Why do you practice yoga?

      There's a feeling I get when I practice yoga poses, work with my breath, and meditate that is unlike anything else; and because this 'practice' leaves me feeling good, feeling 'whole' or more together, I keep doing the yoga in order to access that state of being.

How did you get started teaching yoga?

      I had been practicing off and on for a number of years. Then in a short period my grandmother died, my father died and my best friend was diagnosed with cancer. I spent a lot of time with her in NYC as she went through chemo and surgery. It was while massaging her feet that I decided I had to become a healer. I didn't know what form that would take, and it almost felt pretentious. What was clear was that I wanted to work with people and help them feel better in their own bodies, and calmer, more centered and accepting in their own minds.

Why did you want to open your own place?

      One day I was stuck in traffic on Route 24. At that time I was commuting a lot, teaching at a number of studios and corporations in the South Shore area. I had an epiphany that it was somehow 'un-yogic' of me to be burning so much fossil fuel to get to places to teach yoga, plus I had the attendant stress of childcare for my sons, etc. I put out the request to the universe to help me find a 'home'. About a month later, the yoga studio near my home decided to close, and I was offered a space to open a yoga studio in Brockton all on the same day.

Do you practice what you teach?

      I try to! When I first started to practice Ashtanga yoga some 10 years ago, I found myself working on my breath and posture all the time; while driving my car, while standing in line at the bank or supermarket. I often make similar suggestions to my students. What I'm getting at is carrying that awareness we cultivate in class around with you in your day-to-day activities and interactions.

      Yoga is also meant to be lived 'off the mat'. I try to recycle , to purchase organically grown produce, to think about my words and actions and the effects they have on my surroundings.

What kind of people come to your center?

      Many of the people who come to take class with me have already taken a yoga class somewhere else. Others have never taken a class; they were curious, or a friend urged them to try it, or a doctor or therapist recommended it. I think most people live within 5-10 miles of the studio, and come from many walks of life. There are moms and dads who stay at home with their kids; there are commuters, locals, friends and family of regular students who get hauled in; some students speak very little English, some students have been doing yoga a long time. It'Ss a wonderful mix of people.

What are people looking for when they come to a yoga class?

      Many things. A lot of us just want to feel better, fast, and are looking for ways to reduce our levels of stress, to loosen up tight joints, release tight muscles, lose weight, eat better. In general, we want to take better care of ourselves.

      Stress reduction is one of the most common reasons cited, followed closely by people looking to become stronger and more flexible in their bodies. Some of these people have suffered injuries doing sports, and need to take time off from their other activities in order to heal properly, but they still want to move their body. Others are dealing with chronic illness and are looking either for alternatives to traditional Western medical interventions, or are looking to support the choices they are making with their doctors and therapists.

      Some people look only for the physical benefits, and there is nothing wrong with that. It feels good to be flexible and strong in our bodies. What happens, though, to many, is that sense of physical strength and flexibility starts to infiltrate the mind and heart; people find themselves able to handle stress with greater ease, to be able to step away from situations that evoke anger and frustration.

Can anyone take any class?

      Almost anyone can take a yoga class here. I urge newcomers to speak with me first if they have any question s about which class level would most appropriate. This is especially important for people coming off injuries, major illness, or who are dealing with chronic illness.

What are your suggestions for someone new to yoga?

What is a typical class like?

      A class might look like this: Once everyone is settled on their mats, we take a moment to check in to see if anyone has any questions or anything they would like to address in that class. We then come into a resting pose to tune into our breathing, to leave behind the noise of the day and fully arrive at our practice. We enter some warming up poses, sometimes holding them and sometimes moving into them repeatedly. We then move into an asana practice that consists of poses from different families such as twists, forward bends, backward bends, etc that wake up, stretch and strengthen different muscle groups. As we strengthen and stretch we develop focus. Towards the end of class we move into breath work or meditation and then end quietly on our backs in a pose called savasana.

What do you suggest to students who want to get more benefits from class?

      I like to see students coming to class at least twice a week. That way, they are building the vocabulary of yoga in their bodies and minds, which enables them to be more proficient at home when the urge hits to do a little without the guidance of a teacher.

What do you think of the commercialization of yoga in the West?

      Yoga itself has been evolving for thousand of years. Yoga in the East does not look exactly like what it did centuries ago. Every teacher, and practitioner adds something to the form. The common thread is working with the breath. 

      In the West, almost our entire culture supports speed, accumulation, desire, status, etc. Yoga can't help but be influenced by the constitutional aspect of our culture. So it might be the fancy yoga mat, or outfit, or famous teacher that attracts people to yoga. But what keeps them coming back is the experience of practicing and feeling so good afterwards.

Why do you say in your tag line: 'Your place for yoga inquiry'?

I like people to bring their questions to class. Not just to ask me, but as a place to hold their own questions while in their yoga practice, while being engaged with their breath and body. We also delve some into yoga philosophy, both directly via specific questions, and indirectly via our words and actions in class.

What aspects of yoga philosophy?

We explore the yogic guidelines for being in the world, the manner in which you treat yourself and others. Contemplating the impact of your words, thoughts and actions on yourself and the world. Without dogma we begin with where we are. And in this stillness of quiet breath, mind and body, we can ask ourselves questions and have the spaciousness and patience to wait for insight.

What are the challenges of studying yoga?

      The biggest challenge is just getting to the mat, consistently. I know from experience how easy it is to not practice; to not make that class, or that workshop, or even that daily time in meditation. Other challenges include calming and centering our restless bodies and minds once we're on the mat. We also need to accept our current limitations, and abilities, yet also have an idea of our own potential. And once we're in the good habit of a practice, we want to then be consistent enough with it to begin experiencing those heightened states of awareness .

      Another challenge, even for those of us who teach, is that so often the advertiser's image of who does yoga simply does not echo what we see in our mirror every day. Those flexible bodies can inspire us, but they can also impede us. It's like anything else; if we don't see ourselves reflected in the popular culture's images, where do we fit in?

      Other times we can get discouraged because our teacher is so much farther along than we are (or so we think). I often use my body in class to demonstrate what a pose, and its many variations, look like. I never want a student to feel bad, or to feel like they'll never get it. I try to remind students that I've been doing this for 12 years, that it is my profession, and that there are things I can't do, or are afraid of. This year, I am working on my backbends and being upside down. I suspect I'll be 'working' on these pose for a long time!

      Finally, one of the most challenging aspects of yoga is how it forces you to know yourself. It can be hard to listen to our inner-workings, and do so quietly, without judgement, without rushing to 'fix' or change what we see. If you can be with who you are, then the answers come, but you have to be able to listen.

Where does a sense of humor fit into all this?

      Life is sad, funny, difficult, poignant, tragic, and joyous. And because yoga is a human endeavor, it encompasses it all. Laughter, like tears, is way to release.

And practice?

      Sri Patabhi Jois, the great Ashtanga yoga guru, says that yoga is 'one percent theory and 99 percent practice'. You have to do it to reap the benefits, and the more you do it, the more rapidly you reap those benefits. Soularium is a place to develop a practice that people can take home and into all their lives.

What are some more benefits of yoga?

What do you think yoga is good for?

      Yoga- a complete practice that consists of meditation, breath work, postures and relaxation-is good for whatever ails you. It creates calm inside and from that place of feeling good you create a template for health that you then take off the mat into your life, into your relationships. It is a deep, quiet pleasure that's good for making you slow down, for helping you pay attention to the small details and big picture of your life.

What do you get out of teaching yoga?

      It brings me joy when I see my students progressing, when I see them genuinely in their practice, when I see the breakthroughs they have in their physical practice and in meditation. I get to pass on something that has a profound affect on my life. I get to share the joy of a path of self-exploration that has made me a fuller person. I get satisfaction out of encouraging people to get the ball rolling for self-discovery. And sometime it's just fun to watch people tie themselves up in knots.

What else would you like a future student to know?

      A yoga practice blooms over time. One of the most important things you can do is to stick with your practice. Come to class consistently. The benefits will accumulate.