April
15th, 2007
The
following is an article I wrote for our Regional Iyengar
Yoga Association. I thought you might also be interested
in reading it.
Best
wishes,
Kathleen
I began studying Iyengar yoga
in 1979. I had ended up in Los Angeles after moving
back to the States and was looking for something to
fill the void I felt after leaving Hong Kong and a job
and life there that I loved. An acquaintance suggested
yoga, so I called the Center for Yoga and they had an
introductory weekend just a few days off. My first experience
was so full that I fell in love with the subject immediately.
And it felt like I had finally found the door which
could open a place I had wondered about for many years.
When I was in the 7th grade my grandparents, both avid
travellers and extraordinary photographers, returned
from a trip to the Far East. During their travelogue
presentation, amidst the photos and stories of the Taj
Mahal and other wonderful sights and tales, on the screen
was a photo of a sadhu. As his fierce eyes stared directly
at me, a bolt of energy pierced me. I knew then that
the world was a much greater place than I had ever imagined.
Not just a world that brought gifts like wooden shoes
from Holland, or kimonos from Japan, but also a world
filled with greater and more important possibilities.
Possibilities I am still seeking to understand and uncover
with the guidance we are all offered by the teachings
of Guruji, Geetaji and Prashantji.
So I began my studies in yoga
at the Center for Yoga and then at the BKS Iyengar Center
of Los Angeles once it had formed. I started teaching
in 1983 and loved the community, my teachers and my
students.
My moving to Atlanta happened
in December of 1993. I moved for family reasons but
already loved the South as I had spent every other summer
of my youth in Northern Georgia & Tennessee with
my mother’s family. I was eager to start teaching
in this new city and to help develop the local Iyengar
yoga community.
After arriving in Atlanta, I
immediately began to teach. My yoga friends in other
parts of the country had called everyone they knew in
Atlanta to tell them to take class with me. And so they
organized classes for me in their homes and asked for
privates. Within about six months I had built a small
community. I then began to rent space from Linda DiCarlo
at Stillwater Yoga, then located in the historic Daughter’s
of the American Revolution (DAR) building in lovely
Ansley Park. When Linda left in July of 1997 (to move
to Los Angeles, no less!) I purchased the studio.
During the next two years the studio continued to grow
larger and busier. While this was good for the studio
and the yoga community, we were becoming too visible
and well known. The neighborhood association, that up
to this point had tolerated a studio “illegally”
in a residental neighborhood, complained to the city
and we were asked to – quite suddenly- leave.
While stressful and expensive, the move was a good one
for the studio. The new studio is light filled, centrally
located and beautiful! And some great teachers came
with me. I had trained some wonderful teachers by that
point and was fortunate to also have Dr. Steve
Jacobson join me when he moved here to teach
at Georgia State.
I
now have 10 other teachers at my studio, Nancy
Mau, who has her Intermediate Jr.1, plus Steve
Jacobson, Kquvien DeWeese
and Roger Gatlin, who are all certified.
Kathy Koenigsberg, Carol Walsh
and Lynn Brandli are at TT level. Of
the others, Anna Leo is a dance professor
at Emory, Scott Schroeder is my web
guru (see his wonderful work on this website) and an
award winning moviemaker. Howison Hollenberg
is my newest teacher and Johnny Colt,
former teacher, has promised to return once his career
as a rock star is over. (He’s now with Supernova,
& Train, via the Black Crowes.) Also 4 other students
who also earned their certifications now have their
own studios. Three are close to Atanta, and a fourth
is near Savannah.
Currently
we offer 30 classes a week. We also offer two Open Practice
sessions, which are both appreciated and a wonderful
way to help build community. Our class sizes range from
8-25. We are also fortunate to be able to host senior
teachers for workshops. We usually offer 4 workshops
a year. Coming soon are Roger Cole,
Manouso Manos, and Rajiv Chanchani.
We also taught yoga in the public schools for 2 years
for children with asthma. This was funded through a
federal grant. And I am very happy when I can provide
teachers to corporations or institutions that want to
offer yoga to their employees. In addition, our more
experienced teachers offer seminars on special topics.
Upcoming are backbends, (Steve of course), Hips Openers
(Nancy) and yoga for Runners (Kquvien.) I offer teacher
training for those who are interested in the rewarding
path of Iyengar certification.
We are located in the heart of Midtown, close to Piedmont
Park, Atlanta’s largest and loveliest park. Also
nearby are the High Museum, the performing Arts Center,
home to the symphony and venue for plays, and many wonderful
restaurants and hotels. Atlanta is known for its hospitality,
universities and corporate headquarters. Many of our
students are physcians, doctoral candidates, professors
or students. Atlanta has many outstanding universities,
including Emory, Georgia Tech, Morehouse College etc.
We also attract many from the CDC and CNN, or executives
from other large corporations. Atlanta is quite cosmopolitan,
and our classes have a wonderful mix of races and ages
all joined by the love of yoga as transmitted to us
through Guruji.
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