Growing up I was always picked last for teams in gym class, but… I was always somewhat physical (in a girly way I guess). I studied ballet, jazz, and Chinese dance, then ended up golfing and fencing in high school and part of college. After college I went to the gym occasionally, went dancing frequently
One of my dear friends Sean (an universally-beloved guy, RIP) had always told me that I would enjoy yoga… BUT I decided it was too trendy- after all, Madonna was big into it- and I didn’t want to just JUMP on that bandwagon. So I put it off.
Finally in 2002, out in Los Angeles, Yelba brought me. We were a bit late so we jumped right into class. It was Hot! Challenging! Sort of smelly! Sweaty! …and I loved it. I felt exhilarated leaving the studio. Thus I learned what a Bikram class was. (Then she had me drink an apple cider vingear tonic… healthy-seeming, but not quite as exhilarating.)
I came back to the East Coast. Again I thought about doing yoga… and again I waited. One day I was having my blood drawn… the room was spinning and turning white. I am not good with needles. An older woman with intense blue eyes and short gray hair grabbed my hand and commanded me to BREATHE. And again. And again. She stayed with me until my mind came back into the room.
“Hi, I’m Jyoti. You should do yoga. I own a studio.”
You know what they say, “When the student is ready the teacher will appear?”
The following week, I joined her Starseed Yoga Studio.