Yoga Is About Living Our Best Lives #Yoga #Ashtanga #AshtangaYoga #Motivation

When I was a small child I always had the feeling that I had been on this Earth before, honestly have no idea if that is true. The main idea that I had and continue to have is a focus on the 'Big Picture', optimizing my life for the long-term. In my late teens I think about a tennis match with someone in my neighborhood who was very competitive and had a big ego. I played the first set to numerous tie-breakers, 15-17, looked to the people he brought to cheer him on and decided it was not important for me to win. My real interest was in being able to play at the same level or better  when I became older. While I always kept myself in pretty good shape, my 'almost' daily yoga practice has me in as good or better shape than I was in my teens and I'm now almost 60.

How did I find yoga..  Many people ask how I found yoga. I did not find yoga until 1998, initially at a local health club. I tend to find things that work for me and stick to them. I was also lucky to have teachers taught by one of the most experienced yoga teachers in the world, Manju Jois. Manju, along with his father, brought Ashtanga/Vinyasa yoga to America in 1975. Manju became my teacher in 2004 shortly after I did my first teacher training with another wonderful teacher, David Swenson. My studies with Manju focus on Healing Therapy, what yoga was intended to be.


Ultimately I've learned no matter how much money we have, how well we eat, or even have the best healthcare; our time is limited, maybe tomorrow or maybe well into our 100's. Therefore my conclusion is that yoga is really about living our best lives. And to differ from what many/most yoga teachers say..Something else you love can be the 'yoga' to you.


By Allen Barkus. Allen has been practicing Ashtanga yoga since 1998 and teaching since 2004. His initial teacher training was with David Swenson and has been the student of Manju Jois since 2004. Manju, along with his father, introduced Ashtanga/Vinyasa yoga to America in 1975. His studies focus on Healing Therapy. He is available in Philadelphia for private lessons and clinics and travels around the world teaching clinics. www.AshtangabyAllen.com