Yoga
I am not currently teaching yoga due to knee surgery and recovery, however, I am still offering individual sessions.
Benefits of Yoga
I have been practicing yoga for about 20 years without a commitment to any particular tradition until about six years ago when I was introduced to Anusara Yoga. I am not a certified Anusara instructor, but Anusara yoga does greatly inform the way that I practice and teach. Anusara means "flowing with grace" and it immediately felt like home to me for a variety of reasons.
One of the first principles of Anusara is to open to grace. This means that before we even begin to wrap our bodies up in an Asana (pose), first we must soften, yield, surrender - first we connect to the divine. This is such a sweet principle, especially for us Westerners who tend to push our way through our lives, including our physical and spiritual practices.
Another key principle of Anusara is to look for the good. So before we look at what's not right, what isn't working, what needs to be changed, we first take joy in the beauty that is. First we have gratitude that we have legs that can ambulate - first we appreciate that our bodies can get into even a semblance of the pose - first we see our beauty. Only then do we let our focus gradually and lovingly shift towards what isn't quite working.
Yoga, from my perspective, is a spiritual practice that takes physical form. We use physical form and mindfulness of internal sensation to release physical, emotional and psychological constrictions that prevent us from living in our full potential. The surface focus of hatha yoga practice is the postures/asanas; in reality, the postures are simply the tool we use to get us closer to the Divine. We know our hatha yoga practice is working when the principles of yoga begin to translate back into our daily lives. Instead of looking for the good only in our physical structure, we begin to look for the good in those around us, rather than critiquing and finding fault. We learn how to keep centered even when we're being challenged. We learn how not to push through pain, but to respect the message it is sending us.
In my yoga sessions, I encourage students to have an intention for the session (for example, compassion) so that they can bring that intention into a lived experience. Deepening into core poses, we will often back up so that we're not pushing into a pose with brute force ~ honoring the principle of ahimsa (nonviolence) and becoming more mindful of our internal experience. Before we can “do” the pose to its fullest potential, we must first “undo” the restrictions, holding patterns, negative thought patterns and beliefs that keep us from allowing the pose to fulfill itself within us. I will often ask students to do less on the outside so that they can do more from the inside.
Private and Semi-Private Sessions:
Private and semi-private sessions are a wonderful way to go deeper into your practice. Here we can pay attention to the details of the asanas, the attitude with which you approach your yoga practice, and the psychological barriers that may prevent you from deepening your practice.
The intimate setting of semi-private sessions cultivates a sweet kula (spiritual community). For just a slightly higher price than large group classes, you can receive individual attention that simply isn't possible with larger groups. Semi-private sessions can accommodate 2 people.
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March 2010 Update
The new office on Main Street in Old Town Louisville is now open . Please call for a free 30 minute consultation. Weekend and evening appointments are available.
Something to ponder
The thought manifests as the word.
The word manifests as the deed.
The deed develops into habit.
Habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care
And let it spring out of love
Born out of concern for all beings.
As the shadow follows the body,
As we think so we become
Dhammapada. The Buddha
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