I met Sammy a few weeks ago at Confetti Party Place located at 3190 Westchester Ave., Bronx, New York during their welcome back to Yoga event. Confetti Party Place owner Lourdes Melendez-Gamez personally invited me and asked me to bring some Veteran with me. Unfortunately I was not able to find any Veterans for that date and time frame but I was able to bring the President of the Bronx Veteran Chamber of Commerce with me, Alfredo Castillo and his niece, affectionally named Fifi.
Sammy offered me a very relaxing and soothing yoga session, I asked if I could write an article regarding her work. When I began the interview process, I realized this story should be told by her. The following is in her own words with a little assistance, I hope you find her journey through healing by helping others as inspirational as I did.
“My name is Samantha aka Sammy. I was born and raised in the Bronx. I am a wife, mother, nana, and dog mom. I left my job as a Banker of 27 years to care for my mother until she passed away. I am a Yoga instructor, certified in Vinyasa, Yin, Chair, and Kids yoga. I teach yoga from the ages of 2 to 102 years old. I also teach yoga to special needs kids and adults. I am now the proud owner of S&S Health and Wellness/ SSYOGA which offers Yoga, mindfulness, wellness products and services as well as different healing modalities to the community and beyond.
My passion for healing came naturally as I myself became a mother, and as I cared for both of my parents before they transitioned. As the years went on, I found myself in spaces of health, wellness and healing.
I started doing yoga 10 years ago, really to support a friend’s journey of becoming a yoga instructor. From then, I fell in love with yoga, and how it made me feel relaxed and at ease. It was better than doing high impact workouts at the gym, which I didn’t care for.
I was taking yoga classes faithfully, going to the gym for cardio only, until one day my world was turned upside down. My middle child passed away while I was on vacation with his son, my grandson. From then, everything went dark, everything stopped, life stopped, I stopped. I fell into deep depression, sadness, regret, anger, every bad emotion there is. My grief was bad.
But one day a voice said, I had to be strong for my grandson, who was only 5 at the time, and my other kids. (I had 3 kids) It had been a long time since I took a yoga class, so I wasn’t sure if the person was still there teaching. I called the gym to see if she was still teaching, and she was!
I felt I couldn’t go back without getting emotional, and interrupting the class, so she offered me private lessons. That’s where the healing began for me and my grandson. One breath. One movement at a time. I was able to grieve, release my guilt, anger, anxiety, depression or whatever I was feeling or needed to heal through Yoga.
At that point I knew what I needed to do to heal, and be healed. Once I was good, there was no stopping me. I went on to become a Yoga instructor offering free, donation based yoga to the community. Wanting to be a vessel to help heal whomever needed healing with one breath. One movement at a time. I felt that if Yoga saved me, I can save someone else too. It became my Dharma, my passion to be a healer.
Once Covid hit I was offering virtual classes for kids, adults, family and friends to keep the healing going and the community connected to the mind, body and spirit.
From there, I started making natural wellness products to help support the immune/ respiratory system from mucous, congestion and inflammation in the body. As Covid was said to be attacking the respiratory system. I had to get busy, researching, reading and taking healing classes to help me and my family stay Covid free. Then I started offering my natural wellness products to the community and the rest is history.
In August 2021, S&S Health and Wellness was created to provide different types of healing, health and wellness modalities to the community and beyond.
My Life. My healing. My journey.
Love what you do. Do what you Love
One breath. One movement at a time
Much Love. Much Light
Sammy”
IG: sandshealthandwellness66
S&S Health and Wellness/ SSYOGA will be a featured presenter at Devil Dog USA Incorporated upcoming event. Health, Nutrition and Fitness Fair on February 25th from 12pm to 2pm across the street from 1347 Bristow St., Bronx, New York.
