lucid dream that has stayed with me ever since.

I was standing in a waterfall, surrounded by tropical flowers and plants. The water glistened with rainbow light. There, I met a radiant version of myself with very long, golden hair and shell jewelry. She seemed completely balanced—an ascended being. She handed me a scroll, and when I opened it, the words read: “I am you.”

Yoga returned to my life when I was living in Boulder, Colorado, where I began taking Richard Freeman’s Ashtanga yoga classes. The practice lasted two hours, and I loved the devotion of the people who gathered there.

Later, I moved to Richmond to reestablish my dance company, Charisma. There, I met Arlene Bjork, who had a downtown studio called Grace Yoga. She offered free classes to underserved communities and was a charismatic, authentic, powerful woman who made a meaningful impact in Richmond.

For her first teacher training, she selected 12 students, and I was fortunate to be one of them. We became a spiritual family, gathering every day to practice and explore all eight limbs of yoga. Through that shared experience, we formed a beautiful bond.

During that time, I embraced a raw-food lifestyle and practiced yoga daily. Yoga helped ease the anxiety I had experienced for much of my life. Whenever life felt like it was spinning too fast, my mat became a sanctuary of peace.

When I began teaching, I allowed my authentic self to emerge by bringing together the movement arts I loved: yoga, dance, vinyasa, and energy balancing. From this exploration, I created Transzendance™—my own expression of yoga and dance.

What is/are your intention(s) for your yoga practice?

My intention in yoga is to live in full-body presence: aware of my thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and all my senses, with balance between body, mind, and spirit.

What is your favorite pose and why?

My favorite pose is Tree Pose. To me, trees beautifully embody yoga. Rooted in the earth and reaching toward the sky, they grow in many directions while holding space in stillness. Their rings carry the story of their lives, and they remind me to remain grounded, present, and growing every day.

My favorite posture at InsideOut Yoga is Fallen Triangle because it invites me to explore a movement I don’t usually include in my own practice.

What is your favorite class at InsideOut Yoga?

The Tuesday/Thursday Vinyasa class

How has the practice of yoga influenced your life?

Yoga has influenced my entire being and supported me through some of the most challenging times in my life.

What advice would you have for a beginning yoga student?

My advice is to think of your mat as a magic carpet—a place to explore, discover, and return to yourself.

What is your occupation?

I have been teaching for 28 years, specializing in movement arts, including Pilates, yoga, dance, and Transzendance™. As a holistic wellness and empowerment guide, I also offer one-on-one coaching to support others in becoming their best selves and creating lives they love. My nonprofit for the arts, Charisma, brings together my passion for creativity, movement, and empowerment.

What activities do you enjoy?

Swimming with dolphins, dance, yoga, conscious movement arts, visual arts, nature, paddleboarding, sailing, earth traveling and drinking coconuts right off the tree.

What is your favorite thing about living in the Northern Neck or Middle Peninsula?

These days, my favorite thing to do in the Northern Neck is paddleboard at sunrise. Sometimes, the dolphins even come out to greet me.