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

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?

the physical element is what originally drew me to yoga — I simply needed to work on myself

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 my spirit and quiets my mind — the physical benefits to my body are a side effect

How long have you been practicing yoga?

seven years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

as often as my schedule permits — if I’m lucky: 3-5 days / week

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa

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

at first my mind would go nuts focusing on the outside world, comparing poses to other students and judging myself — over time, I learned how to use the breath to drop in and focus within, to discover the real magical part of the yoga practice: the moving meditation and the discovery of Self

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

better sleep, better attitude, more loving connection with others, more patience with my family, eliminated “stress” back pain, improved my self-confidence and appreciation for my own body — body image insecurities are gone! I exude a more loving and kind energy as I move throughout the world and my day

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

I practice about 20 minutes of seated meditation daily, and pranayama as part of my yoga practice

You have a lot of experience leading yoga classes of teens. What aspects of that are more challenging–or easier–than teaching adults?

aside from very tight hamstrings, teens are much less familiar with their bodies and very concerned with what others think — poses can be embarrassing or weird for them so some are less apt to fully try their best — they always giggle when first practicing cat / cow (just because they have to stick their booties up) — I organize their mats in a circle in the room so everyone’s booty faces a wall and not a pair of eyes — teens can also be “softies” when it comes to enduring uncomfortability (holding a chair pose or plank will have them collapsing on the floor in exasperation) — all these lessons are precisely what they need to work through — they are an incredible gift to work with

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

Ragdoll all the time — not uncommon to bust out a dancer’s pose or a reverse warrior in the kitchen or waiting in line in public

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

expenses paid and yoga: I’d go anywhere! Costa Rica would be fantastic though!

—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 practice of yoga through my time of playing collegiate and professional football to enhance performance and recovery

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?

though yoga has balanced all three, I spend more time feeding the spiritual part of me

You played football at an elite level. Were you practicing yoga at the time or did it come later?

yes, football was the foundation of how I came to embrace yoga

How frequently do you practice yoga?

4 or 5 times a month for recovery

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

classes can be more challenging because you can’t dictate the flow or intensity vs home when it’s more intimate and at your own pace

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Asana & Kundalini

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

settling my mind and blocking out distractions came the easiest but the postures and being flexible enough to execute proper posture were difficult

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

I rarely get sick — less inflammation — mental clarity and stability

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

breathing exercises and walking mediation

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

lifting weights and cardio

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch?

I rarely strike poses and stretches but every once in a while I find myself doing something yoga related unintentionally

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

Himalayas, India

—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 sought out yoga for my body — as I was aging I needed more flexibility and stretching in my exercise routines

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?

now, I realize that yoga feeds my mind and spirit as much as my body and I relish the overall sensations and balance

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

about 5 years

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

teaching yoga is tiring and to be the best teacher I can be, I must limit how much I teach — 1 or 2 classes a day are best for my psyche

I understand you used to practice Power Yoga and now focus on Yoga for Everybody. When you were practicing Power Yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I was teaching yoga to college students when I began — they wanted (I thought) a very physical practice and they wanted challenging poses — as I matured in my yoga practice I realized that teaching them pranayama was more important — it was a hard shift but I’m glad I took the hard route for the students — as I I got better at teaching breath and slower movements, I got a better response from the students — at 20 they already have enough physical demands and movement but few know the power of breathwork

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

balance is often what brings the clients into the Yoga for Everybody class — as they learn Warrior and hip openers and they begin to lengthen their calf they find the balance — arm strength is very hard — easiest are the movements they do daily Warrior 1, lunge sagittal plane — opening the side body brings about nice change — sitting on the floor is hard for many new yogis — moving with the breath is hard for beginners — they rush the poses unaware how to match it to their breath

What are the more difficult yoga poses for beginners to execute?

Downward Facing Dog is the hardest pose for most beginners — Chatarange and arm strength, properly executing sphynx for older clients

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

calmer — more present, willing to forgive and forget — yes, better sleep

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

no

Your classes are described as “musically eclectic.” Will you share two song titles that demonstrate that?

ha ha — that would be my barre classes, I think, not my yoga — barre is done in time with the music — two fun barre songs are “America’s Sweetheart” by Elle King and “Got To Give It Up” by Marvin Gaye

for Yoga — in Happy Hour I use songs like “Wish You Were Here” by Bliss, “Makambo” by Geoffrey Oryema, and “Easy in the Early” by Uncle Earl (a great spiritual!)

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch?

all the time — on a paddle board, before and after riding my horse — after dancing — I can’t get through a day without joyful movement

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

awesome, let’s go! — any of the Blue Zones — Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California

—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 don’t know if I believe in past lives, but I knew yoga was for me before I ever tried it — so, even though it was the physical aspect that drew me, there was a spiritual element to it

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 has mostly shifted to Pilates, so when I choose to do yoga, it’s usually because I’m seeking longer, deeper holds or a more meditative experience

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

I took my first yoga class in college about 30 years ago and got certified about a year later

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

at my peak as a freelancer in NYC, I taught 15 classes a week, which was verging on too much with the subway commutes — when you’re teaching that much, you have to warm up properly — it’s also important to develop your verbal cuing skills so you don’t burn out your body demonstrating everything

now, my friend and I run Knockout Pilates in Brooklyn — when you’re teaching a lot of Pilates sessions, the key is to be mindful of the way you’re changing springs and handling the equipment so you don’t strain your wrists or back — I’m almost 50 now — the older you get, the more you have to take care of your beautiful body!

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

it’s more about the teacher than the style for me — I’ve learned a lot from good teachers in Iyengar, Astanga, Kundalini, and Kripalu yoga — recently, I discovered the Anti-Gravity Yoga Lab run by a wonderful teacher named Christopher Harrison — you hang from hammocks, and the traction feels wonderful on my spine

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

I was always flexible in forward and backward bends — inclined plane was very hard, as were inversions — I have short arms and legs so had trouble binding in twists and still cannot wrap my legs and arms in garudasana

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

this is a huge generalization but men often struggle with forward bends and anything involving hip mobility or hamstring flexibility and women often struggle with upper body strength poses like chaturanga — everyone struggles with remembering to breathe during difficulty

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

headstand and plow are challenging for beginners to do without a feeling of compression in the neck — I also see a lot of lumbar compression in up dog if students haven’t learned to access their abdominals — in general, I think the sun salutation is taught too quickly without enough attention given to the transitions and to shoulder safety if jumping

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

it’s given me awareness of the power of my breath and has allowed me (as basically an atheist Jew) to cultivate a feeling of devotion

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

I sometimes sit at a Zen center in Brooklyn and have done a few Vipassana silent meditation retreats — I was lucky enough to study Sanskrit chanting back in the day with the amazing Vyas Houston and still play my harmonium and chant when I’m feeling blue

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

Ragdoll throughout the day to release my back — Malasana to stretch my hips and ankles while I wait for the subway — I always hide out back by the bathroom on planes and do various asanas to the amusement of the flight attendants

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

again, it’s about the teacher for me, not the place — I’d follow Patricia Walden anywhere she went

—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 sought out yoga initially for the exercise in addition to my daily walks — I still appreciate how great I feel physically after I’ve stretched — but I’ve come to love how practicing it quiets my mind — it’s not unusual for the answers to problems I’m having with my writing to pop up in savasana

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 feeds my body most but that might be because I’ve been doing yoga long enough that I take the mental aspects of it for granted — I was amazed for the first few years at how well it cleared my mind and opened my spirit — I depend on those things now

How long have you been practicing yoga?

about twenty years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I go to a class at least once a week — I’m not going to lie: my home practice is brief and undisciplined

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

see above! — I’m too easily distracted to practice alone — during Covid, my instructor switched to zoom, which we still mostly do, with good results

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

hatha

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

for me, in the beginning, getting the postures correctly was the hardest — settling my mind enough to enjoy savasana took a couple practices, too — I’m still impatient with breathing — guess I’ll always be a work-in-progress

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

favorite benefit: less body pain — I also enjoy how it helps to calm me, and to settle enough to receive answers to my writing puzzles

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

I think the act of writing is a sort of meditation when I’m in the flow — I strive for that writing flow every day though I don’t always achieve it

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

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

of course! I do leg lifts while watching TV and pull myself into a good standing posture whenever I think about it

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

Costa Rica or Hawaii would be nice, but honestly, I’d go just about anywhere on a yoga retreat!

—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?

it started as a cross trainer for my work outs after college and focus on balance, core and flexibility

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 feel a majority of people start with the physical side of yoga and after awhile begin to explore the subtle side of yoga — so, yes, it took me many years to really understand and appreciate meditation, inquiry, philosophy — I feel more connected now to the whole concept of yoga- mind, body, spirit

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

I began practicing somewhere around 2001/2002 but didn’t really get into until 2003 when my husband was deployed for a year — dad my first training in 2007

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

yes, you can definitely burnout and it the biggest piece of advice for teachers, don’t forget your practice — every teacher has their various limits that correspond to their life — I’ve maintained 4-6 classes but I do take breaks so I’m excited to come back and teach

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

my preferred style is Power Yoga followed by Vinyasa — Power feels more athletic and I connect easily to that — It’s straight forward, structured and does a great job of weaving in the subtle yogic concepts

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

I have a tendency to be hyper mobile/flexible so stretchy stuff was easy — therefore the strength aspect was a challenge — for lots of guys the opposite is true, they love the strength portions and loathe the stretches

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

hands down one of the biggest hurdles to get over when you first start out is learning how to hold your arms up — we do this with so many poses and your arms get so heavy — I speak a lot about how to attain full engagement of arms/legs… how to have them hold themselves up versus weighing you down

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

Crow and Headstand — not that they are hard they just take a few classes to learn the hang of it

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

how to breathe, how to take control back from the stimulus, how to be in my body and how to meditate or be in the final resting pose

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation like breathing exercises, walking meditation, or body-scan meditation?

yes, all of the above! — they can all be experienced on their own and it’s good to practice bits here and there on their own — learning how to access mindfulness is one of the biggest superpowers we can build for ourselves — I teach students to drop out if the mind and fall into our body — we over analyze and overthink and it takes us out of the moment so learning when you’re in your head and how to use tolls to get in your body

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

all. the. time — Wall Dog —stand a few feet away from a wall, put your arms up the wall while pushing hips back, can sway side to side

while sitting — lean to one side, then other — twist to one side then other — then seated cat/cow, hands on knees, pull chest through and look up then round shoulders/back drop head

I do a handstand against the wall if things get too crazy

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

I think always the beach, it’s just a good place to chill and reconnect — I like a nice white sand, Gulf of Mexico kind of beach!

—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?

a little mind and a little body — I was a type-A non-athlete in my early 20s in NYC and someone suggested yoga as “non-exercise” exercise that would also address stress and anxiety — it worked

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?

finding “balance” is kind of the holy grail of life in my opinion — yoga keeps me closer to the center and helps reorient me both physically and mentally when I am veering too far in one direction or another

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you hit the mat?

I’ve been practicing for 25 years and try to get on the mat at least 3-4 times/week — in an ideal world it would be every day!

How long did you practice before you started teaching, and how long did you teach?

I practiced for almost 15 years before I started teaching — I’d wanted to take teacher training for a long time, but it didn’t work with my full-time corporate job — I taught for about 5 years, stopping when I got serious about novel writing — I love teaching but with two kids I didn’t have time for everything so, for now, I just practice

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

in a home practice you have the freedom to explore — I practiced at home a lot more when I was teaching because that was how I refined sequencing — the studio is more escapist — I can get more immersed in the practice (both yoga and meditation) at a studio when I’m not the one deciding what comes next — I also feed off the energy of the room which is kind of magical

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I like slow vinyasa flow — I’m an alignment nut and I love props, so I always have a little hatha and Iyengar in my head, but I like to move with the breath

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

nothing about yoga or meditation came easily to me! I had never moved my body (or thought about it for that matter) in the ways that yoga asks you to — I was not flexible, and my mind was always busy — when I tried to think about breathing, I would feel like I was hyperventilating — still, I stuck with it — getting comfortable with discomfort and all that

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

more mental balance and a greater sense of self-acceptance

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

I try to practice mindfulness meditation several times a week — I often fail

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I still hate “exercise,” but I do love to walk and hike — and I work out with a trainer to address aches and pains and hopefully stay strong as I age

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

yes! — my go-tos are janu sirsasana (head-to-knee forward bend) and viparita karani (legs-up-the-wall) which I often do for a few minutes before bed — actually, for me it is “legs-up-the-bed” pose

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

I’d go to the mountains — where the mornings and nights were cool and the days warm and I could go on easy hikes in between yoga sessions

—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

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 was drawn to yoga to quiet my mind at first — since then I wanted to be more fit and flexible — I also wanted show my teenagers to be physically active by example

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 my mind and body mostly — it puts me at peace

How long have you been practicing yoga?

I started on a limited basis in 2019 — in January 2022 I realized that I was getting the results I wanted so I started doing yoga mostly every day for at least an hour — sometimes I practice up to 3 hours

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I practice about 95% of my days

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

I like attending classes for the structure and social interactions — if no classes are available I practice at home

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I prefer ashtanga and vinyasa

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

I had difficulty with balance and blocking out distractions (monkey mind) — balancing poses were difficult and I wanted to be able to do them quickly but I realized I would achieve the level I wanted only with practice and persistence

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

the physical aspect has been the biggest benefit for me — through yoga with a general lifestyle change, I lost about 50 pounds — it increased my energy level, balance and overall health

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

no, I don’t meditate outside of class

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

biking, hiking, stand up paddleboarding

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

I often practice poses in the kitchen — sometimes I will practice while standing in line to check out a store, although I feel like other shoppers find this odd

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

I’m not really sure where I would go

—interview © Marshal Zeringue