Hear how the power of practice becomes a restoring force in the equilibrium between love and work.
Trina Talukdar
Kranti, Mumbai, India
“I have done coaching, yoga, and meditation for ten years, with fifteen different teachers. You were the first to show me how I hold anxiety in my body. Now when I notice I’m scrunching my shoulders or locking my knees, I mindfully drop my shoulders and relax my hamstrings. And when I relax on the mat, I also let go of my anxieties off the mat.”
“I have tried so many yoga lessons with other teachers, and no one compares to you! First, your sequences are really perfect, and you build up the complexity of the lesson very thoughtfully, and perfectly tailored to the needs and capabilities of the student. The flow between the sequences is so smooth and natural. You pay attention to every small inaccuracy of my movements, and while being in some complicated pose and standing on one leg, are able to very precisely instruct me on how to correct my position. You also very skilfully remind me to focus on the practice, leave all worries outside of the mat, and enable me to be fully present on the mat and relax — the chants are really helpful for that part. You invest time and effort to prepare each lesson and plan it down to the smallest detail. Thank you Kathy, for the gift of yoga!”
Dr. Raya Sorkin
Tel Aviv University, Israel
Dr. Daria Capece
Imperial College London, U.K.
“I attended my first yoga class in a London studio with the goal to lose weight and be more flexible. But since I started practicing with you, I appreciate yoga not just as exercise, but as a philosophy. I’ve discovered the spiritual origin of each pose, and learned to approach each movement with that intention. Every time you guide me through a balance, it helps me find balance in my life, and bring it to the mat. Thank you for being such an amazing yoga teacher and coach!”
“I really enjoy practicing yoga with you. I’ve tried it in the past, but I never liked it. I distrust all the religious connotations, and I’ve never found a yoga teacher that I liked, who really looked to see how I positioned myself on the mat. I was skeptical at the beginning, especially because we started online, but this turned out amazingly well. I need to thank you for two things. First, I am actually practicing by myself during the week, with my personal video. This works really well because I’m always busy at work. Second, when I notice that something is wrong, I can always ask your advice. This is much better than going to the gym or studio, because you address my specific physical problems, like my knee and lower back issues, in each personal session. My physical therapist was glad to hear that I started yoga. And I’m happy that I’m actually exercising regularly, and that’s because of you.”
Dr. Federica Begalli
Queen Mary University of London, U.K.
Ashwini Mane
Ashoka University, New Delhi, India
“I always thought I knew what yoga was, but since you started teaching, I realized that I didn’t know anything about it. I just knew the word yoga, and some exercises I had associated with it. I never knew that it was about healing myself. Generally in life, I want to do everything perfectly, or I just don’t do it at all, because of the fear of failure. I’ve always focused on the goal, not on the process. I could only let go of this habit because you always remind me that I don’t have to be perfect. You taught me how much I can accomplish by being gentle on myself. Endless gratitude to you for teaching me to be present, to focus on the process, to set intentions, and to try new things. And, most importantly, for the awesome shoulder massage during every savasana.”
“Kathy-ji, thank you so much for your yoga sessions. For years, I have been trying to develop the habit of doing yoga, but I always struggled because I didn’t have a good yoga teacher to help me. Yoga with you is healing. Your idea of yoga is to be present with the body, and that is what I needed at this time. I knew the basic poses, but you gave them depth. The experience of moving with every breath is like a symphony. There is a certain joy that rises when I do yoga now, because it isn’t just about doing the poses correctly. Now it's about the bhava, and the intention that I move with. You don’t teach for the sake of it, but because you care for people. You know what my major and minor issues are, and you take care of them through the mind and the body. You taught me how my fear of moving forward in life shows up in padhastasana on the mat, and how sacrificing moving forward for moving down shows up in trikonasana. We had spoken about these things during coaching, but now you have brought all that wisdom into the practice of yoga, which makes habit change a thousand-fold more effective. That’s what your yoga is about — not just physical exercises, but about aligning the body and mind. And you know exactly how to do that, for yourself and for others.”
Tara Vandana
Instituto Lama Tsong Khapa, Tuscany, Italy
Farah Shaikh
University of the West, Los Angeles, CA
“I really appreciate your teaching over the years! I still use my yoga videos, but I’m happiest when I can just move to the music. You have always supported me and helped me grow. It’s unbelievable how people can see that change in me. When they ask me how come I am this way, it reminds me of all the tools you’ve taught me. And I feel so much joy when I can inspire other people to practice yoga with me. Happy Guru Purnima, and thank you for everything, Guru-ji.”
