Ti Harmony

PATH: At one point in my life I had a lot of time and a great library to choose from and read, among many other things, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnudevananda. I enjoyed stretching for exercise and thought, "Great! Organized stretching." and started practicing 2 hours every day from that book. I had other spiritual practices at the time that were separate, apparently. Two years of practice later, I got my first teacher who encouraged me to do yoga teacher training at the Kripalu Center where she had trained. About a year later, in November of 1993, I took the month-long training and loved it and started teaching shortly after that. I have been teaching, and practicing of course, since then. Now my spiritual practices are all integrated. I do hatha yoga and chanting and meditation daily and it all complements the whole picture. In 1995, I completed my Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy training and have been practicing that since also. In 1997 I met my Guru, Amma or Ammachi, who in the west is often referred to as "The Hugging Saint" since she gives a hug to everyone who comes to see her (see amma.org for tour and other info). It's amazing and humbling to see this small, loving woman hugging thousands of people for hours on end without tiring. (At her 50th birthday celebration in India, she hugged about 45,000 people from about 1:30 in the afternoon until 8:30 the next morning. In the US, big crowds so far are only about 7000 people in a night.) I give her credit for taking me deeper on the path of yoga than I had ever dreamed I would be able to go. And I know I still have a lot further to go In 2004 year, due to the repeated requests from long-time students, I began teaching a yoga teacher training here in Carrboro which ended in June. It has been amazing and wonderful to see these great students  becoming great teachers in their own right.  It is a 9 month course.  New trainings begin in September. INSPIRATION: I consider Angela Farmer and Victor Von Kooten as my main hatha yoga teachers, even though my style of teaching is different than theirs. Other hatha yoga inspiration comes from Erich Schiffman, John Friend and other Anusara teachers, Iyengar yoga and teachers, Amma of course first and foremost, and Yogi Hari. FAVORITES FOR GROUNDING: Gardening. Playing with our two young boys. Walking barefoot on the Earth. Laughing!! Taking a day not speaking every week. FAVORITES FOR KICKING IT: Dancing to loud music. In my practice, lots of sun salutations moving with the inhalations and exhalations. Kirtan (devotional sanskrit chanting that I lead every Friday at the studio behind our house, all are welcome). PRACTICE: My personal practice on the mat aims at uncovering the love and bliss that resides in the heart, so works a lot with the mind and its hindrances. In practice and teaching this comes out as, hopefully, encouragement to focus deeply, accept deeply, and tune-in to the subtle messages of our own inner guidance. I like to work "hard" and deeply and be rigorously attentive, peaceful, honest, energized, loving and thankful. I am also a Lover of the Power of Mantra and am devoted to the use of mantra in my daily practice which includes chanting the 1000 Names of the Divine Mother and japa meditation. I encourage everyone to use a mantra for inner and outer peace. Pick a mantra that you like and repeat it mentally (or out loud) 3000 or more times per day. (that's not as many as you think). Watch the effects!! INTENTION: My intention is usually very simple: Love. That having been said, I generally have no plan when I walk into a room to teach and go as the spirit guides which usually comes from who is there and the mood in the room, including my mood. I like to keep a sense of humor and to connect with my students. I tend to give a lot of hands-on assists. MY CLASSES @ CYCO: Saturdays 10-11:30 Back to Home Page. Back to Bio Page Back to Schedule Page.