YOGA WITH MICHAEL
I was introduced to the practice of yoga in 1981 and over the years have had the privilege to study Asana, Pranayama, and Yoga Philosophy with extraordinary teachers. Some people call my classes "old school," and while I'm not sure that's a fair appraisal, it's true that I strive to remain faithful to both Hatha Yoga traditions and the philosophy behind the practice. Yoga is a discipline, and like any discipline, it requires commitment and time and effort to learn. There's nothing to be gained by rushing; immerse yourself in each moment of the journey.
THE ART OF PROGRESSION
Well-taught Hatha Yoga classes center on the development of whole-body strength and mobility while encouraging a harmonious, or sattvic, state of mind. It's a progressive approach, working step by step from foundational postures to inversions and beyond. To build both stability and mobility and understand the play and balance between them takes time. We all move at our own pace. But with smart progressions and consistent practice, we all reach our potential.
SMART FLOW YOGA
Much of what I teach I learned from Maty Ezraty. Along with her life partner Chuck Miller, Maty was an original founder of Yoga Works in Los Angeles in the 1980s. Among her many enduring accomplishments was synthesizing the heat-building and breath-centered flow of Ashtanga Yoga with the precise and intelligent method of Iyengar Yoga. Her "Yoga Works Method" was the basis of classes and workshops that she taught around the world.
An advanced practitioner and passionate teacher, Maty taught with humor, compassion, and perhaps most famously, intensity. Widely known as a "teacher of teachers," she shared her knowledge and passion for yoga with thousands of students around the world. I feel privileged to be one of them and am proud to share what I learned from her.
Tokyo Handstand School
For acrobats, bankers, and working mothers alike, the handstand is a life skill. Few things feel as exhilarating and empowering as balancing on your hands. If you are healthy, fit and motivated, you can learn to handstand at any age. At the Tokyo Handstand School, we teach not only the precise techniques for a solid handstand, but also the exquisite importance of play. For information on our classes and workshops in Japan, contact us.
