April 29, 2015 – Wag-a-Yoga: Healing & Revitalization with Kay T Ananda Yoga Therapy

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

– Gandhi

I learned of a book called “If Buddha came to Dinner” and picked it up for a good read as I am surrounded by very conscientious eaters who remind me of our diet and how that choice affects everything … so I had to be amused with Lizzie Lasater’s blog post I just discovered TODAY, in which she talks about the same book and throws out a supposition, suppose… what if Buddha came to yoga class… I do have lots of thoughts on that. But to make this post entertaining, taking off from the chosen quote above, for our need to slow down … here’s what if Gandhi came to your yoga class… hilarious.

I hope this does not offend anyone – it’s just that I’ve lived in LA (Los Feliz area) for few years in the past and used to visit Orange County a lot as well – was hooked on Bikram yoga in my past life – and so, somehow, it reminds me of this gym I used to go to. In a way, its good to see an instructor who does not even deal with memorizing yoga poses in Sanskrit as I used to beat myself up with that need. In fact, maybe we got tested on them… ? cannot recall but I remember on the white board was a name of a pose in Sanskrit and I had to instruct it to which I was like ??? turned out to be a bridge pose – “Betu Bandhasana” – hello? a test? Shamed. Test me again; I am pretty sure I will pass except for the pronunciation:)

“Don’t worry; you’ll learn the terminology.”

AND … reminded,

Laughter is the best medicine.

Let’s not take things so seriously.

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is what I try to share by just holding that space… and knowledge and techniques studied under so many great teachers, integrated into our family’s medicine box handed down for generations, and meshed with my inner guru, my life experience. Sheer gratitude to all my great teachers who allows me to blossom, living like the lotus, at home in the muddy water:)

Speaking of teachers and a lovely teacher-student relationship unfolding before your eyes …

This is an amazing Mother – Daughter yogini duo … Judith is one of the first American students of late BKS Iyengar and her daughter Lizzie, in a way ironically is Ashtanga trained under Maty Ezraty, one of first American female students under Sri K. Pattabhi Jois … even though Lizzie had one of the most well known yoga teacher in America as her mom at home:) which reflects the rich diversity of teaching and learning traditions within one family as it’s the case with all things yoga. We may train in one lineage and then cross-over and broaden to include more and more to complete the picture, “the design”. Her jewelry is beautiful in its zen simplicity (her mother’s influence?) and here’s her site:) It’s inspiring to see this legacy in this mother-daughter dynamics – so much of America’s yoga history coming down the generations to continue to enrich the lives of so many, living yoga, on and off the mat, today.

Yoga in American today is the fruits of harvest from seeds planted generations ago … originally from gurus in India but interpreted and integrated into American fabric by pioneering teachers like Judith among so many of the first generations of yoga teachers in America. When yoga was not considered so mainstream, these first generations of yoga students were willing to be labeled a little different, really innovative, curious and dedicated … and passed on their knowledge and passion to the second generations. I think Judith said in her workshop that it’s onto third-fourth generations since yoga landed in America and she is thrilled to see how its become more and more accepted – well, beyond accepted – embraced. And its all due in part by the dedicated teachers all over the world who spread the benefits of the practice… hoping to make even a little difference in our daily struggles for the better – for more meaning and connection: