The Essence of Yoga

Jennifer’s Essence of Yoga programs are perfect for enthusiastic students and teachers who are interested in deepening their knowledge and understanding of Yoga and how to practice in a way that is most beneficial, as our needs and abilities shift daily and through time. Comprehensive, practical, down-to-earth, and empowering, these 6 courses have been created to increase knowledge of Yoga postures, philosphy, and practice; affirm the importance and value of embracing and responding to one’s own experience; and support students in developing an approach to practice and to life that is beneficial and fun.

Why I Created these Sequences

1. After having studied for a long time, I still sometimes found it difficult to know exactly what to practice on any given day. Inspired by Jehangir Palkhivala's Mother Sequence "templates", I created additional sequences that can be practiced vinyasa style or be segmented to explore themes and principles in a holistic practice. I have included pranayamas (breathing exercises) and key yoga sutras, stories, mantras and meditations that make each practice enlightening, interesting, and fun while still being grounded in tradition. 

2. After 13 years of mostly Iyengar-style yoga I began practicing “the Primary series” created by Pattabhi Jois. While noting the popularity of the vinyasa method, I also observed that many people were only practicing that one sequence daily. I also observed many of these people becoming injured with a host of overuse and misuse injuries. I want to offer practitioners an opportunity to slow down and gather knowledge through expertise and their own exploration. After 30 years of seeking and study, I always find my way back to Iyengar’s brilliance and Raja Yoga - mastery of the mind. I offer accessible variations of asanas so practitioners can "own the practice" as it relates to their uniqueness, be unbound by what is considered "convention", and be truly empowered from the inside out.

3. I love Yoga! and am fascinated by nature and the human body. These practices allow me to explore my reaction to different types of postures with and without the use of props and tools for practice. This makes sense to me and has allowed me to become absorbed physically and intellectually in the depth of exploration, creativity, and what may provide the most benefit, physically and spiritually.

4. I like to educate interested students and practitioners that “Ashtanga Yoga” refers to the 8-limbed path explained by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. More accurately it is Raja Yoga - practice that leads you to be the "king" ("raj") of your mind. The “Yoga” is fundamentally in HOW you come to succeed in that - with curious attention, whole-heartedness, and desire to know and grow, sometimes seeking help and influence outside of the traditional lineage of Yoga.

5. I believe in taking time to understand and practice proper alignment, explore & experience the body's subtle energetic currents, learn the language (Sanskrit) and culture (ancient India/Hinduism) from which Yoga was born, and establish a practice that leads one to peace and understanding is the most valuable thing each and every person can do to make a positive impact in the world.

6. Yoga is experienced through intelligent action - action that can, if done with commitment, care and consistency, lead us all to the well of peace, love and delight of Divine connection.