THE 13 QUESTIONS

What exactly does yoga mean, In your opinion? AM. Yoga is a philosophical practice. From the root, “yuk” means to yolk or connect. It is not a religion, though it is often mistaken as one. You will discover a natural connection to your Higher Self by practicing yoga. The voice within you will begin to sound loud and clear. Through body movements and breath, you will learn to dig deeper into the layers of who you are, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised! In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, yoga is defined as the stillness or quieting of the mind. This quieting of the mind begins our journey to self–study. In yogic Sanskrit, we call this svedyana. KZ. Tell me about your personal experience. AM. My personal experience/self-discovery. I was in my college dorm room the first time I tried yoga. I stood in the middle of my room as I mimicked the postures on the DVD. My immediate observation was that it gave me a sense of physical release. I felt Light and Relaxed. The next day I also felt sore, but the good feeling you get after a strenuous workout implies you worked hard and your body is changing! Every time I was led through these “awkwardly” positioned poses, I somehow felt better and better, so I continued to do this a few days a week. I didn’t self-judge when I realized I didn’t look exactly like the yoga teacher on the television, I simply continued to do it with the intention to do my best. This is very important, especially...