Presence -  by Laura Tropea

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Presence.  The state of acting or occurring as present in a time or place. To get present.

When I first started practicing yoga I would hear teachers say “be present,” “be here;” in fact, one of my own teacher’s favorite quotes is, “now here or nowhere;” and it wasn’t until recently I began to really experience the act of getting present on my mat, in my meditation practice and ultimately in my life.  You see, I couldn’t access the present moment, because I was a paper chaser; no, not the kind who sought out dollar bills, as M.I.A. rallies on in Paper Planes, but rather the paper chaser who sought degrees, accolades and paper to distinguish, determine, validate who I was in the world.  All this paper was clouding my perception and in turn my ability to get present.

It wasn’t until I heard a yoga teacher instruct a student who was struggling during a question...

In this post, Baptiste-certified master teacher, and Evolution Power Yoga studio owner Lisa Taylor shares the creation story of this Journey Into Power yoga flow, as adapted for a chair practice - a practice she developed for a dear friend with a willing spirit and some physical challenges. Try the practice yourself - or share with a friend who may find within new opening, space and possibility.

Andy’s Yoga

If there is one consideration in dedicating myself to the pursuit of yoga as a tool anyone can use, it makes my heart sad when a person counts themselves out. I love yoga for the freedom and confidence I have been able to access for myself. My urge to give others the same access to whatever they are meant to get from their practice is pronounced.

A turning point moment in my experience of yoga occurred when I was assisting my teacher, Baron Baptiste, as he toured the country in support of a collaboration with Dr. Elliot Frohman, a specialist in the study and treatment of...

My Secret Weapon
By Lisa Taylor

The first time I taught a private yoga lesson I had only been a yoga teacher for two years and my experience was limited to the teaching of set-sequence style group classes. I will never forget this first student. We could not have been more different; I was in my 30's, flexible and physically active. He was in his 60's accustomed to a desk job with a few pounds to lose and injuries to manage. We were both uncomfortable and a little bit nervous. Standing on his mat waiting for me to indicate what to do first he towered over me. At this moment, time suddenly stood still. I looked around the room, looked at my student, and began to sweat. I felt unprepared, panic ensued. It occurred to me I would not be able to teach the way I always did, speaking anonymously to a large group of willing students. I would need to do something different and do it fast, but what?

Until the-moment-when-time-stood-still, my way of teaching could be described as auto-pilot. I...