Yoga had been part of my life for about nine years when I discovered Ashtanga Yoga in 2019, while living in Shanghai. I was immediately drawn to its physical intensity, but also to the discipline of practicing the same sequence each time.
At the time, there was another unexpected benefit: following a yoga class in Mandarin meant I couldn't rely as much on verbal instructions. Instead, I found myself focusing much more on my own practice. Over time, I really came to appreciate how much depth there is in returning to the same sequence again and again.
As a medical product designer, husband and father, my everyday life is full of changing situations, new problems and many things competing for my attention. I value Ashtanga because it gives me a chance to slow down, focus on one thing and be fully present in my practice. Although the sequence stays the same, the practice never really does. The changes come from within, through discovering your own abilities and seeing yourself develop over time.
In my classes, I want to preserve this traditional structure while making the practice approachable for people with different levels of experience. I'm excited to share the experience of Ashtanga with others and hopefully help people discover some of the same focus, challenge and sense of progression that I find in the practice.