Yoga incorporates a combination of
physical postures, breathing exercises
and mental focus designed to train the
mind, body, and spirit to become more
connected and at peace. Although it
does contain some basic ethical
principles as well as a strong spiritual
aspect, it is not necessary to believe in
the spiritual teachings to feel the benefits
of regular practice.
Yoga is something that everyone is
able to do regardless of physical ability.
There is a type of yoga for every body
type, age, and level of fitness. Yoga is
something that does not necessarily
require a great deal of flexibility but
through regular practice one can easily
become stronger and more flexible.
My goal as a yoga instructor is to encourage people to listen to their bodies and become
more connected to their movements through body awareness. I believe the human body is
a work of art and integrate the gracefulness of my ballet background into my yoga practice
to create a moving art form.
Yoga is most of all about finding balance between what is safe and exploring the limits of
what the body can do. Yoga is about uniting all the forces within one's self and becoming
greater than any individual spirit could ever be by seeking ultimate goal of self-realization.
It is also about finding balance between stillness and movement; just as the universe is
constant in its state of flux, we seek to find stillness in a mind that is constantly changing
and thinking.
I believe in our physical "Asana" (Sanskrit term literally meaning "posture") practice we
should move between poses with a sense of grace and continuous flow of motion. Not to
settle with a pose, but always remain open to readjusting and striving for personal
perfection. It is through this physical practice and by constantly learning and seeking the
truth that we hope to break free from the ego and achieve the ultimate goal of
enlightenment in this lifetime.
