You’ve practiced with them on YogaGlo. You’ve followed them on Facebook. You might even take their classes in person once in awhile if they travel to or live in your city. But how well do you know our YogaGlo teachers? We’ve created a new series, Ask a Yogi, so you can learn more about them by asking questions you’ve always wanted to ask.
From favorite poses and tips for beginners to deeper questions about how their practice has changed their worldview, our teachers will collectively answer a new question each week. If you have a question that you’d like to “Ask a Yogi” let us know in the comments or email us at hello@yogaglo.com and we’ll add your question to the list. Today’s Ask a Yogi question is:
- Elena Brower: All day long. I’m an official, proud hybrid.
- Kathryn Budig: As often as I can! I love vinyasa flow, but stay inspired by experimenting in all other fields. I nibble away and take home what I love about each and turn it into my own.
- Jason Crandell: I’ve always embraced a fairly wide-spectrum of Hatha yoga—from slow, quiet and contemplative to vigorous and technical. I like to think I’m educated about the history, cultural context and evolution of hatha yoga, but I have modern—and strongly secular—sensibilities. The truth is that the vast majority of what we do nowadays is so blended and derivative, that I can’t say I do this style or that style. Honestly, if I go slowly one day and stay in postures for 5-6 minutes with attention and softness, do I have to call it “Yin?” If I focus on grounding my femurs and spreading my metatarsals, do I have to call it “Iyengar?” If I focus on fluid movement, breath and rhythm do I have to call it “Flow,” “Power,” “Vinyasa?” With all due respect to all of the excellent teachers and lineages that we have access to nowadays, I just can’t do it. Instead, I practice hatha yoga in any given way on any given day that makes me feel sane and grounded.
- Tiffany Cruikshank: I try to do something different once a week give or take. It’s important to have a consistent practice to build stability most of the time, but to regularly step out of the box to shake things up and keep you on your toes. That way I never get stagnant and I constantly find new inspiration.
- Steven Espinosa: When I first began practicing, I was pretty much dedicated to one system of yoga. Then, over the years I took the many valuable lessons I learned and began to branch out and explore different styles. Nowadays, I like to just “drop in” on a class without knowing the style or system or teacher and just enjoy what is being offered at that moment.
- Marc Holzman: Several times per week. Every style targets a different aspect of my practice. Iyengar. Vinyasa Flow. Kundalini. Restoratives. I love them all.
- Amy Ippoliti: Probably bi-monthly. But lately I feel like like a hybrid.
- Tara Judelle: Right now I am in an exploration phase, so I practice any style of yoga I can find the time and place to practice. I am interested in moving beyond style into a comprehensive understanding of body/mind. So to me, if it’s moving with mindfulness, it is yoga, and I will practice that every chance I get.
- Kia Miller: My personal practice is a mixture of everything I have learned from many different branches of the same tree of yoga. I see it all as Yoga with a capital Y. I practice much of what I teach. My daily sadhana is the same: good warm up with Kriya and Meditation. I love Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar etc… Many paths leading to the same inner connection. Some are express trains, some are a meandering ride in the park!
- Christina Sell: I have always practiced a variety of styles of Hatha yoga- Anusara Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Bikram Yoga, and Iyengar Yoga, and Vinyasa Yoga has been my primary interest and influence. When I practice alone my practice is a bit of a hybrid of these various approaches with time spent in Vinyasa as well as time spent in analysis, repetition and refinement. I do not heat a room when I practice alone but I certainly do not like it cold either. When I am in a class of a particular style however, I do my best to go with a “purist” mindset in order to really understand what a particular method or style is offering.
- Sianna Sherman: Baseline…it’s all one yoga family to me. It really is…I go to a variety of classes all the time and learn from everyone, all styles, traditions, and teachers. It’s the most fantastic experience to show up as a beginner wherever I go and experience the essence of yoga through it’s many faces and forms. How often? As much as possible!
- Stephanie Snyder: I practice all styles of yoga. Although Vinyasa is at the core of my practice, I integrate Kundalini, tons of Iyengar, Restorative and even somatic movement. It’s all Bhakti as far as I’m concerned. And as a teacher I am fascinated and grateful for all of the gifts the teachers before me have left for us to uncover and re-discover.
- Jo Tastula: When I first started practicing yoga I tried everything from as many different teachers as possible; Ashtanga, Iyengar, Viniyoga, Kundalini, Shadow Yoga… you name it! But now pretty much I stick to my own home practice. If there’s a new teacher in town or I’m visiting a new city I like to check out the local style.
- Harshada Wagner: Seldom….if I feel like yoga is “styled” I avoid it. If it’s yoga, I will do it