Karma Yogi Spotlight: Daniela Stevens!

Karma Yogi of the Month - Daniela Stevens!  Daniela has been on board for almost 6 months now and we are so glad she has joined us!  Her loving and sweet presence has enriched our team, and we so appreciate her team player spirit and ability to go-with-the-flow ;)  Read more about her below!

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

The sense of community that all Flow staff, teachers, and yogis create. Flow's lovely energy and a safe environment make me feel at home and inspire me to show up for others and for myself!

What was your first yoga experience like?

It was embarrassing! I fell over trying to do a headstand... on my first class! It was so much fun, though :)

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

I took the Yoga Teacher Training last fall. Deb, Cath, and Sam did an awesome job leading the training, and each of them left a lasting impression on me. They have different styles, but in the end, they converge in the practice of yoga for self-realization.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

I'm a frustrated musician! I love playing the guitar -as an amateur- and I used to play the violin as a child.

What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?

My practice changes as do my needs, body, and schedule, but it is pretty constant. I take Susan's vinyasa flow before my KY shift most Wednesdays, the class is awesome and the timing is so convenient!

Thank you for being a part of our community, Daniela!  We love and appreciate you!

we are family!

Please join us to support our "Together Rising" fundraiser and community gathering (Saturday 7/14, 6:30pm at the National Cathedral) to help reunite & care for families separated at the US southern border.
 

What I admire and love most about Debra - my wife and partner at Flow - is the way she cares for our family. Her care-giving is instinctive and powerful and beautiful. And her view of “family” is in the biggest sense of the word… big enough to include everyone she knows personally, and also the lives she “meets” indirectly - through news and connection through her community.

Like many of you, seeing the bonds of family shredded recently at our country’s southern border broke our hearts. Personal politics aside, what pained us the most was the inhumanity in it - inhumanity unnecessary to uphold the law nobly. The way we uphold our laws matters. And we know there was - and is - an option here to uphold the law and our collective humanity.

In the fallout of what’s happened recently, Debra did what she does most naturally - she started to gather the family around her to step up for those that needed help. With the support of so many good people, it’s culminated in the “Together Rising” fundraiser and community gathering this Saturday at the National Cathedral.

I’m so inspired to help support what they’ve launched. And I want to invite you and help support it too... by making a donation, coming out to join us in person this Saturday, and ideally both!

Two last things to know…

1. 100% of your donation will support groups leading efforts to reunite families, provide legal support, and heal the emotional trauma that continues for separated children and their parents. And,
    
2. By coming together in this way, we reclaim some of the humanity that’s been sacrificed in all of this, and nurture our power to step up together for each other - our larger human family.

With admiration, gratitude and love to Debra and everyone out there on the front lines for family!

Ian

Teacher Spotlight: Caroline Weaver

Caroline (in the middle) with Richard Freeman (L) and Mary Taylor (R)!

Please meet our featured teacher, Caroline Weaver! Caroline is celebrating her 10th anniversary teaching at Flow - how incredible! We are so fortunate to have Caroline on staff - a teacher with a never-ending thirst for further knowledge, who is always intensely exploring the depths of yoga through her own practice.  Truly inspiring!

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

Flow is like a second home to me. Every day I am inspired by the dedication of Deb and Ian and the staff, who make me feel so supported—I'm incredibly grateful to them. I'm inspired by my Flow yoga teacher colleagues, who are infinitely generous and knowledgeable. Finally, I am inspired by the folks who show up for class—some of whom I've known for years, whose practices I've seen change over time, and some who I'm just meeting for the first time. Their willingness to show up, to keep coming back, inspires me to keep learning, keep experimenting, keep growing as a teacher and as a student myself.

What was your first yoga experience like?

I think I was 12 or 13—there was a teacher in summer school who taught us sun salutations and yoga nidra. I loved it but being a teenager wasn't really interested in equanimity or peace of mind, ha ha. So the yoga fell by the wayside until my late 20s.

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Max Strom, John Schumacher, Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, Doug Keller, and, as of late, Christina Sell. I'm also very interested in the work of Matthew Sanford and plan to go study with him sometime in the next year.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

Oh gosh, I wish I had a zany anecdote to tell but the truth is my life has probably been fairly boring up to now—at least compared to some folks I know! I'm cool with that, though. I'm grateful for this life. And I'm grateful for the people and circumstances that allow me to teach yoga.

What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?

I fit it in when and how I can! Usually that means practicing in the morning, whether it's in the Mysore room or at home. Whatever I am doing, I want to work with intelligence, with discernment and perception, so it is a creative and truth-seeking endeavor. I approach practice based on how things are feeling—I'm definitely not a fundamentalist—but I am specific and intentional about it. So for example, this morning I had planned on going to Cory's Led Primary class, but because of some pain in my body I decided to practice at home instead, a therapeutic viniyoga-style practice with pranayama, yoga nidra, and meditation. (I know that sounds really long but the whole thing was only about 45 minutes.)

Thank you for sharing, Caroline! We are so grateful that you have chosen to make Flow your yoga home!

Guest Spotlight: Patrick King!

Flowgis! Meet fellow Flowgi and our Guest Spotlight feature, Patrick King! Patrick has been a loyal and dedicated student in Leah's Saturday AM class since 2013 - that's amazing! Learn more about him below:

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

A psoas injury and several twisted ankles brought me to yoga. Track and Basketball injuries from high school had manifested in frequent shoulder and back pain by my second year in college. I found some relief in chiropractic, but that benefit eventually plateaued. So, my original reasons for coming to yoga was to regain flexibility and reduce the pain from previous injuries. While managing these injuries is still important, what keeps me coming back to Flow is the amazing community of people that the studio attracts. I’ve met truly wonderful people.

What was your first yoga experience like?

My first yoga experience was very humbling. I could also say brutal, but that wouldn’t be very yogic of me! My first yoga class was during Yoga Week after a friend recommended the studio. However, it took another seven months for me to start a regular practice. The first several years of practice felt like I was fighting my body in order to heal itself. That obviously didn’t work. More recently however, I am listening more to what my body needs and letting that voice lead the way to better health.

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Leah is by far my most influential teacher. I have taken Ashtanga with Gail and Todd, and have practiced at other studios, but I am in Leah’s class nearly every Saturday. Leah has been pretty open about her injuries and is really good about assisting other students working with their individual challenges. She creates a very non-competitive, non-judgmental, non-achievement-oriented environment for everyone, which is ideal for healing and strengthening.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

I grew up in Nashville, but I am actually from Morgantown, WVA.

What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?

My primary practice is Saturday morning Vinyasa with Leah, but I have also tried Ashtanga, and Iyengar. During the weekday, I incorporate stretches that I have learned in class, but rarely take the time for full sequences. My ever-recurring New Year's resolution is to find more time for yoga!

Thanks so much for sharing, Patrick! We love your steadfast Saturday routine :)

(pictured: Patrick and his wife at the KL tower in Malaysia!)

Karma Yogi Spotlight: Katie Krackenberger!

Karma Yogi of the Month - Katie Krackenberger! Katie is a member of the Mysore community and has been a part of the Flow team for over three years. She is an amazing rock and wealth of experience and her upbeat, sunny, and gracious attitude is always noticed :) We appreciate you, Katie! Learn more about her below:

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

The community around me, many of whom have had a dedicated practice for many years. They inspire me to stick with it, even after challenging times like periods of loss, injury, and the occasional (or not so occasional) bout of laziness!

What was your first yoga experience like?

My college roommate and I signed up for a 1 credit yoga seminar. I don't remember much about the experience, but I remember we laughed a lot, moved around, and had a good time. It was a nice gentle entry into the world of yoga.

What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?

I'm recovering from a lingering injury and recent surgery, so actually just got back on the mat at Flow last week. I practice Ashtanga and am part of Flow's Mysore program. While Mysore students practice 5-6 days a week, my current 'recovery period' practice looks more like a mix of physical therapy exercises with some of Ashtanga's standing postures, but slowly things are coming back.

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Jen René has been among the most influential teachers, guiding me through Ashtanga's primary sequence over the last few years. I've also been lucky enough to learn from David Garrigues and Aliya Weise.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

My dream job is to be the behind-screen game tester/demonstrator on the TV show Survivor.