Inspiring Conversations with Jackie Nelson-Paunil of Terra Medela, LLC dba Young Heart Yoga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jackie Nelson-Paunil.

Hi Jackie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been moving my whole life. I started my training as a child in classical ballet, and my love for movement grew into a deep exploration of dance as both an art form and a science. Dance is an art form, but it’s also about biomechanics, understanding how the body moves and why. That curiosity led me to earn my Master of Fine Arts and teach at the university level.
Then life gave me a different kind of challenge—a diagnosis of Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune condition. I went looking for a proactive, whole-body approach to healing and couldn’t find it, so I turned to studying nutrition. By changing the way I nourished myself, I was able to successfully manage my condition, and that journey inspired me to become a Personal Health Coach so I could help others do the same.
As my health improved, I started craving movement again. At first, that looked like simple ballet barres using the fence rails in our horse pastures. Eventually, I stepped into a yoga class, hoping to regain lost range of motion—and quickly discovered that yoga offered far more than stretching. My coaching clients were also reaching a point where they were ready for gentle movement, so I decided to become certified as a yoga instructor to support them fully.
After completing my 200-hour teacher training, I began weaving yoga into my clients’ health plans, and the results were inspiring—more mobility, more energy, more joy. I started teaching locally in Casa Grande, Arizona, and became certified with Silver Sneakers to bring gentle and chair yoga to older adults in both in-person and remote settings.
I eventually received certifications in Yin Yoga, Pre-Natal Yoga, 500- Hour Teacher training, Meditation, Yoga Nidra, and studied Sound Healing with the Atma Buti school.
Over time, my Chair Yoga classes became especially popular with winter visitors. Many asked me to create something they could use over the summer when they couldn’t find classes designed for older adults. I resisted at first—I wasn’t eager to dive into the tech world—but in 2020, when in-person classes came to a halt, I knew it was time.
That’s how the Young Heart Yoga App was born—a way to offer gentle yoga and introductory meditation designed specifically for seniors and older adults, helping them maintain strength, balance, flexibility, and peace of mind wherever they are in the world.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, it’s been a natural progression; one area of study combined with another, years of experience contributing to a more organic merging of knowledge to offer what I know not just through studies, but through personal experience. I am a senior myself and understand the concerns and obstacles that we face as we age. I find that life has a natural progression and if we can do what we can to support our mental and physical health, we are given the opportunity to continue enjoying each day.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Terra Medela, LLC dba Young Heart Yoga?
Young Heart Yoga is all about helping older adults and active agers stay strong, mobile, and confident in their bodies—while also nurturing peace of mind. In the app Gentle Hatha Yoga, Yin Yoga, Chair Yoga, and accessible meditation practices are designed specifically for people 45 and older, meeting students exactly where they are, whether they’re brand-new to yoga or looking to adapt their practice as their needs change.
Every class is created with the real-life needs and changes of aging in mind—balancing science-based movement principles with an understanding that comes from my own lived experience. I’m not just a teacher looking in from the outside; I’m walking this same stage of life alongside my students. That means my approach is safe, sustainable, and deeply respectful of each body’s uniqueness.
Young Heart Yoga offers an App available on a phone, tablet or computer, where students can practice anytime, anywhere—at home, while traveling, or even outdoors—without worrying about finding classes that “fit.” All of the information for downloading the app to a device or computer is available on the website. Young Heart Yoga classes focus on building strength, balance, flexibility, and mental clarity in a way that feels encouraging, not intimidating.
I’m pleased to have created something that genuinely makes yoga and meditation feel approachable for older adults—removing the pressure to “keep up” and replacing it with a sense of belonging. My goal is for students to leave each practice feeling a little lighter, a little stronger, and a lot more hopeful about what their bodies can do.
You don’t have to be young to feel vibrant. You just need the right tools, the right support, and a willingness to begin. I created the Young Heart Yoga App to help older adults make that first step—and every step after—feel possible and joyful.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Some people might look at parts of my life and think I’ve taken plenty of risks. I used to ride horses, I’m an avid scuba diver, I love traveling internationally, and I live rather remotely on a ranch in the desert outside Casa Grande. But for me, those experiences have always felt more like adventures than risks.

The bigger leap, oddly enough, came with creating the Young Heart Yoga App. It was a significant financial investment, and launching a new technology-based business in my retirement years was something I debated for quite a while. In the end, I decided the potential to reach and help more people outweighed the uncertainty. The process has been a tremendous learning experience—keeping my mind active, challenged, and engaged in ways I hadn’t anticipated. In the end, it hasn’t just been good for the business; it’s been good for me, too.

For me, risk is not about jumping in blindly; it’s about taking the time to research, prepare, and understand what you’re stepping into. I tend to look at the big picture—what the outcome might be, whether it aligns with my goals, and at this stage in life, whether it’s something in which I truly want to commit my energy. Risk, to me, is best taken with both eyes open and a willingness to adapt along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://youngheartyoga.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YoungHeartYogaAPP/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@YoungHeartYoga
• Other: https://youngheartyoga.passion.io/