My yoga story is about…Authenticity.

Name :: Tony
Occupation :: Account Manager
Favorite pose :: Headstand

Yoga has been transformative and crucial to my path of authenticity. A few years ago I made a decision to live my life in accordance to what I believe my true self to be. This is a constant journey and has impacted my education, career, relationships, spirituality, and the way I walk in the world. Through yoga I have connected my love of music and my passion for DJing. I have been the DJ for several yoga events and make a weekly appearance at Laughing River Yoga, in Winooski VT, where I provide the soundscape for a Kripalu based yoga practice.

I began my yoga practice with Jane Jarecki in a class that met once a week at Oakledge park, in Burlington VT. We found a perfect grassy knoll overlooking Lake Champlain and it is there that I discovered my own spirituality and balance. Yoga tells me to listen to myself, the god within. In some ways, yoga was a catalyst for my recent authentic journey. Yoga found me at the perfect time of my life when I was seeking inner peace, self-awareness, balance, and power from within. The physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of yoga combine to form a perfect union of focus and awareness in my body.

Yoga is a great way to quiet the voices of doubt, self-consciousness, judgment, worry, and chatter. When I leave the yoga studio I emerge feeling lighter, walking a few inches taller, and fully aware of my place on the earth and in the universe. Yogic meditation has helped me see myself in the space around me and understand the limits of my abilities, and this allows me to walk in the world feeling more aware and confident.

I suffer from chronic neck pain and have tried many ways to relieve this discomfort. I was tired of going to the chiropractor to feel good and wanted to be proactive about my health and well being. With a combination of stretches I learned from physical therapy, yoga poses, and mindfulness; I have been able to live more comfortably with my body.

For those who are skeptical or fearful of trying yoga, I offer this advice: everyone had a first class experience. Find a teacher and  environment that welcomes beginners and encourages participants to listen to their own body when doing the poses. Yoga can be whatever you want it to be for you, and you may be surprised how it will impact you, so be open to all the possibilities. For the men out there who think that yoga is only for women, think again. Not only was yoga practiced for hundreds of years almost exclusively by men, yoga is for everybody! Challenge yourself to better yourself! Namaste.