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What kind of Yoga do you teach/practice? Viniyoga is the name given to the style we teach and practice. It is Hatha Yoga synchronizing Breath, Movement, and Mind resulting in a healthier body along with a perceptual shift of our life and world. The name indicates that what is taught to the student is relevant at that time in his/her life. Viniyoga assumes proper application at the proper time at the proper level (respecting a persons condition,) and that means anyone can do it. As opposed to just dropping into any yoga class and trying to do what everyone else is doing. That may be fun for some, no doubt, but can we consider what it might be like to do a practice that developed us from the inside, strengthening our weaknesses, supporting our emotions, while linked to the waves of the universal pulsation by our breath?

Do you teach a Vinyasa style? Yes, Viniyoga is ultimately a true Vinyasa practice. Most students and teachers seem to define vinyasa as a string of postures flowing together, where one flows from one posture to another without stopping inbetween. Although this is a possibility for a vinyasa practice, it does not define it. Vinyasa has more to do with the use of the breath and the sequence of postures than a simplistic flow from posture to posture. A true vinyasa is measured by the way one breaths and moves into and out of a posture. Resting after that posture may constitute a better vinyasa than trying to flow through a string of postures. This depends on the person.

Do I need to become a vegetarian? No, there is no one telling you how you should maintain your diet. However, we certainly would recommend your intake of all animal products reduced to the minimum comfortable for you and yours. The meat industry leaves nothing for us to support. Animals are treated poorly and consume extreme amounts of limited resources. For the most part, being vegetarian will be a healthy choice for you and for the condition of the planet. If your health calls you otherwise, by all means eat properly for your needs. We like raw unprocessed uncooked vegan/vegetarian. Your diet is still your choice. See News Clips

How long should I wait between eating and my yoga practice? Time, give it some time. Never eat just before practice. The more time the deeper your practice can go. Krishnamacharya recommended four hours after a good meal. Depending on your digestion, the heaviness of the meal and even food combinations, this time could be more or less. Yes, even four hours may not be enough time for a deep internal practice. However, all these adjustments with diet and lifestyle take time to develop. Be easy on yourself by all means. Try different time spans. First you hear the knowledge from someone whom you trust may know. Then keep it in your mind even if you don't understand. Finally you must test it out for yourself. It may take some time to grasp. That's the beauty of yoga.

What time of day is it best for me to practice? That's personal. On a 24 hour scale, sunrise is perhaps the best time of day, but for that matter sunset is also exceptional. Getting back to the time that's best for you to practice, well that has many factors involved. Sometimes it's finding the only available 20 minutes in your full schedule. Obviously that has to be the best time because it's the only time and it works for you. As mentioned in the response to the previous question, we do need to work around our digestion. So early morning before food and before other activities grab at us, that is a highly recommended moment.

What should I wear? Go for comfort, not style. You've got to be able to move and be able to get into tight places with the least possible material to get in your way. Take off your watch, yoga is a timeless practice. Wear modest, comforatable clothes. Have extras so that you can put something on if you feel cold. With good practice the body warms itself so artificial means won't be nessasary.

I'm really out of shape and embarrassed about it. How should I start? We suggest not to worry about it. Yoga is an inward journey. The students around you won't even be paying any mind to you. Your first lesson is to begin to overcome your self-conscious worry. We all tend to deal with insecurities in some form or another, yoga is a tool used to gain mastery over them. Perhaps your insecurities are keeping you from using the tool used to go beyond them. Try working privately with someone, you'll learn more and practice on a much deeper level because the practice can be geared directly towards you.

Doesn't YOGAforALL® mean that it's for everybody? YOGA for ALL® is not for everybody, doesn't claim so and was never intended to be. Otherwise we could have called it Yoga for Everybody. YOGA for ALL® implicitly means that this practice could be learned by anyone, it's not elitist. It's not reserved for the physically endowed. Although the above also claim benefit, even someone in a wheelchair could learn to practice. However, it is required to authentically want to learn the practice, for that reason, it is not for everybody.

Do I need to become Hindu? Yoga is not Hindu. It blends with any religion and is in itself religion free. Yoga doesn't mind your religious followings and neither should your teacher. The spiritual aspect of Yoga is for you to explore, free from the bondage of tribalism. You need not take on ideas from others. Do your practice, that's your communion with the universe. Yoga's not a belief it just requires a little faith. Faith in a deeper aspect in ourselves than what we are normally able to distinguish. What did you ever accomplish without faith?