After completing the first and second levels of the Thai Yoga Bodywork training with Ed Cardinal at Sol Integrative Wellness, Robin felt a need to deepen her yoga practice by pursuing her yoga teacher training with Kim Chandler at Innerlight Yoga and Meditation Center in Middletown, Rhode Island.

Using all the knowledge, techniques, and spiritual connection gained from the incredible people she has encountered along her path to wellness, she strives to convey that healing through her bodywork.

Robin feels blessed to join The Yoga Sanctuary team to provide healing, heart-centered massage for all interested clients. She would like to thank, with deep gratitude, all her teachers on this journey to healing, balance, and wellness.

I went to a small Catholic school where they taught with intimidation and harness. While I did have a couple of wonderful teachers who made it tolerable, they were few and far between. School was not my favorite place to be. I was taught to fear the wrath of God more than love, forgiveness, compassion, and kindness. High school was a little better, but I viewed school as just a means of eventually getting a job and making a living.

When I became a dental hygienist I thought that I had made it—I had a job, and life was good. Then I began wondering if I was going to be able to do this for the rest of my life, so I started taking night courses as I worked during the day. In 1990 I began working for Dr. Pam Westrom in Boston who took me under her wing and taught me how to be a great hygienist by bringing out my strengths and helping me develop in areas I needed to work on. She supported me and gave me confidence when I didn’t believe in myself. She saw things in me I did not.  

When she retired she sold the practice to Dr. Wayne Baker, who had the same values and brought a little spirituality and law of attraction into our meetings, I became curious about the things he was talking about. He believed that the answers we are looking for are found within us, not from any outside source. It started making sense to me. Through him I met other teachers who talked about the law of attraction, meditation, and universal intelligence. I became more and more curious and started reading books by Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Eckhart Tolle, etc.  

When we move to Florida in 2007 I had always wanted to try yoga so I took a class at The Yoga Sanctuary. I came for the physical aspect, but after my first class I felt so peaceful and calm I couldn’t get enough. Jennifer encouraged me to try different level classes, and I did. All the teachers at the Sanctuary had so much to offer. Then I realized this is what my heart had been looking for. I talked to Bonnie, the studio’s former owner, and Jennifer to let them know I was interested in doing the teacher training, and they encouraged me to take as many classes and workshops to help me prepare. It was good advice.

What I have learned from Jen, Bonnie, Wayne, and other teachers is that we are all teachers and students. There are lessons to learn every day, and I want to be open enough to be able to recognize this. Nature and animals have also taught me so many lessons. I have always had dogs. Anyone who has had pets knows how they teach us about compassion and acceptance, and how to live in the moment. They are always happy to see you no matter how long you have been gone, never judging. They never bring up the past or worry about the future. They don’t try to change things. They just allow things to be. They can teach us so much.

Nature never asks for anything in return. The sun shines, the moon rises and sets, and the rain falls all in perfect harmony. These are lessons if we are willing to be open, quiet our mind, listen, and be still. 

I was first exposed to yoga at the age of 19 or 20 when my little sister—quite the workout video enthusiast—brought over her latest “thing.” We huffed and puffed our way through Alan Finger’s Power Yoga video, and I loved it. So I bought a few more videos and continued to take “classes” from the comfort of my living room in small town rural South Dakota. I didn’t take an actual class from a real live instructor until I was midway through my Bachelor’s degree at South Dakota State University. It was just a basic a gym yoga class, but opened up whole new world to me, and once again, I loved it. Also during that time, a friend invited me to a weekly guided meditation class, and I remember thinking to myself before that first session how “wise, centered, and well rounded” I was becoming. Ha! Little did I know that what I was really doing was planting the seeds that would end up sustaining me through an unpredictable and tumultuous time in my life, a time that was anything but centered. My yoga and meditation practices were erratic to say the least, but I always came back to the mat eventually.

Fast forward a decade or so, and I found myself at The Yoga Sanctuary, taking classes here and there, and feeling like I had found an actual yoga home. I felt a connection with the instructors, with the peace and refuge the studio provided, and with something inside myself. Then this summer, after two very difficult years—losing my mother to pancreatic cancer, moving my father into a nursing home memory care unit, followed by his passing less than a year later—I made, rather swiftly, one of the best decisions of my life. I chose to attend a teacher training program at Prajna Yoga in my beloved birthplace of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Studying with Tias and Surya Little was a life changing experience, of which alone I could write pages. Instead, I will sum it up with a poem that we read in class one day that spoke to my heart and resounded with the very core of my being.

The Journey

by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice – – –

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

‘Mend my life!’

each voice cried.

But you didn’t stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations – – –

though their melancholy

was terrible. It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice,

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do – – – determined to save

the only life you could save.

My One Day had finally come, and I ran back to my roots in Santa Fe, back to nourish those seeds that had been planted so many years ago. Everyone’s life is a unique journey. My hope as a yoga teacher is that I will be able to draw from all of the experiences and people that have nurtured, encouraged, and inspired me on my journey, and pay it forward by offering guidance, encouragement, strength, and inspiration to others.

A wise friend of mine once said that all rivers lead to the same ocean. Taking into consideration all the investigating I have done on many different philosophies, sacred texts, and literature from various authors throughout the years, I concluded that not only was this true for me, but that all share a common thread in the tapestry of life which culminates in one word, yoga. According to the Hindu philosophy, yoga means to “yoke or join”; it is the union of the individual with the Universal Spirit.

In the willingness to unite with the divine in daily devotion, I use asana, prayer, and meditation as a vehicle to practicing yoga. The deepest, most innate experiences of yoga come from my time spent with nature, hiking, biking, playing in the water, and observing a sunset and a moon rise. A bird in flight, the sway of the trees, the feel of the ocean air on the skin, and my personal favorite, the starlit orchestra just before twilight, all fill my soul and remind me who I am.

“Nature is man’s teacher. She unfolds her treasures to his search, unseals his eyes, illumes his mind, and purifies his heart; an influence breathes from all the sights and sounds of her existence,” said Alfred Billings Street. This quote captures a recent moment I shared with my husband beautifully. I had been speaking with the divine and asking for a feather as representation of our conscious contact. A week later, after “looking” for the feather, my husband showed me huge owl sitting in our tree at sunrise, and when the owl flew away, a feather came twirling down into our yard! There it was before my eyes, union with the divine.

Having deep ancestral roots in the Cherokee tribe, today I find practicing shamanism and energy medicine a way to integrate who I am with my primordial connection to creation. When I am often asked who my teacher is, I say, “I do not have a teacher,” for Pachamama, Mother Earth, and all life are my teachers. Aho!

Red Light Sangha

We all have been in traffic where one of the drivers just has to go faster then others – zig zaging in and out of lanes—just at the end, comes to stop at the red light and all others catch up with him.

Sitting at the red light one time I felt oneness with all the drivers, pausing in traffic. I felt that we are Red Light Sangha. This thought brought a broader picture—traffic of life, the stop and go, the interrapted or uninterrapted ebb and flow of reality around us, the Sangha, the union, the community of people we live with.

So now, I was travelling from West to East, leaving the Red Light Sangha behind for a while—as there would be no driving for me for 6 weeks. I was travelling to immerce myself into a different traffic of life, a different sangha.

Life Is A Puzzle

When you start a new project you are excited about it—opening yourself to a new experince. Life is exciting as every day presents itself as a piece of puzzle that you are yet to place correctly to see the big picture.

The same goes for my Yoga practice. Excited about being on the mat everyday, discovering something new about my outer and inner existence. Just as the approach to puzzle of a thousand pieces—you work your way from outer to inner. Practice (abhyasa) is the key for me in the Yoga Science—on one hand the repetition of well known or new, building new habits and muscle memory. On the other hand – putting vast theoretical  knowledge to practical use and experince.

Just like in putting puzzle together—there is no rush. There is an order. It is a journey.

Return To Spiritual Spring

Leaving the comfort zone of home and convenience of the familier way of things, for the third time India, I was welcomed with a powerful intrusion into all 5 senses—vibrant colors, not very familiar smells, an ocean of traffic sounds, heat that hangs in the air day and night and tastes of local cuisine (starting from the airplane food).

As soon as you cross the portal of time, you arrive in a different dimention—which surprisingly quick gives you a sense of home as well. I don‘t have to limit myself to one home—I have a birth place, my first home. I have place where my family is—my second home. I have a spiritual shelter—my third home. And then again—I feel comfortable and at home everywhere I go… I guess it is not only the place that makes me feel comfortable, it is the comfort that I bring with me wherever I go….

As The Days Go By

It is hot! The temperature stays in low 100F….. You‘re constantly sweating out of each pore of your body… Yes—there are  ceiling fans and No – there are no air conditioners. Plus the power goes in and out……Observation of body movement and comfort/discomfort level acquires a new meaning….. Getting through the day, finishing each block of schedule feels like a great life achievement. Perception of the world goes through the prism of tolerance—from heat, to tiredness, to change, to choices, to words and thoughts.

Taking It All In Each Minute

Each day I open my eyes between 4 and 5 am and try to really absorb the sense of reality—where I am, what I am doing, and I try to witness my emotional state. I know I am doing something very special—I want to deepen the understanding of my practice and teaching, I want to improve myself and the world around me, I want to share the answeres to the questions…

The practice of Yoga allows you to learn through experience and that is what I am doing here—I am experiencing first hand new ways of grounding my feet in Tadasana, new ways of lengthening my torso in Trikonasana and new ways and with new awareness of bringing my big toes closer and out in Dandasana.

I am experiencing chanting OM with the background sounds of cows in the street, bells in the temple, street dogs barking and monkeys jumping on the roof…

Once in a lifetime, each and every experience—each and every day……

Working on eliminating impurities in the body, mind and breath to move all the unnesessary clutter out of the way to open the depth of Universal knowledge that is dormant and already inside—just waiting to be awakened.

Love To The World

You never know what is waiting for you around the corner, the next day, the next minute.

Meeting people is the most amazing opportunity to realize oneness…  Eyes meet eyes, smile responds to smile—you are connected. No words needed.  Everybody has a story and you are now a part of it.

Time Is A River….

In week 3 and 4, I still have moments when I close my eyes and the amazing realization fills my whole being—I am in India! It is amazing on so many different levels….I am thoroughly  enjoying moving forward with my views on the Yoga practice as a student and as a teacher. Studying Asana, Pranayama, Mudras, Chanting, Kriya in such a deapth really awakens you to the fact of the true meaning of Yoga—what it intended to be at the very early stages, what it evolved into in modern India and what form it took after it was introduced in the West.

Only now I start grasping the meaning of Full-time Yogi and Part-time Yogi. Now, studying the ancient texts with the guidance of the Indian teacher, who recites verses in Sanskrit from the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras  and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, and then explains the  meaning of passages with reference to culture, traditions, religion and experience—now it makes more sense then ever that this science is vast and infinite.

Starting class in Sukhasana, eyes closed. Gentle smile touches the lips.

Savoring the moment. I am in India!

Contemplation Time

One day off allows us to regroup and rest physically, mentally and energetically….

Mind is in the game at all times—contemplating about the team work, energy, different styles of teaching from our faculty. Comfortable and easy comprehension of certain things and emotional struggle with others….. Sharing our own experience and results of them, I shared that till my mid 20s I was strongly competitive person. As my focus shifted, while at  University, competitiveness or the extremes of the opposites (black or white, do or die) changed into the acceptance of grey areas sometimes….As life was challenging me with different experiences and then arriving at the Yoga practice, I realised that grey areas are not grey at all—it  can be very colorful. Learning all the magical disciplines of the Yamas and Niyamas, I arrived at the complete acceptance of oneness, which takes away the burden of competitive mind and gives you the joy and pleasure of realization that we are all – ONE. Each and every one contributes to balance and importance, beauty and magnificence of the Present Moment.

What Is  Your Comfort Food For Thought

After dinner each night, at 8:30, we have a 30 minute meditation session.

Sometimes we recite OM, sometimes we chant beautiful mantras, sometimes we have full body awareness meditation, sometimes it is Trataka—gazing at candle light.

One night in full body awareness, tightness in my right knee was so painful that I was not sure if it would be possible to sit for 30 minutes in Sukhasana. But, mind over matter—the experience of letting go mentally allowed me to let go of sensations in my knee and I was

undisterbed for 30 minutes for a pleasurable stillness. Food for thought that guided me with ease was the mantra So Ham. Mananat triat iti mantraha. Mantra is the one that Protects you from thinking. It took my mind off analyses of comfort/discomfort and I realized how I can control my body with my mind. It also helped me to connect to the light of awareness—that I AM—SO HAM!

Gratitude

Filled with gratitude for ALL my teachers, who are contributing to my happiness in my Yoga Journey! The feeling  of Ananda  is beyond words! Will be saying Good bye to India in a few days…

With love, joy and happiness I will continue on this path. This chapter is coming to an end, but the script of my journey is far from being over….

Many years ago my best friend sent me a copy of the book When Things Fall Apart by the Buddhist nun Pema Chodron. At the time I was unfamiliar with her work, but my life was definitely falling apart and out of my control. So I was interested in what it might offer to help me make sense of what, at the time, did not make sense.

I read, “Only to the extent that we are willing to subject ourselves over and over again to complete annihilation, can that which is indestructible be found in us,” and found these words to be remarkably comforting. It was an aha moment that changed my perspective altogether. Of course it was not difficult to be happy when everything was easy and going my way. But I was at least partially aware of the spiritual dimension of life, and I wanted to discover that which was indestructible within me. So here was my chance. The catastrophic circumstances of my life were not likely to improve, but I was determined to embrace my greatest teacher: annihilation.

Much more recently I had the opportunity to witness this year’s class of nervous graduating high school seniors, my oldest daughter among them, go through the grueling and selective college application process. Supremely qualified candidates with high hopes organized and sent their big GPAs, impressive class ranks, extreme test scores, fabulous letters of recommendation, skillful art supplements, financial documents, long lists of notable athletic and extra-curricular accomplishments, and, finally, the personal essay to hypercompetitive university admissions offices across the country.

After what seemed to be an endless wait period, the results came in. The award-winning essays (I read a lot of them with interest) were those that described some episode of failure and what was learned as a result. The kids who fared the best were those who had embraced the Buddhist teaching of annihilation (Goddess Kali in Yoga and the 8th house in Jyotish) and told honestly and courageously how disappointment, obstacles, loss, and other painful experiences helped them become more patient, caring, and purpose-filled.

My Savana, who was raised on a fairly heavy diet of Eastern philosophy, did not get into her first-choice school. But with that option annihilated, she got into my first-choice school, and happily and indestructibly accepted the merit scholarship to study ecosystem science and policy at University of Miami, class of 2020. Go ‘Canes!

A great many of my most important teachers are people I’ve never met. That seems like an odd statement, I know, so I’ll have to explain.

I’ve been an avid reader since – well, since the moment I learned to read. As a child, my first favorite book was The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne. I have a very clear and distinct memory of thinking, Someday I want to write books like this, after reading it at around the age of eight.

I read and read and read, book after book after book… classics like The Secret Garden (my all-time favorite), The Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island and all of Dickens – and pretty much every other kid’s book you can name. In my teens I became obsessed with mythology – Greek, Roman, Norse. I read Shakespeare and mysteries and historical fiction and fantasy. You name it, I read it.

Each book, each writer, took me not only to other worlds and other times, but also taught me how to write. I think that perhaps I had an innate talent, but it was the generous gift of all these authors, each with a different style and voice, that helped me develop my own gift later on.

So now you are surprised to learn that becoming a yoga teacher was not my first dream – or even my second or third! No, that came much, much later. My first and enduring dream was to be a writer, but it’s a dream that I allowed to go by the wayside while I pursued “normal” jobs working for banks and insurance companies.

But my soul never let me forget about writing. Feeling unfilled with my jobs (okay, let’s be real – I hated them!) I eventually gravitated toward reading books that spoke about the heart’s desire; the soul’s longing. One of the first books that helped me reconnect with my spirit was Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnach, which spoke of gratitude for simple pleasures and rediscovering one’s authentic self. From that point on, I devoured “self-help” books and books about spirituality. My new teachers included Wayne Dyer, Louise Hays, Susan Jeffers and Oriah Mountain Dreamer. And so many others….

It wasn’t until I was in my forties, when I (joyously) left the corporate world, that I finally began to write. And when I did, the words flowed as though they had been waiting years to be released. Well, they had been! My stories and articles were published quickly and often in magazines, and I attribute this to the fact that my teachers – all those writers – had taught me well. In 2011, I realized my first dream of writing a children’s book, The Christmas Village. Two years later I published the sequel, and in 2014 I wrote a book with advice about living full-time in an RV (but that’s another story).

At about the same time that I had that crystalized thought about wanting to become a writer, I also discovered yoga. When Mom and I took our first class at the local community center, I fell in love with the way the postures made me feel. Through the years, the stretches and poses stayed with me and I practiced off and on. And then, at about the same time that I began writing in earnest, I also returned to a dedicated yoga practice. Interesting….

Those same books that helped me move toward fulfilling my heart’s desire to write also led me to become more connected to my spirituality, and that led me back to yoga. My practice deepened and eventually I became a teacher. So, I never actually dreamed of being a yoga teacher, but I think now that perhaps the Universe dreamed it for me because it kept veering my path in that direction. A very cagey one, that Universe! Through the written words of others, my teachers, it led me to realize my writing dreams and also toward living a yogic life, in which what I do and who I am are very much in alignment.

I still devour books, but most often now I devour books by people like Pema Chodron, Jack Kornfield, Brene Brown and Thich Nhat Hahn, who write about spirituality and life. These are some of my new teachers, and the list is ever expanding.

What I’ve realized is that these two things that have always called to me – writing and yoga – are very intertwined. I think that opening the door to my creativity through writing helps me to be more creative in the development of my yoga classes. And the more that I explore the spiritual side of yoga, the more open and receptive I am to divine inspiration in my writing. I believe that the Universe tries very hard to reach us and will figure out how to speak to each of us in the way that we can best hear it. For me, that has always been by way of courageous people who are willing to express their hearts through the written word – writers; the teachers I have never met.

It is said, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Upon reflection of the road I’ve traveled so far, I had no idea at the time how true these words would turn out to be.

As someone who grew up with emotional obstacles and low confidence, I learned at a very young age just how much power and responsibility a teacher holds. Unfortunately, my first lesson with this was a negative one. My first grade teacher imprinted scars that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. But luckily, I’ve had many wonderful and loving teachers since who helped clear the path and encouraged me to continue forward. And for that, I will always be grateful.

Shortly after moving to Florida, I decided I wanted to try yoga. This was an incredibly big leap for me at the time, since I was the kid who was always picked last in gym class. I remember being terrified walking into NUYU Yoga Studio in Ocala, FL. I was warmly welcomed in by owner and teacher, Lynda Geril, who I would practice with for three years before moving to North Port.

At the time, my confidence was so bad that I figured I’d try one class, feel embarrassed, and never want to return. As it turns out, Lynda’s carefree teaching style was exactly what my soul needed for that particular stage in my life. She had an unconventional teaching method—she took the full class along with us to experience everything the way that we did. Although this isn’t the style I would turn out to teach, or need later in life, it helped me to relax and feel as if we were in this together. Then a remarkable thing began to happen. I started to crave the mat, and I began to let go of insecurities, one at a time.

Fast forward to my move to North Port, I bounced around from studio to studio, feeling like Goldilocks. I had trouble finding a place where I felt the magic and the connection that I once had. Finding a teacher who truly resonates with you can be quite a challenge! Finally, I decided to expand my search to Punta Gorda, where I stumbled into The Yoga Sanctuary, and in a sense, never left.

The teachings and style at TYS are polar opposite to my first few years on the mat, but this was what my soul now needed. I had evolved so much as a person that I welcomed physical adjustments and the ability to learn proper alignment and to shake it off if I didn’t get it the first few dozen times around (if I got it at all). My teachers: Jennifer, Bonnie, Margit, and Melissa (to name a few) introduced to me a different and much more conventional way to learn, and from a place of compassion, humor, and lightness. Upon taking my first class here, and the initial shock of receiving my first adjustment, I wondered at first when the judgement would follow. But it never did. Instead I left feeling safe and secure, and welcome.

The irony that all those years later, after being traumatized by a teacher as a small child, that I would enroll in a teaching program for yoga makes me smile. I chose to let those early experiences teach me something instead of shut me down. With the help and guidance of Bonnie and Jennifer, I was exposed to positive role models, and all the hard work and soul baring they put into our teaching program helped shape us as emerging teachers, and give us the tools and confidence to begin a new chapter in our journey.

With that said, I have learned more as a teacher than I did as a student. I come to the mat as both, and I truly learn something from each of our wonderful students every single time we share class. It could be something obvious like outside knowledge, or just observing the way they settle into a pose. Everyone knows something we don’t, and it makes the world that much more interesting when we are open and receptive.

Whether it is by way of teacher or student, personal interaction, or through a book, DVD, or online, with teachers such as Kathryn Budig or Tara Stiles, I welcome the opportunity to keep on learning.

Even my husband Angel, who is a wonderful and passionate drum teacher, shares wisdom and inspiration with me. Although we teach two completely different activities that the other knows little about, we continue to grow closer through the love of teaching, and together we have made each other better teachers and better people.

Reflecting upon all the wonderful and selfless teachers (and students) who choose to share their wisdom and experience with me, whether academically or through the gift of music or yoga, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you!

We have all been students and have had many teachers. As students, we remember those teachers who have given gifts that we take with us throughout our lives. It’s the little stuff—the details we learn that inspire us to find our passions.

My parents were my first teachers. They taught me right from wrong, unconditional love, and how to make my way into the world. In elementary school my teachers taught me to read, the rules of English, and that my first answer is usually the correct one. Teachers at church, band instructors, piano teachers, swim coaches, dance teachers, and scout leaders created impressions upon me and shaped me into the person I have become. Even my dog, Roxie, teaches me to stop and learn from nature.

It only made sense that I decided to be a teacher. I came from a family of teachers. My dad was a professor of Western Civilization at William Woods College; my mother was a middle school teacher at Missouri School for the Deaf; and my sister taught kindergarten for 34 years. I have taught swimming, cheerleading, Sunday school, and after school youth programs. I also taught elementary school for 10 years before becoming a mother and teaching my own son.

About 20 years ago, I took my first yoga class. My teacher suggested I continue to take classes and keep practicing. I took several teacher trainings through YogaFit. One of my teachers taught me to take my yoga off of the mat. Another taught me the alignment of Warrior II. And yet another taught me Ujjayi pranayama. In a workshop with Paula Tortolana Self, I learned a technique to open my knees. Aadil Palkivala told us to always remove our shoes before entering the house. Judith Hansen Lasater said we are all beginner yoga students. All are details—small yet really important stuff that I will always remember.

Two teachers inspired me enough to take a 200-hour yoga teacher training. These are the two teachers I admire and respect the most. I have been blessed to have had the opportunity to be a student in their yoga classes for the past 10 years. They taught me the skills and attributes required to be an effective teacher: developing a daily practice with meditation, learning the physical postures and how to model them, teaching to the level of my students, proper sequencing of a class, utilizing props for comfort, and always being present with the students in class. I am grateful for the desire and passion they cultivated in me to be a forever growing teacher of yoga. Thank you Bonnie Yonker, Jennifer French, and all of the talented teachers at The Yoga Sanctuary for teaching me all of the details and small stuff it takes to be a yoga teacher. It all adds up to big stuff.

If you play tennis it’s not such a stretch (pardon the pun) to say that you might enjoy the practice of yoga, and if you practice yoga that you might enjoy tennis. Let’s consider the parallels between these two disciplines.

As yogis we often say that there is no substitute for “getting on the mat” on a regular basis. And if you play tennis you know that it’s a game of repetition. During a recent conference I had the pleasure of taking a class with yoga master and Yoga Journal Editor, Jason Crandell, who said, “In order to build strength we need repetition and accuracy.” This statement is true not only for yoga but also for improvement in the game of tennis.

While it’s easy to focus on the physical nature of both, practice on the mat and the court leads to mental toughness or what we know in yoga as pratyahara (being able to drown out everything outside of our current activity). If we haven’t done the work and aren’t physically fit and confident, withdrawal of the senses becomes more difficult as distractions come in the form of excuses (insert your favorite here).

As we advance in our practice and we become more able, we find focus, dharana, the ability to concentrate on a single point of attention—as a tennis enthusiast, the ball. When we can combine these last few limbs of yoga, we more easily reach our goals of being “in the zone,” playing to our maximum potential, and reaching a state where we feel most alive (dhyana).

While these goals are not easy to master, we tennis players and yogis alike continue to not only struggle but also crave the challenge that these pastimes provide. In this way we improve our games, our practice, and also the quality of our lives.

Margit Bannon is a certified tennis professional through the USPTA as well as a yoga teacher certified through Yoga Alliance. If you share the love for tennis and/or yoga and would like to follow Margit please “like” her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/playtennispracticeyoga