Honoring Our Teachers this week of Guru Purmina - this includes YOU!
Each summer, the yoga tradition celebrates Guru Purnima, a time to honor the teachers who have illuminated our path from our practice lineage. It is an opportunity to pause in gratitude for the wisdom that has been shared across generations and to reflect on how that wisdom continues to shape our own lives.
This year's celebration felt especially meaningful. As I reflected on my own journey, I found myself thinking not only about the remarkable teachers who have guided me, but also about the extraordinary community that has grown around Life Fit Yoga. It reminded me that while every teacher leaves an imprint, every student does too.
My path has been deeply influenced by many generous teachers. Lillah Schwartz first introduced me to the Iyengar tradition and opened the door to learning from extraordinary senior teachers, including Felicity Green, Marion Garfinkle, Eric Small, Judith Lasater, Elise Browning-Miller, Dr. Loren Fishman, Aadil Palkhivala, and Bryan Legere. Each offered a unique perspective on the art and science of yoga, shaping not only how I practice but how I teach.
My studies with Aadil Palkhivala challenged me to think more deeply about yoga as a path of transformation. Traveling with him to India was a life-changing experience that expanded my understanding of yoga and Ayurveda.
Later, my studies with Indu Arora invited me into the more subtle dimensions of the practice through Yoga Nidra, mantra, bandhas, and accessible Ayurveda. She helped me appreciate that some of yoga's greatest lessons are found not in striving, but in listening—in cultivating awareness, presence, and discernment.
Although these teachers came from different backgrounds and emphasized different aspects of yoga, they shared something important: a commitment to lifelong learning, humility, and purpose. Their influence continues to inspire me to remain a student first. “Look with the eyes of a beginner each time you step onto the mat.” - Lillah Schwartz
That commitment has also led me to pursue knowledge beyond the yoga studio. Earning a doctorate in Kinesiology allowed me to explore the science of movement, health, and human performance while contributing to the growing evidence base supporting yoga and yoga therapy. Science has enriched my appreciation for the wisdom of yoga Together, they continue to shape the educational philosophy behind every Life Fit Yoga class, workshop, retreat, and training. Applying ancient yogic wisdom is essential for resilience and for thriving in these current times.
Over the past 35 years, I have been privileged to teach students, mentor yoga teachers, lead workshops and retreats, co-author two books, and conduct research in the yoga space. Yet if there is one lesson that has remained constant, it is this:
Our students are our teachers.
Every person who walks through the door brings a unique story, perspective, challenge, and strength. Together, we create something that none of us could create alone. The questions you ask, the insights you share, the courage you demonstrate, and the relationships you build with one another continually guide my teaching, offerings, and the Life Fit Yoga community.
That same spirit of community naturally expanded into service. What began as a community yoga project eventually grew into founding The Yoga Connection, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making yoga accessible to immigrant and refugee women, new arrival friends , who enrich our '“ever widening circle.” For me, this work is an expression of seva—selfless service—and dharma, living with purpose in contributing to the well-being of the whole. Yoga has never been only about what happens on the mat; it asks us to carry our practice into the world.
Recently, during our retreat in Italy, one of the retreat administrators shared a compliment that deeply touched me. They told us we were the best group they had hosted.
As meaningful as those words were, they were never about me.
They reflected not only those participants, but the Life Fit Yoga community.
They reflected the kindness, curiosity, generosity, laughter, openness, and respect that each member of our community brings wherever we gather. They reflected years of practicing not only poses, but compassion, presence, patience, and connection.
My heart was full—not because of recognition, but because it affirmed what I have long believed: when people come together with openness and a shared intention to learn, something truly special happens - we LIVE our practice.
As we begin another season at Life Fit Yoga, I hope you'll know that you are not simply signing up for a class. You are becoming part of a community rooted in lifelong learning and mutual support. We honor the teachers who came before us, we learn from one another in the present, and together we carry these practices beyond ourselves and into the world.
For that, and for each of you, I am deeply grateful.
A Reflection for Your Practice
Who has shaped your path? Take a moment to reflect on the teachers, mentors, friends, or loved ones who have influenced your life. Reach out to one of them this week with a note of gratitude—or simply carry their lessons forward through an act of kindness.