Hello all!! I'm currently participating in a teacher training program at Strala studio, a fantastic yoga studio headed by Tara Stiles, and will be blogging about my thoughts and feelings on yoga. (You can check out the studio at stralayoga.com.) Today's thoughts on yoga are this: Why the Yogi vs. Yuppie war? Growing up in a small town, (fun fact: Tara and I grew up in the same small town) you don't get exposed to very much. I think the very first time I had ever heard of yoga was when Madonna came out with a new music video (think bright blue spandex leotard and the splits.) It was released after she had taken a short hiatus, and everyone wanted to know how the middle aged goddess had transformed her body into a sinewy, svelte, and SEXY piece of art. The whisper here and there was "yoga." The word was as mysterious to me as Kabbalah, which Madonna had recently started following. I think the vague description of yoga offered to me was that it involved 'stretching, poses, and breathing.' Thinking back on it, that was a pretty excellent description.

I didn't think much about yoga again until my second year here in the Big Apple back in 2004. Being in a musical theatre conservatory you come across a lot of characters: Enter Mr. Pearson. To avoid getting side tracked, I will refrain from going into detail of how completely neurotic this man is, and just tell you that he was the first person to really introduce yoga to me, with sun salutations that began our acting class every day. It took me awhile to appreciate what he was showing me, but once I got past his funny face and the way he annunciated "Tadasana" and "Trikonasana" I sort of fell in love. I owe you one, Pearson.

Since then I've enjoyed Vinyasa, Hatha, and Bikram yoga which have all been wonderful experiences. Each practice has it's own unique benefits, but they all come back to the basics of focusing on the breath. I would walk out of class feeling a rush of relief and release, and as cheesy as it sounds, I became a better person. I started to feel so good that I wanted others around me to be happy. Instead of the slow creeping feeling from my toes through my skull of wanting to strangle some guy on the subway trying to stick his tongue down his girlfriend's throat while she giggles hysterically, I learned to smile and say 'ahhh, isn't love great."

But then I would come across writings or discussions about how modern Westerners were abusing the great yogi methods and turning it into a commercialized fitness fad, where all integrity was lost on underweight, over tanned, and overly pretentious men and women. They have even organized a group entitled "Stop Yuppie Yoga United Front" or SYYUF where this photo was found. I was taken back by these claims; surely I didn't fall into the yuppie, or 'yippie' category. At the same time, if it wasn't for the new found mass appeal of yoga in the United States, I probably wouldn't have discovered it and fallen in love.

I would also hear on the opposite spectrum distaste for the 'hippie' Yogi. Those who eat organic, do not shave, pray to Mother Earth, and who loathe their own generation. Now I knew that wasn't me either. What about those of us who love yoga for the spiritual and physical benefits, yet still shave our legs and drink beer once in a while?

It's so very political this whole left winged right winged, East vs West, Yogi vs. Yuppie battle, but I think there are a lot of us out there who try to maintain a healthy balance in our lives. I have found that yoga is so much more than a workout, and I hope that others find the peace of mind and centered calmness I have found. At the same time, just because someone isn't a professional dancer doesn't mean that they shouldn't be allowed to dance. For those of you who live and breath yoga, I applaud you. And for those of you who want to take a class after work to relax and tune into your body before beginning another stressful New York day, I applaud you as well. I believe the more stripped and politically discharged yoga is the more powerful it is, and while practicing at Strala, I feel as though I'm not alone. So my offering is for all people involved in this debate to calm down, do a 'Pearson' sun salutation, and enjoy yoga however it may fit into your life. NAMASTE!! :)