In a sense, my journey on Ashtanga Yoga is unique because my relationship with India came before my relationship with yoga. I was a little girl watching TV, I remember an image of women in colourful saris with urns on their heads. When an opportunity came in my second year of university to travel to India and teach English, I packed my bag and life was never the same. Guruji used to say many lifetimes and i believed it is this karma with the wisdoms, traditions in India that makes my connection to yoga inescapable. For me the intersection of yoga and Ayurveda is a functional place. My desire to see and taste all of India at...
This video is taken from the Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver Documentary which you can view in it's entirety at the Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver Youtube Channel here. I wanted to share it with you this week because it really comes through in this video why Fiona and Greg teach yoga day in and day out. I see them both showing up to not only practice everyday but to teach as well. It's really hard work and you don't do it for the money. They explain what motivates them to keep sharing this practice and the only question I think you need to ask is "how can I find a teacher like this?"
When I first moved to Vancouver about 4 or 5 years ago now Geoff was teaching at Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver. I really appreciated learning from him. Since then Geoff has ran the Mysore program on and off at Babylon Yoga in Vancouver. He has also travelled to places like Whitehorse, Edmonton and Spain to help run other shalas Mysore classes while their teachers went to India. I caught up with him this summer after he has just returned from Mysore and a special class that Sharath had offered only for teachers. Here's what he had to say........
On Practicing in Mysore
Geoff Mackenzie: That institute, that room (KPJAYI) is charged with prana. So I think...
Ekaminhale InterviewsDerick Yu from Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver What is it like to be in a relationship when your partner doesn't practice?
In this weeks interview I spoke with long term Ashtanga practitioner Derick Yu about what it's like being in a relationship where his wife doesn't also practice. He also touches on how yoga has helped him deal with road rage and everyday life. Enjoy.......
Clint: You're in a relationship where you practice and your wife doesn't. How does that work? Like has it been a challenge or is she accepting, because I know there's probably a lot of people out there who have a similar situation. And some also have, their partner practices...
One thing you notice when you meet people that have an Ashtanga practice is how young they look when you find out their chronological age. When I first met Derick at Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver I was amazed when he told me how old he was. The thing is that it's kind of normal in the Ashtanga community which leads me to ask the question - "Does yoga keep you young or does today's way of living make you old?" As with everything it's not black and white but multiple shades of grey. My goal in life is to be as healthy and clear as I can in order to be a place to inspire, serve and benefit others. Ashtanga yoga is one piece...
