Listen to converstation between Sticman and Chelsea HERE!!!

When I stepped onto the Atlanta scene in 1997 (fresh off Interstate 75 from Dayton, Ohio) my life changed. As a fresh(wo)man at Spelman College, my love for culture,  hip hop, and most of all liberation music had a huge impact on my interest in personal wellness and Knowledge of Self. I was attracted to the type of music that provoked critical thought, reflection, and action.

Photo by: Shannon McCollum

One particular album directly shaped the way I thought about my position in this world and more importantly encouraged my activism with youth in my community and personal wellness. Let’s Get Free by duo dead prez, created songs like Be Healthy, Discipline, and I’m an African during the late 90s. Both M-1 and Sticman of Dead Prez continue to contribute to this world through their artistry and community engagement. I had the pleasure to catch up with Sticman and asked him questions about his path to practicing mindfulness and his current projects.

Hip hop artist, producer, and activist Sticman of the group Dead Prez has been a long time advocate for mental and physical wellness and is the founder of the RBG Fit Club. His latest solo album The Workout is completely dedicated to health & fitness. Stic is very much involved with his community (both locally and globally) through his blog where he offers support to those interested in maintaining mindfulness around personal wellness. Take a moment to listen to the conversation I had with Stic as he talks about the RBG Fit Club, his personal journey to wellness, and projects that are on the horizon.

Listen to converstation between Sticman and Chelsea HERE!!!

Stay Connected to Sticman through www.RBGFitclub.com

Purchase The Workout here. 

This week’s Yogi in the Community is really special as Mafdet is our first yogi who extends beyond the borders of the United States into Canada! I have always been impressed and inspired by the commitment to the practice of yoga in the Kundalini Yoga Community. As a Kundalini Yoga practitioner and teacher, Mafdet contributes to her community and family by integrating the lessons of her yoga practice into everyday life. Please take a moment to be inspired!

Name: Mafdet Siri Avtar

Location: Toronto,Canada

When was your very first introduction to yoga?
I started yoga in 2000. It was a very early morning when I was up watching tv while nursing my newborn son and yoga was on tv. I was a gymnast from 4-17 so as I watched the yoga show my mind related it to gymnastics.

"I started yoga in 2000. It was a very early morning when I was up watching tv while nursing my newborn son and yoga was on tv.

After watching the show a few times to feel it out I decided to try it and realized that it was a lot harder than I thought! I was hooked in a short while and gathered all the magazines and books that I could.I began to experience spiritual strength and emotional wellness so I kept going on the journey. One thing led to another and I became vegetarian, furthered my training and my journey as a kundalini yoga teacher began.

Can you talk a little about what Kundalini Yoga is?
I always say Kundalini Yoga needs to be experienced to be fully understood so my first piece of advice is to try it.Take a class and you’ll know. Kundalini Yoga is an ancient science and mind/body/spirit practice for all walks of life. It’s a combination of breathing, meditations, yoga sets and spiritual lifestyle. It’s truly powerful and designed to work fast so you can feel the effects in a short time. It is designed for our lifestyle in the west where we have demanding, often times stressful lives.

"We need yoga to work for us now while we walk the streets, take care of our families, work our jobs,etc."

Like some traditional hatha yogis in ancient times, we don’t have the time to seclude ourselves in a cave for 20 years to attain balance.We need yoga to work for us now while we walk the streets, take care of our families, work our jobs,etc.

Can you offer beginners any advice on establishing their yoga practice?
There’s always new beginnings in the journey as a yogi so it’s important to keeping having a beginners mind regardless of how long one has been practicing yoga. So as a beginner, enjoy the journey of healing and growth instead of being fixated on a destination (since there is no destination).

Why is it important that people in the black community practice yoga?
We have many psychological and health issues in the community yet we continue to rise from oppression and obstacles.Whether it’s acknowledged in this society or not, we still carry the dna of ancestors. As we initiate practices such as yoga we can go deeper in spirit and soul to heal past and present wounds and live in the light of our ancestors and community.

If you are interested in contacting or staying connected to Mafdet you can find her at:
www.eyeamyoga.com
Facebook: facebook.com/EYEAMYOGA
Twitter: twitter.com/yoginimafdet

Our Yogi in the Community is a fearless woman who recognized a gap in the yoga community in terms of the disproportionate number of People of Color represented in yoga and took action. Unbeknownst to me, Sariane Leigh and I actually connected in Grand Central Station in NYC during a yoga photo shoot with my former business partner and friend Cynthiain 2005.

"Why wait for someone else to notice Black Yogis? Let's celebrate us on our own terms. "

I had to share Sariane’s story because of her commitment to share the images and stories of those who are often silenced. Please take a moment to be inspired and learn more about individuals who are contributing to and changing this world one breath at a time.

Name: Sariane Leigh

Location: Washington D.C.

Hometown: Baltimore/ Pumphrey, Maryland

Why do you practice yoga?    I practice yoga because I need to thrive and survive. I practice yoga because it is fun and every time I get on my mat, I learn something new! Yoga functions as a reconnecting thread, linking me to the infinite power. I practice yoga because I love the body that God has given me.

 Can you talk a little about your tumblr page? What inspired you to start it?

My tumblr is a visual journey of my experience with colorful and committed yogis. I am inspired by my Black yoga heroes like Maya Breuer, Faith Hunter, Takeyah Young, Zaccai Free and Terence Olivierra. These instructors are very warm, compassionate and they have helped me to build a solid practice. Yet, I noticed that with the exception of Faith Hunter, few people acknowledged amazing instructors of color in the “mainstream yoga world”. So I thought, why wait for someone else to notice Black Yogis? Let’s celebrate us on our own terms!

AnacostiaYogi is more about a mindset, and less about race or color. I meet soulful yogis that run the gamut. They want what we all want in our practice, to be welcomed and acknowledged! I started blogging on www.anacostiayoga.com to explore yoga in my neighborhood in DC. I later focused on only yoga in my a tumblr. The next level is an online magazine representing diversity within yoga!

Why do you feel that there is the need for spaces like this for People of Color who practice yoga?

For the first 3 years of my yoga practice, I never stepped foot into a yoga studio. Everything I learned came from books, private instruction and my own home practice.

"Yoga makes me a better servant to the world. I am a better homegirl, sister, employee, lover and global citizen."

So when I finally returned to DC in 2005 and walked into a real “yoga studio”, I couldn’t believe the isolation and cold reception of yoga studios. I realized that yoga was infected by the bug of commericialism and capitalism. If I felt it, then I knew other yogis of color felt the same.I also noticed the dearth of diverse images within the yoga scene. I actively sought out caring instructors who put their ego aside to help me grow.

How has yoga influenced the way you participate in the World?   Yoga makes me a better servant to the world. I am a better homegirl, sister, employee, lover and global citizen. All because yoga digs into the nuts and bolts of our spiritual being. I see my ego. I do my best to step outside of myself as a witness. I am learning to accept that most people are doing the best they can with what they have.

If you could describe your yoga practice in one word, what would it be?    Fluid

Attention: All the Colorful Yogis around the world send Anacostia Yogi any events, workshops, Teacher training, and images to share on the AnacostiaYoga Blog and AnacostiaYogi Tumblr. Let the world know that your unique services exist!

If you are interested in staying in touch with Sariane Leigh and Anacostia Yoga, you can connect with her on:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AnacostiaYogi

Twitter: Anacostia Yogi

and Official Website: www.anacostiayoga.com

This week’s Yogi in the Community is Dana Smith! Dana is the owner of Spiritual Essence Yoga and Wellness studio located in Upper Marlboro, MD. Dana’s contribution to her community has been featured in Black Enterprise, NBC4 Washington, and the examiner.com. Dana’s studio operates daily with a diverse range of classes and instructors. If you live in or are visiting the Maryland area, please check them out! I had the opportunity to ask Dana a few questions about her yoga practice this week! Please take a moment to read and be inspired!

Why do you practice yoga?  I practice yoga to create balance in my life. As a mother and business owner my life tends to be very hectic. Yoga helps bring things back to the middle.

When did you begin your yoga practice? 

I started practicing yoga immediately after I gave birth to my daughter about 10 years ago. When I began practicing I had no true body awareness and spent a lot of time focusing on what I wasn’t able to do. Then I was faced with time obstacles that prevented me from practicing as much as I wanted to. In time I found a respect for my body, aka the shell for my soul, and learned to move with my strengths and gently strengthen my limitations. I learned the lesson of acceptance of the now as a vehicle to greatness.

How does yoga impact your life? 

Yoga has helped me become a kinder, gentler soul. My life is based on Ahimsa (non-violence, non-harming) and because of it I have been able to see the life in all beings and express respect for all living things.

One word to describe your yoga practice: My practice in one word is Inspired!

If you are interested in working with Dana or visiting her studio you can find her at www.spiritualessenceyoga.com,  Twitter, and Facebook

This week’s Yogi in the Community is Tracee Stanley!!! As you can see by her brilliant smile, this woman exudes light! Not only does this Yogi shine on the outside, her internal energy fuels and supports the ways in which she participates in her community and World. I am so excited to showcase this Left Coast Yogi who stays true to her love for yoga through her practice and teachings. Please take a few minutes to be inspired!!!

Name:Tracee Stanley ERYT

Location: Topanga Caynon, California

Hometown: Huntington, NY

Why do you practice yoga?    I practice yoga because I recognize that the practice has the power to change my internal energy and that shift in energy radiates outward into all aspects of my life. As a film producer I sometimes work long hours and I am always putting out fires; its yoga that keeps me grounded.

"Yoga inspires everything I do"

My asana practice keeps my body flexible and strong, but it is my meditation practice that has the most profound effect on how centered and present I am throughout the day. I use the deep relaxation technique of yoga nidra a few times a week to rejuvenate and to prepare for a good nights sleep if I’ve had a hectic day. Yoga has so many tools to help us in all area’s of our life, that’s is why I love this practice!

What are some of the challenges you have encountered as a yoga student? What would you recommend for those folks trying yoga for the first time?

Some of the obstacles that I hear from people about trying yoga is that they are not flexible enough, they are too old to start,or they need to lose weight first because getting on the floor is uncomfortable. My oldest student was 75 when he started. I’ve taught people in wheelchairs and people who were facing series challenges with excess weight. These people all had one thing in common–they could breathe. If you can breathe you can do yoga. A lot of the images we see in magazines of yogi’s are of thin,young,very flexible and usually white women. This can be discouraging for a lot of people because they wind up feeling that yoga is not for them. Finding the right teacher who is teaching the appropriate yoga for you is the first step to having an amazing start to your yoga journey. But you might have to try a few classes or studio’s before you find the right one for you. With different styles like chair yoga, restorative yoga, bhakti yoga, meditation and breathing classes; there really is something for everyone.

How has yoga influenced the way you participate in the World?

Yoga inspires everything I do. It encourages me to seek out like-minded people to hang out with and do business with. It propelled me to start my own film production company that is dedicated to producing transformational films and media. It influenced the fact that I choose to live in a small community surrounded by nature, close to ocean in the mountains but still close enough to the city to remain engaged in the world when I want or need to be. It effects how I interact with people in my life, whether it is my boyfriend, my business partner, or the person I just got into a fender bender with. But mostly yoga inspires me to strive to be my best self, to not be reactive, or judgmental, to not withhold love, to inspire by example and to truly try to know and accept myself. Knowing that I wont always get it right and to be able to own it when I don’t.

If you could describe your yoga practice in one word, what would it be?

Expansive

If you are interested in learning more about Tracee please check her out at: www.traceeyoga.com and www.kundalientertainment.com

email:tracee@traceeyoga.com

itunes:http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/intro-to-yoga/id419383759

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tracee-Stanley-Yoga/197608116924507

Twitter:Shaktidiva

Click here to listen to my conversation with Maya Breuer

This week’s Yogi in the Community is the beautiful Maya Breuer!

Maya Breuer, Founder of the Yoga Retreat for Women of Color

This interview is particularly meaningful to me because of Maya’s contribution to the practice of yoga as a woman and as a Person of Color. Maya has been interviewed by Farai Chideya on NPR where she fearlessly discusses issues concerning race throughout various yoga communities.  Ms. Breuer is dedicated to cultivating wellness within populations who have traditionally been underserved, silenced, and/or ignored.

Maya Breuer, RYT, a Certified Kripalu Yoga teacher with more than 20 years experience, is the founder and director of the Santosha School of Yoga and the national Yoga Retreat for Women of Color™. She has studied extensively with yoga masters in the Kripalu tradition in India . Maya is a member of the International Association of Black Yoga Teachers, the Kripalu Yoga Teacher’s Association, the International Women of Vision and Action Group, and the National Yoga Alliance. She is also an affiliate of the International Yoga College and serves on the Kripalu Center Board of Trustees. In 2004 she received the first Yoga Trailblazer Award from the International Association of Black Yoga Teachers.

www.mayabreuer.com

Maya is a contributing author to Stephen Cope’s “Will Yoga and Meditation Really Change My Life?” and the just published “Kripalu Yoga On and Off the Mat” ( December 2005). She is also a jazz singer and visual artist whose yogic philosophy incorporates these aspects of her creativity. Presently Maya is completing her first book, Soul Yoga.

It is an absolute honor and delight to share this conversation with Ms. Maya Breuer. Be inspired! 

Click here to listen to my conversation with Maya Breuer

Happy New Year! Our first Yogi in the Community for 2012 is the refreshing and vibrant Jessica Lesley! Jessica and I met during a very challenging time in my life when I was experiencing an obstacle in the online yoga community that transformed into a blessing. Not only is Ms. Lesley a yoga instructor, she also pushes folks to think critically about issues that arise within and outside of the yoga community.

"Everything I do on the mat shows up in how I deal with life outside of the yoga studio!"

As a contributor to The Magazine of Yoga, Jessica’s piece entitled “There is an Elephant in the Room and it Ain’t Ganesh” pushes practitioners to think about the ways in which yoga is represented with regard to diversity and class.  Although I have never experienced a class with Jessica (yet), I can imagine that her teaching is as straightforward and honest as her words. Spoiler Alert: You will be inspired after reading this interview!

Location: Los Angeles, CA

What inspired you to begin practicing yoga?  

Honestly, not wanting to take anxiety meds led me to yoga. I had severe asthma as a child and once I outgrew it I became obsessed with exercise. Years of being told I could not go out and play or participate in sports combined with a deep rooted fear that the asthma would return gave way to panic attacks. The intense workouts led to pain and soreness. A friend suggested I take a class and I was hooked!

How does yoga inspire your path in life?

With so much of my anxiety stemming from the fear of not being able to breathe, yoga has inspired me to slow down and observe my thoughts instead of just reacting. This observation has shown up in my life and off of the mat as well. Yoga has brought Trust into my life, trusting yourself to be supported in a pose is really no different from trusting your own truth. This practice has helped me release the idea of wanting to control everything. In practice we can control our breath and our movement – but only to a certain extent. This has brought peace to my life and helped with my relationships.

What are you learning about yourself through your practice?

I am learning to trust myself, it is so easy to doubt the authenticity, kindness, and intentions of others if I don’t even trust myself. Letting go of expectations and simply express gratitude for the current moment is also an ongoing lesson.

What role does yoga, or the lessons you learn on the mat transfer to the ways in which you approach obstacles in life?  

www.jessicalesley.com

 Everything I do on the mat shows up in how I deal with life outside of the yoga studio! Breathe, modify, know when I’m simply not ready for a pose, when to rest in child’s pose, when to tell that nagging voice of self doubt to shut up and go for that handstand – all of these things can be applied to career, family, and relationships.

Jessica Lesley

200RYT / Yoga Tune Up® Certified

www.jessicalesley.com

Twitter: Yogini_Jess

Facebook: Jessica Lesley

Our Yogi in the Community this week is a dynamic yogi by the name of Hawah.

Hawah, Creator of The Poetry of Yoga

Hawah is the creator of The Poetry of Yoga  an anthology of poems by yogis from around the world. Hawah is also an activist who serves as the executive director for One Common Unity non-profit organization. I had the opportunity to speak with Hawah about his work, travels, and his new book that is on sale for the holidays! Definitely check the end of the transcribed interview to receive the special holiday code for the discounted price!

Click on the link below to hear the 

Audio interview with Hawah

Transcription of the interview with Hawah:

I want to first begin the conversation with talking a little bit about your background.

I was born in New Jersey. At that time, I spent a considerable amount of my childhood in India (every other or 3^rdsummer for a few months). The name chosen for me by my biological parents was “Rajeev Radhakrishna Kasat.”  Along the journey, a few years ago, the mountain and wind reclaimed me as one of their own and changed my name to HawaH. 

 Much of my life has been shaped by the experience of traveling around the world numerous times—in the past 10 years over 30 countries.  For example, I hitch-hiked over 3,000 miles through Africa back in the year 2001… I’ve been face-to-face and lived in the stark contrasts… the difficulties of material poverty and the abundance of material in Western culture.

So how have all of these experiences influenced your contribution to your community both locally and globally?

These experiences from a young age drove me to dedicate myself to making the world more equal and sustainable for all.  Seeing my cousins without running water or electricity for 24 hours a day, and living with family that had no washing machines or even change of clothes in many instances, helped me understand the great privilege and opportunity I had doing my schooling here in the West.  It helped me see the interconnectedness of the world on a very visceral level as a child.

After reading your bio, I see that you have done work in peace education, volunteered in youth detention centers, and work in the non-profit sector. Now did you practice yoga with youth in the detention centers? What did you observe in these settings? How did the youth respond to the practice if yoga?

When I take yoga into youth detention centers and even recreation centers with inner-city youth populations, I rarely call it yoga (until they’re already hooked)… but instead call it something like “The Mind-Body Arts.”  I do this because yoga often has many stereotypes within communities of color, and the young black/ latino men I work with would not be open to doing “yoga” as they associate the practice with a demographic of people they don’t connect to.  I also practice Chinese Martial Arts, and integrate this into my teachings with inner-city youth. Once they get into it though, they absolutely love it and find it an energizing and grounding practice for their day.  After a few weeks I’ll tell them that a lot of what they are practicing is yoga… which surprises them.

There has been a lot of talk about your latest book, The Poetry of Yoga, which illuminates the beauty of poetry through the lens of the yogi. What inspired you to gather yogis together to write poetry?

This book was a labor of love and has completely taken a life of it’s own. 

In 2010, I initiated a call for submissions around the world, searching for poetry from modern day mystic hearts.  This call that I published through social media elicited an unprecedented outpouring of poetry from yogis around the world. The contemporary anthology I created is called: The Poetry of Yoga. Volume 1 contains works collected from 16 different countries in its 333 pages with topics of compassion, desire, freedom, transformation and service.  50% of ALL book sales I am donating to a great non-profit organization called One Common Unity.

So what’s next for you?? Will you be doing more traveling? Any more projects coming up for you? 

I’ll be taking The Poetry of Yoga on tour… visiting yoga studios and healing arts centers around the country and world sharing the anthology and collecting submissions for Volume 2 (which releases on 12.12.12).  If anyone wants to bring The Poetry of Yoga to their town or city don’t hesitate to email me and we’ll make it happen!  poetryofyoga@gmail.com

You can learn more about the project and get your own copy of the book by visiting www.ThePoetryOfYoga.com

BUY THE BOOK! HOLIDAY SPECIAL

25% OFF Until Midnight, December 14th
If you purchase The Poetry of Yoga ONLINE

www.ThePoetryOfYoga.com

At checkout Enter Coupon Code: BUYMYBOOK305

You can learn more about Hawah’s personal work at www.Everlutionary.net

And the non-profit organization www.OneCommonUnity.org

This week our Yogi in the Community is Dr. Maisha T. Winn. Dr. Winn is not only a yogi, but also an associate professor

Photo by: Dan and Anne Almasy (http://annealmasy.com/)

at Emory University, youth justice advocate, and author of Girl Time: Literacy, Justice, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline.

Maisha’s contribution to society, local communities, and youth exemplifies what it means to take our yoga practice off the mat and into the world. It was such an honor and pleasure to interview my professor and advisor this week about her book and work. I hope you enjoy!

Click on the link below to listen to the full audio interview

 Interview With Dr. Maisha T. Winn, Emory University

Our Yogi in the Community this week is an educator, dancer, and world traveler. Malika Omawale’s story illustrates the diversity that exists within and the beauty that is illuminated by the practice of yoga. Whether she is teaching yoga to her 2nd graders, or practicing by the ocean in a different country, Malika is the perfect example for how yoga truly cultivates the brilliance within.

Location:Oakland, California    Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica

How long have you been practicing yoga?    I started practicing yoga 7 years ago, at the beginning of my career as a school teacher. At the time I was living in San Francisco, finishing my Masters while dealing with the heavy demands of being a first year teacher. I began to take yoga classes as a means of stress reduction and as a compliment to vipassana meditationa technique I had also recently learned.

"Regardless of where I am geographically, yoga brings me home. For this reason, when I travel, the yoga mat is always with me. "

I fell in love instantly with the deep feeling of peace that came as a result of the practice. The high that I felt after yoga classes supported me in leaving behind pharmaceuticals that I had relied on up to that point for anxiety and depression. Yoga ignited a passion for holistic healing and healthy living. It became a part of my life from that point on.

How does yoga inspire your path in life?     Yoga is a key component of my spiritual life and has been instrumental in my journey towards integrating the seemingly separate parts of my life. As a child of a UN staff member, I was fortunate to have grown up living in many different countries around the world. However, as an adult, with the many places that I call home, I often feel a pull towards traveling to see family, friends or new lands. There can be a bit of confusion as well around where to lay roots. Yoga grounds me in a way that I find so necessary after and during all these life transitions. When I get on my yoga mat, bring intention to my breath and begin to move, I feel that I have returned home. Regardless of where I am geographically, yoga brings me home. For this reason, when I travel, the yoga mat is always with me.

I recently spent a year working in Panama City (Central America) and found myself overworked and without the support systems (community) I have here in California. The fast paced, high stress lifestyle I found myself living, coupled with a painful break up, had me yearning for the peace and stress relief that I feel after a great yoga class. Without the breadth of quality instructors that I was accustomed to having access to, I began to feel a void. Since I was experiencing some intense but normal post break-up emotions such as anger, grief, anxiety and depression, I started to spend more time meditating and practicing yoga at home and with a dear expat friend who taught a power yoga class. The result was that I renewed my commitment to follow my long time dream to teach yoga. I enjoyed teaching weekly private and public classes in Spanish and English during my time abroad. The pain of the heartbreak began to ease as I shared my love for this ancient system of healing. I formed some new friendships and felt connected to a source of positivity amidst a challenging situation. A strong desire to continue my studies of yoga led me back to the San Francisco Bay Area where there is a large network of yogis and a wealth of resources to pull from. Since my return I have been soaking up the teachings of my favorite instructors and learning about the business component of yoga by working at a local studio. Currently, I substitute for yoga teachers and teach yoga to 2nd graders in PE class. I also teach Transformative Life Skills and Mindfulness to my students as a part of a social-emotional skills curriculum and as a positive behavior management tool. I even taught yoga as a warm up in rehearsals for a Haitian dance performance group I am a part of.

How do you see yoga influencing your purpose in life?   As a lifelong dancer and school teacher, yoga has served me in so many ways. Initially, I was drawn to yoga as a tool to support my own personal transition into holistic mental and physical health and healing. After some years of practicing and enjoying the benefits that flow out of deep self study and sadhana, I felt so empowered and grateful for these tools that I wanted to share them with others. I also wanted to immerse myself more into the teachings. At that point, I was gifted with an Anusara Yoga Immmersion course by my sister who is a film maker. She inspired me to follow (what she observed as a calling) the path to become a yoga instructor through her commitment to her art and by paying for the course. After a very fruitful and deep process with that system of yoga, I was sure that teaching yoga was part of my life path. I received a scholarship to participate in Niroga Institute Integral Health Fellows teacher training. I was among the first of several black yogis to participate in an initiative to train people of color to become yoga teachers. The organization’s intention is to provide culturally sensitive and relevant instructors to teach in communities that are largely in need of, yet under exposed to yoga.

I continue to integrate the teachings of yoga philosophy, the asanas (postures), and pranayama (breathwork) into the work I do daily with my second graders.

"Yoga has taught me to become increasingly aware of my body and emotions as I move around in everyday life."

Yoga is an extremely supportive tool for me and my students as we are faced with some of the challenges within urban public schools. My purpose is to continue to fuse my passions and interests for health/wellness and fitness through teaching yoga, dance and healthy living skills.

What is a lesson you have learned about yourself through the practice of yoga?

Yoga has taught me to become increasingly aware of my body and emotions as I move around in everyday life. Thanks to my yoga practice, specifically the alignment instructions I have received through my study of Anusara Yoga, I find I am aware of what my body can do. I know when to slow down or stop, and this has enhanced my enjoyment and capacity to dance, bike, run etc. All the physical asanas provide a container for me to explore what’s going on at a cellular level in my body and prepare me to sit in silent meditation. The meditation (a vital part of yoga) helps me check my anger and reactivity, so much that some friends who knew me before I did yoga tell me that I seem so much more mellow now. Yoga has given me a means to become aware of the different layers of my being. It gives me access to a higher level of consciousness and reminds me to feel grateful for this dynamic experience of life.