Guest post by Christa Avampato “As a man adorns worn-out clothes and acquires new ones, so when the body is worn out a new one is acquired by the Self, who lives within.” ~ 2:22 On Labor Day weekend in 2009, my apartment building caught fire. I was almost trapped inside and only by following [...]

Yoga teacher training is opening up my eyes to a whole new world. As part of my yoga teacher training, we attend Kirtans, a lovely, free-form mash-up of music, call and response, and chanting. I’d never been to one before, and to be honest had never even heard of them. Now I wish I had [...]

“If you make a rule [or tell yourself a story], be prepared to stand by it with conviction. Also be prepared to change it at any moment.” ~ Will Duprey My brain is growing exponentially. I’ve been practicing yoga, mostly at home, for 11 years. I read about it, write about it, talk about it, [...]

I began my vinyasa yoga teacher training last Saturday. My head’s been swimming with Sanskrit, ancient Hindu texts, and physiology. I had a moment, or rather many moments, of panic. Maybe I’m in over my head. Maybe this process was a very bad idea given the vertical learning curve I’m clearly on, with no end in sight. It was all a bit overwhelming until one of my instructors, Johanna, made a very simple statement that put the entire teacher training process in perspective for me. “As you are in the mat so you are in the world.” And for that matter, vice versa.

  There’s a new teacher training program in town. Om Factory, home of AcroYoga and Aerial Yoga, is launching its TT in six weeks. Holly Coles and Amanda Wentworth, two seriously experienced yogis, will lead it. (Holly is in the Tripsichore yoga/dance troupe, with the DVD so difficult that no one can do it, and [...]

In Yoga Journal last month, there was an article about three Olympic athletes are use yoga as a serious component of their training: Chandra Crawford (cross-country skier), Emily Brydon (alpine skier), and Shannon Deanne Bahrke (freestyle skier). As someone who is considering how to build a love of yoga into a career, this is another [...]

For the past few weeks, I’ve been working on clearing my mind more often during the day. The natural tendency for a busy mind is to work ever harder to crack a problem or find an innovative solution. The yogic belief is that a clear, unburdened, relaxed mind is actually a more creative, efficient problem solver. And now that belief has a boost from hardcore science.

On February 27th I will begin my 200-hour teacher training program at Sonic Yoga in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. I will share my process with you from beginning to end with great honesty, my triumphs and my low points. Though the training is almost two months away, I have already begun prepping for the course.

If you have even one ounce of energy tomorrow at 1pm, come out to the Yoga for NY meeting! They are doing insanely tireless, valuable work to get yoga exempted from the state’s extortion initiatives. Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 Yoga High 19 Clinton St

“Be the Change You Wish To See In The World” These are the words of Gandhi, a man whose life was defined by selflessness, nonviolence and whose legacy ignited a spiritual revolution. It is true that humans must expand their own individual consciousness and integrate that awareness in themselves before one is able to offer [...]