My Teaching Philosophy
My approach to both my personal practice and my yoga classes has always been one that includes joyfulness and playfulness. I find this integral in finding every student's edge. At whatever point a student may find themselves in their practice, my hope is to encourage a pursuit of excellence without an attachment to outcome. I always try to encourage students to remain happy and playful in their experience of their practice and mindful that, in the end, being present in the moment is what is most essential to yoga. My yoga practice has helped me with every facet of my life. My kids Ethan, Maya and Dharma are some of the primary benefactors of my partner's and my yogic pursuits -- always striving to live from the heart.
My Current Journey
I am following the ParaYoga Master Training Program 500 hour program under the direction of Yogarupa Rod Stryker. I am truly fortunate and blessed to have found such a great teacher.
The Journey that brought me Here
As a seeker of sorts, I have always been curious. For a long while I focused on the kind of wisdom that could be learned in academia. After dabbling in Physics, then Chemistry, then Math, all of which I enjoyed but had no passion for, I found English Literature and Philosophy. This ended up sticking and becoming my first degree.
Perhaps I thought there might be more wisdom in a more applied type of philosophy. "Where the rubber hit the road"... so to speak. This lead me to my second degree, in Sociology. I really enjoyed that one. I found it to be a fascinating exploration of the ways we think and perceive ourselves in relation to others. I suppose it's obvious, I was much more interested in the theoretical side of the science , but I have to admit that I was also always intrigued by the arguments in favor of personal agency in the face of statistical predictors of human behaviour.
My third degree, which I recently completed, was in Education. I am considering going further with this one in the near future. I have been following the research in Mindfulness and Education and hope to go further with this in a masters program, when my duties as a father permit me more time.
All that said, I ultimately found wisdom, and not simply the information and insight that academia provides, in yoga. I have been very fortunate to have so many great teachers to thank. I am indebted to Yogi Vishvketu and Chetana Panwar for my 200hr TTP. I will remember the brilliance they exuded during that time. It was a study in Santosha and Ishvara Pranidhana.
Perhaps I thought there might be more wisdom in a more applied type of philosophy. "Where the rubber hit the road"... so to speak. This lead me to my second degree, in Sociology. I really enjoyed that one. I found it to be a fascinating exploration of the ways we think and perceive ourselves in relation to others. I suppose it's obvious, I was much more interested in the theoretical side of the science , but I have to admit that I was also always intrigued by the arguments in favor of personal agency in the face of statistical predictors of human behaviour.
My third degree, which I recently completed, was in Education. I am considering going further with this one in the near future. I have been following the research in Mindfulness and Education and hope to go further with this in a masters program, when my duties as a father permit me more time.
All that said, I ultimately found wisdom, and not simply the information and insight that academia provides, in yoga. I have been very fortunate to have so many great teachers to thank. I am indebted to Yogi Vishvketu and Chetana Panwar for my 200hr TTP. I will remember the brilliance they exuded during that time. It was a study in Santosha and Ishvara Pranidhana.
