This lovely Yogini began practicing with me a few years ago when we held Teen Yoga classes at the Belltown Fire Department. I am grateful to have witnessed her growth and transformation as a Yogi, Middle to High School Student, friend and activist. What Rachel humbly has not mentioned herein, I will shine some light on.

She is one of a select few students that will be traveling to Nicaragua this February with BuildOn to work in the field building a school. She is also a gifted writer, artist and enjoys her place on the Stamford High School volleyball team. Last summer Rachel attended a college for high school students program at Berkeley. I was jealous. I was also proud and inspired by her solo journey during her summer vacation.

Love, cheers and kudos to Yogini Rachel. Thank you for your commitment to Yoga and gracing us with your bright light!.

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: I have been practicing yoga for more than three years- since eighth grade.

Q:What fills your time off the mat?

A: I go to Stamford where I run the Stamford High recycling club, I am part of the National Art Honors Society, and I am vice president of global education for our buildOn program. I spend a lot of time with my friends.

Q:How has your Yoga practice affected your life off the mat?

A:Yoga has helped me become more relaxed and positive off the mat. My concentration has also been much better since I started practicing.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A:People should know that yoga is extremely beneficial both on and off the mat. It really helps mentally and physically. When you do yoga, you just feel better.

If people want to learn more about buildOn, it is an international non profit organization that focuses on community service, global education and sponsorship. There are high schools that have buildOn programs all over the country and students raise money to build schools in developing countries like Nicaragua and Mali. For more in formation you can visit www.buildon.org.

Lana has been so kind to allow the studio to display her beautiful canvas entitled, “Finding The Natural Order of Things”. You may have noticed it already or will certainly be graced by it’s beauty the next time you come to class. And what better theme to practice with then finding the order of things? It is as ever present a question in Yoga as the enigmatic, “Who am I?”.

We have practiced Yoga with Lana in quite a few different studio spaces and most recently we love to welcome her at Dew Yoga. We asked her the usual questions about Yoga. Enjoy reading her responses and be sure to say ‘Hi’ next time you see her and feel free to contact her for art and design needs, her contact info is below.

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: I have been practicing yoga since 2000. I immediately gravitated to it after my first class where I felt very challenged but also a sense of calm and self-acceptance. I had not experienced this before. I did not practice regularly that first year, but since the day after 9/11/2001 I signed up for a beginner class and began to practice yoga consistently. All these years it has been a source of solace and strength. As I change, my practice changes.

Q: What fills your time off the mat?

A: Mostly these days I try to balance rest, work and play. After a car accident ten months ago, I had to shift how I lived my life. To live I do freelance design for print, web, video and environments. I also make art, which like yoga allows me to express my life force in a playful, free way. Making art is a process of discovery just like yoga. To me this is the joy of life.

Q: How has your yoga practice affected your life off the mat?

A: Yoga has affected every aspect of my life. Before I did yoga I used to be tense up and hold my breath. Since practicing yoga I learned to breathe as simple as that sounds. It helps me accept my body, whatever my form at any given time, while also cultivating strength and grace.

Mostly, yoga has helped me become more me. It helps me know my true heart away from the distractions of our busy, worldly lives. It has helped me tap into my spiritual center by instilling a meditative, mindful state. In this it is a great gift.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A:I discovered that yoga is for everyone. All you have to know is how to breathe. If you can do that, you can do yoga. Yoga is not just exercise. It’s an approach to life. It’s about honoring yourself and others.

Contact Info:
Lana is available for a range of creative projects:
• Design for Web, print, video and environments
• Creative project management/mentorship and teaching
(aka bringing out the best in people)
• Design for home, office, retail and outdoor environments
• Fine art, murals and commissioned art projects

I’d be delighted to hear from you.
design@lanayu.com
917-847-3964

See that smile? I don’t think she leaves home without it. Even between crunches in the Yoga Blast or determined to find the center of gravity in Crow pose, a look to Lauren is always met with a warm and no doubt about it, genuine, smile. Whether she arrives solo or with friends and roommates, she is such a happy energy in the studio, we wanted to shine some love and light back her way. Next time you see her at Dew be sure to say hi and you too will be gifted with her light. Of course, we asked her the usual questions…

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A:I had been introduced to yoga about 5 years ago, but did not give it much attention until 3 years ago. A very good friend of mine got me really excited about it and I began to see the benefits, learning, and enjoyment it gave me as I practiced more.

Q: what fills your time off the mat?

A: Exploring new places, running, reading, and enjoying the outdoors. I try to always keep in mind that I do not know how long I will live in an area, and dedicate time to getting to know my surroundings and seeing as much as I can!

Q: how has your yoga practice affected your life off the mat?

A: Yoga opens up a window for me to get to know myself in a way that I have not found with anything else. When I practice it helps me to see myself more clearly off the mat, and I feel comfortable that I am being true to who I am. Sometimes images, that feel like insights, will pop into my head during practice that I keep with me for a few days. Not to mention I am more relaxed!

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: I was a runner before I was a yogi, but there are many similarities. Neither are a race, you are never quite sure where your body will go or how it is feeling as you start, your attitude will shape your experience, and both require controlled breathing. This sounds pretty simple and obvious, but I found that my experiences as a runner helped me a lot as I became familiar with yoga

Over the last year or so, their practices have blossomed and we have come to know they are not really so quiet but very kind, compassionate and funny – Sue is always good for a mid-class one liner to elicit a giggle from Yoga buddy Kate if not to lighten up the energy in the whole room. Most of all though, they are committed. Committed, no Sue, not to the peanut gallery, but to each other, their family, friends, their practices and also to the Dew community.

We are so blessed to share Yoga with Sue and Nick.

So here, are the usual questions and the Ciocci’s inspiring answers.

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: Nick and I have only been practicing yoga for about a year and a half. For many of you reading this, you will need to think back 10,20,30, maybe even 40 years ago when you first planted your seed in a yoga community. Over the years you have watched your yoga seed blossom into various expressions. Nick and I have spent the last year learning many of the postures, rooting ourselves in the community, and we look forward to what will grow in the future.

Q: What fills your time off the mat?

A: Off the mat we are kept busy with three lovely but active young children. I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a full time stay at home mom/cook/maid/chauffer/entertainment director. Like many kids these days, ours are involved in a lot of after school activities. In fact, we first learned of Dew Yoga because they used to share the space where our son takes Karate. Our spare time hobbies include running, golfing, hiking, listening to live music, hanging out with friends, and sharing good vibes.

Q: How has your yoga practice affected your life off the mat?

A: Yoga has allowed us to step back from our busy lives only to appreciate every minute of them. It reminds us to see life like a young child would; with curiosity, excitement, wonder and love.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: There is something we all share at Dew Yoga, and that is a great appreciation for the wonderful teachers who continually help us grow in all different aspects of our lives, and we thank you!

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: I have been practicing yoga for all my life but I wouldn’t have called it yoga. I became aware of yoga over 25 years ago in college but it has been in the last 15 that I have deepened my practice and become aware that it is not just a practice but a life practice.

Q: What fills your time off the mat?

A: My time off the mat is rich and joy filled. I spend time volunteering at the Wilson Memorial Food Pantry, being with loved ones, reading, listening to live music, getting outdoors in good weather, museums, eating, teaching and living my practice both on and off the mat. I like exploring and discovering all types of things, when I have free time. I like to keep active and just recently, discovered the beauty of balance. So now relaxing and down time are equally important. That, in itself, has been a rich experience.

Q: How has your yoga practice affected your life off the mat?

A: In all it’s forms, yoga has permeated all things I do. It is who I am, what I do, how I live my life. It has transformed me and brought me out of the fires of life into the person I am today.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: People have a misconception that you have to be flexible to do yoga. But you don’t. It helps to have a flexible mind, an open heart and the desire to deepen your relationship with yourself and all living beings. It is a journey that is different for everyone. I often say to students, “The reasons you first come to the mat, are not the reasons you stay.” Many of them know, that for me, when I first hit the mat back in college, I only went because some friends and I were curious about it. We would go on Saturday mornings, hungover, because the instructor was from Egypt, hot and did yoga in tight white pants! I can assure you that that is not the reason I still get to my mat. Oh, did I mention he was HOT!

I come back to the mat, time and time again, to explore myself, fears and all, when I am tired, cranky, happy, sad, joy filled, good days, bad days etc. I become the observer of my life and watch how I flow, or sometimes, not. Yoga has become more of a meditation and a dance. It allows me to be a better version of myself and it keeps me grounded. It is a prayer and celebration of life. It is deep and yet, so very simple. The true meaning of yoga is “to join” or to “yoke”, to create union. That is what I hope to share. That it is not about the poses, but a time to commune with self and to join with the greater human collective to bring deeper love to the world.

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: 42 years. Started when my second child turned one. My waning vitality revived. I gained 3 pounds and went from a size 10 dress to a size 6 in 6 months. I was sold on yoga for life!

Q: What fills your time off the mat?

A: Learning the new skills required to manage the duties my late husband used to handle for 50 years.

For well over 20 Years I have served on the Board of the Re-Entry Ministry, a non-denominational, Christian drug and alcohol rehabilitation home for women. As time permits, I am returning to the work I had to set aside during my husband’s illness, of helping the ministry relocate after having its campus-like property taken by the City of Bridgeport by Right of Eminent Domain. The remuneration was grossly inadequate for relocating in today’s market and under today’s codes. The incredibly successful work that the ministry has been doing for 29 years of restoring down and out, drug and alcohol addicted women to health and preparing them for productive work is in jeopardy without a permanent residence. An old building has been purchased with the remuneration money. Among other duties, I am in charge of the redesign and the renovation. The building will not only house the ministry program but it will also have a totally separate identity of its own as an Educational Model of Renewable, Energy-Efficient & Conservation Construction. It will be a one-stop resource for those interested in discovering responsible, workable solutions to energy and environmental issues. At present I am looking for and making contact with prospective partners in industry, in business, in educational institutions and in the private sector. Any leads are gratefully accepted. Since benevolences are Re-Entry’s prime source of income, fund raising is a vital part of reaching its dual goal of healing women and their families and of healing the environment through spreading the advancement of knowledge. A lot of help is needed for fund raising. My energy level and stamina need to stay high to manage the various responsibilities. Yoga gives me a big boost in that direction.

Walking for an hour at the beach each day.

Expanding my spiritual growth by developing a deeper relationship with God through prayer, worship, Bible study and service.

Q: How has your yoga practice affected your life off the mat?

A: From the very beginning of doing hatha yoga, I learned that the practice renewed my energy, strength, flexibility and stamina and at the same time helped release stress from my body. Therefore early on, it became my chosen form of maintaining physical fitness. No matter what I am going through, I can manage it better if I continue doing my yoga practice. For me doing yoga is the physical aspect of maintaining body, mind and spirit as I reach toward my goal of remaining active and productive throughout my life.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: Whether done in a group or alone, yoga is a personal, private practice. Not a competition.
Start with the basics and develop a strong foundation.
Build on the foundation over time on your own level.
Changes come gradually with consistent, persistent practice.
Eventually, your body will surprise you with what it is willing to do.
What your body needs will vary at different times of your life.
Pay attention to the needs of this day. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet.
DewYoga is an uniquely supportive environment for practicing yoga. An environment in which you can grow at your own pace under the guidance of skilled, sensitive teachers.

Q:How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: I started taking classes in a studio 2 years ago but prior to that I was introduced to yoga through DVDs. As a graduate student, time and money was limited so it was not a bad way to start. However, it made a huge difference to get feedback from an instructor about alignment and how to modify poses for my limitations.

Q: What fills your time off the mat?

A: I am a child health psychologist who works at a rehabilitation hospital. On weekends May through October, I race small one-design sailboats locally and throughout the U.S. It is a very physically demanding boat so I always look forward to my Monday yoga class! Winter time is devoted to curling up with a good book, dinners with friends and house projects, especially this year with a new baby on the way.

Q: How has your yoga practice affected your life off
the mat?

A: Before I formally began yoga classes, I had started learning about different forms of meditation as part of my health psychology training. These skills were useful in helping others as well as ourselves when stress took its toll. In yoga, I have found that I enjoy the benefits of the quiet and calmer mind and body, as well as the workout. Meditation and yoga has kept me sane when my personal and professional life becomes overly hectic.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: People used to tease me about the one word on my cell phone screensaver, “Breathe”. So often during my crazy day, I would forget to take care of myself and that word would trigger a scan of what I was doing and how I was feeling. It reminded me to stop, take a couple deep breaths and release my shoulder muscles down from my ears. Now, at Dew Yoga,Jen and Elyse have been wonderful at helping me take good care of myself and finding what works as pregnancy has presented a whole set of new challenges to my body (and mind). Thank you ladies!

Kathy has been regular sunshine in morning classes for many years, practicing with Elysa, forging a lasting teacher student friendship as well as being a source of inspiration and joy to her fellow students. Plus, she makes the best fudge that ever melted in my mouth! Thank you Kathy, for lighting up every class you attend. Enjoy her insights on Yoga.

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: I have been practicing yoga for 10 years. I started with Roberta Dale at Yoga Source in Darien. I was “hooked” after my first class. I feel very privileged to have begun my yoga practice in that environment. I was introduced to an amazing community of teachers and students that I continued to practice with, and learn from, after Roberta’s passing. Many of those people are still in my life today. Yoga Source was the birth place of a wonderful family.

Q: What fills your time off the mat?

A: My husband and I have a dental practice at our home in Norwalk. I am a part-time dental hygienist and office manager there. We have a very busy, daughter that fills most of the rest of my time. I love to practice yoga when ever I get the chance and I love to read.

Q: How has Yoga affected your life off the mat?

A: My yoga practice primarily taught me how to breathe, literally, and that has affected every aspect of my life. Yoga has helped me to become a more patient and accepting person, with myself as well as others. I hope it has made me less judgemental as well. I have learned true respect for my body’s abilities and its limitations. My body has become stronger and more flexible, and as a result, this is also true of my spiritual and emotional self too.

Q: What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: I would like to share the experience of Yoga with others. This experience is unique to each person. I believe, you get out of it what you give to it, and what you need from it. If you are honest with yourself, have respect for your body, and are open to change, your time spent on the mat, will be as precious as mine!

I asked her the usual questions, here is what she had to say.

Q:How long have you been practicing Yoga?
A:I began practicing yoga 10 years ago when my fist child was born and then began to practice on a regular basis when I was pregnant with my 3rd child, six years ago. Having children inspired me to take better care of myself,especially my body. It was humbling to see that I just couldn’t push myself the way I used to. I needed to center myself. When I leave class I feel greater clarity and ability to access and use the wisdom that is inside of me.

Q:What fills your time off the mat?
A:Most of my time off of the mat is spent parenting and working. I do some yoga with my sons. I love my work. I also run and love to dance, read and write poetry.

Q:How has your yoga practice affected your life off the mat?
A:My practice has helped me to experience greater calm and peace. I have a lot of energy and practicing yoga has helped me to conserve and use it more wisely. Yoga has helped me to open my heart and be a kinder, gentler and wiser person.

Q:What would you like to share with others about Yoga?
A:Yoga means union and it has helped me to feel more connected to myself and to others. When I practice yoga I grow physically, spiritually and emotionally. I believe that if everyone in this world practiced yoga it would be a more peaceful place. Yoga is an inclusive practice, open to everyone. I hope that we can all help the yoga philosophy and lifestyle grow.

Off the mat Sara is a Psychotherapist with a broad range of experience and education. In her words, “I am a psychotherapist in private practice in Stamford. I see that people heal and feel most alive when they can connect to and expand mind, body and spirit. I share a lot of the imagery, breathing techniques and body awareness that I have learned in yoga with my clients.”

To connect with Sara professionally or otherwise, send her an e-mail: sarahava @ optonline . net

Virginia is such a light in my week, an eager student, a friendly smile and always a positive attitude. If there was need to exemplify the “beginner mind’ I would think of Virginia who welcomes each class as another opportunity to explore and broaden her horizons. Through difficult times she has held fast to her practice and enthusiasm for learning. As I have gotten to know her, it seems every conversation reveals another fascinating detail be it her immersion in Spanish, care and love of her family, her classes on Film Documentary, her genuine awareness and interest in community efforts and the list goes on. Chatting with Virginia always enriches my day.

I asked her the usual questions…

Q: How long have you been practicing Yoga?

A: I began practicing Birkam Yoga about 7 years ago at the behest of my Spanish teacher who had started practicing yoga. I found the Bikram extremely challenging but continued with it – determined to “be successful” – until early this year when I finally realized that I wasn’t finding joy in my practice. It was exhausting me. I was only able to take one class per week as the heat and the closed in feeling of the room wore me out. So, I started practicing at the Tully Center in Stamford where I found the classes less exhausting . . . enabling me to take more than one class per week and to begin to see some progress and improvement. My first exposure to Kripalu was a class I took on Lighthouse Beach in Chatham, MA (Cape Cod). A few years ago, a Kripalu trained teacher started offering classes every summer morning at 7:30. I fell in love with the classes immediately. I am sure that the early morning sunlight, the beautiful white sandy beach and the mighty North Atlantic are part of what seduced me. But, it was not all. The practice itself was so spiritual and fulfilling. Last summer I went to Lenox for a week of Kripalu yoga practice; that week convinced me. I realized that with the Bikram Yoga I had been fighting with my body and wearing myself out. With Kripalu yoga I had found a way to be at peace with myself.

Q:What fills your time off the mat?

A: I am retired now, so off the mat I fill my days studying Spanish and teaching English as a Second Language to adults – as part of the Stamford Public Schools Continuing Education Program. In the winter, I enjoy NYC – museums, opera and symphony – and in the summer, I garden and spend time at my family’s home on Cape Cod. Friends and family are essential to my happiness.

Q:How does Yoga affect your life off the mat?

A: Yoga really helps me to manage stress in my life. I realize that many people think as soon as one retires there is no more stress. Unfortunately, that’s not true. I wish it were. Importantly, yoga enables me to bring a sense of spirituality to my life. It was the physical aspects of yoga that initially attracted me – having been a person who has exercised most of my adult life. But, as I have continued with the practice I have come to realize how important the spiritual aspects of my practice are to me. They help me to bring a real sense of calm to my day to day life.

Q:What would you like to share with others about Yoga?

A: Yoga has become an integral part of my life since retiring. Before this final third phase of my life began, I thought long and hard about how I wanted to live. I realized that I wanted to remain intellectually challenged; to finally – after commuting into New York for 30 years – find a place to connect with my community and give to people who are less fortunate than I am; and to find a way to keep my body active and healthy and to nourish my spiritual needs. My Spanish classes, ESL teaching and – importantly my yoga practice – have helped me to find the balance in my life that I had hoped for.

I suppose the ESL teaching is my community work. I earned an ESL teaching certificate from the New School University – finishing the program in December last year. In the Spring I assisted another teacher – volunteering – and this Fall I have my own classroom. If there are other ESL teachers who would like to share ideas I would love to do that. Or if anyone is interested in teaching, I am happy to talk with you about my experiences. I can be reached at vpatkins68 @ aol dot com.