The Zoga Yoga Teacher Training Graduation

After months of hard work, sweat, tears, laughter, assignments, Tests, intense asana classes and more sweat....these amazing Yoga Teacher Trainers had their graduation. A journey that began at a studio in the Bronx called Bamboomoves, which soon turned into Excel Yoga, which became the location for the the launch first ever ZOGA YOGA 200Hr Teacher Training Experience. This is the first ever Graduating Class for this program, and I am grateful to have been part of this journey with these amazing people! They learned from amazing Instructors like my friend/Yogini Tao Porchon-Lynch, The incredible Yoshio Hama, The L.A. dynamic duo Dice and Bry, Excel Co. Owner Michael Baez, and myself (broken toe and all). They had to take Master Class with Sri Dharma Mittra & various other respected Teachers that I felt they could learn from. With in depth instruction on the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Anatomy, Yoga Asana Sequencing, Asana Adjusting, Yogic Diet, The Gunas, The Koshas, Pranayama, Meditation, The Doshas, Oneness Blessing Training and much more, these trainees were saturated with all things YOGA. Their graduation took place at the beautiful Bhavani Mandir right after the intimate 7pm class that I taught. The Bhavani Mandir is a gorgeous Temple in the Bronx, where the Friday night 7pm Yoga class will soon be taken over by some of these amazing Yogini's in my absence. The 5 new Yoga Instructors, Margie, Nicole, Jessica, Latesha and Stephanie (minus their three amazing fellow Yogis who were unable to attend) sat on the stage and we began with our chant "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya", and then they sat on their chairs. While graduation was set for 7:30 pm, we started 45 minutes late, so luckily when Michael, the studio owner of where the training was hosted walked in 45 minutes late, he was able to share in the experience. Michael was a pivotal part of their journey. The Bronx studio was once my "home studio" where I am am grateful to say that I was lead instructor for two years & grateful for many learning experiences. I introduced him and invited him to join me & the New Yoga Instructors on stage. Together we distributed certificates, highlighted the unique qualities of each individual, and gave them each Mala Beads and Meditation shawls that I arranged for, specially sent from India for them. There were tears and laughter, it was beautiful. At the end, there was one shawl I had laid out as extra, my intuition told me Michael would possibly show up to come to support these amazing individuals, and so I presented it to Michael with gratitude for my two years at the studio, and the opportunity to launch the ZOGA YOGA Teacher Training program there...we hugged which was followed by a beautiful group hug, and tremendous applause. We said thank you to Bhavani Mandir & Pandit Rohit for providing the amazing space for the graduation. Thank you to the friends and family members who came to support these amazing individuals on the start of a new beautiful chapter in their Yoga journey. Slowly we feasted on Andrew's Pasta Primavera which was delicious (Nicole's hubby), Thank you Andrew. We took pictures, and celebrated the achievements of these remarkable new Yoga Instructors. Each one of them having a special unique gift that they bring to the world of Yoga. I am grateful to have been on this journey with all of them, as they have taught me so much. I accept & I am honored to have been given the nick name "the Pusher", thank you Nicole....and love you all so dearly. It was a pleasure and honor to push you all to your highest potential. Thank you all, and may you continue to be receptive to the Grace of God (as Sri Dharma says), and act as humble vessels that facilitate an amazing experience for others. Maintain respect for your teachers, everyone of them.....every instructor, every child, mother nature, and every student is your teacher.....Please always maintain humility no matter how amazing you think your Asana Practice gets, how famous you get as a Yoga Teacher, without God there is no Yoga, as Samadhi is the ultimate goal of the practice. ~

In the Words of Sri Swami Satchidananda "When you are not aware of the Lord inside, you won't find him outside either. He must be seen inside first. Then you will see Him everywhere!" Om Shanti

Thank you Milta for the lovely pics!!!