best yoga studios? best teachers?

[BENKAPA]

for the beginners out there,
what would you guys suggest
are the best yoga centers in your city?
and who are the best teachers and where do they teach?
if you include name and city then it can help those who are googling for a teacher in a location. like Sharon Gannon is the best teacher in nyc, or Jivamukti is the best yoga studio in nyc because...

[Tony Bittick]

I understand the purpose of asking this question and on many levels it's noble and I'm quite sure very well intended.

It still strikes me as odd when one studio is either listed, or even lists itself, as superior to any other studio in its area, or any other studio, period, for that matter.

I understand the concept of guiding new students... but don't new students have a reality based on their karma also?

There are three studios in my immediate vacinity... another half dozen within about 40 minutes.

Certainly I have thoughts and opinions on each; and could easily stereotype or label each of them for their positive and perhaps not so positive aspects... but would I be practicing in doing so? By labeling one thing as better than another, would I truly be guiding students?

And if I were to share my "opinion", my "perspective" on one of those studios wouldn't I be coloring the mind of the prospective student and potentially robbing them of what could be an amazing experience in a studio they might miss out on because I either did or didn't recommend it?

I love sri-Sharon and sri-David and grew up on Jivamukti yoga, but I would never verbally label it as the best (or the worst as the case may be) studio because I would be inflecting my singluar perspective on others.

(laughing) Am I making any sense or just coming off as an OCD yoga nut taking things a little too seriously (how's that for a label!!)??

I teach primarily at a local college and since teacher training have made it my goal to be the chasm between non-studio environments and studio environments.

When students ask me which studio they should try I merely offer the locations of all three; suggest they try as many new teachers as they can, and then let them decide for themselves.

And I should mention, one of my primary teachers owns one of the three studios, I took teacher training at the second and the third studio is the first studio I actually practiced at and I consider the owner a personal friend.

None of those studios has ever expressed an interest in my teaching for them; and two of them have all but said they don't feel I'm either qualified or fit their mold.

I still send students to all three on a regular basis. And I trust that the student's karma will draw them ultimately to the studio best suited for them.

[SAVEYOGA.ORG]

good points,

i don't think it's necessarily true you would rob anyone by making a suggestion.
that might make it very difficult to know anything.
and it's impossible to be objective. and it's karma.

i think promoting teachers and yoga studios' qualities can be very beneficial.
it inspires me. of course others might think of it as ego pride, if they who hear it have ego pride problems. in that case they'd have to check up and see within their minds.

so it can be true and not true too.
so maybe we take out the word 'best' and say,
what are the yoga centers and teachers in your town.

the point being this social site can be enriched with each of your
wisdom, knowledge and love, which i, and i think others,
would love to learn from.

ok?
cheerios,
benkapa







Tony Bittick said:

I understand the purpose of asking this question and on many levels it's noble and I'm quite sure very well intended.

It still strikes me as odd when one studio is either listed, or even lists itself, as superior to any other studio in its area, or any other studio, period, for that matter.

I understand the concept of guiding new students... but don't new students have a reality based on their karma also?

There are three studios in my immediate vacinity... another half dozen within about 40 minutes.

Certainly I have thoughts and opinions on each; and could easily stereotype or label each of them for their positive and perhaps not so positive aspects... but would I be practicing in doing so? By labeling one thing as better than another, would I truly be guiding students?

And if I were to share my "opinion", my "perspective" on one of those studios wouldn't I be coloring the mind of the prospective student and potentially robbing them of what could be an amazing experience in a studio they might miss out on because I either did or didn't recommend it?

I love sri-Sharon and sri-David and grew up on Jivamukti yoga, but I would never verbally label it as the best (or the worst as the case may be) studio because I would be inflecting my singluar perspective on others.

(laughing) Am I making any sense or just coming off as an OCD yoga nut taking things a little too seriously (how's that for a label!!)??

I teach primarily at a local college and since teacher training have made it my goal to be the chasm between non-studio environments and studio environments.

When students ask me which studio they should try I merely offer the locations of all three; suggest they try as many new teachers as they can, and then let them decide for themselves.

And I should mention, one of my primary teachers owns one of the three studios, I took teacher training at the second and the third studio is the first studio I actually practiced at and I consider the owner a personal friend.

None of those studios has ever expressed an interest in my teaching for them; and two of them have all but said they don't feel I'm either qualified or fit their mold.

I still send students to all three on a regular basis. And I trust that the student's karma will draw them ultimately to the studio best suited for them.

[Tony Bittick]

Benkapa,

Thank you, and yes, I get you and understand your points... you only see the garbage you bring with you... (laughing)

"others might think of it as ego pride, if they who hear it have ego pride"

Guilty!!! Not thinking of it as ego pride, but of seeing most readily the issues with which I struggle the hardest myself...

I remember David-ji and Sharon-ji walking into a room and bowing to each person in the room and then teaching that as we could never tell who our mother might have been in a previous life time, and that indeed it was likely that each being in the room had been their mother at some point, that they wanted to honor them in such a way.

I heard that teaching.

And then I heard others teach that teaching... but it appeared to me, and I stress it "appeared to me" that teaching it and actually observing the teaching became a very selective process.

Then I think of what I've written/confessed so far here in this community, and then I read your words and I realize of course that I'm seeing these things so predominately now because I have fallen so short myself in living out a rounded, or shall we say "good" practice.

I take great joy in these teachings provided by the angels around me. And I thank you...

[BENKAPA]

ah tony,

i only hope one day i can have as little pride/ego
as you do to confess these things to everyone as easily and
perfectly as you do. you must be an angel helping everyone to
be as transparent. or at least helping me. thanks for that
beautiful example of humility. i usually just try to hide my
weaknesses because i think i won't be loved by others.
and to just put it out there like that, i think you must be
progressing to a 'good' well rounded practice rather quickly!! ; )

so we can think about serving everyone, like our mothers,
feel that love, and kick that little fear in the head
and say good bye to it, cause we got bigger and better
things to devote our energy too, yeah?

or whatever method works to allow that
limitless offering of goodness to all...


Tony Bittick said:

Benkapa,

Thank you, and yes, I get you and understand your points... you only see the garbage you bring with you... (laughing)

"others might think of it as ego pride, if they who hear it have ego pride"

Guilty!!! Not thinking of it as ego pride, but of seeing most readily the issues with which I struggle the hardest myself...

I remember David-ji and Sharon-ji walking into a room and bowing to each person in the room and then teaching that as we could never tell who our mother might have been in a previous life time, and that indeed it was likely that each being in the room had been their mother at some point, that they wanted to honor them in such a way.

I heard that teaching.

And then I heard others teach that teaching... but it appeared to me, and I stress it "appeared to me" that teaching it and actually observing the teaching became a very selective process.

Then I think of what I've written/confessed so far here in this community, and then I read your words and I realize of course that I'm seeing these things so predominately now because I have fallen so short myself in living out a rounded, or shall we say "good" practice.

I take great joy in these teachings provided by the angels around me. And I thank you...

[Tony Bittick]

You have my heart smiling... or as my girlfriend would say, you have me wearing my heart on my face...

My best friend once told me "you say the things the rest of us feel but are afraid to say."

I was honored.

Doctors have since suggested I'm bipolar and say I just lack the proper filter (laughing really hard!)

Either way I've just figured life is to short to "keep it inside."

I still walk into studios, see some of my teachers and start to think "You know, I'll 'never' be that good."

Only recently have I started to realize it's in me, as it is in them. As is the darkness and fear and jealousy and envy and... well, I guess you get the point.

Now... if I could just get my posterior on the cushion!!!

Peaces.


If

[Sara Bara]

Sadly, there are no yoga studios in my city. The studio that I practice at most often is located more than 20 miles from where I live. I actually drive through 5 or 6 cities to get to there. But it is soooo worth it :)

For anyone in the Detroit area, I would recommend the following studios:

For Jivamukti: House of Yoga, Hamsa Yoga

For Mysore Ashtanga: Ashtanga Michigan

For Led Ashtanga: Namaste Yoga, Red Lotus Yoga, House of Yoga, Detroit Evolution, Detroit Yoga, Center for Yoga

For Vinyasa: Red Lotus Yoga, UpDog Yoga, Detroit Yoga, House of Yoga, Center for Yoga, Practice Yoga

For Basic Yoga: UpDog Yoga, The Yoga Studio of Shelby, Practice Yoga

For Bikram Yoga: Bikram Yoga of Grosse Pointe, Farmington Hills, or Plymouth

For Yin Yoga: Yoga Shelter, House of Yoga

For Restorative Yoga: UpDog Yoga

For Kripalu: Practice Yoga, Hamsa Yoga

For Women's Plus Size Yoga: Red Lotus Yoga, The Yoga Studio of Shelby


As you can see, we are blessed to have so many studios and teachers offering different styles that can reach so many different people's needs!

[Sara Bara]

How could I have forgotten?!


For Tibetan Heart Yoga: UpDog Yoga, Red Lotus Yoga

[BENKAPA]

i think the best teacher is...

you!

cause we have to be the ones that practice.
we gotta teach ourselves with the best 'teachers'.
and know how the qualities of the teacher are coming from us.
and how everyone and everything can be our teacher.
and how if everyone and everything isn't teaching us something,
i think we ain't gettin' the full value of our short lives.
and our lives become meaningless.

so the best teacher is definitely:
you... who is
HH Dalai Lama, Geshe Michael and Lama Christie, Sri Pattabhi Jois, Sri Dharma Mittra, Sharon and David-ji's, Bikram-ji, Mira-ji, Lama Zopa Rinpoche,
Khen Rinpoche, Lati Rinpoche, Choden Rinpoche, Anik Lama, Lama Marut,
Ram Dass, Kendra Rickert, Lisa Schremp, Lady Ruth, David Swenson, John Friend, Kelly Morris, Ven. Phuntsok, Amma-ji, Gandhi-ji, Jesus, Ven. Robina, your Mother, everybody, people in the street, President Bush, Hitler, Mother Theresa, Je Tsongkapa, HH Karmapa, your Yoga Teacher, Buddha, Master Shantideva, Arya Nagarjuna, Nature, Animals, Karma, Emptiness, Love, Compassion, Wisdom, The difficult person, the kind person, the neutral person, the 5 elements, impermanence and interdependence.

ok?

who else?

love you, me, everyone

[Sara Bara]

Awesome. :)