Inquiring Minds Want to Know... Just Who are These 5 New Yoga Teachers?

October 1, 2020

*Actually it is not “inquiring minds want to know” It’s Enquiring minds want to know” and it was a play on words of the National Enquirer magazine slogan in the 80s.
It was catchy and successful and people utilized it in everyday speech for various situations. It, like many other great slogans, has stood the test of time.

We challenged are new teachers to answer some casual, yet fun questions in effort for our community to get to know them better. So here in their own words are Nadine Behaveolos, Kim Eisendrath, Jana Sutherland, Melanie Unell, and Patti Yates.

First up Nadine Behaveolos

Yoga has been a wonderful journey, a path of healing body, mind and spirit for Nadine who has been practicing for over 10 years. She is a student of the Krishnamacharya tradition, under the tutelage of Laura Jane Mellencamp-Murphy and Julie Pate.

“My most inspiring yoga-related experience was...I did a workshop where we were invited to rewrite our life’s story on our mat, moving organically inspired by music. ”

If you could pick one song to play every time you entered a room it would be…”I’m Coming Out” by Diana Ross
In a perfect world, we would communicate via… hugs 😊
When I’m not on a yoga mat, you’d most likely find me…walking in my neighborhood
My favorite animal is..Giraffe
Guilty Pleasure…The Real Housewives of New York
Pigout food…Chips and Guacamole
Last show I binge watched….Schitts’ Creek and the Durrell’s in Corfu on PBS. Both were excellent!
A good book I’m reading…Where the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd
Best movie I’ve seen lately…Almost Famous
My favorite place is...our family cottage in Delavan WI
If I could do anything for the next 30 minutes, I would ... Read a book
People would be surprised that I…am a huge Chicago Bulls fan!
A cause or project I am most passionate about is…The Night Ministry
My yoga role models… Laura Jane Mellencamp Murphy & Julie Pate (Yoga Among Friends) and Kelly McLellan (Getting Still Yoga, Black Mountain NC)
A pose I struggle with…Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon)
A pose I love and why…Utthita Trikonasana (Extended Triangle) because every part of my body is open and energetic
The biggest reason I teach yoga is...To serve and share these healing tools
What I want to I want to teach my students (through yoga) is to…cultivate inner listening and to feel more confident in their practice and balanced in their life
What 3 words best describe you? Smiling mystic mama

Read Nadine’s bio on our teacher’s page. And sign up for her Yin Flow class on Mondays from 8:30-9:30am on Zoom.

“My most inspiring yoga-related experience was…The first time I walked in to Yoga Among Friends, there was this beautiful connection that I felt to the studio and to Laura Jane. I took my first class there with her a little over a year ago and knew this was my place.”

Meet Kim Eisendrath

Kim has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years and finds it as a source of strength and inspiration being able to come in to her body while expanding her mind. As a special education teacher for 25 years, Kim has a unique way of meeting people where they are at and seeing their inner light.

If you could pick one song to play every time you entered a room it would be…Here Comes The Sun by The Beatles
In a perfect world, we would communicate via…Face to face with smiles and hugs.
When I’m not on a yoga mat, you’d most likely find me…Lately it would be playing with my dogs, going for a walk or studying something about the body
My favorite animal is..Of course dogs, but I have an incredible connection with elephants, they are just such beautiful mystical creatures
Guilty Pleasure…I am obsessed with drinking tea
Pigout food…chocolate
Last show I binge watched….Away
A good book I’m reading…There are too many on my nightstand to just pick one… hahaha
Best movie I’ve seen lately…Tom of Your Life
My favorite place is...The beach, the beach, the beach
If I could do anything for the next 30 minutes, I would ...Hug my kids
People would be surprised that I…can wiggle my ears
A cause or project I am most passionate about is…Working with individuals and families that have been through various types of trauma.
My yoga role models… There are so many to be inspired by: Laura Jane Murphy, Julie Pate, Deb Wineman, Julia Jonson, Andrew Gurvey, Seane Corn, Hala Khouri
A pose I struggle with…There are many, twisted pyramid pose and crow pose
A pose I love and why…I love the simplicity and beauty of mountain pose. I love the calmness in the pose, I love that it is a pause in a practice, I love that it is a moment to feel the effects of the practice, I love that is is a strong and graceful pose. The concept of standing tall and proud yet relaxed is so powerful.
What is the biggest reason I teach yoga is...to help people feel connected to their bodies. I love the philosophy of connecting mind and body and the purpose of the poses and how they can be integrated together. The symbolism of what the movements mean is so beautiful, I love to share my practice and tie it together with real life.
What I want to I want to teach my students (through yoga) is to…integrate their minds with their body through asana. I want them to be able to really feel what it is like to live in their own amazing bodies through beautiful stretches and active asanas.
What 3 words best describe you? Compassionate. Curious. Smiley.

Read Kim’s bio on our teacher’s page. And check out her Yin Flow class on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 7-8:15am in the studio and on Zoom. She is also leading the Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Practice & Pancreatic Cancer Research Fundraiser in honor of our dear friend Candy Stevens on Sat, Oct 10.

Get to know Jana Sutherland

Jana has been practicing Yoga for over 15 years, starting back in Berlin, Germany – where she used to live and work as an editor for a lifestyle magazine before moving to the Chicago area about 10 years ago. “I am excited to teach, as I believe that yoga holds the key to a healthy body and calm mind. I learned so much these past years and I want to give back to uplift and inspire people.”

“The biggest reason I teach yoga...I love to take people along with me on an inspiring path. ”

If you could pick one song to play every time you entered a room it would be…France Gall’s “Ella, Elle L'a.” I had that song in my ear all day long today 😊
In a perfect world, we would communicate via… modern technology is amazing but face to face (or heart to heart) is best.
When I’m not on a yoga mat, you’d most likely find me…on a walk or in my bathtub!
My favorite animal is…elephants. They are majestic.
Guilty Pleasure…pistachio gelato.
Pigout food…homemade food. Basically, anything made with Love.
Last show I binge watched….Borgen. A Danish political drama.
A good book I’m reading…currently, Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner. I quite enjoy reading this book about British Royalty. Next up, Sapiens: A brief history of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
Best movie I’ve seen lately…a classic: Heart Burn with Meryl Streep. I watched it on a flight back home and it made me laugh and cry.
My favorite place is...my bed.
If I could do anything for the next 30 minutes, I would ...sing.
People would be surprised that I…have degree in fashion design.
A cause or project I am most passionate about is…keeping the earth clean. We can do as little as buying less and always recycle.
My most inspiring yoga-related experience was...my yoga teacher training.
My yoga role models… the two teachers that I met right here at Yoga among friends: Laura Jane, of course! and Megan L.
A pose I struggle with…is a seated forward bend (Paschimottanasana) – but working on it daily!
A pose I love and why…a beautiful heart opener, cobra (Bhujangasana)
What I want to teach my students (through yoga) is to…be confident and kind to themselves.
2 words best describe me…dedicated and supportive

Learn more about Jana on our teacher’s page. And sign up for her Sunrise Yoga class on Wednesdays from 6–7am, on Zoom starting Oct 21.

Next Up is Melanie Unell

Melanie is a mother of two with a passion for all things health and wellness. She gravitated towards yoga 15 years ago through her own personal journey to find a greater sense of being and found her home at Yoga Among Friends.

“The biggest reason I teach yoga…
is to help my students balance their lives and to facilitate peace, good health and harmony. Yoga has forever changed my mind, body, and spirit.

Inhalation. Exhalation.
Each breath a “yes,”
and a letting go,
a journey, and a
coming home.

DABBA FAULDS”

If you could pick one song to play every time you entered a room it would be…River by Leon Bridges
In a perfect world, we would communicate via…writing letters
When I’m not on a yoga mat, you’d most likely find me…in the kitchen
My favorite animal is..cheetah
Guilty Pleasure…banana covered in almond butter, shredded coconut, cocao nibs
Pigout food…Lesser Evil Snacks: Egg White Curls Huevos Rancheros
Last show I binge watched….This is Us
A good book I’m reading…The Second Mountain by David Brooks
Best movie I’ve seen lately…Little Farm
My favorite place is...Fullersburg Woods
If I could do anything for the next 30 minutes, I would ...go for a walk in Fullersburg Woods
People would be surprised that I…am from South Africa
A cause or project I am most passionate about is…molding my children into compassionate human beings
My most inspiring yoga-related experience was...Yoga Among Friends teacher training
My yoga role models…Laura Jane, Julie Pate, and Julie Stewart
A pose I struggle with…Revolved Triangle Pose/Parivrtta Trikonasana
A pose I love and why…Mountain Pose/Tadasana. Standing in mountain pose requires great strength and stability. Coming back to this pose gives you a moment to check in with the breath and enjoy the sweetness of your asanas.
What I want to teach my students (through yoga) is to…create a space within your home where you can show up consistently to do your practice.
What 3 words best describe me…Love, Honesty, Connection.

Learn more about Melanie on our teacher’s page. And be sure to sign up for her Vinyasa Flow class on Thursdays from 12-1pm on Zoom.

Patti Yates, RN, RYT 200

Last, but definitely not least, is…Patti Yates

Patti’s love of yoga inspires her to share her passion with others. She has taught yoga for over 30 years, mostly in Virginia. She is a registered nurse, who has led yoga therapy sessions with oncology patients and held restorative classes to students with Multiple Sclerosis and their teachers, among others.

“What I want to teach my students (through yoga) is to…go within themselves and find peace and tranquility, the light within (our true nature).”

If you could pick one song to play every time you entered a room it would be…"All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles
In a perfect world, we would communicate via…in person
When I’m not on a yoga mat, you’d most likely find me…playing with my grandchildren
My favorite animal is..elephant
Guilty Pleasure…eating chocolate
Pigout food…lasagna
Last show I binge watched….Grace and Frankie
A good book I’m reading…Be Love Now by Ram Dass
Best movie I’ve seen lately…I Still Believe
My favorite place is...Amorgos Island in Greece
If I could do anything for the next 30 minutes, I would...Meditate
People would be surprised that I…took workshops and studied with Aadil Palkavala
My most inspiring yoga-related experience was... A week of asana practice and meditation with Aadil Palkavala focusing on opening the heart and following your Dharma.
My yoga role models…My teachers: Laura Jane Murphy, Sandra Pleasants and Lilias Folan
A pose I struggle with…Malasana II, the squat
A pose I love and why… Cobra (Bhujangasana) because I love the calm sensation of back bends
What is the biggest reason I teach yoga is...to share my passion for yoga with others
3 words that best describe me…cheerful, compasionate and spiritual
My teaching style is inspired by these masters…B.K.S. Iyengar and T.K.V. Desikachar

Read Patti's bio on our teacher’s page. And check out her Beginner’s Yoga class on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30pm in the studio and on Zoom.

And there you have it… Five inspiring, fascinating teachers who love wild animals (Yoga Among Friends should really do a safari retreat 🤷‍♀️), binge watch tv and struggle with poses like the rest of us, and are eager to share the beautiful gift of yoga with all of us!

Comment

Resilient Grieving

September 24, 2020

Life is always presenting challenges, and we are all experiencing living in a collective trauma now. And I’m witnessing the pain of despair and grief. Loss is everywhere and there is no easy remedy to escape the sadness.

It's hard work to be resilient and to maintain the sweet magic in being alive. To live life fully, we must accept that life, whether we like it or dislike it, is to be present to what is being "presented" without resisting. Sometimes the best choice we can muster is to let out a fierce moan. Sometimes in the moment the best remedy is a welcoming smile, or a familiar song that holds our heart, and sometimes its a deep snuggle with the dog.

This week, my breath was knocked out of me with the passing of our dearest friend and brilliant yogi, Candy Stevens. Many of you know she was our dedicated teacher here at YAF for over ten years. Her Sunday class was our church service as she offered her loving reminders each week to nourish and care for ourselves. She found her passion in teaching and we are so grateful that she graced our studio with her light.

In the middle of August, she called me one day to share that her stomach was hurting and that she needed a sub for a few weeks as she was waiting for her doctor appointment. Because of covid, she was frustrated that she couldn’t get to see a specialist till September 17! Regardless, she was optimistic as she kept trying to call each day for an opening.

I reached out on August 27, and a few hours later, her husband called me with the news that she had suffered a severe stroke. On Labor Day, I called to check on her prognosis and again the news was even more dire. The doctors had given her a CAT scan and found cancerous tumors in her pancreas.

This past Monday, September 21, our sweet light just got brighter. Her passing has left me with a deep grief and a profound sense of gratitude for the gift of her friendship. It has renewed my passion for living fully and to embrace each and every moment with the courage to LIVE IT.

My resilience comes from a profound practice of holding the opposites. I can hope for an improved future while being fiercely honest where I find myself in the moment. One without the other only leads to disappointment and despair.

I ask myself the question with each decision I make, “is this helping me or harming me?” I am fortunate to have cultivated the inner preserver of my daily thoughts to have the ability to even ask. Most of us while experiencing our daily dose of collective trauma are not even aware of the possibility of choosing. In our panic of reactive emotion, we just stay stuck in the muck. We stay a prisoner of our mood.

Mary Oliver has a brilliant poem which always brings me back to a place of great humility, I Go Down To The Shore:

I go down to the shore in the morning

and depending on the hour the waves

are rolling in or moving out,

and I say, oh, I am miserable.

What shall—

what should I do? And the sea says

in its lovely voice:

Excuse me. I have work to do.

I am inviting all of us to grieve and yet, hold the brilliant opposite, which is joy. Be able to say at every moment, is this thought kind? Is this thought truthful? And then ask, what is the right action?

In our crazy upside down turbulent world today, we are witnessing great pain of suffering. The yoga philosophy gives us tools to overcome the pain of staying in a belief of hopelessness. It gives us tools to go forward. Struggling is our human condition but we have a profound ability to choose a better thought that can overtake the obstacle.

Yes, it’s hard work. Yes, it takes effort, but the beauty and wonder of being able to live fully is a blessing. That is why I choose to keep our community active. Whether on zoom or in the studio, we need each other as support. I made a commitment to support the teachings and to be present with my heart.

Each of us must nourish our inner support in order to fulfill this journey. As we move into the longer nights and are being pulled into the loss of what was, please hold the opposite. Witness whether life is pleasant or unpleasant and hold neutrality and grace.

Use the tools to bring us inward to witness the choice of our thoughts. Take away doubt. Strengthen our pranic sensitivity to enhance our own immune systems. Calm of anxious thoughts. Shift our perception and resolve to live with an inner stability. Ask yourself daily, "is this thought leading me down the path of more agitation or should I choose to seek the wonder. To start my day in gratitude, seek the beauty around me and to the ask..What is GOOD about this moment!

Please remember, I offer a free community class, Living Your Yoga, each Sunday to help us navigate our yoga practice off the mat with the resources of our yoga deeper teachings. We all need each other, and my resolve is only getting stronger.

Love you each of you,

Laura Jane

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Our New Reopening

August 30, 2020

My internal questions that I have asked of my self each day on this journey are:

“Is it kind?”

“Is it true?”

“Is it the right time?"

The journey these last few months has offered me an profound opportunity to practice letting go. And yet, my dedication to our community is only stronger.

It is so true that no one can be teaching unless one is learning and practicing—just like a candle that cannot light another candle unless it is burning itself. I am aware that there are difficult concerns and uncertainties as we navigate these coming months.

We need our practice more than ever not only for the physical stamina of a healthy immune system but for our deeper emotional and mental challenges that are being presented through loss everyday. If we hold on too tightly to the past, we get stuck in the mind chatter of doubt and confusion as fear will presents itself in various emotional reactions. And if we move too quickly into something new, we miss the opportunity for deeper reflection.

The gateway for healthy new patterns needs to be fully established for stable foundations. We must remain steadfast and continue to focus on our blessings of gratitude for our community. We need to extend a continuous link of connection through the hearts.

I am offering my commitment that Yoga Among Friends will be a place to grow and nourish the deeper connections to our soul. I offer you a safe place to fall apart and to feel a deeper knowing with your inner light. Let’s continue to shine the way for the generations behind us who are needing to see the footpath home.

It’s been over five months since students have walked into our sacred space. We have been so blessed to keep our doors open with the incredible dedication of our community. Our heartfelt appreciation for all of our students who have continue to commit to their yoga practice by signing into our zoom classes and purchasing our Summer Special.

We hope that you have found comfort and a stable sense of wellbeing by being able to stay connected. It is our full intention to make sure our community is sustained, and we can open safety and with respect for all.

All of my gratitude goes to the outpouring of dedication that our teachers and staff have shared to move us forward into this new beginning. Yes, we are going to cautiously open the studio to students, as well as maintain our zoom streaming, starting on Tuesday, September 8.

We will be starting our new monthly subscriptions including 5, 9 and unlimited classes as well as offer single classes and gift certificates. We hope that everyone can appreciate the breakdown of our pricing to honor the reduced in class participation with the added effort of keeping our studio up to code with cleaning.

This fall season, in addition to reopening, I will be personally creating more opportunity to study the philosophy of yoga and to study the Yoga Sutras. We will be offering more meditation classes on demand. With these new offerings, hopefully we can maintain a presence in your life as a lifeline for stability.

Blessings,

A few photos of our newly repainted studio!