A true yoga studio isn’t simply somewhere to exercise: It’s a sacred space of refuge, healing, and regeneration. But how can studio owners maintain such space in a commercial culture – and still make the rent?
In this podcast, 21st Century Yoga contributors Angela Jamison and Matthew Remski reflect on their experiences as studio owners, the challenges of creating space for yoga in a commercial culture, what alternative models to today’s studio structure might look like, and more. Part of the “21st Century Yoga Guru Expert Series” on Where is My Guru blogtalk radio, their discussion builds on Matthew’s essay, “Modern Yoga Will Not Form a Real Culture Until Every Studio Can Also Double as a Soup Kitchen and other observations from the threshold between yoga and activism,” an excerpt of which is available via Huffington Post.
You can also read an excerpt of Angela’s 21st Century Yoga essay, “How Yoga Messed With My Mind,” on Intent. (Better yet, buy the book and read these and many other incredible essays in full!) And, be sure to check out the other posts, podcasts, and interviews in elephant’s 21st Century Yoga online book club.
Angela JamisonAngela Jamison is the owner and founder of Ashtanga Yoga: Ann Arbor, a traditional yoga school. A former sociologist, she now teaches yoga at the University of Michigan. She has practiced ashtanga yoga since 2001, daily since April 2003. She travels annually to Mysore, India, to study with her ashtanga teacher, R. Sharath Jois. She served two apprentices with senior ashtanga teachers Dominic Corigliano and Jorgen Christiansson, and is Level 2 Authorized by the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. She meditates daily, and takes annual silent retreats with secular meditation teacher Shinzen Young. Her husband Rob Jansen, their cats Zelda and Lynxx, and Angela live together in Ann Arbor. ashtangaannarbor.com
Matthew RemskiMatthew Remski is writer in the morning, therapist in the day, and teacher in the evening. His writing includes poetry, novels, posts and fragments, focusing on yoga, ayurveda, and evolution. As a therapist, he holds space for people as they illuminate the shadows of body and heart, informed by his knowledge and training in ayurveda, yoga, psychotherapy, and philosophy. Matthew teaches courses in ayurveda and yoga philosophy based upon his ongoing research of writing, and experience of practical therapy. He also teaches yoga asana, primarily in a therapeutic context. With Scott Petrie, he is the co-creator of the Yoga 2.0 project, and co-director of Yoga Community Canada. His highly-acclaimed new “remixed” translation of Patanjali, Threads of Yoga, is now available here. matthewremski.com
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Ed: Kate Bartolotta
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