About – Stamaste

Hi! My name is Stacee and I’m the owner of Stamaste. Stamaste is a yogic lifestyle company that creates a warm, safe, serene space for anyone who wishes to start yoga or deepen their yoga practice.

I was inspired to explore yoga by my grandmother. Within a year of starting my personal yoga practice, I began to notice subtle shifts in the way that I carried myself, my posture, and my overall confidence. Inspired by these internal transformations, I took my first 200-hour yoga teacher training program in 2015. I am currently an E-RYT 500 hour instructor, trained in Hatha and vinyasa yoga. I began studying Hatha and vinyasa yoga under seasoned teacher, Faith Hunter. I would continue on my yoga path to attend pranayama and meditation retreats, deepening my spiritual connection to the practice of yoga and to myself. I have also attended many sequencing workshops, in which I explored how to create a unique sequence to elevate my future yoga classes. After achieving my 500-hour certification, I have learned innovative and creative methods of designing an enlightening experience for my students, utilizing meditation, yoga Nidra, pranayama, kriyas, mudras, chants, and mantras. I was also trained in kundalini yoga by combining postures, breathing, eye-focus, hand positions, and meditation to strengthen the body and uplift the spirit. My advanced teacher training also prepared me for chakra healing and chakra sequencing. I am so excited to continue on this journey of yoga and deepen her knowledge of advanced yoga sequencing and theory not only for my students but also for myself. As I continue to progress through my yoga journey, I connect deeply to the mental and emotional powers of this practice. I weave my experiences with yoga throughout my teachings, inspiring others to connect with more than just the physical practice, connecting with the true depth of yoga.

Yoga for All

My message, “Yoga for All” shows that there are no expectations…everyone and anyone is welcome. One does not have to flow into crow within the first five minutes of class in order to take a class with me. The song title “Come as you are” resonates with me. All levels, personalities, ages, and intentions are welcome into my sacred space to enjoy a fun and playful flow. One thing, though, once a student enters my classroom, they can expect poses to help balance out the chakras, or energy centers within our spiritual bodies. This does not necessarily make the practice challenging or intimidating. Rather, students can expect such poses as chest openers, hip openers, and even throat openers. Together, we share such joy and even play.

Reviews & Recommendations

I first met Stacey in April of 2016 at the Satchidananda Ashram in Buckingham, Virginia.

I was immediately struck by her dedication to yoga and her level of compassion for others. Since then, Stacey has subbed yoga classes for me many times.

She is a committed yoga instructor who cares about her students and their well-being. Students appreciated her professionalism and ability to cater to practitioners with mixed levels of experience.

I have been a member of Golds Gym for over four years and an active participant in its yoga classes. In fact, the yoga classes are the primary reason for me maintaining my membership. Stacee is an outstanding and gifted instructor. She is excellent at understanding her classes’ abilities and offering yoga positions that best fit those abilities. This approach ensures that no one feels inadequate and is able to get the most from the class. That’s not to say that she doesn’t challenge us to try more difficult positions. She does, but she offers alternatives for those who may not be up to that challenge. In short, Stacee gets a gold star.

Stacee is my fourth yoga instructor and by far my favorite, so I have come to nearly every class of hers at my local gym for over a year now. As an older member of the class, I appreciate her suggestions for ways to modify difficult poses and her reminders that we can take breaks when we need to. But each session seems carefully and thoughtfully structured, and paced just right, so I don’t usually have to take those breaks. Indeed, the variety and challenges of her routines have greatly increased my flexibility, stamina, and balance. I feel lucky to be in her class.

Stacee Finkelstein, the founder of Stamaste, teaches public classes in DC. She is an E-RYT 500 and trained in Reiki 2. She became a doTERRA wellness advocate in 2020.

She has taught yoga at many lavender farms, sunflower farms, parks, and gardens, as well as in many residential buildings, including Brookfield properties the estate at Navy Yard, as well as Bozzuto management properties. She also teaches at the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, as well as various country clubs.

She also teaches private and group yoga classes and offers workshops, trainings, and retreats.