Path: I came to yoga out of a need to restore balance. In my early 20's, I had cancer of the thyroid which was cured by removing the gland. There are many systems in the body which depend on proper thyroid functioning, and getting all the systems the optional amount of hormone is subtle business, regulated in part by the thyroid gland. Hormone replacement therapy will keep you alive, however, without the gland to regulate levels, many subtle things in the body are slightly out of whack (I liken it to trying to do a ballet with hiking boots on – yikes!). I found in yoga a complete tool to help me create subtle and gross changes in the body at will, in many ways alleviating, and in some cases eradicating many of the negative side effects of having no thyroid gland. I began practicing yoga for this reason in 1991, and have had a continuous practice ever since.

I have also studied human and animal psychoneuroendocraonology (brain-behavior & hormone behavior relationships) at the graduate level, tying what I have learned from my study of yoga and other eastern traditions (most seriously, Ayurvedic science), into a more western scientific context. I was trained to be a yoga teacher by Lillah Schgwartz (Asheville, NC) in the Iyengar tradition (my style is eclectic, tying other traditions in with the Iyengar), and I have been teaching since 2000.

While I started doing yoga to alleviate physical and mental suffering – the reason I continue is derived from the practice itself. What a beautiful gift and tradition to be kept alive and passed down. I feel grateful to be a part of this tradition – plus- I would be very cuckoo-head without it!

Inspiration: What a huge question! -- Do I have a lifetime to answer it? Challenge inspires me – often what will propel me to the next level is adversity. Turning something negative or tragic into an opportunity to witness kindness, or to cultivate a strength previously unknown – this is often when I feel truly inspired. On a lighter note… Head banging rock & roll, cooking, hearing other peoples' stories, the unconditional love of all the dogs & peeps in my life, and always the wind (it brings change you know).

Grounding: In addition to begin a yogini – I am also a jewelry craftsman/designer. These are my two main pillars much of what I do in the life is geared towards these two pursuits, knowing your purpose in life is extremely grounding – I highly recommend it.

Kicking it: Dressing up silly, cooking gourmet meals, rock & roll.

Practice: My absolute without fail practice is pranayama. I practice pranayama for 30 minutes every morning, without fail, and have done so for the last 15 years. I cannot imagine what life would be like without it. In addition, I practice asanas most days, move restorative, remedial in the evenings before bed, to undo some of the strain put on my body from being a jeweler; and sometimes before dinner I will practice a more rigorous sequence. My teacher here in town is Molly Drake, who I have learned so much from – I hightly recommend her classes (she also teachers her at CYCo).

In addition, I continue to study asana, yoga phuilosophy, Ayurveda, and the physiology of movement and breath. I spend time each week preparing a class and learning bette ways to serve my students individual needs.

Intention: I strive to know who I am and what I was put here to accomplish, and to accept this with Love. My hope is to inspire others to do the same.

CYCo Class:

Hatha Yoga – All Levels Fridays 12-1 P

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