bEGINNINg of the Beginning.....

'Hey! you don't look up to see who is around, huh?', said Parvathy as I was walking back from my apartment's gym. Then, I stopped by to say hello to her in the courtyard where she sat with couple other ladies for an evening walk and chat (little did I knew that this conversation with her will change my yoga practice for life). Parvathy, late 30's..very vibrant and joyful personality, always ready to help anyone in the apartment, has a big heart - she asked me, what do i do at the gym? and my answer was - cardio, some weights and abs. She continued to ask, so how many times do u workout in a week? and  I said - maybe 2-3 time and rest I combine it with yoga practice. I could see her amazed face and she continued, complained about her back pain and said the gym instructor whom she has hired is not helping much on her back. So me being me, on giving health advice to everyone whom I come across, said, ' why don't you try yoga?'. With a sad face, she said - 'oh! where will i look for one yoga instructor too now? I would end up lining up instructors at the gym' (laughs!). I found it funny and wanted to help her ..so, immediately told her that I can teach yoga and help her with  her back pain. She jumped to this suggestion, was excited and said, 'lets start from this weekend'. Well, i nodded my head and came back home.

I thought she wouldn't be serious and I did not think about it much. On Friday, I get a text message from Parvathy asking if we are still on for a Saturday class. So, I took a moment to register this in my mind and then replied back with an 'yes'. After sometime, I get another message saying there might be couple more ladies who might be interested. I took longer time to reply back this time. This was getting serious. But thought its just one class ... so agreed and I had never taken a class before ..so I had to prepare for the class. The preparation was on Friday night, nothing much - but more around basics and some bit of theory to get them started.

Saturday morning, 7am we all meet at the club house - I see there were more than couple - 10 ladies. I was a bit anxious and was thinking how will I handle all of them.. (half the group I didn't even know them). Got started and took 1hour class with 15mins of relaxation. All of them loved the class...i was surprised by my own capability. I then thanked them and said this was just an adhoc class and I am NO yoga teacher. They encouraged me saying I was good and they wanted to continue the class. So we decided we will do 3days in a week 5am-6m. The second class, I had 20 people and the class continued. I did not charge any fee...so the class was free flow - people joined when they wanted and left when they couldn't make it. But I had consistent students who were equally enthusiastic and interested in practicing yoga and this kept me going.

Its been 2years since I am teaching now and my set of 6-8 regular students continue to keep me going. This schedule has got me to better my practice (i used to get up early for a 5am class and practice before i go to the class), dedication and discipline. This incident actually has helped me find my passion for yoga and has pushed me pursue teacher training, helped me do more advanced stuff.

And just like that I am a YOGar (bostanian accent) Teacher ...... :)

'rUDRANi' - start to my yoga journey!!

NYC's 2008 winter had just started to kick-in and I had just finished my first 'half marathon' in long island that summer/fall. It was an experience, it was an achievement in itself. I wanted to continue my daily run after the marathon but it started getting too cold outside. I tried the gym, but it got too boring for me. My daily dose of workout was diminishing in that cold weather. So then, i decided i should try something new, which i had never done before - maybe yoga? I then started looking up for a yoga school. I had zero knowledge on yoga or its community in the US. I started looking for a yoga schools, my criteria was very simple - should be an Indian teaching school (a mental block) and not more than 2-3 blocks away from my apartment (didn't wanted to travel too far from my apartment).

So, after going through online listing of yoga centers in and around west side - I found this school, 'World Yoga Center' run by Rudrani and it was only 2 blocks away - Perfect isn't it? Rudrani (indian name) and close to home (super excited i was). I visited this place the next day and registered myself for a free class - ofcourse I did not meet Rudrani on the day one but the free class was conducted by an american apprentice. I liked the school and the class - it was new and loved it. So i enrolled for more number of classes (we had to buy single class or number of classes and use it in 3 months). I was regular and each time i waited for Rudrani's class - i then looked up the schedule and found it was on the following Sunday. Eagerly waited for the Sunday's class and attended. I still couldn't find Rudrani (I was looking for an Indian looking teacher). I then walked up to the front desk and asked the gurl for Rudrani - she pointed towards the teacher whose class I had just attended. ('Rudrani' was a 60+yr old American lady, who had changed her name to an Indian name, She lived in India in early 70's to learn yoga and that's where her name originated from.). How ignorant and silly I was!!  I was very surprised and walked up to her - I apologized to her and then told her what I was thinking - she smiled at me and said, she too was intimidated to see an India looking student in her class, she thought, 'I' would know more about yoga than she did. Well! it was great lesson - do not judge a book by its name :) ... what a wonderful experience. I loved class and till date i have not come across a better teacher than her.

I was regular at this school, each class was for 2hours and loved it. I continued practicing yoga through my stay in NYC till end of 2010. The number of classes I attended with different teachers from this school was tremendous and the style I was practicing was 'Anusara'. The school is very very genuine, they are so committed to yoga practice, conduct lot of community classes, meditation, monthly sathsang sessions. This is where it all started for me...my yoga journey :) 

Felt as if, Rudra himself introduced me to 'YOGA' through Rudrani :) ... blessed!