Move over, Waylon. I have a yoga crush on Elena Brower.
I must start by saying how grateful I am for this social networking age we live in. Facebook and Twitter have given me the opportunity to connect with fabulous fellow teachers around the world that I have yet to meet and practice with. One of those teachers is the luminous face behind the New York City studio, ViraYoga. Elena Brower is a headliner in the Anusara community and the new international face of Adidas Yoga. She is, in a word — breathtaking. I had the honor of practicing with her today in Santa Monica at the equally luminous YogaGlo. I emailed her ahead of time knowing that I would be a good 20 minutes late because my class ended exactly when hers began. I realized the odds of being let in were slim and yet she told me flat out, ‘Come. Come for sure. We will save you a mat’! I am so glad I did because I got to bask in her warm energy for a full two hours as she taught us about the loops of Anusara. She started class by sharing a quote by Leonard Cohen that I plan on sharing in my own words over and over again.
“Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in.”
I was hooked the minute she shared that. I knew I was in a room with a gifted communicator and already felt space expanding in my body and heart. The real kicker was when she made me blush. I was settling into a single pigeon when we made eye contact and smiled. Out loud, directed straight at me with her smiling eyes she said, “What a beauty. Gorg!” I melted directly into my hip opener, half out of space, half out of the consumption of red on my face. Someone hadn’t made me blush since my ex-boyfriend told me. . .well, that’s personal. Point is, my crush on Elena Brower had begun.
I am constantly inspired by those who possess such beauty, strength and knowledge, and yet know that we are all flawed. It is the flaws that make us unique, that encourage us to grow and that leak light into our core. We often forget who we are at our center because we spend so much time focusing on perfecting the casing surrounding it. Her teaching encouraged using grace, symmetry and alignment to make space. From that space we can pull in intention and encourage the already innate grace we possess to prosper and grow. We constantly reawaken this space with a regular yoga practice to engulf ourselves in beauty. All I can say is that if yoga will give me the kind of light and beauty that radiated from within this lovely woman — I’m sold. Thank you, Elena. Shine on, sister.
Bonus, an ol’Walk the Talk Show video of Elena on her home turf, Virayoga, in NYC.
Follow Elena:
When Kathryn isn’t nursing her new crush she is a lover and teacher of yoga by day, a wizard in the kitchen by dinner time and a professional dog snuggler at night.
Follow Kathryn @kathrynbudig or on Facebook
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editor’s note
Our staff and contributors have authored a series of hard-hitting investigative journalistic “green crushes” here at elephant—on the likes of Treehugger founder Graham Hill, Entourage’s green-lovin’ loverboy Adrian “Greener” Grenier, sweet Summer Rayne Oakes, NASCAR race car drivin’ Leilani Munter; FEED Bag’s Lauren Bush, everywhere-all-at-once yoga teacher Tara Stiles, our friend the green journalist Olivia Zaleski, hobbitish Dominic Monaghan, hunky Rogan Gregory, yoga teacher and elefriend Malachi Melville…and recently Hemalayaa Behl of Bollywood Booty fame and our friend Elena Brower of Virayoga.
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