Podcasts about yogayama

David Fredriksson - A Journey From Injury to Yoga (@david_fredriksson | www.yogayama.com/teachers/david-fredriksson/ ) Background in dance | Hatha to Ashtanga | Change from an unhealthy lifestyle | Going through therapy | Switching addictions | Moving to a 6-day-a-week practice | Going to the source | Meeting Laruga | Healing body and mind | Tristana brings me to the present | Being there to give the tools | If I can do it, you can do it Support Us Subscribe, like, comment and share with your friends Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/infoRf Become a Patron:  https://keenonyoga.com/membership/  Connect With Keen On Yoga Instagram Keen on Yoga: https://www.instagram.com/keen_on_yoga/ Instagram Adam Keen: https://www.instagram.com/adam_keen_ashtanga/ Website: https://keenonyoga.com/ David is one of the most experienced Ashtanga teachers in Sweden. His first contact with yoga was back in 1993 while exploring ways to find alternative forms of healing when Western medicine and physical therapy failed to heal a foot injury. As a spiritual seeker from his teens, he tried Hatha yoga. Right away, David felt the deep benefits of asana and meditation practice. Miraculously, yoga healed him physically, however, what blew David away the most, was the deep, sustaining well-being, that in turn, wasn't fleeting, like other sensory pursuits. Yoga gave a greater sense of clarity, calmness, and internal focus more than anything he had previously experienced. Here David's yoga journey began. His asana practice has been on and off through the years, but David always kept his seated meditation practice going the entire time. In early 2006, David took his first Ashtanga Yoga class. From that point on, he has not stopped. When David embarked on his first trip to Mysore, India, in February 2008, practicing with R. Sharath Jois, he delved deeper into the practice and fully committed himself to the method. Ever since then, David has been back to India every year to continue his studies and deepen his practice. In January 2011 he had the honour of receiving his Level 1 Authorization to teach from his teacher, R. Sharath Jois. In Sweden, David teaches and assists alongside his teacher, Laruga Glaser (Certified – Advanced B). When Laruga travels around the world to teach workshops and retreats. David is the one who runs and oversees the Mysore program at Yogayama Östermalm, in Stockholm. David regularly gets invitations to teach internationally and in other Swedish cities. He also teams up and teaches together with Laruga during her workshops and retreats all over the world. For David, it's a great honour to help hold a space for students from all walks of life, where they can explore who they are, and grow as human beings with the help of this dynamic practice. He invites all of you who feel inspired by this practice to walk this path with him.      

Estelle Nordenfalk är VD och en sann entreprenör! Hon har varit VD för Kajak Television som hon drev tillsammans med Reneé Nyberg. VD för ”Verymuchlogo” och VD för YogaYama i 17 år på raken. Denna roll avslutade hon dock nyligen och är nu VD för den nystartade wellnessklubben ”V Social Club”, som ligger mitt emot YogaYama på Östermalm i Stockholm. Innan Estelle fann yogan och Ayurveda, vilket är en systerfilosofi till yogafilosofin, har hon förutom varit VD i olika bolag också hunnit bli en tv-personlighet i Sverige och spelat in några singlar som sångerska. I detta avsnitt berättar Estelle ärligt och naket om sin väg in i yogan och ayurvedan, och hur just hon kom att tänka ”utanför boxen”, och gjorde att hon vigt sitt liv åt preventiv hälsa, genom att leda YogaYama till att bli Sveriges största och mest kändaste yogastudio. Tack för att just du lyssnar på ”Både och, istället för antingen eller – en podd om Integrativ medicin och hälsa. Följ oss på sociala medier, och ge oss gärna fem stjärnor på iTunes om det här var givande för dig. Prenumerera gärna på vår podd! ♥ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/integrativmedicin ♥ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/integrativMedicin

Sara Granström Powiecki är yogalärare inom ett flertal discipliner. Hon utbildar andra yogalärare, både i olika yogametoder men också i pranayama vilket är ”andningskontroll”. Sara är också flöjtmusiker, studerar teologi och religiospsykologi samt är författare till två böcker. Den första är ”Leva med yoga” i samband med YogaYama, och den andra ”YogaHjärnan” som släpptes för ett år sedan och som hon skrev tillsammans med psykologen Christina Andersson. Sara och Christina har även gjort en studie på en grupp studenter på YogaYama. Allt detta berättar Sara om i detta spännande avsnitt, om de positiva kopplingarna till psykologiska effekter som minskar stress och ökar välmående, ger bättre hälsa och stärker relationer, både till sig själv och andra. Tack för att just du lyssnar på ”Både och, istället för antingen eller – en podd om Integrativ medicin och hälsa. Följ oss på sociala medier, och ge oss gärna fem stjärnor på iTunes om det här var givande för dig. Prenumerera gärna på vår podd! ♥ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/integrativmedicin ♥ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/integrativMedicin

Sara och Christina gästade Prestationspodden innan sommarledigheten. Det är en ära för mig att ha dem som gäster. De har båda varit med i podden innan. Sara är en fantastisk yogalärare som jag hade på utbildningen på Yogayama. Och Christina är psykolog och kunnig inom bland annat compassion. I detta avsnitt pratar de om deras nya bok: Yogahjärnan. Som handlar om vad som händer med oss när vi yogar. Även om du inte är intresserad av yoga så är dessa kvinnor kloka och kunniga. Tanken att jag skulle lotta ut boken men pga av semester hann jag inte med det. Men hoppas på att göra det nästa vecka. Tack Sara och Christina för ett inspirerande samtal! Gillar du avsnittet? Sprid till vänner eller lämna en recension på itunes. Ha en fin vecka. Caroline See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

#019: Laruga Glaser Scott talks to Laruga Glaser on her life as a yoga student and teacher of Ashtanga yoga. She also shares her experience as a woman of colour in the yoga industry.     On 3rd June Laruga shared a 52:39 face to camera Instagram post on her experience as a POC in Ashtanga yoga. The majority of her conversation (with Scott) references Laruga's post. It would be highly beneficial to watch this whole share. It is beautiful, powerful and raw.... Laruga Glaser was first drawn to yoga in 1996, and after coming across Ashtanga in 1998 she fully immersed herself in the method and now has over 20 years of dedicated Ashtanga yoga practise. She made her first trip to Mysore to study at KPJAYI in 2007 and has returned every year ever since. A committed student, an advanced practitioner and a Certified teacher, Laruga endeavours to pass on the tradition of Ashtanga yoga. Laruga shares the teachings of Ashtanga yoga as an act of deep love with which she aspires to create an open, challenging and inspiring space in which each individual who comes to her can realise their full potential.  Laruga leads the Ashtanga Yoga program at Yogayama in Stockholm, Sweden and teaches workshops and retreats around the world. You can find out more about Laruga's teaching schedule here.   Leaning in to Vulnerability - Laruga Glaser.  Scott and Laruga have a beautifully open conversation on Laruga's life as a student and teacher of Ashtanga yoga. She shares how she left a corporate life to become one of the most recognised faces in Ashtanga Yoga. She also shares how she has had to struggle as a woman of colour in the world of yoga and push hard to get to where she is. Scott and Laruga also talk about how to make yoga spaces more diverse.  In this inspiring conversation Laruga shares: The ways that yoga has landed for her many times in her life, right from the very first time -  a series of ‘aha’ moments, of finding inner stillness. How she began practising by following Iyengar-inspired videos by Patricia Walden and Rodney Yi, which helped her to release back pain and encouraged her to carry on practising.  How she started learning Ashtanga from David Swenson’s videos and books, which she considers to be her first virtual teacher  That despite ‘doing things wrong’, like not holding the drishti or poses for long enough, she still felt a shift, another ‘aha’ moment How Ashtanga felt ‘complete’ to her Her sense of finally feeling at home when she found yoga, that she was in her space, where she’s supposed to be. That while she was at university in Ohio she found an ad in the student paper for 90 days of yoga for $90 - she went every single day. That she found Laurel Howdry, her first Ashtanga yoga teacher, in her last year of university,  How her dedicated Ashtanga practise kept her sane and grounded while she was on a corporate career path. That when she found herself at a crossroads between her career and yoga, she decided to follow yoga. When she made her first trip to Mysore in 2007 it was to be a student, to go and study at the source. How she began teaching internationally after that first trip to Mysore, when a fellow student invited her to teach in Taiwan.  About her 14 trips to Mysore and how the energy in the new shala still remains the same The importance of being a student. The strong energetic pull she felt that led her to share in depth on about the lack of diversity in Ashtanga yoga, and how it was a vulnerable thing for her to do. About how it finally felt like people were collectively willing to listen to her experience, despite having been speaking out on individual level for years That she spoke out for the people who didn't feel they fit in  About having to deal with microaggressions from within the yoga community, and how she’s been the one who’s had to do the work unpacking these. That these uncomfortable moments have pushed her to a place of confidence, having transformed toxicity into something positive. That she’s nurtured a culture of diversity in her Mysore room, making all people feel welcome and comfortable. About feeling overwhelmed by the response to her video, with many people of colour sharing their experience that yoga spaces don't feel conducive to people from diverse backgrounds, and that the practise feels elitist in a socio-economic sense. How she challenges organisers when she teaches in countries where people of colour are the majority but not represented in her workshop.  Her experience of resistance within the Ashtanga yoga community to discuss uncomfortable things. How she’s experienced dismissiveness from her peers, a sense of being ‘put in her place’  About her relationship with her father, a white European, who’s done the work and who sees diversity as a beautiful thing That she’s learned more from her dad through seeing example than the yoga teachers she used to look up to  That we don’t need to look so far outside ourselves for these lessons.  What it means to her to live a contemplative life.     ‘'This conversation with Laruga was so valuable to have. She shares so openly about how she has had to navigate the yoga world as a woman of colour and how she has created a diverse and mindful yoga space in her home of Stockholm. Her courage and strength in speaking out is so inspiring. We are left with how we can find ways to navigate open conversations that matter. To listen... Scott Johnson - September 2020  If you enjoyed this podcast then you might also enjoy Scott’s conversations with Wambui Njuguna Räisänen, Deepika Mehta and Ann Weston.    

Laruga Glaser (@larugayoga) is a Level 2 Authorized Teacher from KPJAYI of Mysore, India with over 20 years of personal experience practicing Ashtanga yoga. Fascinated by the mind-body connection and spiritual philosophy from a young age, Laruga is dedicated to cultivating transparency to this tradition and the deeply rich lineage from which the practice originates. Through it all, Laruga teaches as an act of sharing and love for what yoga develops in each individual, facilitating space to open, challenge, and inspire students to step into the center of their own being and experience their inherent potential. Laruga currently heads the Mysore program at Yogayama in Stockholm, Sweden and teaches workshops and retreats internationally.   In this episode, you’ll hear from Laruga on:  [13.37] Building resilience. She credits yoga with giving her the mental strength and equilibrium to cope with challenging behaviour and negativity. Thanks to her dedicated Ashtanga practice Laruga is able to stand strongly within herself and face the world with courage and confidence.      [17.06] Yoga philosophy. Laruga’s interest in yoga was sparked by her curiosity about spirituality and study of the Yoga Sutras and the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Her interest in the yogic way of life and its ethical code led to her subsequent immersion in the discipline.    [19.57] Her physical and spiritual practice. Laruga explains how the performance of the asanas helps to embed the values of the Sutras into her life by developing her spirituality from the inside out and ensuring the lessons she learns from her practice are carried through into her everyday thoughts and actions.    [33.42] Goal-less meditation. She describes her focus-free daily meditation and its ability to deepen her connection to her subconscious mind, strengthen her observing mind and sharpen her intuition.    [38.12] Teaching yoga around the world. As a globe-trotting yogi, Laruga is excited to share the powerful practice of yoga with students in many countries and enjoy the experience of learning about different cultures along the way.     Announcements:  Visit henryyoga.com to learn how to level up your yoga practice in just 40 days.  Follow @henryyoga.app on Instagram  Check out http://yogaeastaustin.com/rocket50hr/ to learn more about David Kyle’s Rocket Yoga 50hr Practice Intensive Visit https://henrywins.com/events/ to view all my upcoming workshops Check out www.warriorbridge.com/teachertraining to learn more about their upcoming teacher trainings    Links from this episode:  David Kyle’s appearance on  Episode 61 of Dharma Talk The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer- Grab a copy of Laruga’s recommended book Looking for your next book to read? Check out the list of every book recommended on Dharma Talk   Get in touch with Laruga: Follow @larugayoga on Instagram  Check out @larugayoga on Facebook Visit https://larugayoga.com to view her schedule and upcoming retreats   Support the Podcast: If you find this podcast valuable you can support it directly by visiting: henrywins.com/donate   Credits: Music by Momentology (@momentologymusic) Production and audio engineering by Ease of Mind

I det här avsnittet träffar Philip yogakedjan Yogayama med den arbetande styrelseordförande Estelle Nordenfalk vid mikrofonen. Under våren 2018 fick bolaget in 10,1 miljoner kronor från 790 delägare. Hör Estelle berätta om historien från tiden då yoga upplevdes som en suspekt källarverksamhet till den globala succé som aktiviteten blivit idag. Du får också höra om vad som hänt sedan emissionen och om planerna framåt, för att bli Europas ledande yogakedja.

Dagens gäst är ingen vanlig gäst, det är Karin Kisker, en av Franchisepoddens egna programledare. Varför ska vi inte låta våra lyssnare få del av den unika erfarenhet av franchise som Karin har? Så resonerade vi när vi bestämde oss för att spela in detta avsnitt. Karin berättar om sitt eget företagande, sin roll som konsult, sitt engagemang i Yogayama men även om sitt sidointresse - att designa smycken. Vi pratar också om Karins tio år som vd i Svensk Franchise. Vi kan lova lyssnaren ett mycket underhållande avsnitt rikt på information och många skratt. Klippning: Simon Löfving

Vi är på Näringslivsmässan i Norrköping och möter Eva Vestlie Kastensson på Yogayama Norrköping.  Avsnittet är sponsrat av Yogayama.

“Freedom is as immediate as breathing and as fundamental as a footstep.” skriver Sara Granström på sin hemsida. Caroline intervjuar Sara Granström, Yogalärare på Yogayama där Caroline också utbildar sig. Varför ska vi andas? Hur påverkar andning psykisk ohälsa? Hur går socialmedier och snygga poser i hop med Yoga filosofin. Sara är lite magisk, hon lever ett liv som en sann yogi och hennes klokskap är intressant att få ta dela av. De pratar om pranayama, andningsövningar och andlighet och ja livet. Försnacket mellan Per och Caroline är extra långt då de pratar om den fruktansvärda stress och press Tim Berglin, Avicci utsattes för.

YOGA RADIO SESSIONS #26 - YOGAPODDEN När Yogayama ska erövra Europa med ett yogavärldens 7-11 är det ett brott mot bilden av en överklassens studio där Östermalmskvinnor tar SUV-en två kvarter bort för att slippa korsa Birger Jarlsgatan söderut. Estelle Nordenfalk berättar om: • vad crowdfunding och franchise är för något och varför Yogayama har valt crowdfunding framför traditionella riskkapitalister • varför Yogayama inte vill bygga lärarna till yogastjärnor • hur svårt det kan vara för ett företag med ryggrad att undvika the fast lane till rikedom • sin egen väg till yogan och kampen mot sin egen tävlingsmentaliteten inom ashtanga • hur fasta rutiner kan mota bort utbrändhet och ge utrymme för att då och då vara lite och även inte så lite wild and crazy • hennes aversion mot Instagrambilder på välsvarvade unga yogisar som gör svåra positioner i solnedgångar • bovetegrötens betydelse och hur knepigt det kan vara att få en 16-åring att inse denna grötens välsignelse för vår hälsa • positiv påverkan från sina föräldrar gällande en fördoms- och värderingsfri syn även på det främmande Och mycket, mycket mer. Estelles boktips: ”Märk världen” av Tor Nörretranders TV-tips: ”Jordskott” I denna pod satsar vi på enbart språk och klockar in på en dryg timma. Gäst & samtalsledare på Jungfrugatan: Christian Wigardt, yogalärare och medieveteran Tips och synpunkter: christian@yesyoga.se Webb: www.yogadjsessions.com www.yesyoga.se Instagram: yogadjsessions yesyoga.se Facebook: yogadjsessions yesyoga.se Youtube: yesyoga Spotify: yesyoga.se Signatur: ”Consciousness” med DJ Food Yoga Radio Sessions vill tipsa om de rytmiska, innovativa yogapassen på Hotell Downtown Camper by Scandic varje söndag 15.00. Biljetter: http://bit.ly/2Ffz0cq Mer info: http://bit.ly/2Bflzqv Och vi använder alltid Urbanista hörlurar såväl vid in- som uppspelning

- "Jag litar inte på folk som inte har krisat". Med det menar Estelle att om man inte har krisat vet man inte riktigt vem man är. Estelle Nordenfalk är Vd för Yogayama, som består av två yogastudios i Stockholm, innan dess var hon 11 år i mediabranschen där hon bland annat var VD för Kajak Television. Ett ryggproblem och ständig trötthet gjorde att hon sökte upp en ryggspecialist som visade sig även vara Ayurvedisk läkare. Han lärde Estelle hur man genom kost och en helt annan livsinställning kan läka sig själv. Ayurveda är läran om livet och ser inte människan som frisk eller sjuk som den västerländska sjukvården utan det finns nivåer av friskt innan man blir sjuk. Vi fascineras det berättar och av hennes mod att driva yogastudio på Östermalm, för på den tiden då hon tog över var yoga och grönkål något som tillhörde vänstern och långt ifrån accepterat. #yogayama #stress #ayurveda

Yogayama är Skandinaviens största yogacenter, som ganska nyligen har valt franchise som affärsmodell för sin framtida expansion. Estelle berättar om företagets utveckling och delar även med sig av sin livshistoria som innehåller det mesta, allt från indisk filosofi och hälsodrinkar till kungamiddagar och champagne. Teknik/klippning: Simon Löfving

Laruga Glaser couldn't help but being a yoga teacher... It kept calling her, even when she was kicked out of a yoga teacher training! What is Special About Laruga Even though she experienced hardships growing up, meaning abuse, which I can relate to, she learned through yoga to transcend and heal. I was taken by her presence and her pace.  She exudes stillness, and she is very friendly. As a teacher she has a heavy international traveling schedule as well as a Mysore program she runs daily in Stockholm.   I also appreciated how she helps us all give ourselves a break when she says (talking about the brutal winters in the Northern hemisphere)... I do feel it is important to be sensitive to the seasonal shifts and adjust the rhythm of one's practice during these times of external extremes, instead of trying to force the same pacing month after month What we talked about How she grew up in the United States and stepped into yoga by "chance" How Ashtanga picked her curiosity at a very young age The role abuse played in her life as she developed into her own How teaching came to her How she met her boyfriend in Mysore exactly four months before I met James! Her daily routine (she wakes up at 2:45 AM people!) How she teaches and what her schedule is like How she manages her energy The one thing that took Laruga a LONG time to understand... About Laruga: Website Upcoming Traveling Workshops Daily Mysore Twitter Flickr Blog Youtube LinkedIn GooglePlus TRANSCRIPT: Claudia A. Altucher:   Let me ask you something. It's 4:00 PM in Stockholm, so I'm wondering: what did you do today? Laruga Glaser:           Oh, okay. Well – [Laughter] Yeah, my usual schedule is – I'll – first thing in the morning, I practice – I'll do my practice, which is quite early. Claudia A. Altucher:   What is “quite early”? Laruga Glaser:           My alarm come – goes off at around 2:45 AM. Claudia A. Altucher:   Oh, my goodness. Laruga Glaser:           So – but that doesn't mean that I necessarily get up right away. It depends on – sometimes I hit “snooze” a few times to be perfectly honest. Claudia A. Altucher:   Well, you're very allowed. Anyone who puts the clock at 2:45 AM is allowed to “snooze it” in my world. Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, sometimes I need a little bit of a buffer. Sometimes I do pop out of bed right away, but sometimes I'll – you know, it's a good way for me to kind of segue myself out of bed. Claudia A. Altucher:   So what time do you go to bed then? Laruga Glaser:           In a perfect world: 8:00 PM. That doesn't always happen. Usually, I really start winding down between 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM, but the best time for me to be in bed is before 8:30 PM, really. Claudia A. Altucher:   Yeah, you need that. For me, too, only I don't wake up that early. That's very impressive to me. Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, yeah, that's important. [Laughter] So – Claudia A. Altucher:   And then what did you do? Laruga Glaser:           Then – so I'll do my practice, then it's like I have to, very quickly, kind of shower and get ready to head to the studio to teach. So my commute isn't too bad – it's about, from door-to-door, it's maybe about 20 minutes? Claudia A. Altucher:   Do you go by train, I guess? Or – Laruga Glaser:           Yeah. Twenty – twenty-five minutes, really, actually. So, yeah, I catch a train into the city center and make my way to Yogayama to teach. So I start around – a little after 6:30AM is when I start teaching. So my boyfriend leaves, actually, earlier to open the doors; he opens the doors at the studio at 6:00 AM. So some students like to arrive before I arrive to get started. Claudia A. Altucher:   Right, right. Yeah. Laruga Glaser:           So he's a really big help for me because then it allows me to have some breathing room to do my practice because I won't – you know, it's – I will not wake up at 2:00 AM or 1:00 AM to do my practice. [Laughs] Claudia A. Altucher:   No, that will be – yeah. That will be going Sharath – like, going a little – like, well, he has to 'cause he opens at 4:00 AM, but – yeah. So your boyfriend is very into Ashtanga yoga as well; in fact, you met him in Mysore, is that right? Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, I did. I met him in Mysore in 2009, and – yeah, so we both have this mutual passion or dedication for the practice, which is really nice. We – but, you know, yoga doesn't necessarily consume our life and conversation day-to-day, but it really – we kind of just have this steady acknowledgment of that it's something that we do daily. We support each other's process, and also he supports my teaching, and I also support his practice and also his teaching. He teaches a little bit – not nearly as much because he has another full-time job. It's a great thing to share together, so – Claudia A. Altucher:   Yeah, of course. And so you teach from 6:30 AM or so until what time? Laruga Glaser:           Until 10:00 AM. Claudia A. Altucher:   Ah, okay. Mysore – where you're adjusting everybody depending on the level they're at. Laruga Glaser:           Yes, yes. So – Claudia A. Altucher:   And what happens after 10:00 AM? Laruga Glaser:           So – oh, gosh. It could be so many things. You know, sometimes I have meetings and different things that have to do with teaching at Yogayama; other times, it's a matter of me – you know, I'll come back home, I'll eat something 'cause, usually, after practice, I really don't have time to eat, and, actually, don't like to really eat too much before teaching – so it's kind of really like my first meal after teaching. So I definitely try to have something to eat. And then I do need to rest and wind down after teaching. Claudia A. Altucher:   Of course, of course, and, you know, it's interesting what you said right there, and I find this the more I practice. I've been practicing daily, non-stop, since 2007 – even though I started in '05. Like, there's always a transition between starting Ashtanga, but I find the more I practice, the less I want to eat until late in the day – seems to be – the practice seems to generate that. Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, I find it really interesting. But I have gone through different cycles with that where – you're kind of in the practice in a way where it seems like the appetite drops where you want to eat later, but then I've also gone through some cycles, too, where it's like – it seems like my body wants food earlier in the day or the metabolism or my appetite has increased. You know, sometimes it waxes and wanes, which I find kind of interesting as well. Claudia A. Altucher:   Well, maybe I'll experience that when I get to higher levels. I am only in that primary – little bit of intermediate – series. Maybe when I get to the ultra-strong handstands and balances, poses that you have amazing photos of, maybe then my appetite will change. Laruga Glaser:           Well, I mean, that's still high level. I think just daily practices and consistency and – that's an advanced practice, too. I don't know if it's always – I don't know if it's always these other more advanced poses all the time, but – Claudia A. Altucher:   You talked recently – you said that you were – you had been experiencing, I think I heard this in an interview, a little bit of fatigue during a period of your practice, and – Laruga Glaser:           Oh, yeah. Yeah, I did. So, yeah – I just – it was a little bit like I kind of – just – I don't know if the right term would be kind of “hitting a wall” a little bit – just – I think there are several factors going into it. One thing is, like, just adapting to living in Sweden. So when I first moved, it's kind of like everything is new. And like, you know, the body and my – and everything is just kind of like calibrating to being in a new place, but Claudia A. Altucher:   Where were you living before Sweden? Laruga Glaser:           I was in the Midwest; I was in Columbus, Ohio. Claudia A. Altucher:   Where you were born? Laruga Glaser:           No, no, no. I actually was born in South Carolina. Claudia A. Altucher:   Oh, you were born in South Carolina? Oh. Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, I was born – but I didn't stay there for long. So when my sister was born, she – we're only 13 months apart – Claudia A. Altucher:   Oh. Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, so – yeah, that's a quick turnover – Claudia A. Altucher:   Yeah, very quick. Laruga Glaser:           [Laughs] When she was born, then we moved away from South Carolina, and we moved to Illinois, where I grew up in a small town called Edwardsville that's like in the southern part of the state – so, not close to Chicago. Like, every time I bring up the state Illinois, everyone thinks, “Oh, you were from Chicago” – which is actually where my dad is from originally. So I grew up there until about – yeah – the time that I graduated high school. And then I ended up in Columbus, Ohio, when I went to university there at Ohio State. Claudia A. Altucher:   What did you study in university? Laruga Glaser:           It's really – so I changed my major, like, four or five times. But I actually – I graduated with a bachelor's of science degree in human ecology with a focus on fashion merchandising. Claudia A. Altucher:   Wow. And then from that to yoga teacher? Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, yeah, so – yeah. I mean, it was – I think, too, because of the fact that I changed my major so many times, I was a little bit not – I was just a little bit confused on where to go. You know – Claudia A. Altucher:   But you started yoga really, really early, so you were practicing already by this time. Laruga Glaser:           Yeah, and I wasn't – you know – I can't say that I was super, super serious, but I was really – so when I first discovered yoga, and actually before I even started practicing Asana, I was really interested in spirituality, philosophy – you know, I was even dabbling in New Age thought; I was reading about meditation; I was reading about Buddhism – anything I could get my hands on when it came to just spirituality, different views of thought – and through that investigation, I came across like – that's when I came across Ashtanga yoga, like the eight limbs, before even understanding that there's an Asana practice called Ashtanga yoga. So it was just like I had all this information, and then yoga just really sparked my interest. I just loved this – I don't know – it just seemed so holistic in a way where it's like – it was about self-investigation and about practice and self-reflection and just being guided within and all these things. It really spoke to me versus kind of like more religious establishments, kind of telling you from the outside: follow these rules, “Do this, do that.” The whole path of yoga kind of just – there was something in it that I acknowledged, that I recognized, that kind of sparked something within me. And then to find Asana practice, which was actually the tool of using the body to further this investigation, just really excited me. I just thought joining the use of the body with the mind and the spirit – I just felt like that was so amazing. Claudia A. Altucher:   Yeah, and I especially find that interesting particularly with Ashtanga yoga because it's a type of – the Asana in the lineage of Pattabhi Jois is so challenging. They take the Asana part so seriously, and the breathing, that it really puts you in touch with the body right away. You start feeling that transformation in the body immediately, and so the questions begin to come because it's so intense. Laruga Glaser:           Most definitely. Yeah, I mean – yeah, this gateway of using the breath and the body, so breathing consciously and just moving and – I just – I feel like in the Ashtanga yoga practice, yeah, there is an intensity, but it doesn't necessarily always have to be intense. Sometimes, we can add on layers of intensity that don't necessarily have to be there, but there's something about this Asana practice where, you know, you're kind of uniting breath and movement and you're using the body as a tool where it's just – you connect to all the sheaths of your body in a way where it's not just physical. You feel the mental sheath, the subtle sheath, that all of these just kind of like – it's like all of a sudden, you kind of connect to it. And I remember, early on, when I was practicing, I didn't really understand what that was – like, but then, later, when you kind of do something reading and you're kind of like, “Oh, yeah. Okay. That's kind of something that I was experiencing or connecting to.” But I will tell you, my first start with Asana practice – I was doing other forms, which I really enjoyed – like kind of softer forms, or a little bit more like Iyengar-type of inspired practices. But when I found Ashtanga yoga, it was like – I don't know – it was just like the clouds parted, the angels sang – [Laughter] I don't know. Right away, I just had such a strong connection to it even though it was very challenging. It wasn't like it just – everything just was so easy, but I just – there was something to it that just ran a little bit deeper inside that I hadn't really experienced before. Read the Full Transcript Here