‘I am finding the more I soften, the deeper I get into the poses now.’

-Joan Hyman

1. What style of yoga do you teach? - Vinyasa flow

2. What is your intention behind teaching? - Yoga has transformed me and, my intention for sharing yoga is to pass these teachings down the way they were passed down to me. It’s also to share my own transformational experience I have gained through many years of practice. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? I have had the privilege to study with some great yoga teachers including Maty Ezraty, Lisa Walford, Annie Carpenter, Tim Miller, Noah Williams and Marla Apt. 

4. What have they taught you? To be patient, dedicated, and to integrate the practice into my lifestyle. 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? So many! I loved reading The Surrender Experiment by Michael Singer. He is a meditation and spiritual teacher. He talks about the practice of surrender and how we can apply it to this modern day world we live in. This book helped me through a big change in my life and I still integrate what I've learned from this book into my daily life. 

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? To let go. I have been practicing for 25 years daily, and recently turned 50. I can not do the things I used to do 10 years ago, and it's not as important to me to push myself so much physically. Although I do love a physical practice that brings me to my edge, I am finding the more I soften, the deeper I get into the poses now. 

7. How often do you practice?  Daily or six times a week, with daily meditation. 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? I live connected to my intuition. I check in with myself when I make decisions and ask myself if it aligns with the ethics we learn in yoga. My self care practice I gain through the practices that are included in the Niyamas have been integrated into my lifestyle and like I said above, I am still practicing surrender, but aren't we all? As I matured in my practice, I have learned to embody the higher limbs and my pranayama practice has become an essential in my day to day practice. I am strengthening my meditation practice more and more these days and embracing the essence of space in my life. Have I reached samadhi? Maybe in glimpses, but this is a lifelong practice, maybe even many lives! 

9. Why is being present so important to you?  Because this is where connection and insight happens. When I am present and in the moment I am a much better partner, teacher, friend, and more at peace with myself. To be present also brings a sense of calm, where I can think more clearly and make better decisions in the moment. When I can stay present, the moment is more alive and I can live more from my heart. This is where true happiness is found. 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name? Joanhymanschoolofyoga

9 Ways that we can bring integrity back into the Yoga community.

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As I mentioned in my last article, it is time for a refresher of the yoga industry. It has become filled with emotional abuse, gaslighting and greedy owners. Not all yoga studio owners are only out for money but all that I have worked for are.

There needs to be more transparency, integrity and genuine respect for others. The phrase ‘namaste’ is one that honors another as we do ourselves. Many say this word without understanding or thinking about what they say when these words escape their mouths.

I won’t act better than because I have been guilty of this, too. Not remembering that my fellow yogi or human deserves respect and genuine kindness above all. It’s not always capable to be done with everyone. However, it is worth a try.

I still have faith in the yoga industry and maybe I will open my own studio one day. However, I am not pleased with what I have seen in the industry for almost a decade of being in it.

The industry needs a return to simplicity, authenticity and respect. Ultimately, in the words of Marianna Williamson, ‘a return to love’.

Here are 9 ways that we can bring integrity back into the yoga community:

1. Raise the standard of Teacher-Trainings so that they are not purely about making money for the studios but actually educating prospect teachers.

2. Having a standard for teachers not just those who look a certain way but who actually practice themselves, too.

3. Not tricking people into buying memberships and a faux community. But, having yoga be the magnet for students.

4. Raising the standards for teachers so that students feel safe where they practice and avoid injuries.

5. Paying teachers well so that they can dedicate their time to teaching only and respect what they do more.

6. Weed out the narcissists in teachers by taking note of teachers who genuinely care about yoga and their students.

7. Having more teachers as owners. Not former professionals who see it as a place to make money only. This is where the greed comes in.

8. Separating yoga from the fitness industry. Yoga is more than physical, it is not only about what it looks like.

9. Taking out words like Yoga Sculpt, Yoga Barre. There is no such thing as a yoga practice with weights. Yoga is meant to be minimal and simple.

3 Dark Truths about the yoga industry revealed.

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I have happily decided to temporarily leave the yoga industry at the moment. After 8 years of teaching, it is clear to me that a lot of yoga studios are not only mismanaged but need a refresher.

We need more transparency, respect and integrity in the yoga industry because right now, the caliber of studios will not suffice. Obviously, I am speaking about the places that I have taught at and visited. So, this is not all places or studios.

However, as a whole, things need to change. There are secrets in the yoga industry that need to be revealed and brought to light so that we can heal them.

Here are 3 Secrets revealed about the yoga industry:

1. It is driven by greed.

When I began teaching 8 years ago, I wondered to myself if I could make it happen teaching full-time and be financially sustainable. I was toying between teaching yoga and teaching children. I was going to go back to school to become a kindergarten teacher. I am very glad that I chose to teach yoga and do not regret it at all.

However, just because I don’t regret the path that I chose doesn’t mean that I can’t speak of it. Once I started teaching and making money, I saw very quickly that it was driven by greed on all sides. Greedy studios and teachers who are trying to survive. Therefore, they end up misleading and trapping people into contracts or signing up for things that they didn’t sign up for.

I have worked for my fair share of yoga studios to have seen that there is a deep lack of integrity in the yoga industry. I think it stems from the studio owners who use starting a studio as a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme so teachers are often underpaid and not recognized. Thus, teachers end up in survival-mode barely making anything.

My solution to this is simple and maybe one day, I will open my own to create a high vibration amongst studios. It is that owners need to be held up to a higher standard of integrity. Whether by their students or other studios. Accountability will shift the energy and direction that they have taken, as a whole.

2. There is very little Yoga practiced anymore.

Whatever the influence of the lack of the yogic principles, very few yoga studios practice the foundations of yoga:The 8 limbs of Yoga.

I used to teach for a yoga studio that was named after the 8 limbs of yoga but was far from it. They lacked all of them: asana, pranayama, dhyana, dharana, niyama&yamas, pratyahara and samadhi. They would pretend that this was the foundation; however, from teaching there and being in those spaces, it is all a front.

There are a lot of yoga studios that put on a front of being spiritual and a place where one can find themselves. However, it all a facade because deep down, it is about money.

While I am a capitalist and business owner (myself), I believe in holding others accountable and being honest. Until, there is transparency in the yoga industry, fake yoga studios will be a common trend.

3. It is filled with narcissists.

I cannot tell you the amount of narcissists that I have met who teach yoga or own a yoga studio. You’re probably shocked to hear this but it is a reality of the yoga industry that needs to be revealed.

It’s almost like yoga studios have become a place where people can hide their traumas and avoid doing the work. Most yoga teachers I have met will tell other people what to do and do not do it themselves. I have seen yoga teachers steal, lie, take narcotics and more dubious behavior. Following this, there will be phrases to gaslight such as ‘we are all doing our best’ or ‘who are we to judge’.

While I genuinely believe only God can judge, we are allowed to put up boundaries of what we want to have around us. The blanket statements to deflect blame and responsibility from those who are tainting this industry needs to end.

It is okay to practice yoga in an authentic way without the trends, substances or extra technology to assist you. The whole purpose of yoga is to connect your mind, body and spirit. We have been disillusioned to think that we need to have a community, a place where we pay tons of money and learn from a ‘superstar’ yoga teacher to do so.

That is completely inaccurate. Practicing yoga should be one of the most simple things that you have done in your life. If it’s not, it’s time to get down to the basics. Find a genuine studio with dedicated students who are not there to be famous or seen but there to just be. Find out if your teachers are paid enough and decide whether you still want to practice there after knowing how they might or are being treated.

The 9 Ways that we can return the Yoga community back to authenticity.

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I am very verbal about my concern for the Yoga community. As a whole, it has become more of a showcase for teachers who want to be entertainers, a place where corporations can make a lot of money and, unfortunately, where little-to-no growth or healing is taking place anymore.

All of this while claiming to be beneficial. Even after 18 years (on and off) and 12 years (consistently) of practice, I am still learning about Yoga. However, one thing that I know about it is that you cannot fake it. It has to come from a place of authenticity.

If you do fake it as a teacher, practitioner or studio, you will attract and generate students who are faking it, too. Which creates a culture of preach without practice; the opposite of different Yogic practices, such as: satya (truthfulness) and asana (posture practice).

The beautiful resource of Yoga has been around over 5000 years and I am grateful to be able to practice it as often as I can. That is why I think it is imperative to return to authenticity. It’s time to weed out the fake Yogis so that the tradition can remain beneficial with teachers who know what they are talking about. And, communities that foster spirituality and wellness.

Here are 9 ways that we can keep The Yoga community authentic:

1. By being selective with teacher-trainings. Not everyone is capable of being a genuinely good teacher.

2. By leaving out politics or any other agendas.

It is a huge turn-off when teachers take it upon themselves to shame voters or push an agenda upon their students that is of their own. Shaming is the opposite of compassion and genuine love. As teachers, it is none of our business who votes for whom. We are not dictators; we need to be more humble than that.

3. By maintaining leaders who practice themselves. There is a huge difference between teachers who practice Yoga and those who don’t.

4. By educating Yogis on more than Asana. There are 8 limbs to Yoga, not just one.

5. By holding studio owners who are greedy and unethical accountable. I have worked for enough of them to know that most people who start Yoga businesses do so purely for money and it taints the purity of the culture.

6. By weeding out Yoga teachers who use the studio as their entertainment stage. Yoga teachers are not actors or performers. To teach comes from the heart; not all from a place of attention-seeking.

7. Having teachers who are honest (not mean) with students. There is this idea that to be a good teacher, you need to be tough. I disagree with this. You can be a solid teacher and be firm but still kind.

8. By paying teachers more and providing them with stability. I have yet to encounter a Yoga studio that financially values it’s teachers.

9. By separating sculpt, barre and popular workouts from a Yoga practice. As much as I love weight training, there is more to it than the physical.

The 3 poisons that are ruining the Yoga Industry.

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Every now and then, I get asked the question of why I still teach yoga. It has been 8 years and sometimes I don’t know, myself. But, I do know that it has provided me with so much depth and stability within myself. One of the best gifts that I would love to share with others. And, most of my students have given me more than I have to them.

I love teaching yoga. If i didn’t , I wouldn’t still teach it because it doesn’t pay well, comes with a lot of drama and you have to put in extra work off the clock, too. I say this not to be a victim but to be honest.

There is a deep healing that comes with honesty. One that I am done avoiding and am fully embracing.

In light of all that, here are 3 poisons that are ruining the yoga industry:

1. The industry has been hijacked by actors and people who want to be famous.

I live in Los Angeles and will openly say that a lot of people I have met here, I could do without. Mostly those who are seeking attention at all costs because they have such deep insecurities within. This need to be seen is transparent and has had an effect on the yoga industry.

How? You might ask. Because a lot of people who want to be famous and are not thriving in acting, singing or performing will find their supply elsewhere. What better place than a yoga studio? Where students (for the most part) will do anything that their teacher tells them to. As most of us want to fit in as opposed to go against the grain.

I can’t tell you how many narcissistic Yoga teachers I have had, who treat their students like rubbish and, who do not practice themselves but tell others to.

Until the yoga community returns to humility by way of the teachers, it will become more of a performance and less about a spiritual practice.

2. The fitness community has claimed Yoga as it’s own.

I took my first Yoga class when I was 14 and it was taught by a woman from Goa, India. I was a very naughty teenager but genuinely looked forward to our weekly Yoga class because I could feel my teachers authenticity and it inspired me to be a better person. She taught us dharana (meditation), pranayama (breathing) and asana (postures). There was something special about learning it from someone who treats it like gold- a part of her heritage and culture.

It has been a long time since I have taken a yoga class from a teacher who is genuine and authentic. I have had a few (here and there), especially when I first became a teacher. I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by teachers who cared about yoga.

However, these days there is not much difference between a fitness class and a yoga class. Especially in The West, we confuse asana as Yoga. There are eight limbs to Yoga, most of it is not just physical. Sculpt, barre and intense workouts are not Yoga.

Only focusing on the physical accentuates the Ego. The whole point of Yoga is internal balance and this won’t be achieved by avoiding our own spiritual practice that is supposed to come with a genuine practice.

3. Everyone is becoming a teacher. Whether they are capable or not.

When I became a Yoga teacher, it was by chance and almost like I had been led to be one by God. At least that’s what I tell myself when I teach.

When I became a teacher, it was not popular- in fact many people asked me why I would do it. And, naturally, it helped me understand for myself, too. Going against the grain has been my life path. Especially when I feel that it connected in my soul and that is definitely how I felt about teaching.

Nowadays, it is easy to become a Yoga teacher. Contrary to when I started. When I applied to become a teacher, not everyone had the privilege and now I see why. I used to have a tradition of supporting greener teachers; however, as the years have gone on, the quality of teachers has significantly dropped because it has become easier to become a teacher.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that everyone deserves a chance and some of the most inspiring teachers I have had cannot do the ‘Instagram-perfect’ asana. However, it does require devotion. Something that is lacking in a lot of greener teachers that I see because there is no real foundation to their teachings.

There is no longer a required minimum practice and, I believe, that is one of the reasons that so many teachers are not meeting their full potential. We can all speak but few can speak from the heart. We can all preach but few can practice. We can all do a pose but few can feel it in their body and be present.

That is the difference between being genuine and fake. The former is unique; however, the latter isn’t. It is better to devote ourselves to becoming a master at what we do than to be like everyone else, especially with something like Yoga. When we connect people to mind, body and spirit, we need to do so with care and a genuine heart. Otherwise, we are not doing our jobs.

‘When medical science gave up on me, yoga came to my rescue.’

Sakshi Singh is a yoga teacher based in Varanasi, India.

1. What style (s)of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I teach Hatha yoga and Yin yoga.I was born and raised in Varanasi, India and this is where I teach, as well.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

My yoga calling came after an accident, where I was advised to suspend all physical activities like dancing and running for a few years.

And yoga helped me heal and recover from that within 2 months and I was able to do everything, that I used to do before my accident.

When medical science gave up on me, yoga came to my rescue.

And, I want people to help realise that the power to heal ourselves lies with us all along.We just need to find and utilise it in the correct way.

3. What have you realized about yourself as a yoga teacher? 

It’s not a realisation, per say, its more of a transformation I felt happening inside of me.

With each passing day, I became more patient, aware and awake.

4.What does Satya mean to you as a practitioner and teacher? 

For me it’s the most essential yama required to train the lower mind.

Being truthful with oneself and others is a virtue worth living for.Once we don’t feel the need to lie anymore, things and events take a drastic turn in life and for the good.

For mental peace, and meditative practice the mind needs to be at ease and for that one always needs to be true to themselves.

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

Meditation and mantras by - Swami Vishnu Devanandaji 

The way he describes the connection between body and mind, and the path to connect them helped me change my physical practice to an intuitive one.

6. What has a student taught you about yoga? 

I was once teaching a class of people from Japan and since it was my first class, I was nervous as hell as all my students were older than I am.

So this one lady came up to me, talked to me to ease me up and told me that there’s no age of a teacher and no age of a student. Knowledge could be possessed and imparted by those who have it.

Just be patient and do what you do best.

7. How often do you practice Dharana and Asana? 

I practice asana 5 days a week. As of dharana, it’s something that i do when i feel overwhelmed by everything around me and just want to focus inside and reach out to my inner self.

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana?

By monitoring my thoughts and redirecting them towards positive things, I try to follow the virtuous path and do the right thing always. And by practising karma yoga.

9. What does stillness mean to you? 

For me stillness is the state of mind where it’s not preoccupied with anything and is a clean slate.

We have a lot of samsakaras, thoughts, dreams and desires. So even when we are not physically doing anything, our mind is constantly processing loads of information. So bring that at halt, is stillness 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

My Instagram handle is - www.instagram.com/inquisitive _yogini

Facebook- inquisitive yogini

3 Reasons why I still practice Bikram Yoga.

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I remember the first time that I went to a Bikram Yoga class, it was called Traditional Hot because The Owner was being sued by Bikram Choudhury, it was a day that was a real milestone to me. Even though I had done yoga for many years, there was something very special about these 26 postures, the heat and breathing. I felt brand new afterwards. I felt baptized of my sins and I felt, for the first time in my life, that my potential was exponential. 

As I continued to practice and become a teacher, I began to see the difference between the shadow side of the practice and many of the studios that upheld it. There is always a shadow side that occurs from the light and dark side. I experienced the worst kind of sexual harassment, I was told to keep quiet against basic injustices and, I had to dumb myself down to fit in a lot of times as if it wasn’t ‘according to them script, it wasn’t allowed’. 

What would make you stay in this circumstance? You might ask and my answer in simple forms is that sometimes we run from one situation-to-another. How can you still practice Yoga after what you have been through? You can understandably ask, and another simple answer is that even though I didn’t always receive kindness; the lesson was often bigger than that. 

Let me expand. Here are 3 reasons why I still practice Bikram Yoga: 

1. There is good and evil everywhere. 

We have these misconstrued notions that if we run from evil, it won’t find us. However, this is not correct. We also have created a societal lie that the more that are a part of a spiritual or religious group, we are immune to evil- this is definitely not the case. I would like to say that every Yogi I have met has been a genuinely good person but this is not the case. I would also like to say that every person who practices Yoga applies it’s philosophies to their own life. However, this is not the case. Some of the meanest, insincere and unkind people I have met have been in yoga communities. 

Dealing with these people will not stop me from practicing or teaching. All that I can do is step up to them, create boundaries and let them go. It is not helping anyone to run away from a situation just because there are a few negative people or situations associated with it. Sometimes the best breakthrough is when we overcome thinking that these kind of people or situations have power over us and the only way to know is by encountering them. 

2. I believe in nuance. 

I used to think that if I practiced yoga all day long that I could avoid the real problems of life; however, this is not true. And, dealing with some unkind people in yoga circles has reminded me of that. Strength comes from digging deep within, applying a strong mindset and taking action. It doesn’t come from surrendering and bowing down to evil and negativity. 

If I kept running from situations, I would forget the simple notion that growth comes from being able to differentiate what has led us to a specific situation and how we can get out of it. I would be lying if I had said that every studio that I taught for was supportive and sincere but behind that are many lessons for me to learn from: why was I drawn to abusive people? How can I break the cycle? How can I speak up for myself? How can I prevent this from happening again? And, so forth. 

Sometimes the true healing comes from understanding nuance that all people are good and bad because it allows us to forgive and set boundaries moving forward. 

3. It’s not up to Yoga to be my savior. 

My real savior is within. I could tell you countless stories of emotional abuse that I have experienced teaching at different yoga studios but I don’t want sympathy. I had to go through them to heal my inner-child. I am not condoning any abuse but in my life, I had to learn that I was attracted to people who gaslit me and emotionally abused me because I grew up in an emotionally abusive household where I was challenged when i wanted to know the truth. 

There is always a silver-lining to every situation and I have finally let go of the need to be under Matriarchal tyranny- an extension of my childhood. As I have freed myself of this, I am now able to hold people that I encounter and myself accountable. And once I do, I forgive them. Yoga is great and I am grateful to practice it. However, it is not designed to do the work for me. It is up to me to speak up against people and things I think are treating me unfairly (without anger and resentment) and through that, the real work happens

9 Red flags of a Yoga cult.

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In 2016, after a long time with a yoga studio as student and then teacher, I decided to leave because it was taking a toll on my emotional well-being. After I left, I realized how abusive it was and began my internal healing; not only with regards to them but how I was susceptible to such behavior. 

I see now that we have systems of abuse held up but this is The Aquarius Age and this is the end of that. As these hierarchies fall, we become more self-autonomous and heal from the inside out. Letting go of the need to be in an establishment just to be amongst people but because these people fulfill us or give us direction. 

I have made a concerted effort to only teach for studios who treat their staff with fairness ; however, I have not always done so. In fact, I have come across many that are not fair. Just because I went through abusive behavior at these studios does not mean that I didn’t meet amazing people along the way. In fact, that is often why a lot of people stay in cult-type places because they have met awesome people or are being manipulated into staying. 

Now that I am free of it and that type of energy, I can tell others how they can spot a yoga cult. 

Here are 9 red-flags (of many others) of a yoga cult: 

1. You put in a lot of work and receive little appreciation or are told you can do better. 

2. You are paid little-to-nothing and/or paid under the table. 

3. You are gaslit a lot with phrases like: are you sure you are experiencing this? It might be in your head. Or, what about you attracts rude or nasty behavior? 

4. There is inappropriate touching between teachers and students. Or, they don’t take sexual harassment seriously. 

5. The Owner is never around or has others punishing people for them. 

6. When you ask questions, you are told that you are being hostile. 

7. You have heard tons of stories of how they have treated others. 

8. You feel uneasy entering the studio. 

9. You are expected to give your heart, soul, body and mind to the studio for nothing in return.

‘I've realized that my practice fuels my teaching.‘

Shulin is a yoga teacher based in Mid-Hudson Valley, New York.

1. What style (s)of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I'm trained in Bikram, vinyasa and restorative yoga styles. My primary practice has been Bikram so that's what I normally teach. It also depends on who I'm working with. For example, if a student hires me for a private lesson, I'll teach based on the student's goals and practice level. I currently live in the Mid-Hudson Valley in upstate New York.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

My intention behind teaching is to support students in their health and wellness goals, as well as be a cheerleader to help them discover the infinite possibilities they are capable of that they may not have imagined for themselves.

3. What have you realized about yourself as a yoga teacher? 

I've realized that my practice fuels my teaching. I feel the most confident as a teacher and connected with students (and with myself!) when I practice yoga regularly. I've also realized that being a teacher doesn't mean having all the answers. Instead, I feel I offer my best teaching when I share what I know while still being curious and open to learning.

4.What does Satya mean to you as a practitioner and teacher? 

"Satya" or truth means being honest in my thoughts, words and actions. As a practitioner it means listening to myself and honoring what is true for me in any given moment. For example, if I am practicing a posture and my body is showing me the truth of how far I can go that day but my mind is reminding me how I did it the day before, I have to find the right balance for what is true in that moment. As a teacher, it means supporting students as they discover their own truth and the signals for what feels right for them. It also means genuinely affirming for students what they say is true for them. This ability to recognize and acknowledge truth then translates from yoga to every other aspect of our lives, and strengthens our intuition.

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

Autobiography of Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. This book opened my eyes to the expanse of yoga beyond physical asana, and to quantum physics and reality beyond what we see and think.

6. What has a student taught you about yoga? 

Years ago I was at a very low point in my life. I was scared and confused. I was speaking to a student who reflected back to me, "it sounds like you need to go practice what you teach." I got off the phone, practiced a yoga sequence, and felt calm and centered. It was so obvious and yet so profound. I was not only brought back to the power of these transformative practices, but I recognized the value in community and having support around doing good things for yourself. No matter how much we think we know, sometimes we need reminders. So it's important to create a network around you that has your back.

7. How often do you practice Dharana and Asana? 

I practice asana daily, with the exception of days off when I feel like I need to rest. There is a meditation with reiki that I do weekly which is a dharana focused on manifesting positive outcomes. It's very powerful.

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

I spent years living and working in an ashram where I practiced seva, or selfless service. I try to bring the qualities of service into my actions and work. In addition to asana I mainly practice meditation, and sometimes study and reflection. 

9. What does stillness mean to you? 

Stillness shows up for me in many ways. When practicing asana, I take time to breathe and be still in poses. When moving through my day I pause regularly, even if it's just to take a breath and become present in whatever I'm doing. When interacting with others, I allow for silence as part of a conversation. Where there's stillness there's space, and where there's space there's room to be present and make conscious and conscientious choices.

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

My handle on both IG and FB are @shulinyoga. I'd be honored for anyone to reach out to me who would like to connect!

‘There is no like in life. There is only love. Love is truth.’

Hali Tsotetsi is a Yoga Teacher in Los Angeles, California. She is The Founder of BiologiqueLife

1. What style (s)of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I teach Bikram yoga, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. I am located in Los Angeles, California. 

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

To help others heal from the inside out as I have (and still am) able to do so myself. 

3. What have you realized about yourself as a yoga teacher? 

That I can’t control everything and everyone. I used to be a people-pleaser and wanted to control others so that I didn’t have to accept that only my Ego wants to be like. There is no like in life. There is only love. Love is truth. 

4.What does Satya mean to you as a practitioner and teacher? 

Satya, to me, is the foundation for life: truth. Until we speak from a place of truth and are truthful with ourselves and others, we won’t grow. 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you?

I haven’t read a Yoga book in a long time. I love watching Podcasts about Yoga. But a recent book I read that I recommend is ‘Work your Light’ by Rebecca Campbell. 

6. What has a student taught you about yoga? 

I have the best students. When I think about their dedication, love for yoga and enthusiasm for life, I tear up with gratitude. I used to teach 6am classes for almost six years and recently stopped. The reason why I was able to get up so early was because of them. They made my day. 

One of my male students who would take my class often heard me say it was my birthday when I was talking to another student and came in on my birthday with a gift card to store that has spiritual things that I am into. It left an imprint on my heart. I have had very generous students and met some of the best people teaching yoga but this meant a lot to me because a lot of people have forgotten my birthday in my life and it reminded me that I am doing what I love and surrounded by people who are just as grateful for me as I am for them. 

7. How often do you practice Dharana and Asana? 

I practice Dharana everyday and Asana 5-7 times a week. 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

I live a life of awareness not perfection but one of truthfulness. So, I implement as many of the other limbs into my life without judgement and punishing myself but from a place of compassion and truth. 

9. What does stillness mean to you? 

Being one with God. 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

My IG is @halitsotetsi. 

‘I want all people to feel seen and heard..’

Katie Bishop is a Yoga Teacher in New York.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

First off - thanks so much for having me, I’m excited to share with you! 
I’m located in NYC & I teach vinyasa yoga, traditional hot/Bikram yoga, yin yoga and meridian yoga -which is a very deep practice based off the 12 primary meridian pathways each associated with an organ that works to release (Qi) blockages for a smooth flow of energy, it’s very powerful!

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

My intention is to be a light in the world, to help people breathe, heal, release repressed emotions and love themselves and then share that love & light with others. I also want to encourage people to trust themselves and to learn to listen to their innermost being because we are our own best teacher. ❤️

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

I have lots but the most impactful mentors have been Rose Erin Vaughan & Alena Wertalik - I love these women and I am grateful for their teachings!

4. What have they taught you? 

The meridian system and anatomy (organs, how bones & muscles move and work together, etc.); to feel every emotion without associating with that emotion/feeling but rather to witness without judgement; and ultimately how to teach & find my "yoga voice" to share this sacred practice with everyone! 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

“Science of Breath” by Swami Rama, Rudolph Ballentine & Alan Hymes - breathing is such an incredible tool that can be used in countless ways - to calm the mind & emotions, heat/cool the body, cleanse the body/release toxins, nourish the organs - and is free and accessible to all! This book is a great resource to learn about pranayama and how to experience the benefits.

I also highly recommend “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius - it’s about stoic detachment from things outside our control & to shift focus to our own will & perception, not specifically about yoga but very insightful.

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

I’m learning the art of patience! I’ve been working on my pincha & scoprian for almost a year and while I’ve made a ton of progress I'm far from mastering these asanas -which can be discouraging & frustrating at times!

I’m learning to recognize the progress, be grateful for it and embrace the process - regardless of how long it takes - and to notice my frustration without judgement, as a silent witness.

7. How often do you practice? 

Every day! Most days I do a 60-90 minute asana practice. When I don’t have time for a full practice I make sure to do a few stretches throughout the day, especially hip & heart openers (I have a “desk job” & can fall victim to sitting for too long or hunching over a keyboard) and some days I just play around with inversions! I also do a few restorative postures at night as part my bedtime ritual:) 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

I practice the yamas (observances) & niyamas (behaviors) as a way of life and use pranayama breathing to manage my anxiety and boost my immune system. I’m working on developing a regular meditation practice:) I love even a few minutes of mindfulness meditation (especially when I need grounding!) and when I make time, loving-kindness meditation is probably my favorite💕

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

Being present is incredibly important to me because the present - this moment - is all we have, tomorrow is not gauranteed so we need to be grateful for each breath and live out this gratitude. I want all people to feel seen and heard; we can make someone's day by truly being present - putting the phone down, actively listening and giving eye contact. Plus, being present helps alleviate anxiety and encourages a sense of calm!

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

My IG is @katiebishopyoga and on Facebook I’m Katie Bishop / Katie Bishop Fitness - if you’re reading this I’d love to connect with you! Please feel free to DM me or hop on a zoom class soon!

'This beautiful practice helped me to overcome the darkest days of my life...'

Nikola is a yoga teacher in Australia.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

 I teach vinyasa, hatha, yin and power yoga but my classes are usually a mix of different styles. I never really prepare classes upfront as I need to feel the atmosphere in the class to decide what is best for my students at that time. At the moment, I only teach online.

I live on the Gold Coast, Australia, but I am originally from the Czech Republic.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

 My intention is to pass on something that my students can bring home with them after the class. To share what I love with others. I decided to become a yoga teacher because this beautiful practice helped me to overcome the darkest days of my life and I believe it can help others too. I also love connecting people to each other and give them space to meet likeminded individuals in my classes. And of course, another intention is to connect people to themselves and to their inner purpose.

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

Every teacher that has ever taught me, gave me something unique for my own practice and growth. That is true not only for my yoga teachers. I believe that the biggest impact on me and the way I teach was my Swedish teacher at the university that is forever my inspiration in every aspect of life.

As I travel a lot, I don’t have teachers for longer periods of time so I am trying to take as much as I can from every individual I meet on my journey. I wouldn’t say that I have ever had someone that I call a mentor though.

4. What have they taught you? 

 The greatest teachers in my life taught me how to be a better person.

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

 Bhagavad Gita, Eastern Body, Western Mind, Yoga In Daily Life, The Language of Yin. I also love the book about yoga written by Czech authors Eduard Tomas and his wife Mila Tomasova.

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

 Listen to my body. I had an injury in December last year that is still healing, and I am not able to do many asanas as I was before. I am learning to take things easy, do not push myself too hard and be kind to myself.

7. How often do you practice? 

 For me, yoga is a way of life so in that sense I practice every day. I practice asanas and pranayama every day but some days when I don’t feel like it, I just skip. I practice meditation a few times a week, I love guided meditation. My favourite form of meditation is definitely ecstatic dance.

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

 I am trying to implement all the aspects of yoga into my daily life by the way that I live, how I take care of myself and how I interact with others.

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

 Every moment is special and unrepeatable. If we don’t fully enjoy it, we may never experience the same thing again and that would be really sad.

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

IG: yoginitale

FB: Yogini Tale

‘Too much strength may give you stiffness, too much flexibility may give you weakness.’

Claudia Mura is a Yoga Teacher in Caligari, Italy.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located? 

At the moment I teach mostly power yoga as taught by my teacher, Roberto Bocchi.

I live and teach in Cagliari, Italy.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

Thanks to my yoga practice I learned to be faithful, to accept myself with limits and potentials, to be calm, to soften, to let go but also not to give up. To appreciate the present moment, to be open to life and others with no fear. To get deep into myself to know who I really am. 

This is what I always try to share with my students. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

My personal practice is ashtanga yoga; my main teachers are Lino Miele and Roberto Bocchi. 

4. What have they taught you? 

Lino taught me to let go of the mind, the brain. To learn not intellectually (so difficult to me!) but emotionally and, most of all, by breathing. To be deeply present in the practice and in the breath, to be kind to myself and not to be too serious :)

Roberto always gives me the strength that I miss, keeps me always focused on the practice; he’s an example of dedication and devotion. 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

When I started yoga I also practiced Ananda yoga for a short period.. and “Autobiography of a yogi” of Paramansa Yogananda is a book that means a lot to me. 

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

My practice is always a discovery… now that I’ve started the third series of ashtanga, asana are teaching me that the more flexible I am, the more strong I should be; too much strength may give you stiffness, too much flexibility may give you weakness. I’m learning, once again, to keep balance first in the body, then in the mind. 

7. How often do you practice? 

I’d love to practice 6 days a week as the traditional ashtanga method requires; but I usually practice on an average of 4/5 days a week, depending on how intense my job is. 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

I try to be always conscious of what I do. 

I quit eating meat and fish; I try to practice contentment; I try day-by-day to be a good and better person. 

9. Why is being present so important to you?  

Being present means creating the space of knowledge. Just here and now, in the body and in the breath, listen and observe. 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

clodi_yoga (IG) 

poweryoga and movement with Claudia (fb page)

‘To me, teaching is about touching the depths of yourself and sharing that with others…’

Sav Aiello is a yoga teacher based in New York.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I teach Vinyasa, Yin, Core, and Spinal Balancing focused classes. I suffer from scoliosis, so yoga has had a huge effect on healing my body and balancing my posture.

I am located in Astoria, NY and teach in various locations, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, NJ, as well as live classes online.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

For a long time I’ve hidden behind being the person without problems. Wanting to be present and strong for others, most likely because I needed to escape the issues which exist within my family. When I found yoga, it opened my soft side, it allowed me to be vulnerable. 

I teach so that I can embrace being vulnerable, and encourage others to do the same. To me, teaching isn’t about “how good you are,” “how much you challenge or chase your students,” “how many walls you break,” or “the name you build.” To me, teaching is about touching the depths of yourself and sharing that with others, as well as receiving that same thing from your students.

To me, teaching is freedom. It’s poetry. The words, the ways I choose to phrase…like I’m plugged into some oracle box in the sky. When I teach it’s not polished, because life isn’t polished. When I teach it’s raw, soft, delicate, open, malleable—and because of that, it’s also strong, fierce, and transformative. I use this practice to unpack one’s hidden heart, hidden feelings, hidden vulnerabilities, hidden fears, and let all those things steer them home.

To me, teaching is about listening to yourself, but also your students. Hearing what they tell you, as well as what they don’t. It doesn’t take one shape and it’s spread across many planes. Yoga is the same. Yoga is not a class. It can’t just be in a class, and it exists so much further beyond that. It’s your life.

And when I teach, I bring that philosophy with me. Yoga is a philosophy, and it needs to be brought and taught outside of a lesson plan, outside a pose, beyond a one-hour class. Yoga has many messages that’ve touched my heart. Some have left hard scratches of truth, some have left a smooth healing glow, and others are to be unwrapped all together. But Yoga heals you. It heals the way you exist with yourself and the world. And this is the Yoga I teach. I am unique because I am me. And you are unique because you are you. When I teach, it is with the intention that what you take away brings you closer to yourSelf—and the Self that is in all things. 

In order to know yourself you have to be with yourself. And once you can ruminate on that, it allows you to be a richer, more colorful you in the world. So many of us venture OUT into the world, but when do we venture IN? I spent a lot of my sad years venturing in when I didn’t want to be out in the world. And all that time inside with myself is what healed my sorrows, my pains, my anger, and frustration. I teach that everyone can do the same. Healing for the past, for the present, and for the future, all by being with yourself right now. This is how I teach: using YOGA as a means to become SAVVY with yourself. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga?

Stephanie Acosta & Sarah Hutchison

4. What have they taught you? 

Stephanie: She has taught me how to be a powerful woman, to know what I deserve, to own my body, the space I’m in, and myself. Her heart is oh so big, and every time I leave her class or a conversation with her I’m better than before.

Sarah: She is always ready to push my boundaries and make me work harder. I don’t think I’ve ever taken her class without her saying “Just try it.” She always pushes me into the present when she says “This is your life. This moment. Don’t miss it.”

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

Light on Life by Iyengar. Every sentence in this book can be deciphered as a life long metaphor. It’s hard to put down, and is an endless conversation. Even when I reread passages I always find a new way to look at them. They always speak to me differently than before. And everything within it rings as pure truth.

One Simple Thing by Eddie Stern. This book is fairly new and I love how it dissects yoga on an internal and external levels. Stern brings both the worlds of anatomy and spirituality together so seamlessly, and explains how in order to live a fulfilling and meaningful life we must only do “one simple thing,” practice Yoga.

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

How to adapt my practice when my body needs a rest. Which has lead me to the path of Yin Yoga. Especially practicing out in the park, nestled in the grass with nature.

7. How often do you practice? 

Every day(!), usually first thing when I wake up, unless my body is crying out for rest. If I take a day off, it most likely will end up being a bad day, and I feel disconnected from myself and others. Yoga gets me to slow down and be with myself so that I can experience being with others, like no other.

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

Whenever I teach, I try to touch on all the 7 limbs. When I became a teacher I made a vow that I would never teach yoga without connecting it back to it’s true meaning and why the practice is…what it is…why it is important. As a teacher, it is my responsibility to share the history and reason for our practice beyond what the modern world markets  as Yoga.

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

If you aren’t present with yourself, you can never be present to the world around you. It’s like when you’re sick—if you have a headache, pains and etc, you’re going to be self-consumed. There is no presence to that other than your ego. The presence I get through my practice allows me to see everyone, not just myself, and by doing that I can be of service to others: as a teacher, a mentor, a friend, a lover, and etc. Being present to both my internal and external worlds creates a fusion of Unity, where I can experience how life flows between both states; rather than being forced into experiencing one over the other.

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

My website is the best for all info and upcoming classes. And always feel free to reach out with any questions via DM or email.

www.YogaSavvy.co

IG @Yoga.Savvy

FB @YogaSavvyStudio

4 Things I wish I knew before I joined an abusive yoga community.

Image from Unsplash

One of the most liberating times of my life has come, a yoga community that I used to be a part of has been exposed. Before I get to the exposé part, let me start from the beginning. My consistent yoga practice started when I was 20 at a donation-based yoga studio near NYU where a friend took me. At the time, I had broken off an engagement to an older Italian man who had abusive tendencies towards me. Looking back, I can connect the dots because they often say that until we fully heal from abusive situations, we will replace one for the other. 

Although I was in therapy too, there was something about that yoga studio that was magical and I wanted to be a part of it forever. I began to practice yoga almost everyday there and was so grateful. I loved it so much that when they opened their other location, I went and tried hot yoga for the first ever in my life. I felt renewed. A lot of my internal transformation came from this place and because of that, I felt a sense of debt and gratitude. 

In 2012, I decided to go back to school to become a school teacher and I expressed this to a yoga teacher of mine. He replied, ‘Why not teach yoga? People act like kids in the hot room.’ After thinking about it and calculating, I decided to do it, I put down my money to become a yoga teacher and felt like my life was about to change. Little did I know how much it would change. 

It’s been 7 years since I taught my first yoga class and it seems like forever ago that I graduated and became a yoga teacher but some of the pain still remains. I went through a manipulative training that used mind control tactics to depreciate my self-worth as a human-being so that once I started teaching, I would put up with anything and it worked. When I started teaching, I was broken and lost. As a result, I took a break from teaching because I felt like I was being a hypocrite. How could I preach wellness when I was the opposite. I was clearly unwell. 

Here are 4 things I wish I knew before I joined an abusive yoga community: 

1. Those who abuse you know what they are doing more than you might realize. 

I was a 24 year-old New Yorker when I signed up for this training. And, just like most New Yorkers, I hated being told what to do. I thought I knew it all and was not interested in humbling myself. I was going to be a yoga teacher at all costs and no one could stop me. From the day of orientation till graduation, everything felt off. The only thing that felt genuine were the connections that I made with my peers, some are still my closest friends after all these years. 

One incident that stood out to me was when I had to co-teach with a male teacher after I had revealed my issues with men in an inner circle during the training. The male teacher degraded me and told me I did a terrible job and was not fit to be a teacher. I am all for truth being spoken and am willing to work on what I need to but he didn’t tell me what I could work on; he just wrote me off. My intuition told me that he had been told to make me feel uncomfortable about teaching so that I would not be able to teach right away after graduation and that I would need to work for it. 

With this in mind, I asked other graduates if their co-teaching experience went well and most told me that similar situations had occurred to them. I understood clearly that this was to manipulate us into group thinking and silencing one another.

2. It’s not in your mind. 

During my almost ten years of practicing and teaching for that studio, I would notice some odd behavior. But I would brush it off and put it in the ‘I am crazy, it didn’t happen’ category. Even though I knew I wasn’t crazy. Something that was very prevalent in that community and in most yoga is/was sexual harassment. I was targeted by the same teacher who had suggested that I become a teacher. I thought he saw something in me and we could have a mentor/student relationship until he put his hand down my bra during a class and was disappointed that he saw me as a piece of meat. I also understood that he needed healing and that I should stay away from him as much as possible after I told him to stay away from me. 

I would notice this particular teacher treating women differently and intentionally targeting us during class but I thought it was in my mind. Once I accepted what was going on, I was aware of the truth and inner-workings of this yoga studio. It was heartbreaking but I had to accept it to heal from it. 

3. Take care of yourself. 

Proof of loyalty to them was being overworked and always ‘happy’ about what was going on at the studio; whether we actually were or not was irrelevant. After teaching for them on-and-off for 3 years, I decided to leave because I was so exhausted and I actually ended up moving to Los Angeles. 

My first month in Los Angeles, I had memories of being there and how happy I was to begin with and then how I was emotionally abused as a teacher and apprentice. The pain was so overwhelming but I had to sit with it. I felt myself recreating what had happened and victimizing myself. It was challenging but what got me through is the light side of being in that community: being able to teach, the friends, the lessons and the transformation that occurred. Dealing with that community taught me that if happiness requires self-sacrifice, it is not worth it because the two cannot co-exist in wellness. 

4. Abusive situations highlight what we need to work on. 

Just like most of us, I grew up in a conditional love atmosphere. If I did what was expected of me, I would be loved. If I didn’t, I would be ignored and unloved- this is emotional abuse. I have been healing from this dynamic for the past few years and noticed a trend as I began my healing process, I kept recreating the cycle of abuse that I had encountered as a child. Scenarios of silence, secrets and weaponization to ‘keep me in my place’. 

I did so with jobs, relationships and friendships until I freed myself of my subconscious conditioning and accepting that I am worthy of health and kindness. In basic psychology, the idea of recreating scenarios that leave us vulnerable in order to heal them is a very real one because ultimately, we want to heal. I learned clearly that my healing was not going to take place if I kept lying to myself and being amongst/ in communities that silence me, manipulate me and use my weaknesses against me. Nothing good will come if I surround myself amongst people who want to break me because I am not meant to be broken; I am meant to be whole. 

If you are experiencing abuse or harassment, please seek professional help. 

Check our our online courses for elevation and motivation. 

‘It’s not about the posture. It’s about you, your body, your mind, your spirit, your life, you.’

Tiffany Gigi is a yoga teacher based in Orange County, California.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I am currently located in Orange County and I teach Bikram Yoga at Bikram Yoga Irvine (BYI). 

However, with the recent pandemic and quarantine, we have expanded from our brick and mortar school to world wide zoom classes. During this historic time, I have recognized the power of our bonded community along with the effectiveness and unifying quality of Bikram yoga.

We have teachers and students from all over the world joining our zoom classes online at BYI Live. It has been a beautiful experience and a trademark of Bikram Yoga, which is to bring everybody together. 

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

Yoga means Union. My intention in teaching is to create a space for the lived experience of unity and liberation. I teach to bring diverse groups of people into a state of health, wellness and collective consciousness through movement and breath. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

Bikram Choudhury and many of my fellow Bikram teachers over the past 12 years in my practice. 

4. What have they taught you? 

That yoga is in Everything. It’s not about the posture. It’s about you, your body, your mind, your spirit, your life, you. The deepest, most important, most interesting subject in the world.

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

Sadhguru:

 “Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy”

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

To keep a beginners mind, like a child’s mind, or in other words - curiosity. When you fill the mind with wonder everything is wonderful.

7. How often do you practice? 

Every day 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

I came to do yoga, but I became a Yogi. 

During my practice I have come to realize that yoga is so much more than asana (postures). Very early in my practice I heard a teacher quoting Bikram saying, “One day all the pain in the world can’t take peace or happiness away from you. If anyone can steal your peace, you are the loser.” In this moment I was exposed, awakened, enlightened to the depths of yoga. I realized through these postures, I was doing much more than exercise.  

When I started yoga, I was just looking to lose some weight. And I did, I lost 35 pounds. But what I found went far beyond what I was looking for. It has shaped my perspectives, my value systems, how I care for people, and how I care for the planet. What I found were the other seven limbs of yoga. What I found was Unity and  Liberation, what I found was Myself.

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

Depression and anxiety occur from disorders of past and future thinking. A practice of present moment mindfulness opens us to our true essence where peace and joy exist. 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

IG Handle: 

Tiffanyogini 

Facebook: 

Tiffany Girgis 

‘Accepting positivity and throwing away negativity!’

Falguni Kulkarni is a Yoga Teacher based in Maharashtra, India.

1. What style of yoga do you practice? And, where are you located?

I practice traditional (Ashtanga yoga, Hatha Yoga ) 

I am from (Pune)Maharashtra India 🇮🇳 

2. What is your intention behind practicing?

Being a dancer, I always had it in my mind how beautiful our body looks like in different shapes while  practicing yoga. So I started doing yoga to focus on myself, gain some balance and flexibility. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

I have done Yoga Prabodh (D.Y.Sc) and Yoga Shikshak (D.Y Ed ) from Yoga Vidya Gurukul and right from the beginning of this journey all teachers I have met are my mentors.  

4. What have they taught you? 

The biggest thing I have learnt from them is “Knowing my own body “( I’m still trying to know it) , absorb the knowledge of Yoga properly and try to take this knowledge of Yoga to each and every door step of the society! 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

Patanjali Yoga Sutra, Ashtanga Yoga Darshan by Yogacharya Dr. Vishwas Mandlik . 

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

Currently I’m working on my upper back mobility, shoulders and hamstrings. 

7. How often do you practice? 

I practice 6 times a week. The duration may vary but I make sure that I had enough of stretching and meditation in a day . 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

Accepting positivity and throwing away negativity! I often try to implement them in breathing techniques too 

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

“Live in the present” itself mentions LIVE . As yesterday is a past and tomorrow is a future all we have is ‘Now’. Try focusing on being present and things will fall at right place! 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name? 

Yes!! 

My IG handle is @okayyyyybyeeee &

FB name- Falguni Kulkarni

‘…Always ask why!’

Nina Walters is a Yoga teacher based in San Fransisco.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I teach a vinyasa based yoga with emphasis on dynamic movement and mobility. I am located just north of San Francisco, but spend a lot of time in Europe (mainly Denmark)

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

For people to be present; present in their bodies, present in their minds… even if just for a second. I hope to give my students the knowledge that they are something deeper than their instinctual patterns and therefore have the power within them to change whatever they want to change and, as a bi-product create a healthy and usable body. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

Annie Carpenter and Shane Davies and my main mentors, but I draw inspiration from all over and way beyond just yoga. I love and study everything from functional mobility to ice-bathing. 

4. What have they taught you? 

To always ask why! 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you?

 Threads of Yoga by Matthew Remski and Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers (not really a yoga book, but every yoga teacher should have a copy)

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? To sit with discomfort, to let myself experience discomfort and observe my instinctual reactions.

7. How often do you practice? 6 days a week 

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana?  Pranayama is a big part of my day to day life, as it is my main stress-buster. I try to meditate a little every day but I should do more!

I try to balance my lifestyle with the Yamas and niyamas by being conscious of my behavior and footprint on the world in general. I try to balance my instinct for Tapas (self-discipline of which I have plenty) consciously add a little more Santosha (contentment - accepting what is right now).  I love the balancing act between those two. 

9. Why is being present so important to you? We do not realize our own power and ability until we can step outside our instinctual behavior, and to do that we must experience presence. 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name? @ninajarnumyoga and facebook is the same

‘The path begins with inquiry…’

Isaac Krauss is a Yoga teacher based in Brooklyn, New York City.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I teach Hatha, Vinyasa, and Yin yoga, in which I incorporate techniques, postures, transitions, and the like from a variety of schools/styles that I study, love, and appreciate such as: Katonah, Forrest, Rocket/Ashtanga, Dharma, 26&2.  

And, I'm located in Brooklyn, NY.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

My intention behind teaching is to share something I love with others and provide an opportunity for folks to delve into their Mind-Body-Spirit. To hold space for others in whatever way is needed in the given moment and to cultivate a space of mindful presence. Facilitating and guiding, movement, breath, and meditation is incredibly fulfilling, and my sincere wish is that students receive benefits spanning their physical, mental, and spiritual selves. Offering a practice that can give people a sense of contentment, efficacy, tranquility, and release is a gift. I'm infinitely grateful to be a part of teaching this practice. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

 My mentors in yoga are Rose Erin Vaughan and Jared Mcann. 

4. What have they taught you? 
     
Since stepping onto this path, they're teaching, knowledge, dedication, and compassion has impacted me in such a beautiful and powerful way. Their lighthearted reverence and commitment to passionately sharing what they believe in is for the betterment of the whole and themselves is something I strongly admire.

Their approaches resonate with me on many levels, and from the moment I met them both I knew they were the teachers I wanted to mainly study and practice with. They're openhearted individuals who put their work and the knowledge at the forefront and take on big responsibilities for the sake of the continuation of the Yoga practice/Holistic Wellness. In short, they live the practice.

They strive to help and progress, and they've developed quite a knack for connecting and effectively communicating a combination of lineages. They are genuine and fun individuals. 

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

Light on Life, BKS Iyengar is one of those yoga books that's had a positive impact, for sure. It eloquently weaves the profound aspects of Yoga. It demonstrates an authentic perspective from a lifetime of being a student and teacher. I feel a blend of elder wisdom and a child's curiosity and wonderment within this book, which describes the inward journey. The path begins with inquiry, and this book has an easygoing approach in which the tangibility of the information shared is experienced. Reading it is a palpable experience. 

One other book I feel compelled to share, because I'm a nerd for reading is, Eastern Body, Western Mind, Anodea Judith. I find this one really helps in uncovering what lies underneath the surface of our development through an erudite lens of intertwining the Chakra System & Psychology. It is illuminating and fascinating. It wonderfully expresses on an individual and interconnected level, Spiritual Sage Wisdom and Modern Academia.

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

Great question. It's many simultaneously. But what is currently most apparent is, Acceptance and Forgiveness. That we are always in process. To fully immerse oneself in the process while observing it all unfold is a micro reflection of the macro. And with the patience that inevitably comes with spending time in the Asana practice, breathing and holding postures, embracing challenge on the mat to show up as best we can in life, lends itself to embodying more compassion.

I'm optimistic, I think even just the physical practice changes or expands one's perception on a profound level, even if they don't go into it with that intention. It lovingly pushes you in a beneficial direction and then there's an a-ha moment, that's really cool, because you become aware of what's happening to you while it's happening--something, a force, within you, that's also bigger than you, is at work.

The interconnectedness of all things is illuminated to me through Asana because our bodies are a metaphor. The more I practice the more in touch I get with myself, which in turn helps me to see and understand more everyone's connection to the whole as we're all in our own process, making an effort to figure things out. Meeting someone where they're at is a way to create harmony and potential. You can't really force anything, just like in the physical practice, if you try to make your body do something it's not ready to do you'll get hurt.

If you accept where you are in the process and build on it from there, then there is progress, growth, and change. It's the same interpersonally. We're all in this together, but at different paces or places, yet there is no finish line, no inferior/superior place to be, so accepting and forgiving is in service to yourself and others. Our diversity is what makes us helpful to one another--to enhance collective awareness. As Ram Dass said, "We're all just walking each other home."

7. How often do you practice? 

 How often I practice ranges based on intuitive listening/feeling. But on average, 5 days a week.

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

 I try my best to implement the other 7 limbs of yoga in my daily actions and interactions. Essentially, as a lifestyle or system to adhere to. I like the expressions, "How we do anything is how we do everything." In one training I did, one of our assignments over the course of a few months was to keep a daily journal.

One of the components of the journal was to write down examples of ways we did and didn't adhere to the Yamas and Niyamas. It was a cool and interesting experiment. It elicited some good self-reflection and introspection. Of course, it is inherent to a practice like this not to beat yourself up over mistakes, because that would defeat the purpose! ha-ha. 

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

Being present is so important to me because it's in being present that we access clarity and truth. In being present we are setting ourselves up for continued success and sustainability. If you do what serves you and the collective in the moment, those actions or ways of being perpetuate themselves. It is also calming and how we enter the Flow state.

When we're present we're vibrating on a more objective or untainted frequency and elevating our consciousness. When present, we're Waking Up--to what's actually in front of us, beyond the ordinary or the projections, excess narrations/analysis of the Monkey Mind. We get to simply, yet profoundly, just be.

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

     @living_journey_yoga

‘ I want people to feel empowered.’

Alena Wertalik is a yoga teacher based in New York City.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

Vinyasa and Traditional Hot (26+2) styles. I teach at all Yoga to the People and Hot On Yoga locations, but currently I am teaching virtually everywhere!

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

I want people to feel empowered to take responsibility for and even create their own experiences. I think if we work to cultivate this in our yoga practices, it can become a way of being off of our yoga mats. 

3. Who are your mentors in yoga? 

First and foremost would be the founder of YttP, Greg Gumucio. I've worked for him for over 10 years now. I also learned a lot about teaching yoga and running a yoga business from Nikki Carter. And in recent years I've been working very closely with Rose Erin Vaughan, who I respect immensely. 

4. What have they taught you? 

Greg taught me everything I know about being a leader. He taught me the difference between being strong and being tough, what it means to show up and hold space, the power of forgiveness, and a lot about love. For the most part, he taught me these things in who he has been for me as a mentor, teacher and friend. 

Nikki took me under her wing when I really wanted to teach yoga. She let me follow her around NYC to all different teachers' classes of all different styles of yoga, and let me run her studio when I was like, 22 years old. She's definitely had an influence on how I teach.

Rose Erin and I have been running teacher trainings together for the last four years. She is brilliant and humble. Working and creating with her has woken up parts of me I didn't even realize were dormant. I am grateful that she has invited me along on her journey.

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you? 

There are so many I've read through the years, it's hard to remember what things I've learned from which ones! But there is one timeless, simple book called The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran that I will always keep close to my heart. 

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice? 

My Asana practice is an opportunity to practice ways of being I'm trying to cultivate. Right now I'm in quarantine during the Covid pandemic. It's easier to get to my yoga mat, but harder to hold myself accountable to be in my practice. So I'd say right now, I'm working on integrity in my practice. 

7. How often do you practice? 

It depends. When TT is not happening, sometimes I practice every day. When TT is going on, it's much less. But I also notice that when I practice less, I practice more fully, and cherish every moment and sensation.

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana? 

This is a big question! I do notice a difference when I regularly practice mantra and pranayama, but I still have not managed to make it part of my daily routine. When I'm being hurtful or untruthful, I am aware of it and when I see it I will take responsibility for it and do my best to make things right. I think if you study and practice the limbs from a place of understanding why they are there, they can make a difference in how you live your life. 

9. Why is being present so important to you? 

Our lives are ruled by time. We live so much in the past and in the future, forwards and backwards. We become linear. However, when we are truly present, we don't go forwards and backwards... we go deeper. We get quiet. We get to tap into a way of being that is important to be able to tap into. 

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

@onebreath_onemovement