Mind, body, spirit — did one element or another first draw you to yoga? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

body — my first classes were at a Crunch Fitness

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

things are generally more in balance — but there’s an ebb and a flow there

How long have you been practicing yoga?

off and on for more than ten years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I aim for three times a week but sometimes life (namely, my small kids) gets in the way

What are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

I love the community of a yoga studio — and I find that I challenge myself more in a classroom setting

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa, although I did my teacher training in Hatha

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

the mind-body connection was most difficult for me at the start — I could move my body in the right shapes but didn’t feel it

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

everything! when I practice regularly, my entire body just works better

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

occasionally I try meditation but it never sticks

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

running

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

yes! Tree pose and Warrior III are my go-tos

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

Bali

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your spiritual nature?

initially I thought it was for ‘exercise’ — almost immediately, however, I noticed the greatest impact on my mind — from day one my yoga practice helped me gain mastery over my anxiety

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

it still tends to every facet of my being, but now is predominantly a spiritual practice for me

How long have you practiced yoga?

I began dabbling about 22 years ago, but have been studying and practicing with commitment for 13 years

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

lightly for about 12 years, but seriously for 3 — since then I have not stopped studying — my study and practice have only intensified

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I study, practice, and teach Traditional Tantric Hatha and Classical Yoga — under the guidance of the Himalayan Tradition

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

as a former dancer, I ‘thought’ the postures came easily, but soon realized I was missing the point entirely — loosening my effort was the most challenging, and making peace with the neurotic tendencies in my mind

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

dissociating yoga from exercise seems to be the most challenging because in the west we’ve sold yoga as a workout — it isn’t — it’s a spiritual practice which utilizes the body to gain access to the breath, the breath to gain access to the mind, the mind to gain access to the soul — reframing students’ expectations which are based on a western misinterpretation of yoga is my greatest challenge as a teacher

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

Savasana and a Meditation Seat

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

more peace within my own mind and continuous joy in the midst of challenging circumstances

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I practice a traditional Yogic meditation called Vishoka Meditation, as well as traditional Yoga Nidra — these both incorporate pranayama (techniques for gaining mastery over the breath)

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I do — I love to hike, swim in the ocean, garden, and play with my dog

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

I often find myself utilizing yoga asanas to create more freedom and ease in my body — I try to be subtle about it in public so as not to draw too much attention, but when I’m at home I’ll stretch and twist and enjoy savasana just about anywhere

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

I love practicing outside and find it to be more comfortable and accessible for a lot of people — it’s a great way to reconnect to something bigger than ourselves

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit — but did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I was interested in learning more bodily control

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

everything about me is in better balance now: mind/body/spirit

As a yoga professional, what aspects — mind, body, spirit — do you pitch to someone who has never done yoga but is open to the possibility?

I try not to proselytize, but I share concepts

How long did you practice yoga before becoming a teacher?

six years

Do you have a preferred yoga style? Do you teach others?

all physical yoga is “Hatha Yoga” — I blend styles

Do you have a particularly strong tie to any teachings or texts?

my roots were with Swami Muktananda and Swami Vishnudevananda — I pattern my classes around the teachings of Patanjali

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for younger beginners and what is more challenging?

younger beginners have shorter attention spans, prefer movement

How about for students coming to yoga later in life?

seniors often need to modify poses

Apart from yoga, do you recommend other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I consider all mindfulness, whether sitting, walking, breathing and/or movement to be yoga

Say you have a beginning student who has come to yoga for help with a bad back. They are already pretty chill, and you intuit they are only looking for the physical benefits from yoga. Do you leave it at that, or do you look for opportunities to promote the non-physical benefits?

I mention, but do not “promote,” yoga philosophy — I believe that physical power without a philosophy of unselfishness can be dangerous

I know you are a poet as well as a yoga teacher. Is there a poem or two that reflects the influence of yoga on your writing?

my own poems “Yoga Class, the Teacher Speaks” and “Solstice Poem” both available on blogger (google title, my name, and blogger) are directly connected to my practice of yoga — (as are all my poems, but less obviously)

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

I would absolutely choose an outdoor space on a beautiful day to a comfortable minimalist indoor space

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

it was body that first drew me to yoga — I was just beginning to exercise for the first time at almost 30 years old and wanted to try everything

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

definitely more balanced — it really depends on the day and the practice which one is fed more

How long have you been practicing yoga?

about 5 & a half years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

usually 5 days per week

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

I started teacher training a year after I took my first class

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

my preferred style is vinyasa but I love trying new things!

When you were starting your yoga journey, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I don’t think anything came easy at first! — the most challenging thing for me when I started my yoga journey was letting go during savasana

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

I have scoliosis and the absolute greatest benefit has been less back pain

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I often practice deep belly breathing during the day, especially when stressed or anxious — if I’m having trouble falling asleep at night I’ll practice progressive muscle relaxation

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I exercise several times a week — a lot of strength training and a little cardio

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just assume a pose and stretch? If so, which poses and where?

all the time! — I’ll often drop into malasana if I’ve been standing for a long time, whether I’m at work or at a concert! — and if you ever see me in the airport, chances are I’m sitting on the floor in a variation of a seated forward fold

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

while I love being outdoors, I’m an indoor yogi — not only are there fewer distractions, but it’s especially hard to balance on a lumpy ground

—interview © Marshal Zeringue