Excerpts from an interview that appeared in YOGASTUDIO Mill Valley's The Prana newsletter, February 2003.

I have discovered through the practice that so much of the time I limit myself in my mind first before ever even opening myself to real possibilities. The asanas have taught me this so many times over. I can remember watching a teacher do a handstand or a more advanced pose and thinking "sure they can do it but I will never be able to do that." But with time and continued dedication I saw myself slowly but surely beginning to discover those very poses in my own body.

It showed me that whatever you put real focus and energy into inevitably grows and flourishes. Naturally I began to make the connection that if this were true in the yoga room practicing poses, surely the same was true to the rest of my life. And so I watch how whatever I am learning about myself in the poses and in my practice in general has a direct connection to what I need to be working on in the rest of my life. This keeps it exciting and endlessly inspiring!

So your teaching must also be inspired by what you are learning in your practice and in your life?

Absolutely! I notice I go through phases of what I am focusing on in class, themes for a week or two at a time and it's usually something I am working on myself or am currently finding inspirational.

Sometimes its as simple as having discovered a combination of standing poses that feels so good and fluid in by body that I want to share it in class. Sometimes its what I know I need and find myself avoiding in my own practice. Sometimes it's reminding people of the real reason to practice yoga- to remember that we are whole connected beings, perfect in all of our imperfections, and unlimited in our potential!

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