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 spiritual nature?

I was first drawn into yoga for the physical benefits like many — I was recovering from bunion surgery and it was one of the only things I could do to work my muscles and stretch a little bit — I got hooked! — the mental + emotional benefits came later, and now that’s why I practice

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?

my practice looks completely different now than it did 9 years ago — my daily practice looks more like seated pranayama + meditation, plus 15-30 minutes of movement I like to call ‘daily maintenance’ — without a doubt, the tools and techniques I’ve learned feed my mind and soul (as well as body!), but these techniques take time to learn and refine — everyone has their own personal recipe

How long have you been practicing yoga? How frequently do you practice now?

I’ve been practicing yoga since 2015, and teaching since 2017 — it’s rare that a day goes by that I don’t practice (or at least sit and do some breathing techniques for 10 minutes)

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

two years — I knew as soon as I started practicing that I was going to teach it — I knew it in my bones — there was no question

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

while I started out teaching a more vigorous ‘flow’ style class (this was what I learned from my first teachers and in my first YTT), my style has evolved to include many modalities including hatha, kundalini, and Katonah Yoga — in 2020 I started deep-diving in Katonah Yoga and now it continues to inform every facet of my life, my practice and my teaching — I also teach Yin yoga, where you can find threads of Vipassana meditation and Five Element theory infused into my classes

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

the postures came easily, as I was naturally flexible — the strength aspect – as well as cultivating boundaries – was a little more challenging for me — I had a lot of resistance to pranayama at the beginning as well, but once I started to stick with it and found recipes that worked for me, it became my favorite part of the practice

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

from my experience as a teacher, I’d say generally getting the form + alignment correct in the postures (learning how to fold from one’s own joint spaces instead of trying to mimic what others are doing) as well as developing a strong breath are the two things that take time, repetition, and patience

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

the greatest benefits of yoga for me have been greater peace of mind, insanely reduced stress levels, and better lung capacity — I’ve also watched my body change in ways I could have never fathomed – but that is not why I practice!

Yoga is a universal practice. But as a world traveler, have you found a noticeable difference in yoga practice elsewhere?

honestly, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in yoga practiced elsewhere — I’ve taught and practiced in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Bali, India and USA – certainly, cultural differences can influence the style (for example, a lot of Ashtanga and more meditation-focused styles in India) but in general, those who are interested in yoga are typically already open-minded enough to be willing to explore any style or modality

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

I do pranayama (breathing techniques) every day in the morning before I do my movement practice — I also walk my dog which is my daily dose of mindful walking — I have also done three different Vipassana meditation (10 day silent) courses which greatly influence the way I think and perceive the world now

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

all the time! — when I’m on the couch, I often throw my legs up the wall or in the air and grab a foot — or if I’m out for a walk or bike ride, I’ll stretch often!

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?

honestly, this is a tough question! — so long as there is a hard, sturdy floor without gaps in it, I’d pick an outdoor space any day over an indoor one — but what’s not to love about a well-curated, open indoor space? — the only place I would not practice (or recommend practicing on) is the beach — sand is overrated, and not a good surface to practice on!

—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?

the physical

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 is an ebb and flow between these balances, that why I practice daily

How long have you practiced yoga?

17 years

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

1 year

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Anusara

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

settling the mind is the most challenging and getting into poses was easiest

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

everyone is different but I think the general theme is getting the mind in alignment

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

forward fold, downward dog

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

proprioception and learning how to move my body from the inside and knowing what muscles need strength and length to get me into a pose

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

walking meditation

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I hike 5 miles a day at 8200 ft

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

yes, handstands, splits and forward folds

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?

outdoors

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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 spiritual nature?

improve flexibility and concentration

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?

a balance of both — I’ve been practicing for more than 20 years so it’s hard to stay where one stops and the other begins!

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you practice now?

for over 20 years — what I attempt to practice on a daily basis are the Yamas and Niyamas, for instance, Aparigraha (non-attachment), Ahimsa (non-harming)

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

about 8 years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I prefer Hatha and Iyengar

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

the strength postures

From your experience sharing yoga with children, can you generalize about what comes easiest for young people and what is more challenging?

what comes easily: not taking themselves too seriously! and being non-judgmental about their bodies

what is most challenging: body awareness in terms of what is happening on the inside (breath, muscle activation)

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

physically: less joint pain

mentally: improved concentration & body awareness

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

yes, many — my particular favorite is a guided meditation I used with the loving-kindness mantra

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

I have a preschooler, and he loves to strike a yoga pose either in my office or on the bathroom floor, and I’ll get right there with him!

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?

outside requirements: low humidity and no biting insects

inside: dimly lit room, and if I can call up a rainshower, even better!

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

at a lodge with big windows and a fireplace, where you can see the snow outside

—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 true, spiritual nature?

none of the above — I simply attended a class at my local health club because a good friend who moved away had loved yoga and I was missing her — it was love at first stretch as I realized it was what my body needed

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?

I think those elements were in pretty good balance when I started, and the discipline of yoga has kept them that way, but the huge additional benefit I have from yoga is the pleasure and satisfaction I get from teaching it to others

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you practice now?

I started practicing about 10 years ago and I practice (or teach) almost every day

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

only a couple of years — very soon after discovering how good yoga was for my aging body, I wanted to learn more and did a course of teacher training, never intending to teach, but just to get deeper into the practice — to my surprise, I loved the teaching side of it and began forging opportunities to teach people of my own age (seniors) — I think I have been on a mission ever since to show people my age and older how much they can benefit from the practice physically and mentally

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Hatha yoga has always been my favorite but I also love experimenting with all other styles

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

the most challenging part for me is the yoga philosophy — as a scientist, I am always questioning, and sometimes have trouble accepting some of the spiritual concepts

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

in my experience teaching hatha and chair yoga to seniors, I find that the first challenge is always overcoming their tendency to feel they “cannot possibly do that” — once they realize nothing has to be done to perfection, each student seems to take away something different from the classes — to paraphrase a well known saying, it is sort of “trom each according to their ability; to each according to their need”

What are the more difficult poses for seniors to execute?

that is impossible to generalize because in the age group I mainly teach (65-90+ yrs), almost everyone has at least one physical limitation or another — I emphasize equanimity, balance, posture and strength and offer lots of modifications for any poses that might be difficult, while not being afraid to encourage the students to go deeper

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

certainly yoga provides me with a calmer mind and greater flexibility of mind and body — it is a great way to keep the body feeling young(er)

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

no

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

yes, often a balance pose, and any number of stretching poses

You have a choice: take 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 teaching classes outside and take my individual practice outside whenever I can — I have no problem with distractions and I find the sounds of birds and insects and the sight of trees in the breeze highly meditative — I would love to practice near the ocean to feel the rhythm of the waves echoing my breath and often use this imagery in my classes — feeling a part of nature and inhabiting your body in a mindful way are part of what yoga is all about for me

—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 drawn to the physicality of yoga

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?

hot yoga is my favorite way to bring out the leanest version of my physique — I also feel a greater connection to my inner rhythm

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since 2014

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I do my own at-home flow daily, and I try to attend studio classes 3 times per week

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

the therapeutic benefits of yoga are more present during an at-home practice — the physical benefits are more present during an in-studio class

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa

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

at first, the most challenging aspect was quieting my mind — the postures came easier for me

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

for me, a consistent yoga practice brings wonderful peace of mind and increased flexibility — both of which contribute to greater performance during strength-training workouts too

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

yes, I lift weights 5 days per week — I also swim and take walks for leisure purposes

You have a choice between 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?

a class overlooking the ocean would be beautiful!

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

yes! — all the time — for some reason, I always feel like doing half-moon pose while I’m getting ready in the morning

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

the Amalfi Coast

—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 spiritual nature?

I was an athlete and I just started my own business — I needed both to balance out my body physically but was also needing a new approach to stress management — yoga did the trick — I was drawn to the discipline of Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga

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 is definitely balanced — I am as dedicated to my pranayama and meditation practice as to my asana practice — my life is guided by yoga philosophy

How long have you been practicing yoga?

25 years

How frequently do you practice now?

daily, but it varies as to what on each day

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

four years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

committing to the practice was easiest — finding the time was hardest

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

it’s easy to just do poses, hard to focus the mind and connect to the breath

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

yoga is life changing and the practice is about an unremitting attention to the present moment experience — it has changed my body, mind, personal relationships, and taught me how to handle the roller coaster of life — it also set ethical standards for myself and how I care for others

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

yes, I practice Insight Meditation and Pranayama and Ayurveda

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

sure — tree pose in the kitchen — pigeon in front of the TV

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?

a well designed minimalist indoor space

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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?

saw an article in Seventeen Magazine (when I was fourteen) and was immediately curious about the meditative and spiritual aspects of the practice, as well as the toning of my body

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 feeds my spirit the most as I have been practicing mostly mantra & sacred sound in my personal practice … however I always begin with simple asana and grounding techniques prior to mantra practice

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since I was 14 … got serious at around 19, and now I am 42

How long did you practice before you began teaching yoga?

nine years of practicing regularly whether in classes or with books, and about 4 years of dabbling before that

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

my lineage home is Viniyoga or Yoga of TKV Desikachar — I like (and teach) a low intensity flowing asana practice — as I mentioned I have been more in study and practice of Nada Yoga, the Yoga of Sound and somewhat recently completed another 200 hour teacher training at Nada Yoga School in Rishikesh India (2020)

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

holding the posture was easiest, settling the mind/blocking out distractions was (and still is) the most challenging

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

I find that there is no straight answer to that as every individual is different — someone may have an injury or be going through something heavy and that will affect the whole practice — someone may be entirely athletic but often dissociative or unable to connect with the breath — someone may try yoga for the first time when they are pregnant — to generalize, I would say postures are easiest, but calming the random fluctuations of the mind (goals!) would be the most challenging

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

keeping ego in check, whether in a grandiose way, or a self-loathing way — reminders of unity, reminder of non-attachment — also, indeed, less inflammation, stress relief, less body pain

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

absolutely ~ as yoga has many limbs beyond the physical practice … the first two limbs I love to explore ~ svadhyaya (self reflection), isvara pranidhana (surrender) … and mantra practice as already mentioned, yoga nidra, goddess sadhana…

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I am a runner and do a 5k almost every day — completed 3 marathons and probably 10 half marathons — lately I’ve been loving free weights

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

definitely — I love clasping my hands in a bind behind my back and folding forward extending my arms behind me (chest expansion) — random pigeon poses and hamstring stretches and prep for natarajasana (dancer) to get into the quadriceps post run

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?

100% outdoors overlooking the ocean — going there in my mind right now! — but wait … be here now!

—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 true, spiritual nature?

I initially came to yoga through the theatre (there’s a fascinating history here!) — the focus for me at first was on body and breath, relaxation — fun fact: the first time I tried a long meditation practice in my yoga teacher training I don’t think I had ever sat still that long — I ran around and made lots of noise immediately after

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 a balanced mix of all three — mind, body, and spirit — my practice has helped my relationship with myself in a holistic sense

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since 2009 — so just about 14 years now

How frequently do you practice now?

daily, although my practice doesn’t look the same each day

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

five years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

when I first started, I preferred Vinyasa and Ashtanga — I now welcome a mix of styles and am currently exploring Kundalini

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I’ve always been a bit naturally flexible, so a lot of the postures came easily for me — focus on settling my mind and the breath work came a bit later

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

I hesitate to generalize or assume what any of my students’ experiences might be, whether they are beginners or seasoned practitioners — we are all different and dynamic people

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

yoga has benefitted me in so many ways — less pain and anxiety — more joy and peace

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

yes! — I love walking meditations, creative movement, butoh dance, body-scan meditations, forest bathing, and embodiment practices

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

I love to do tree pose when I’m waiting in a particularly long line

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?

ooo tough choice — outdoors overlooking the ocean! — I find nature incredibly beautiful and healing

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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?

I knew very little about it and I was curious to know what yoga was

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?

body originally, spirit more recently — I love the peacefulness

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since I was pregnant with my daughter, now in her 40s! — she’s much better at yoga than I

How frequently do you practice yoga?

2-3 times per week

For you, what are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

I love my yoga class for the direction and encouragement

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

not really, but the gentler the better

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

getting the posture and holding it — but I still have trouble blocking out distractions

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

less body pain, greater flexibility

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

a friend recently told me about walking meditation and we do it together

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I walk a lot and love my water aerobics classes

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

absolutely! — mostly stretches at my kitchen counter, but I’ve been known to strike a tree pose almost anywhere

You have a choice: take 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?

easy one — I choose outdoors, even if it’s not a beautiful day — but circumstances mostly keep me indoors

—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 true, spiritual nature?

settle my mind — I found yoga at a time in my life when all my thoughts seemed ridiculously loud

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?

yoga feeds all three — yoga is responsible for keeping those elements balanced, obviously on different days, different elements take precedence

How long have you been practicing yoga?

almost 15 years

How frequently do you practice now?

4-5 times a week

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

five years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

every time I practice Ashtanga, it feels like coming home — over the years, as my body has changed, through pregnancy or injuries, my practice has changed — I have a deep respect for Yin and look forward to Kundalini — I believe it’s important integrate all of the styles of yoga into your practice, because each style serves a unique purpose

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

the reason I was immediately drawn to yoga was the fact that it forced me to focus — I wasn’t capable of holding a posture or balancing and entertaining the distractions of the mind — I had to release the “citta” — the relief of letting that go, even for 60-75 minutes a day, kept me coming back — breathing was a challenge — it took years of practice for me to realize I wasn’t breathing correctly — once I surrendered to the breath, rather than fighting with it, my practice transformed

From your experience sharing yoga with children, can you generalize about what comes easiest for young people and what is more challenging?

for children, I think getting the pose correct comes easiest because kids yoga is less focused on correct alignment — I think it is challenging for them to settle their minds and block out distractions, they are still trying to learn how to do that in all aspects of their lives

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

less anxiety, less depression, less overthinking, more peace and acceptance towards myself, others, and life in general

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

I am also a high school business teacher and the mother of a 5-year-old — practicing mindfulness is a part of my daily life because I need to set an example to those around me (practice what I preach) — I teach breathing exercises to my yoga students (while practicing), high school students (before tests) and daughter (to recognize and process feelings or control emotional responses)

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

almost always when seated (coloring or playing a game with my daughter) I love a good double pigeon (Agnistambhasana) — tree pose (Vrikshasana) when stirring food at the stove or in my classroom when trying to keep my high schoolers awake (I make them do it with me)

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?

without a doubt, outdoors on a beautiful day — everything outside makes me feel alive, overlooking an ocean means hearing the waves crash during practice, using an occurrence in nature to pace the breath, heat from outside and within the body — no hesitation at all when considering my response to this question — practicing yoga outdoors provides me with a sense of wholeness within and unity with the world

—interview © Marshal Zeringue