So when I attended Yiwen Chang’s Thai Massage Workshop at Prajna Yoga and Healing Arts Studio in Belmont, California and heard the human rights lawyer to my left ask, “What is the scientific evidence for the energy channels you’ve mentioned?” I pricked up my ears and smiled.  This was going to get interesting.

Prajna's altar and area for quiet reflection

I don’t know why I expected Yiwen, the owner and director of Prajna, to fluster and stutter before brushing the question under her yoga mat with a few stock phrases about ‘staying present’ and being ‘one with the universe’.  Maybe it was my own propensity towards flustering in the face of a student’s challenging inquiry.  In any case, I steeled myself to witness an epic fail.

Instead Yiwen cited research by Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama, the founder of the California Institute for Human Science.  She made a polite but strong case for the existence of meridians and then moved on.

A sun filled practice studio

That’s when I knew I was in the right place.  That’s when I knew what Yiwen had created in Prajna Yoga and Healing Arts was something different.  Something special.

Prajna is Sanskrit for the wisdom that embraces an intuitive response to the true nature of reality.  With prajna in mind, Yiwen has created a studio that provides the space to nurture our inner intelligence.  She’s created a clean, well-lit place for yoga and healing.

Prajna Yoga and Healing Arts is an easy studio to be in.  Its warmth is inviting and its simplicity refreshing.  Located in the Belmont Business Center at 1601 El Camino Real (take the Holly Street exit from 101), the studio is easy to find and even better – there is ample parking.

Yiwen discussing pressure points on the feet

The check-in area is just inside the front door.  There’s a large treatment room to the left where Yiwen offers bodywork.  To the right is an open space dedicated to personal reflection and meditation.  Next to that are several benches with cushion seats where students can enjoy a cup of tea and quiet conversation.  A small changing area is available directly across from the practice studio.

And then there’s the practice space itself.  Filled with soft natural light from filtered skylights and east facing windows, the room’s energy is welcoming, quiet and calm.

Twelve of us rolled out mats and gathered props for the afternoon workshop. Thai Massage is one of my favorite therapeutic modalities.  The technique is akin to facilitated stretching. The therapist eases the client’s clothed body into gentle positions that lengthen, compress and ultimately draw out tension and soothe the nervous system.  Pressure point massage techniques contribute to the experience.

It takes years to become proficient in the finer nuances of Thai Massage, but Yiwen’s intention for the workshop was to teach a minimal introduction to the basics.  She hoped we’d leave with enough information and confidence to give a simple Thai Massage treatment to friends and family.

We settled in quickly and within minutes were taking turns pushing, prodding and bending our very willing partners.  Taking turns giving and receiving every few minutes prevented anyone from slipping into ‘massage coma’.

Yiwen is an intuitive and generous teacher with a lovely, healing energy.  As we practiced she knew when to offer help and when to stand back to observe.  If there was a downside to the workshop it’s that three hours wasn’t long enough.  Watching Yiwen teach, it was clear she had much more to offer.  I hope she considers teaching a Thai Massage, Part II Workshop soon.

If you’re looking for a yoga studio that gives you the feeling that you’ve come home, visit Prajna Yoga and Healing Center.

Check out Prajna’s class schedule here.

Mimm Patterson is a YogaStage Delegate and writer. "I love yoga. And I love to write. After that my passion for these disciplines is such that I find it hard to put in words."

Read more of Mimm’s yoga musings on her blog, Practically Twisted.

Last weekend was definitely our biggest and brightest (literally) yoga experiment to date.  After seeing a Lululemon promotional video about a YogaRave sponsored by the clothing brand, Theresa sent out the video link and a suggestion to try to pull it off here in our home town.  It didn’t take much convincing for me and Maggie to jump on board; it just looked like it would be a lot of fun.  Our friends/fellow teachers, Nelson (a Kundalini instructor who is always up for anything) and Josh (a Power Vinyasa instructor who’s laid back attitude means he’ll try anything once) signed on to co-teach at the rave with us.  We hired our friend, Nicole, to design a kick ass poster and YogaStage agreed to sponsor the event by purchasing LOTS of glow sticks, body paint and glow jewelry.  DJ Arturo (a childhood friend) was psyched to spin at the party and another dedicated yogi (Sammy) volunteered his services as our lighting tech.  The Rave was on!  Theresa set up the event on MeetUp and FaceBook and sold it out no problem.

Our only question?  What the hell IS a Yoga Rave?  How do we actually pull this off?  While the Lululemon video was cool to watch, it was also very short and offered no insight on what actually happened at the rave…

So, we devised a format.  Each instructor (there were 4 of us) would lead a 25 min sequence with 5 min breaks between segments where the DJ would crank up the music as the yogis freestyle danced on their mats.  We had a separate sound system for the teachers mic to guide the students and the DJ would build the volume as the students caught on to the sequence.   After Savasana, we would dance it out together before calling it a night.  2 hours of music, love, yoga and glowing accessories!  Awesomeness.

So, how did it go?  Beyond our wildest expectations.  The students arrived early, decked out in their white clothes to amplify the effects of the black lights in the gym.  We set up a staging area in the foyer to apply body paint and get the glow going.  People came from as  far as Memphis with their rainbow light up hoola hoops in tow.  It was a fabulous party and the energy was huge.  Here’s a short video of some of the action…

We plan to organize a larger yoga rave this Spring.   The best part of this Yoga Rave?  The proceeds from the rave went toward bringing the YogaSlackers (acro and slack line masters!) to Chattanooga to share their skills.  Big props to Theresa Rodriguez for always being on the cutting edge of yoga fun, we can’t wait to see her next big idea!

I asked him if he was local and he said he lived in St. Petersburg. I, too, live in St. Petersburg, so I asked him if he taught any classes there. He said he didn’t and that he didn’t need to. He’s happy with his family of yogis in Tampa, and that’s awesome. Tampa is a big city with a lot of amazing yoga teachers and students. Another student chimed in to ask Kaleda if he’d been to YogaBlu Studio in St. Pete. He said that he had, “but the only good teacher there left.” Excusez-moi?

Things were kind of busy with people checking in for the workshop, but after a few tries I was able to get his attention enough to let him know that my pardner Jenny (who was also at the workshop and overheard the stinging comment) and I both taught there. I said, “There are a lot of new teachers there, you shouldn’t knock ‘em ’till you’ve tried ‘em.”  I won’t bore you with all of the detail of the conversation, but let’s just say I was inwardly smirking when he started the class spiel with some talk about right speech and speaking from the heart.

Talking smack on other teachers and studios is a big no-no in my opinion. Yoga is such a personal experience that it’s bad form to say this or that studio or teacher isn’t good. Different strokes, ya know. Lots of smack is spoken world-wide about Bikram, for example. But the Bikram sequence had been life changing for many, and has drawn a lot of people to yoga. Talking badly about other teachers or studios only serves to make you look like an asshole. Let people find their way, on their own. This case of bad-mouthing was particularly egregious since he said it in front of a room full of local practitioners, and because he’s never actually taken a class from most of the teachers who currently teach at the studio. When in doubt, try to follow your mom’s good advice: If you don’t have anything nice to say… you know the drill.

The workshop itself was good. He was knowledgeable and funny. The abs were pretty hard. He did a good job explaining how not to overwork the psoas in abdominal work and at getting the room to engage uddiyana bandha. Good shit. I got a solid core workout in, learned some new moves, and got to enjoy a delicious partner stretch that I had never seen before. I’m sure his classes at Bella Prana are fun, and his personality has, no doubt, garnered him a loyal following. But I’m turned off. Practice what you preach. Think before you speak. Speak with compassion. Speak truth.

Katelyn Thureson Yoga Instructor, Writer & YogaStage Delegate

About the Author, Katelyn Thureson: I love yoga because it helps me to be flexible and strong in body and in mind.  Yoga is the one thing that I have found improves all aspects of my life: I’m more in tune with my body. I’m more effective at my job, in the sports I enjoy and in relationships.  The lessons learned in yoga support everything else I do and the same is true for all practitioners.  I really get a buzz off of teaching because I get to share my passion with others and watch them light up.  Beerasana.com

Please share it in our comments section (or feel free to write your own blog post on the subject, we will happily publish it!)

And for the teachers who may have stepped away from instructing, what are the reasons you decided to stop teaching yoga?

Thank you for your words.

Namaste,

Jessica

Jessica Ewart photographed by Matt Fields-Johnson for Get Out Chattanooga magazine

My Aunt Pam lives and owns a wildlife sanctuary in a remote area of South Kodagu, India. Aunt Pam practices yoga on a regular basis, and is a spiritual practitioner and lover of life. While I haven’t seen her in 20+ years, we exchange emails on a regular basis.

You may have heard recently about an article published by The New York Times entitled “How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body.”

Predictably, my email and Facebook accounts started filling up with questions from students, teachers and friends asking my thoughts about the premise of the article. While I knew it had made its way around my local contacts within the yoga community, I hadn’t realized the full impact of the article until Aunt Pam emailed me from India with her own commentary. This story had gone global!

myyogaonline

I’ve been a competitive athlete for as long as I can remember, and my first major injury from sports came from playing high school football. I tore the medial meniscus in my knee and had to have it removed.

My recovery from the surgery led me to swimming, which resulted in a rotator cuff tear from overuse. After that, I transitioned to cycling, which led to broken bones, stitches, lots of bloody bruised knees and chronic back pain from sitting in a saddle. (Cycling ranks as one of the world’s most dangerous sports according the Consumer Product Safety Commission).

Finally, after years of competitive sports and countless injuries, I was drawn to yoga because of its overwhelming evidence of health benefits for both the mind and the body.

In case you missed the part of the NYT article that spoke about the benefits of yoga, let me remind you of a few:

From within the body: decreased blood pressure, lower pulse rate, improved blood circulation, lower respiratory rate

From without the body: delayed aging, improved posture, increased strength

Emotional benefits: improved mood, stress reduction, reduced anxiety

Body chemistry: lower cholesterol, strong lymphatic system, lower blood glucose levels

Exercise benefits: low risk of injury, better muscle tone, domination of the sub cortex

Disease prevention: reduced risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s

Symptom reduction: carpal tunnel, asthma and arthritis

For the full list visit of 77 benefits click here.

For me, establishing a regular yoga practice didn’t come without hesitation. My hesitance came mostly from my impression that yoga wasn’t vigorous or physically challenging enough, and that my practice alone wouldn’t help me to maintain the health of my body.

After being a competitive athlete for so many years, I yearned for something that would keep my body and mind engaged. Once I established a consistent practice, it didn’t take long for me to realize the endless amounts of opportunity that yoga could provide in the physical and mental arenas.

Before yoga, my body wasn’t open, I had very little upper body strength and my balance was less than solid. But through my practice, I quickly gained strength, flexibility, balance, and most importantly, a new sense of mindfulness and patience that truly changed my life.

Over the years, yoga has helped to alleviate my back pain, strengthen my knees, improve my overall posture and open my body and mind in ways I didn’t know were possible. So when the New York Times article came out, I began questioning how it was possible for so many practitioners and teachers to “wreck” their bodies through yoga. Was it overblown? Most likely.

The fact of the matter is that we can get hurt doing just about anything. We all know there are risks of participating in demanding physical activities, but did you know that one of the most common causes of neck injury is poor sleeping habits?! Yes, sleeping!

Chayak

Injuries can happen anywhere from the most gentle hatha yoga class to the most challenging vinyasa flow. So how do we avoid injury in our yoga practice? Through mindfulness, patience and taking responsibility for own health. Most often, practitioners get hurt when they don’t listen to their own bodies and push themselves to do things that they aren’t ready for. We need to take time, listen intently to what our bodies are telling us, and appreciate where we are now instead of fixating on where we wish we could be. We have to have respect that this is a lifelong practice that goes well beyond the physical.

My practice has evolved over the years, as most do. No longer am I looking for a relentless physical pursuit; instead I spend more time with the subtle parts of yoga. Words like “challenge” have been replaced with words like “compassion” and “gratitude.”

So, has yoga wrecked my body? Quite the opposite. To put it simply, yoga has changed my life in every way. It has taught me about unconditional love, compassion, joy and equanimity.

Instead of allowing the New York Times article to put an end to your yoga practice, use this opportunity to take your practice deeper. Allow mindfulness to be your best teacher, be patient with your body and experience the ultimate joy of practice.

Kevan Gale is co-owner of Stil Studio located in the greater Boston area. His teachings meld Tibetan Buddhist philosophy with years of movement experience to create a fluid experience for his students.

His goal is to spread happiness far and wide and to inspire students to live their fullest life.

Editor’s Note:  This is a guest post from Mike Fecht which originally appeared on the Warrior Spirit blog HERE.

The New York Times printed an article last week about how yoga can wreck the body, and of course it got my wheels spinning. With the New Year and all of the “resolutioners” looking for ways to get fit, yoga studios have become a popular destination to sweat off the pounds. Unfortunately, many people walk in with no idea of what to expect or the dangers associated with beginning a practice, and this article presents a number of unfortunate experiences people have had on their mats (You can read the article here www.nytimes.com/2012/01/08/magazine/how-yoga-can-wreck-your-body.html ).

The yoga boom in the West is highly due to the fascination we have with our appearances. The long, lean bodies and physical workouts associated with different types of practices appeal to our cultural desires to look a certain way. It’s ironic to think that yoga teaches us to move past the ego when it, in fact, is driving people into studios in droves. In most forms of exercise we are taught to push through our physical boundaries and keep going until we can’t do anymore, but yoga is about exploring and getting to know ourselves better physically, emotionally and spiritually, and finding balance. To a large degree, we have gotten away from the essence of yoga as a philosophy, practice and approach to life. At its core, yoga is about connecting with God, or the Universe, whatever you choose to call it. Yoga means “union.”

Everything changes with time. There’s no way that something like yoga could expand the way that it has in today’s world without being influenced by Western culture. When I teach and practice, I typically like to play more contemporary tunes than maybe the traditional Sanskrit chants and Hindu inspired music, or just silence. I also like to believe that it doesn’t matter why or how someone finds a practice and that taking the journey is all that matters.

However, the approach is important. Taking an ego that has been taught nothing but how to compete, to win or to accomplish, pretty typical demands in today’s society, and presenting it with potentially dangerous yoga postures spells disaster. Yes, every form of exercise brings a risk of injury, but if yoga is taught with the proper approach and its fundamental purpose in mind, we immediately lessen the risk of someone getting hurt and begin to create an environment where anyone is welcome. Yoga is to be taught as a lifelong practice and something that will never be mastered. That way of thinking doesn’t go over too well in a society of overachievers. Notice how most of the injuries presented in the article were simply a result of pushing too far?

Before the asanas, or postures, were introduced, yoga and meditation were one in the same. Yoga was meditation. It was about breathing and being. Peace. Stillness of the body and mind. The asanas became a physical means to achieving a spiritual experience. When mastering the appearance of a posture becomes the goal instead of the internal focus, our practice has moved into a dangerous, ego driven exercise, and away from its intended purpose.

The practice of yoga involves moving our bodies to create different sensations and states of being. We use our breath and focus to move beyond physical and mental thresholds into a meditative and focused state, allowing for a deeper experience. We learn to accept our current situation rather than running from a circumstance that might seem painful, uncomfortable or frightening. Our mats become a safe, controlled space of self-learning. At the end of the day, our practice is to be an act of loving kindness to our bodies, minds and spirits in an effort to become present.

However, the asanas are important, and there are particular physical, emotional and energetic benefits associated with them. We have to peel back the layers of a posture the same way we do our lives, with honor, mindfulness and integrity. The further I go, the deeper my practice gets. At the same time, one of my greatest personal revelations has been that my physical limitations are real and need to be acknowledged. Years of sports injuries and a chronic bad back, the result of scoliosis since age 15, will not allow me to explore certain postures beyond a point without further injuring myself. I finally decided that balance was more important than having a cranky back every day, and quit pushing to the point of pain. In no way am I knocking the ability to fully express an asana or the value in being able to do so. If anything, I find nothing more beautiful. It’s incredibly inspirational to watch someone like Ana Forrest practice, but I am a big guy at 6’1” and 210 lbs. with some limiting factors, and our physical edges within a particular posture will always differ. Besides, when I really “watch” Ana, it’s not the physical practice that I find so moving. Yes, how she controls her body through space is impressive, but it’s the attention and focus oozing from her pores that I take with me.

After the tragic murder of my wife in 2009, I found myself stepping onto my mat in various states of mind, including complete desperation and feelings of madness. The idea that I had started a practice as an attempt to heal my back wasn’t even on the radar. Having begun to experience some of the emotional and spiritual benefits of yoga at the time of her death gave me the awareness to dive deeper into my practice. I was seeking healing, but on a completely different level.

Without going into graphic detail, I’ll just say that I’ve seen things we’re not meant to see. These images and visions haunted me, and the sheer insanity associated with my experience left me feeling very disconnected from the rest of society. Everything I identified with in this world was gone in an instant, and I became mindful on a moment to moment basis for fear of going off the deep end.

I practiced in garages, bedrooms, etc.-anywhere I had space to lay out my mat. Yoga allowed me to move through energy so thick and dark, “evil” is the only word I know to describe it. I had spiritual, even transcendental experiences. At times it felt like I was touching another dimension. I have literally been guided in my life by something greater than myself since her death, and yoga has been the key to reaching that energy. Without that connection to something greater, to God, there is no doubt that I would be dead, in jail or strung out somewhere at this point, not a yoga instructor. The gift became learning to accept myself right where I was, finding peace in the eye of a horrible storm, even if it was only temporary. It gave me hope.

How deeply I can manipulate my body to match the “perfect expression” of a particular posture has nothing to do with the depth of my experience if I am fully engaged in the moment. Actually, complete engagement in the moment is the perfect posture. The asanas are a physical means to a spiritual end, not the goal itself, and yoga is not a competition with myself or anyone else. It is my life practice and a craft I look to hone on a daily basis in everything I do.

Look, any physical activity has some form of risk and potential injury and most people are bound to experience some kind of ache or pain at one point or another, but our practices should be about balance, peace and ultimately love of ourselves, not the ego. Adhering to proper alignment, expressing caution and treating our time on the mat as the practice it is intended to be will go a long way in preventing injury.

Education definitely has its place in this conversation. Instructors and practitioners alike need to learn more about anatomy and kinesiology and how to properly move the human body. It wouldn’t hurt for anyone to invest in some private sessions with a qualified instructor when starting a practice.

I still believe, though, that practicing in a group or class setting is still the easiest and most logical way to deliver yoga to the masses, and paying for private sessions is just not a possibility for many people in today’s economic climate. There’s a “best approach” to everything in life that sometimes just isn’t feasible.

With that in mind, as an instructor, the goal I have for every class is to create a sacred, authentic and safe space within which people can explore their practices and themselves without external judgment or demand, with the primary focus being on the breath and mindful expression of the asanas while embracing all that this present moment has to offer.

Remember, an advanced practitioner is one who treats the asanas as an experience, not something to conquer.

Don’t get hurt. Breathe. Explore. Listen.

Visit Warrior Spirit Yoga here or view Mike’s Yoga Press Kit (YPK) here.

Mike Fecht is a YogaStage Delegate and a yoga instructor and writer based out of Atlanta, GA

I discovered this truth a couple of months ago, while traveling to Birmingham, when I joined a “Mysore” practice in a small yoga room housed in a climbing gym. If you are not familiar with what “Mysore” means, first the expression comes from the name of the second largest city in India where Shri. K. Pattabhi Jois, more often referred to as“Guruji”, created and began teaching in The Astanga Research Institute. Today Sharath Jois (grandson) and Saraswathi (daughter) along with other family members and certified instructorʼs from around the globe, continue to teach and preserve the integrity of The Astanga Yoga Method.

When we refer to “Mysore” in other parts of the world, this typically refers to a two hour time frame where you can practice Ashtanga Yoga as you would in India. Basically, within the two hour window, you start when you are ready and follow a set sequence on your breath until you have mastered that level in an integrated manner. Before moving onto the next and more challenging series of six, one of the few Astanga approved teacherʼs, may officially approve for you to advance.

I say this with all sincerity too. I can remember vividly years ago when my Astanga journey led me to a big beautiful ballroom in SanFrancisco for a week with Guruji, Sharath, and Saraswathi. At this point I had a home practice without access to an Astanga Master and I naively registered for the Secondary/Intermediate Series class. At the time I didnʼt realize that you had to be approved to move past the Primary Series and that there are obvious reasons for the systematic approach.

On the first morning, after the Salutations and Standing Poses, Sharath kindly walked over and in a soft voice he said, “What are you doing here?”. I looked up at him with innocent child like eyes and he realized that I didnʼt know how the process worked. For the next hour I sat on the side of the class and watched. Slowly, many others did the same as they came to a posture in the secondary series that they had not mastered. It is important to know that this was not as though we were benched in a sporting event and that we wanted to get back out their to give it another immediate try. Instead, we sat in awe watching the beauty, strength, and softness of the other fellow practitioners, in the midst of a form that we aspired to eventually feel and be. To this day, I remember sitting and this was one of my most inspirational practices. This class taught me how to be a respectful student.

Therefore, when I found myself practicing Astanga again after all those years, tears of joy starting falling from my eyes. This Classical Yoga method magically sheds light on where you are and where you are going in your life and the series are designed for the practitionerʼs safety and progress towards evolution and true transformation within all the subtle bodies. After the practice, I walked out of that warm lit space in Birmingham and felt like I had returned to my roots; I was home. Later that day, I found Balance Yoga in Atlanta, and was so happy to see that they were an Astanga and Vinyasa School. Also, Kino McGregor was coming to teach a five tiered weekend workshop on December 9-11th and I knew I wanted to go.

Three days may have passed and while I was being interviewed by Jessica Ewart, of Yoga Stage and Namaste Yʼall; I mentioned that I was going. She shared that this is the exact type of story that she would like to have on the companies sites, such as the recent article posted covering a weekend with Ana Forrest.

Astanga opportunities always seem to align for me and yet again magic was abound, when I was able to attend the weekend workshop as a Delegate. From the first line of contact on email, Balance Yoga Atlanta embodied kindness, authenticity, and peacefulness. The first conversation I had with co-owner/instructor Jennifer Smith made me feel completely at ease. She was strong, straight forward, and playful. She was very comfortable saying that after 7 years, Balance Yoga still remains a place to practice yoga. “ We are not about ego, and Kino is one of our teachers. It is always a big event when any of our teachers come.”

So, about half an hour before the first Mysore Practice on Friday night, I arrived to the modest home transformed into a studio in the periphery of Buckhead Village. The lights were warm and smiling faces were gathering and checking into the simple boutique full of plants and wood. When the studio door opened, the heat felt incredible and I set my mat up in the back row of the almost filled room. Then one at a time when ready, Ujjayi Pranayama started and the practice began. I felt so grounded as I found my way into the wave of everyoneʼs breath, which quickly resembled a symphony of insects harmonizing during a warm summer night. It was not much longer that Kino walked into the studio. She was petite, strong, and literally glowing with sunshine from the inside out. Though many of us were already in the depths of practicing, there was a collective awareness that our teacher had arrived. A layer of energetic respect began filling the yoga room and then in a confident, yet nurturing voice Kino said “Samastitihi”.

Everyone stopped where ever they were, without delay, and we calmly came to , “Samastitihi, Standing Mountain Pose with Prayer Hands. We chanted call and response sending love to all in the world. Unlike a led Ashtanga practice that came the next morning, Kino barely used any words after that point for the next two hours. She assisted us and moved us further into postures than we had ever experienced. She was a master and spoke to students for encouragement and also with honesty if they needed to back off.

The discussion of the Sutras following the practice was the most in depth talk I have every heard regarding philosophy and traditions in the entire 17 years I have been practicing and studying. Kino spoke many of the Sutras in Sanskrit and translated them so that we understood what each pearl of wisdom meant. She explained how these Sutras still apply to our current lives and she often shared her clean and funny sense of humor throughout. Going into the weekend I knew that Kino was the youngest approved female Astanga Teacher traveling the globe and after one talk with her I was not surprised to discovered that she also holds a MA from New York University, is working on her PhD, and an upcoming book. I came across this information as I was marveling over she and her husbandʼs Tim Feldmann, who is also a certified instructor, beautiful website of The Miami Life Center, on the South Beach of Florida.

The next morning I met the other lovely owner/instructor of Balance Studio, Marsha McNeight. Marsha immediately gave me a warm welcoming hug and I felt as though I had yet again made another new friend. We talked about her recently becoming a mother and then later I heard her studentʼs lovingly say that Marsha had also been practicing in India the previous year.

The entire community was kind and humble and one woman in particular whose name was Libby shared so dearly that Balance Yoga Atlanta is almost like a precious secret. Libby and I sat with our legs up to our chest in a little ball and there was a twinkle in her eyes as she talked about how much the studio is cherished by everyone.

I sat alone in my cousinʼs home on Saturday night after a wonderful dinner with another teacher and his fiance in Atlanta. I thought about how Kino and all of the Master teacherʼs who travel the globe truly have devoted there lives to others. She must miss her home and family, though she chooses to preserve the Ashtanga Yoga Method and share her insights, and wisdom. Once again I found myself inspired with gratitude and respect just as the first day with Guruji, Sharath, and Saraswathi in San Francisco. After all these years, I was still learning how to be a respectful student and I hope to always be fortunate enough to continue this process.

Sunday morning before our final Mysore practice while taking off my boots amongst the array of belongings, I overheard Kino calmly say that she would like to return for the flight in the afternoon at a particular time so that she could make it home without delay. She told Marsha that she had many things to do in the next couple of days, as she was returning to India on Wednesday. I new this might be my only opportunity for one candid shot so I asked if I could take a picture of Kino, Marsha, and Jennifer before the practice began. In a supporting tone, Marsha said that Jennifer was home with a sick child. Then Kino, in her soft, inclusive tone said, “ Would you like to be in the picture?” In that moment, I knew why I felt at home with this Astanga Yoga Community. Our guides, such as Kino McGregor honor tradition, respect, intellectual inquiry, and kindness. They encourage us when we can do more and protect us when we need to back off. Theylead us in the direction of true peace, as we are one big human family.

Jessica, Kino and Marsha at Balance Yoga

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

Jessica Jollie is a writer and yoga instructor in Chattanooga, TN. She is also a YogaStage Delegate. You can learn more about her at www.jessicajollie.com

Covert operations are sometimes necessary to have these big, crazy fun moments these days. I recently participated in my first flash mob. No, we didn’t breakdance in a mallto promote a fastfood chain or belt out a tune from hairspray in a Whole Foods. We unrolled

Photo by Simon Gentry

our mats on an empty parking lot near a busy intersection in downtown Houston, blared jingle all the way and sun saluted in what looked more like a contagion of salutes than a choreographed vinyasa. I do recall grinning from ear to ear in my elf hat, hearing cars honk and meeting new friends. Those few minutes, they will be a sweet memory for a lifetime.

Our purpose wasn’t to occupy anything. It was simply to bring together as many yogis from all over Houston as possible, raise awareness for yoga and breathing, and to have fun! Who needs a greater purpose than that?

Check out and enjoy Yoga Flash Mobs around the globe:

Chattanooga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA7IKMsGsvI&feature=share

Charleston: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OARy0sP6CYQ

Bonita Springs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l7lHR8E-Lg&feature=related

BC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flhVvbWAkXs

Whistler BC: http://vimeo.com/14875263

London: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_l-evHEBVY

Share your mob? Better yet, plan one and post it here!

Merry happy Christmas & Hanukkah from all of us at Namaste Y’all & Yoga Stage

Melissa Smith

Melissa is a freelance writer, zealous traveler, momma, and AcroThaiYoga-fairy. She leads advanced teacher trainings for Leeann Carey YaapanaYoga, specializing Therapeutic Partner Practice and hosts retreats in Texas, Thailand & New Orleans for Grace Yoga Retreats. Connect with her on Facebook, her Grace Yoga Blog, and Twitter. or read other Elephant Journal articles.

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Rachel:

In an un-airconditioned yoga class one summer in DC I was slipping all over my mat. I kept toweling off my hands and arms to no avail. I was super focused on not slipping in down dog (which I almost did more than once). I got into crow and was holding it with my eyes closed when BAM, my hand slipped in my pool of sweat and I smacked my face on the floor (and rolled into the person next to me causing them to fall down also!). By far the most embarassing moment in my yoga career!

Olympia:

Nothing special or out of the ordinary:):):):)Y

Yogi toe socks or not ……..

Mat sprayed with water or not……….

My yoga towel just stretches out

And…….

in warrior pose I slip

“BUT”:):):):):):)

I continue to breathe and I “prevail”!!!!!!

Hayley:

I was at a Bryan Kest workshop at North Shore Yoga in Chattanooga, TN. and the room was packed. We were basically mat to mat, and I was practicing beside a particularly sweaty gentleman that I did not know. He did not have a towel and was having great difficulty staying on his mat. I know this because of the number of times he was, literally, on top of me. During flip dog, he slipped and flipped right onto my back! And then, when he had his arms bound, he slipped, released his grip and whacked me across the shoulders. So, my yoga that day was learning to never be without a towel so that I would never be the person falling on strangers.

Krystle:

I have a funny story about slipping on my mat during yoga practice. I was with a few friends at The Lemontree Yoga Studio in Glens Falls, NY and it was my first class back to yoga after I had gotten my navel pierced. (I bet you can already tell where this is going!) We were doing the regular sun salutations and the mood was perfect. I couldn’t even feel my new piercing…until I slipped in a downward dog and landed on my mat! It was like a bug on a windshield. My new navel piercing got caught between my shirt and my mat and I will NEVER forget the pain and overall laughter of my fellow classmates! After class was over and we had said our round of Oms, one of my close friends said, “See I told you not to get your belly-button pierced!” I can laugh about it now, but that slip was one of the most painful I have ever experienced. A NamaSTAY yoga towel would sure help to prevent this from happening again!

Peace. Love.Namaste.

Lori:

Imagine the scene, sweaty Power Yoga Class and Jumpback from Crow to Plank. I had been working on this transition with great determination and we had finally made friends. I can’t say I had mastered it but just the same I felt confident in the outcome in this class. My Crow was steady and strong, fingers gripping, Mula Bandha tucked and off I flew to, no not to Plank but a loud sweaty sounding thigh slapping landing. My toes had totally slipped from under me and down I came. Ok so I slipped, so what I will just try this again. Crow strong and steady, belly tucked and kick back. And yes you guessed it, not only one loud sweaty landing without toes gripping but two. If you have ever made this type of landing with sweaty Yoga pants on you feel my pain. Needless to say, I am in great need of a NamaSTAY Yoga towel.

Cody:

So, for some reason I thought it would be a good idea to take a shower before hot yoga one day. So, not only was I warm and sweaty from the shower, I got my body moving and the sweat started flowing. I’m known for my unusually sweaty palms, and as I pushed up to get into my beautiful downward facing dog, my hands and feet slid out, leaving nothing between me and certain hip bruises.

Needless to say it was a loud crash.

Bet that could have been avoided with a sweet NamaSTAY towel.

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