MH: I was aware of yoga as a young child through reading books from the library and browsing through some of my mother's books, too. But it wasn’t until 1968 that I actually took my first class in NYC at the Integral Yoga Institute. I remember savoring the peaceful feeling in my first savasana (final resting pose). I went on to continue studying yoga along with meditation, tai chi, and a number of other somatic practices. Later in the mid-80’s, I lived for 9 months in the Ananda Ashram and Sivananda Yoga Ranch in New York state and spent a summer at Siddhachalam in New Jersey.
NC: What is your favorite pose? Why?
MH: My favorite pose is sirshasana (headstand), always followed by salamba sarvangasana (shoulder stand), halasana (plough pose) and matsyasana (fish pose). I find that sirshasana quiets my mind and allows me to move better throughout my day, with my feet firmly planted and my head uplifted. I feel a beneficial integration of body and mind that I can carry with me.
NC: How has yoga improved your life?
MH: Yoga has made me more cheerful, helped me better deal with stress, and overall feel more fit and lively. I am a counselor working with disadvantaged youth and have found that yoga has helped me stay less reactive and more effective in my job. By staying calm, I am able to give youth the safety and space to be more reflective of their actions as well.
NC: What is the essence of yoga to you?
MH: As BK (Niroga Institute Executive Director) often states in his classes, yoga is about the twin goals of self-realization and selfless service. The more in touch you are with your core being, the more you can relate to the core being in others, giving you access to be of better service to others. Yoga is also a way of coping with our own mortality; teaching us to make the most of this life.
NC: What would you most like your students to learn from your class?
MH: I encourage students to practice yoga with gentle self-acceptance and mindful awareness while emphasizing the principles of ahimsa (non-harmfulness) and satya (truthfulness). Through consistent yoga practice with gentle self-acceptance, we learn to listen to our bodies and be true to ourselves. I often say in my class, “My words are invitations for your explorations, they are not obligations.”
*Mitch would like to give thanks to Niroga for providing distinctive benefits for those who don’t fit into today’s chic yoga culture and many thanks to the students who are not only supporting themselves but in turn are supporting Niroga’s outreach in the community. To learn more about Niroga’s outreach, visit http://www.niroga.org