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?

strength, and because I wanted to do arm balances and headstands

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 and mind, definitely

How long have you been practicing yoga?

2007, I think? maybe 2008

How frequently do you practice yoga?

daily

Are you more likely to attend classes at a studio or practice yoga at home?

now, post COVID, definitely home practice

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I’m trained in Viniyoga, but I do love Ashtanga and any fairly kinetic vinyasa practice

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

depends… flexibility, I had, so that was easy — strength came later and from much effort — the yoking of breath to movement, without distraction: that’s the hardest for me, and I’m still working on it

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

I have a more balanced, emotionally level approach to non-physical challenges and frustrations — I strive to be Vulcan! — but I’m not

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

heh — yes — the Litany Against Fear from Dune, when something is scary and I need to calm down ASAP

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I run 3 times a week and walk the other 4

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

sure! — most often some variant of uttanasana

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

Iceland!

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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

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

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

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

How long have you been practicing yoga?

about 5 & a half years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

usually 5 days per week

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

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

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

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

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

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

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

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

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

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

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

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

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

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

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

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

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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

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?

definitely to settle my mind — I picked up a steady yoga practice during law school to deal with the stress of it, I continued through my legal career to deal with the toll it took on me, and I turned to it in a desperate time for mental clarity and balance after my kids were born

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?

both! the mindfulness and connection with how I’m feeling provide equilibrium in my life

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since 2003

How frequently do you practice now?

daily

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

about fifteen years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa — I grew up dancing and choreographing concert dance so the flow of vinyasa definitely appeals to my affinity for moving bodies in harmony individually and as a group

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

keeping conscious awareness on the breath always was and still is the most challenging thing for me to do

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

for children, certain pranayama work is not recommended such as holding the breath and other control techniques — children’s lung capacities are smaller and their hearts are beating faster than an adults so in general, yes, it’s difficult to teach them how to utilize the breath in conjunction with their asana practice — settling their busy minds is also a challenge — their minds are full of humming birds darting from one place to another without stopping for very long in any one spot!

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

there are so many benefits I’ve felt — I would have to say the most valuable for me was less anxiety and better sleep — after my second child was born, yoga pulled me out of an abyss of post-partum anxiety and insomnia — it has helped me in every aspect of my life and my relationships at home and at work

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

every night before I go to sleep, I meditate with simple breathing exercises and a focus on executing an asana sequence in my mind — it calms me down, keeps me grounded, and sets me off to sleep — I also do body-scans daily prior to my physical practice and I listen to guided positive affirmations while driving

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

absolutely — in front of the TV I like to do legs up the wall (or couch), or supine pigeon pose, happy baby, supine twist or supported bridge — also, whenever I go with my kids to a ball game, I’m always the weird mom doing stretches on the fence or playground — we have such a sedentary slouching culture; I take every opportunity to take backbends big and small wherever I am

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 guess my answer is “it depends” — if that small comfortable indoor space is heated to 100 degrees, I want to do it there — if it’s 90 degrees or higher outside, let’s go to the outdoor spot — in other words, I like it hot for yoga — helps open the physical body, presents cardiovascular benefits and lung capacity expansion, and purges toxins through the system — for me, distractions are a part of practice — there will always be something — the challenge is staying present, no matter what!

—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