The first big problem that I faced as a brand new student back in 2008 was the “yoga body” problem. When I struggled to get into a pose because my curves got in the way or my arms were too short, or any of the reasons that my body isn’t a “typical yoga body”, more often than not, the teacher would clearly have no idea how to help me, and would just tell me take child’s pose until I could join back in again.

 

I got tired of feeling left out of the fun, so I started grabbing props and figuring out my own ways into the poses. And that eventually turned into the body-inclusive, prop-forward pillar of the Hamaara Yoga method!

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The next struggle I faced was that often, the way yoga was being taught way too woo-woo for me. I’m a former lawyer, and once a Type A, always a Type A. I just couldn’t connect with teachers that talked about energy fields and crystals and told me to breathe into parts of my body that I can’t breathe into, like my toes or the crown of my head.

 

My favorite teachers were the ones whose cues were easy to follow and made sense, and once I learned how much fascinating science there is behind the benefits of yoga, I had to wonder why no one was talking about that! And so I developed a practical approach to teaching that incorporates the science just as much as the spiritual, and teaches it all in a way that is easy to understand!

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And the final, and maybe biggest problem of all: Most studios and teachers have stripped the yoga practice down to an amped up version of just the physical layer, and are teaching it as a workout, not a way of life.

 

But this practice was not intended to be a workout, and in order to unlock its full power, you have to do all of it, not just the physical part of it. And so Hamaara Yoga teaches all 8 limbs of the yoga practice - not just the poses.

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There’s a lot more I could say about cultural appropriation and gatekeeping and mean girls experiences and how Hamaara Yoga addresses all of those problems too! But, I’ll save those for another time. Hopefully by now you’ve read enough and you’re ready to give it a go!

Whether you practice with us online or in person, I know you’re going to love the way Hamaara Yoga makes you feel and, ultimately, transforms your life!.