About
Connect with your inner-peace, bliss, freedom, and fortitude through yoga, fitness, creativity, and wellness on land and in the water!
Private and group classes, workshops, retreats, and special events in: Mysore Ashtanga Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Aqua Yoga and Aquatic Fitness, Dance Fitness, Dharma, Meditation, Indian Music, and Vegan Cooking! Aquamarine Yoga’s starfish logo symbolizes Nature’s power of resilience and regeneration, reflecting a commitment to environmental and spiritual renewal.
-
Rooted in the ancient Indian philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga and expanding through contemporary somatics, Aquamarine Yoga provides diverse, inclusive, and creative education for yoga, dharma, fitness, creative arts, and wellness on land and in the water.
Aquamarine Yoga recognizes our fellow animals and environments as integral to yoga practice and seeks to further eco-consciousness, sustainability, and environmental activism within the yoga community.
Founded in 2023 by yogini Sandi Higgins upon moving from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado to the Gulf Coast of Florida, after witnessing Colorado’s largest wildfire to date in Boulder County (native land of the Arapaho and Ute tribes) and then experiencing Florida’s costliest hurricane to date in Sarasota County (native land of the Calusa, Seminole, and Tocobaga tribes).
The Aquamarine Yoga logo in the shape of the starfish recalls Nature’s power of healing, regeneration, and renewal. Some starfish have the natural ability to regenerate lost limbs and regrow new limbs entirely. The human being is part of Nature too and we each have a natural power of resilience, adaptation, and the potential for spiritual regeneration.
The five-points of the starfish logo also call to mind several important yogic principles such as the 5 Great Elements (Pancha Maha Bhuta) and the 5 Acts of Shiva and Shakti (Pancha Kritya), as well as the 5 Restraints (Yama) and the 5 Observances (Niyama) of Ashtanga Yoga.
Follow Aquamarine Yoga at: YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Meetup, and LinkedIn
-
Yoga and fitness teacher, storyteller, tropical gardener, and vegan cook, Sandi Higgins loves engaging people with the flavors of peace, bliss, freedom, and fortitude.
Born and raised in the USA, Sandi speaks English and French and studies Sanskrit. She started practicing yoga in 2004 as a young filmmaker and performing artist in NYC. Gradually her yoga practice transformed her way of being and helped her heal through intense stress and trauma.
To share and further the medicine of movement, mindfulness, and musical devotion that she experienced through yoga, Sandi transitioned to teaching full-time in 2013. She has since taught thousands of diverse students in public and private classes, inspiring deeper curiosity and insight into the path of yoga.
Over the years, Sandi expanded her training and teaching to include aquatic fitness and dance as joyful ways to diversify movement and tend to the body-mind-breath connection: working out, looking within, raising vital energy, as well as embracing the amazing and therapeutic power of water.
With a heart-centered approach to yoga, holistic fitness, and plant-based nutrition, Sandi facilitates experiences of physical-mental-emotional peace and wholeness, connecting with Nature, integrating shadows, aligning with purpose, and savoring bliss.
Some of her most influential teachers (and the span of years she studied with them) include:
Mysore Ashtanga Yoga - Saraswathi Jois (2013-2025), R. Sharath Jois (2013-2024), Lino Miele (2024-2025), Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor (2017-2019), Eddie Stern (2013-2015)
Vinyasa & Restorative Yoga - Rose Erin Vaughan (2021-2022), Maty Ezraty (2017), Barbara Verrochi and Kristin Leigh (2004-2013)
Sanskrit - Satish Srinivasan (2022-2023), Samadhi Collective (2023)
Sankhya & Vedanta - Acharya Mrityunjay Trivedi (2023-2024), Kuldip Dhiman (2023), Swamini Brahmaprajnananda Saraswati (2023), Sree Ashwath (2022)
Meditation & Buddhist Dharma - Andrew Holecek (2020-2024), Ven. Dhammadipa (2012), Dilgo Khyentse Yangsi and Rabjam Rinpoche (2010-2011)
Earth Activism & Permaculture - Krishna McKenzie and Solitude Farm (2024), Plum Village (2023), Day Schildkret (2017)
-
As a filmmaker, music student, and yoga practitioner, Aquamarine Yoga founder Sandi Higgins has been studying, documenting, and supporting the ancient and contemporary wisdom of India and the Indian diaspora for over two decades. Here are a few glimpses of Indian culture as seen through her eyes.
-
In Sanskrit, "ashta" refers to “8” and "anga" refers to “limb”, thus "ashtanga" literally refers to the "8 limbs" of yoga practice: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. Ashtanga is explained in this way in the ancient yoga sutras of Patanjali. Ashtanga is also known for the potent tradition of Vinyasa yoga that comes from Mysore, South India. While the Mysore tradition of Ashtanga Yoga is most associated with its progressive series of challenging Asana practice, the tradition takes its name from the yoga sutras of Patanjali. We are not really practicing Ashtanga Yoga if we are not practicing the 8 limbs presented in the yoga sutras. Aquamarine Yoga founder, Sandi Higgins, has been studying the Mysore tradition of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga since 2012, after practicing Vinyasa for 8 years with her first teachers who were also rooted in the Mysore tradition. Check out some of our Ashtanga Workshops here.
-
Aquamarine Yoga shares the commitment to supporting survivors of sexual violence and the societal shift to a culture of consent. Join us in valuing compassion and togetherness, where diverse perspectives are welcomed, and shadow work is embraced as a path to healing. Let's learn together how to best honor each other’s experiences while keeping the conversation alive to support meaningful change in our communities. Mindful movement and breathing help to cultivate inner strength, peace, and resilience. Meditation fosters self-compassion. Chanting invites emotional transformation. Additionally, contemplative creativity offers an expressive outlet for survivors to reflect and process experiences and restore self-worth. By integrating these tools, Aquamarine Yoga aims to empower survivors to reclaim peace and rebuild their lives with renewed confidence and purpose.
-
While we don't have it all figured out yet, Aquamarine Yoga is committed to sustainability. A healthy planet is essential for a healthy yoga practice. Cherishing our environment is today's wake up call for humankind, and we aim to enhance our educational offerings and activities in this area. First, as a wellness community, we want to model environmental stewardship and realize that self-care extends beyond our mats and cushions. Second, sustainable practices contribute to the overall well-being of our communities and our whole planet, which directly impacts our health and the health of future generations. Third, promoting sustainability fosters community and shared purpose, creating a collective commitment to the environment that connects us all.