A desperate search for stress relief drove me to my first yoga class in 1999. I distinctly remember the first pose my teacher put us in (sphinx), and the sense of comfort and connection I immediately felt in this simple posture. From that moment on, I would always feel at home on my mat — no matter what new city I was in or how chaotic my life was.

While still living in western Massachusetts, I eventually found myself in an Ashtanga primary series class, which left me 1 percent confused (what were these postures we just went through?) and 99 percent intrigued (what is this series about? when can I try it again?). Over the next few years, I only practiced yoga intermittently, fitting it into my crazy work schedule when I could. But I took yoga classes wherever I traveled, and I traveled to where I could take yoga — including heading to Montreal for a led primary series class with K. Pattabhi Jois. I remember being in this packed university gym still not knowing the sequence very well, but understanding how incredibly fortunate I was to be in the presence of this guru.

Life took me to mid-Michigan next. For a few years afterwards, I questioned whether I had made the right decision to move. Looking back now, I see it as a journey that led me to Hilltop Yoga, where I found the grounding I needed to deepen my Ashtanga practice and start in earnest down my yogic path (and, along the way, to develop a true appreciation for power vinyasa yoga). I have completed Hilltop’s 300-hour teacher training with Hilaire Lockwood, and have also taken Ashtanga-specific trainings with Tim Miller, David Swenson and other master teachers.

As we learn the nuances of the breath while flowing through the traditional Ashtanga sequence, we learn a powerful language that can quiet the mind and allow us to truly hear. The consistency of the practice — the metronomic-like quality of the movements — makes Ashtanga a sacred language, a way to communicate with the deepest parts of our body, mind and spirit that we may have difficulty connecting with otherwise. And I love how Ashtanga becomes an instantly shared language — I can lay down my practice rug in any country, any culture, and flow alongside complete strangers, connected through breath and devotion to the practice.

Pattabhi Jois was known for saying, “Do your practice, and all is coming.” The ancient system of Ashtanga that he so generously shared with the world has been a rosetta stone for me – the key that deciphers how to relieve stress, stay in shape, maintain a meditation practice and connect different aspects of my life with a single spiritual thread.

I see my yoga classes as a space where students can explore their own practice and learn a little more about what speaks to them each time they come to the mat. If we know how to listen and are committed to the journey, a yoga practice has the potential to be our greatest teacher — on and off the mat.

For more, go to http://yogarose.net