Teacher Spotlight: Chris Reber

What is your current practice like?

Currently I practice the ashtanga intermediate series at home 3-4 days a week and hop into a led vinyasa class the other couple of days. I follow closely to the ashtanga lineage as I'm drawn to the discipline, rigor and structure that the practice offers. However, I also enjoy being led through fun and creative sequences from my favorite teachers. Its all about balance right?

What was your first yoga experience like?

My first yoga class was entirely life changing! I first came to yoga as a freshman in college and decided to go to a class through a referral of one of my friends. The class was hard and challenged me in ways I never even knew were possible. I remember the torrential rain of sweat as it fell down my face and the way my legs shook in warrior two like i'd been electrocuted. The teacher demo-ed Bakasana(crow) and I was fascinated with such gravity defying feats as the arm balance suggested. The next day I woke up really sore but also felt incredibly strong. However compared to the type of localized strength one builds in a gym by lifting weights to target certain muscle groups, this felt different. I felt radiant, renewed and ready to go back the next day. I haven't stopped since :)

What are some of your current favorite asanas and why?

A few of my favorite asanas as of right now include Marichyasana D and Uthitta Hasta Pada Gustasana. Marichy D simply because I feel the most sensation from the posture. I love a good twist :). Utthita hasta has always been one of my favorites as it continues to challenge me. I'm enamored by the amount of strength and flexibility required to access the posture.

Do you like to listen to music when practicing? If so, what are some of your favorite songs to hear in class?

I listen to music on occasion when I practice at home. Some songs I love to play are anything by Fleetwood Mac or Sia. More specifically two songs I like include "Live like a Warrior" by Matisyahu and "Great Spirit" by Nahko and medicine for the People.

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

The teachers who have been the most influential to my practice are Mimi Rieger and Day Christensen. Day has been practicing ashtanga for 15 plus years and travels around the world teaching Mysore, and assists under Sharath Jois in Mysore India. What I love about Day is that she is not only unbelievably strong but her teaching is very blunt and to the point. She tells you like it is. No frills or fluff. Mimi is the first teacher to show me the importance of intention behind my movements. Prior to her classes I would carelessly step and stomp around my mat, unaware of how wasteful I was with my energy. She taught me that the opportunity to build strength is not only found in the postures themselves but all the transitions between. I draw inspiration from both of these amazing teachers in my daily practice.

Check out Chris' class on Sundays from 12:15-1:15PM to see what everyone has been raving about! And say hi and give him a congratulations when you see him around the studio if you can! 

#IAMNOTSOMESICKABOMINATION

#IAMNOTSOMESICKABOMINATION

When I was a little boy I wanted to play with the girls, not the boys. I preferred playing house to cars and kickball. In elementary school when we lined up to choose teams for basketball I was always picked last. My baseball coach screamed at me for closing my eyes when the ball came at me. I bit my fingernails so badly that when the other boys through me the ball, during passing drills at basketball practice, my fingers bled. Many days just the knowing that basketball practice was looming made me so anxious that I’d get sick and end up in the nurse’s office – and with any luck, sent home.

On the farm I preferred to stay at the house and help Grandma to being out with Grandpa and my uncles in the fields. I’d do whatever I could to make that seem like the logical choice. My uncles would call me “little Suzy homemaker”.

When I was 11 years old I saw a naked boy (that wasn’t one of my brothers) for the first time and my gaze was transfixed. I remember being paranoid that someone might have seen my looking. I didn’t mean to look, but I couldn’t seem to stop the urge to do so. I didn’t understand it. I didn’t ask for it. I didn’t want to do it. I was so confused and yet there was some part of me that felt happy, excited and wanted to talk about it. Of course that was not an option. Pretty much from that day forward I knew I was somehow different.

At 13 I had my first, and only, hunting experience. My grandpa took me out into the woods with a rifle and a bird dog. The dog scared up a bunch of quail and my grandpa yelled “shoot!”, so I raised the rifle and pulled the trigger. The kickback knocked me to the ground – flat out on my back and nearly took my chin and shoulder off in the process. It was one of the most humiliating moments of my young life. The one saving grace is that I didn’t hit anything. (I haven’t touched a gun since and never will – I don’t see a need for anyone to have one anywhere, anytime for any reason, ever. Done.)

From about 13 to 18, I would frequently use the bathroom in my parent’s bedroom because my Dad kept his Bible on the back of the toilet. I knew the location of all the verses that condemn what I knew I was – a homosexual – an abomination, damned to hell. I would read them and berate myself – I didn’t know what flogging was at the time, but it was the equivalent of emotional flogging. I would swear that I would change. I would ask Jesus to help me change. And then I’d walk out of the bathroom hoping to be changed. It never happened.

As if my fascination with figure skating, The Sound of Music, and International Male magazine weren’t enough, at 16 Molly Ringwald became my great hope. “Sixteen Candles” rocked my world. I was crazy attracted to Jake Ryan and I’d rewind the last couple minutes and watch them over and over again dreaming of being Molly Ringwald (only still me, a boy). I pretended to be nuts about her to try and make my behavior acceptable, which wasn’t an easy sell because a pale freckly red head was not all the rage with my friends or brothers.

Growing up I had absolutely NO reference point. The only gay exposure I had was a brief flash of the New York City Pride Parade, on a channel that was promptly changed. What I saw, mostly drag queens, scared me big time and didn’t seem like me. And then there was Greg Louganis busting his head during a dive at the Olympics and the accompanying HIV/AIDS paranoia, but I was 16 and that seemed remote – and again scary. It wasn’t talked about in our Southern Indiana community and if it was it was something like “faggot deserves to die, it’s God’s will”.

I went through periods of disliking myself to the point of contemplating suicide, constantly wondering if anyone could “tell”, hating my big red hair and my skinny body so much that I was afraid to go outside. There was a time when it would take me hours to convince myself to leave my home just to go for groceries and when I did constantly feeling like everyone was looking at me and thinking how gay and ugly I was.

At Purdue – one of the straightest places in America in the early ‘90s – I rewrote the narrative. I told myself that I’d find my Molly Ringwald there and for more than three years, I thought I did. I worked hard to push the “perverse” thoughts out of my head and do what was expected of me – and nearly hurt someone I love very much in the process. But, I thought I was saved, for a while I actually thought the “phase” was behind me.

My mind control rewrite had one major flaw – it was a big fat lie. I have been gay since the day I was born, I’d say even before that. For at least 12 years I had been stuck inside my head with no one to talk to, no one to share what was really happening, no one to hold me when I hurt.

At 23 I laid eyes on a man that sent a thunderbolt through me. Then and there, on the spot, I knew it meant there was no going back. I wrecked my car twice that week….

The ten years that followed were filled with discovery, new experiences, love, heartache, love again, more heartache, New York City, world travel, drugs, physical and emotional abuse, recovery, Buddhism, healing, celebration, yoga, meeting the one who would stick by me, and the beginning of being able to accept myself for what I AM. You know, life.

So, as I settled into the backseat of a Marati sedan to be driven from Mysore to Bangalore earlier this month, I put on my headphones, brought up Spotify and began to listen to music that my good friend Michael Joel Hall had sent me the night before. Music created by a mutual friend and all around badass – Pamela Xing. It starts off with a sample of our illustrious President (insert facetiousness), Donald Trump, talking about trying to fuck a married woman and grabbing her pussy – you know the one (yes, that’s right, the President of the United States of America – you know, the one the “Christians” voted for – give me a break, this man is the furthest thing from Christian on the planet). Then comes samples of amazing women – Ashley Judd and Hillary Clinton – inspiring with their words and resisting his, and that of all men and their long history of oppression.

I kept listening, goosebumps on goosebumps. Then, the 3rd track came on and I heard:

I’ve been silent in this tower locked away

I’m so sick of playing good boy with this forced smile on my face

Now, I’m a fucking soldier, marching through these streets

I’m a flame that keeps on burning putting out the weak that shut me down

No, you will never keep me down

NO, you can’t stop me!

I’m fighting for my generation!

I’m not a fault of God’s creation!

I’m not some group they’re rioting for…

NO, you can’t stop me!

I’m not a blight upon the nation!

I’m not some sick abomination!

I’m not the demon in your head!

                        *(Leather + Sushi – “You Can’t Stop Me” – from the EP “She Persisted”)

I was blown away! WOKE! I felt like she was speaking for me. To me. I felt like ripping my clothes off, jumping on the back of a motorcycle and driving around the world with this song wailing as loud as it will go!

You see, we’re ALL fucked up in our own special way — and that’s OK. Deep down each and every one of us carries this flame that keeps on burning – and it is PERFECT. It is Buddha nature. It is Krishna consciousness. It is Jesus’ love. It is Muhammad’s wisdom. It is cosmic consciousness. It is all those things. We just need to remember, accept and RESPECT.

In the words of Ashley Judd, “WE ARE HERE TO BE RESPECTED! WE ARE HERE TO BE NASTY!” (In the best way possible).

Thank you Pam. Thank you.

There were ups and downs, but almost always, the ups were supported by the strength and encouragement of a woman. For that – Regina, Johnna, Missy, Tracie, Erika, Lora, Nancy, Kelly, Amy, Beth, Lucy, Stover, Quick, Michelle, Rebecca, Sabrina, Sarah, Carolyn, Shannon, Kelly, Sharon, Becky, Jill, Alanna, Jessica, Andrea, Kendyll, Brit, Deb, Marni, Liz, Lizandra, Joanna and Jen and my Lola – you’re always with me and I am grateful. If it weren’t for your unconditional support at various points in my life, I might not be here today.

Even today, I’m struggling with sharing this, afraid that I will hurt some that I love very much. If you’re in that category, please know, I’m not sharing this to hurt anyone. I’m sharing it because it’s my truth and in some way I’m hoping it will open up conversations that would benefit us, maybe even bring a bit more love  and understanding into the world and maybe somehow sharing my struggle will help lessen someone elses. And I’m sharing this in tribute to the strength of women everywhere.

Cory is returning next week. He has 3 workshops prepared for March including:  Asana Tune Up (Headstands!), Yoga Sadhana Studies and...Buddha Time, a spiritual city field trip with @carolineyogadc you won't want to miss! Visit our special events page for all the details!
 

Stand as tall on the inside as you are on the outside…

Meet Mimi Rieger

This noble piece of advice or I call it my “mantra” was spiritually gifted
to me by my grandfather on my father’s side. Although he himself was
short in stature his wisdom rose high as did his progressive aims in
business and creating community. Standing at 5’8, I inherited my height
from my maternal grandmother who taught me to be diligent, hard
working and to always be kind. It was only until I found my true path
did these treasured bits of guidance begin to take shape and I was able
to recognize the strength, resilience, awareness and growth I was
cultivating.

Yoga found me in Washington, DC in 1998 as I worked to make roots in
a brand new city. My southern upbringing provided me with robust
social skills but I lacked the personal moxie and evolution to know what
my true calling could be. Enter my very first yoga teacher, David. He
knew nothing about me, we did not speak for the first month I took class
at his studio, I kept my head down and did my work on the mat. Under
his watchful eye the magic of Yoga began to sink into my muscles and
immersed more compassionately into my soul. Things began to shift and
a glimmer of that taller version of myself began to take a stand. As I
grew stronger and more agile on the outside, I grew kinder, more
confident and softer on the inside.

As a martial artist, prolific mover of all types of fitness and dance I felt
very at home in powering through circumstances both physically and
emotionally, a dead end destination. As yoga began to open my eyes I
no longer saw this new city as a one-track highway but a grid with
infinite possibilities. I learned to navigate my life on my own terms, take
risks both professionally and personally and chose to spend time with a
new community; one that challenged me and my less, cultivated
perspectives on “real life” and learned to become a person of service.
After a steady practice for 3 years I became a yoga teacher, that’s when
the above mantra began to take real shape. As a guide, I could no longer
hide behind the movement, the postures and the breath, I had to take a
tall stand and trust that I actually knew what I was talking about; my
diligence and hard work at the forefront of my new journey.
Coming from an OCD, often thin skinned, tenderhearted individual like me,
this was quite the RISK. BIG TIME!

Fast-forward 17 years. That risk has awarded me with incredible
experiences and life moments. Gaining insight into who I am and who I
continue to become has presented opportunities beyond my
imagination. Today, as a small business owner and teacher I have been
honored to teach on International teaching platforms, film videos, teach
First Lady, Michelle Obama in the White House for her “Let’s Move”
initiative and other amazingly fortunate experiences that as a budding
yogi I could have never fathomed.   I continue to be inspired to seek, to
reach, to serve, to explore, to love, to risk, to think waaaay outside of the
box and to be still and let things happen (very hard!!).   

This is a brief glimpse of how my valued family, the practice of yoga, and
the willingness to diverge on a different path has contoured my soul.
Keeping myself healthy with practice, time with my family, laughter,
travelling to my bucket list destinations, cultivating my design business,
and taking time to just “be” has created a cornerstone for me in DC. As
my story continues to unfold and my insides continue to rise taller I am
excited to see where the next path leads me…

You can practice & get inspired by Mimi throughout the week at Flow.

Attitude, Belief, & Determination

Peace be with you friend,
Please trust that deep within the fabric of your being there is a limitless creativity relentlessly expressing itself through you. The wide variety of myths, fables, and stories that wind their way through the human narrative praise and sometimes deify virtues like courage, selflessness, and forgiveness. For many of us those lofty heights seem inaccessible in the daily hustle to bind our sense of satisfaction and security with our actions and their results. The parables teach us to find ourselves in their characters and remember the source of confidence is our life.

It is fairly easy to be discouraged and fall into helplessness by the cruelty and cowardice of systemic dehumanization of the social and political world. The simple dreams and hopes for the human spirit that people like Mother Theresa, Dr. King, or Ghandi urged us to remember still bring light into the dark corners of heavy hearts. Dr. King said, "Love has within it a redemptive power. And there is a power there that eventually transforms individuals. Just keep being friendly to that person. Just keep loving them, and they can’t stand it too long. Oh, they react in many ways in the beginning. They react with guilt feelings, and sometimes they’ll hate you a little more at that transition period, but just keep loving them. And by the power of your love they will break down under the load. That’s love, you see. It is redemptive, and this is why Jesus says love. There’s something about love that builds up and is creative. There is something about hate that tears down and is destructive. So love your enemies." Kindness, respect, and dignity are byproducts of firmly establishing ourselves in the unshakeable power of being alive. Firmly and gratefully holding the precious gift of our life and recognizing the fragility and fleeting spark of intelligence that lives in each of us opens a space for new choices to emerge.

Life contracts in the presence of violence and hatred, but flourishes and rises when it is free to explore and express itself. This planet is a prime place for life to express itself in astonishing and surprising ways, and human beings are only one expression. Real confidence is trusting in the force of life to continue to change, grow, and recycle itself into novel forms. Confidence, then, is not a product of our will, choices, minds, or actions. It is the consequence of allowing the unlimited capacity for life's expression to freely move through us. Our bodies, minds, and relationships are vehicles for life to interact with itself in every form it chooses to utilize. We are helplessly bound to the principles that support life, and must remember that we are not the "do-er."

Getting out of the way, giving up self-perpetuated habits, ideas, and patterns so that life can flow through us is the road to freedom from suffering. There are many ways to travel the road. Pick one. Remember: Attitude, Belief, and Determination, are the elements that make diamonds of us all, like this funky Chicago underground gem from Martin L. Dumas Jr.

How to Find a Genuine Teacher

In yoga the teacher plays an important role. The teacher not only sheds light on the subject of yoga - but the relationship itself is foundational. The specifics of the teaching such as techniques and beliefs are not as important as the love and relationship established between student and teacher. Yoga, to yoke, is about connectedness, and that begins with the connection between two beings. Connection is the driving force in transformation.

Good teachers remain heavy in their experience and not swayed. One of the definitions of Guru is heavy.

I think as students we seek to find teachers because we need someone to help us hold what is too big for us all on our own, and hopefully to provide a vision for us beyond what we can imagine for ourselves.

One of the central components of being a good teacher, is to be clear on what you’re teaching. My job as a teacher is to impart my knowledge of asana, but I’m not an asana teacher, I’m a yoga teacher. My job is also to encourage students to develop as people. To use their asana practice as a platform for improving their quality of life, and the lives of those around them. This is a big task and we all need to reach out for help, and to know that we are not alone on this path. 

When studying yoga it is really helpful to find someone who can be your teacher, but this can also be challenging. Because the relationship is so central to growth and development mutual affection is key. A teacher isn’t a master, but they should be someone who has spent time learning about the process of yoga and has progressed to a point where they understand the process well enough to guide you through it. 

Ethical conduct is central to yogic teachings. Finding an ethical and authentic teacher is hard in this social media age. Yoga is often misrepresented in our society. People often misrepresent themselves. There is a value placed on beautiful, young, bendy people, and there is often value placed on asana over the other limbs of yoga. It took me years to figure out what it means to be a teacher - I’m still figuring it out. Fortunately, I have had strong teachers influencing my practice and my teaching. 

Find a teacher who leads by example and embodies the person you want to be, not the pose you want to do. 

The whole point of practice, as I see it, is to bring out the best in us as human beings. Therefore, the way to measure our practice is by the extent to which we are moving closer to the ideals of compassion, humility, kindness, and honesty. This has to be especially true of our teachers who are essentially our leaders.

A yoga teacher is a guide for the community they lead. Teachers inspire us with the devotion that they demonstrate. And they make us feel safe and trusting by the care and concern they show for others. Teachers create an environment that allows us to be vulnerable, to drop our guard, and to be receptive. 

Personally, I want a teacher who practices what they preach. Finding a teacher is hard. And not everyone will be so lucky to do so – that’s ok too. I’ll address that at the end.

Here are some things to consider when finding a genuine teacher.

• The teacher should demonstrate a commitment to practice. That’s where all the information is! You are trusting someone with your physical and spiritual well-being - you want to be sure that they have experienced it first-hand. A teacher should have a clear commitment to their own practice and study. 
  
  As a teacher I know that I have to put more energy into my own practice than I do my teaching. It took me a few years to figure this out. But if you do not invest more energy into your own practice than you do your teaching then you will eventually end up in a deficit. It might not seem like this now, but I assure you it will happen. 

• Look for a teacher who promotes a lineage, not themselves. If a teacher is a showoff or is the focus of their own class, it is probably an indication that something is not quite right. But if a teacher has studied under a lineage of respected teachers, and honors the lineage and teachers who paved the way, then this is a good sign. It surely does not guarantee that anyone will be a good teacher, but upholding value and tradition is a good start.
   
• A good teacher exhibits trust and compassion. As students, we need to feel that the teacher is on our side. A genuine teacher deeply cares about the student and their progress on the path. 
   
• Teaching should be student driven/focused. The whole point of the student teacher relationship is that it should benefit the student. Teachers are humans too, and you can’t expect them to be perfect - if you do you will surely be disappointed. But it’s important to remember that as a student, you can leave the teacher. This isn’t a personal failing, its good judgment. If it isn’t working for you then look elsewhere. 

Good teachers know what they’re teaching, and good students know what they’re learning.

• The relationship between student and teacher can take different forms. We aren’t all so fortunate to have teachers we see regularly. A teacher can be someone who sets an example and offers you instruction. This can also come to you through books or talks and you could regard someone you have never met as a teacher. I would encourage you though, if you have those feelings toward a teacher you have never met, go and meet them! It’s a gift!

It’s also possible to have more than one teacher or source of inspiration. Many students have more than one teacher who plays different roles in their lives. You want to be able to filter the teachings and apply what works for you. This does require the student to really know themselves. If you find it confusing, I suggest only having one teacher.