‘The Answer’ will play at The Awareness Film Festival on Sept. 20 at 12 p.m.

It’s been an inspiring and awakening week for many at the Awareness Film Festival in Los Angeles. The festival opened September 10 and has drawn hundreds to see powerful films on humanity topics ranging from health and wellbeing, to political and ecological, to psychological and spiritual.

Among Awareness Festival’s spiritual films is The Answer, an epic motion picture that vividly illustrates the true-life story of Donald J. Walters, a disciple of the great yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda (author of the bestselling spiritual masterpiece Autobiography of a Yogi). The film will be shown at 12 p.m. on September 20 — the final day of the festival.

Swami Kriyananda and The Answer

The Answer, directed by Pavan Kaul and produced by Kaveeta Oberoi Kaul, tells the tale of the late Walters’ (known as Swami Kriyananda) moving spiritual quest for truth, which led him from his birthplace in Romania to Hollywood, California, where he met his guru, Paramhansa Yogananda.

The uplifting film is imbued with undeniable joy, but also highlights moments of anguish during Walters’ (Leonidas Gulaptis) search for truth, which brilliantly plants a seed with viewers to never give up. Walters’ inner and outer battles showcase the triumph that can emerge from resiliency and determination, making this film universal and with meaning for all. More importantly, The Answer delicately captures the vibration of Paramhansa Yogananda (Victor Banerjee).

“I believe this film has the vibrations of the gurus (of Yogananda’s lineage) and will forever alter the lives of every viewer seeking a positive change,” director Kaul said.

The Story of The Answer

The film is a beautifully detailed period piece taking place in the 1920s through the 1950s. It proves to be a pioneer in the spiritual film cannon, creating a new genre with focus on the guru-disciple relationship.

The Answer also shows the inspiration behind Walters’ founding of Ananda Sangha Worldwide, a spiritual community with locations across the globe (including at Ananda Los Angeles), that came to be after Yogananda proclaimed the need for spiritual community in the modern world.

The Impact of The Answer

In addition to inspiring viewers, The Answer also had a profound impact on its cast and crew during production.

“Living vicariously through the life of this great soul Swami Kriyananda during the making of this movie, revealed to me that every other form of happiness is but a mirage,” said producer Oberoi Kaul. “It is in seeking that we truly live. (I feel) the joy of finding ‘the answer’ is the purpose of life.”

Indeed, Walters’ day-to-day experience with one of the most renowned spiritual teachers of our time — from selfless service at the Self-Realization Fellowship monastery to assisting Yogananda with editing some of his greatest works at his legendary Twentynine Palms desert retreat — is likely to inspire clarity and compelling drive within viewers to seek their own highest aspirations.

“My life is not important, but what is essential to consider (in The Answer) are the things I have been through in seeking what everybody seeks,” Walters said before his passing in 2013. “People might think they are looking for money, for love, success, fame and so on, but beyond that, everyone is looking for happiness, since ultimately we all come from bliss.”

More information on The Answer and Ananda Sangha

Find out more information at:

Awareness Film Festival: http://theawarenessfestival.wix.com/awarenessfestival
The Answer: www.movietheanswer.com
Ananda Sangha Worldwide: www.ananda.org
Ananda Los Angeles: www.anandala.org

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Swami Kriyananda spiritual biography The Answer appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Book Review: Ask Asha by Asha Praver

Crystal Clarity Publishing

If you are seeking truth, Ask Asha is the perfect guide.  A disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda (author of the bestselling spiritual classic Autobiography of a Yogi) for over 40 years, Asha Praver answers questions about spirituality and self-realization in letters to truth-seeking souls in her latest work.  The nature of the questions range from the specific to the universal (“How do I overcome negative feelings developed in my nasty divorce?  and “When does soul evolution begin?”).  With answers to the questions that range from relationships and daily life, to karma and reincarnation, and suffering and bliss, Asha preserves the profound essence of yoga’s ancient spiritual teaching, which shine on each page.  The extraordinary clarity, compassion, and wisdom Asha packs into each thoughtful answer make this book valuable and powerful for me personally and for many across the globe.

Asha’s teacher, Swami Kriyananda, asked her early in her life to offer spiritual counsel to those seeking it.  Ask Ahsa is an astounding example of why he made this request; her gift is that she makes deep teaching easy to understand.  I enjoy re-reading Ask Asha for clarification to questions I have, or issues that my mind tends to complicate or incessantly analyze.

Asha is the spiritual director of Ananda Palo Alto, an intentional spiritual community.  She will speak at events at Ananda Los Angeles throughout the year: NayaswamiAsha.org.

Reviewed by Meera Grace Hoon, who teaches therapeutic journaling workshops and is an advocate for survivors of human trafficking.  She lives in orange County, practices Kriya Yoga and is an active member of Ananda Los Angeles: writingandconsciousness.com

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Book Review: Ask Asha appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

The Ananda Temple of Light is a place of community, meditation, Kriya yoga, and spiritual living.

The sangha of Ananda Los Angeles has long had a presence in the City of Angels.  Its first formal temple was established in 2007 on Main Street in Santa Monica.  Over the years, the location has changed several times.  Its newest location, The Temple of Light, opened in February 2015.

The Temple is a place of community, meditation, Kriya yoga, and spiritual living, offering classes in these areas, as well as healing treatments, chanting and songs for the soul, and silent retreats.  The Temple of Light holds meditation and inspirational service on Sunday mornings.

Ananda LA is a part of a larger spiritual community of Ananda locations across the globe.  The first community was founded in 1968 by Swami Kriyananda, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi.  Classes at the Temple of Light are based on Yogananda’s teaching of self-realization.

“Our mission is to have fun!” says Narayan Romano, a spiritual director of Ananda LA along with his wife, Dharmadevi.  “Next to daily meditation, one of the most important things a spiritual aspirant can do is to seek out spiritual fellowship with like-minded truth seekers.  A purpose of our community is also to come together in a way that uplifts and inspires.”

To celebrate the space, The Temple of Light’s formal grand opening even will be held April 12, 2015, with speakers Jyotish and Devi Novak, spiritual directors of Ananda Worldwide.  Everyone is welcome.

Ananda Temple of Light

11870 Santa Monica Blvd., #208

Los Angeles, CA 90025

anandala.org

Meera Grace Hoon teaches therapeutic journaling workshops and is an advocate for survivors of human trafficking.  She lives in Orange County, practices Kriya yoga, and is an active member of Ananda Los Angeles.

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Ananda Temple of Light Formal Opening appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

“We continue to pursue our philosophy of offering multiple practices to our students,” said the siblings. “The benefits of moving our bodies in many different ways are undisputed.”

Roberto and Paola offers a variety of introductory specials for new students; check the website for the options currently available. Beginners’ classes are offered with various lengths and intensities.

The Hot Yoga Center’s practice area is heated to 105 degrees year-round and the studio set-up features humidifiers and air purifiers to maintain cleanliness and appropriate humidity. The studio’s cutting-edge flooring is specially designed for hot yoga that doesn’t hold onto sweat yet provides a comfortable level of cushion for practicing. “We put a lot of effort in keeping our studio clean, functional and aesthetically pleasing,” explains Roberto and Paola. “See you in class!”

The Hot Yoga Center
1820 S Pacific Coast Hwy
Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Thehotyogacenter.com
(310) 540-2023

By Melissa Grace Hoon, a human rights journalist with a Master’s degree in American studies who is training to become a Yoga instructor.

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post The Hot Yoga Center appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

“We have created a Yogic sanctuary where our students feel a true sense of community,” said owner Gabrielle Levine.  “Every day, I receive incredible gratitude from our students for creating that space for them.”

Ritual Yoga Arts is not only dedicated to instilling a sense of community among its students, but also to serving its surrounding area. The studio partners with local charities, the majority of which are committed to improving the environment.

Many Vinyasa sequences taught at Ritual Yoga Arts are built with a strong Ashtanga influence, which gives students who are unable to commit to a daily Ashtanga practice the opportunity to experience the unique postures, twists, and balances of Ashtanga Yoga. Instructors are additionally trained in other styles such as Iyengar, Hatha, Bikram, and more.

The studio also features Pilates mat classes, pre-natal yoga (the only studio offering this class in Laguna Beach), and childcare ($7 per child per class) on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00am-noon. Carpool, bike, bus, or ride and earn $1 in Karma Cash to be applied to retail purchases.

Ritual Yoga Arts

1390 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

ritualyogaarts.com

(949) 715-7005

By Melissa Grace Hoon, a human rights journalist and graduate student who is training to become a Yoga instructor.

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Ritual Yoga Arts in Laguna Beach appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Yoga aids training for the Women’s Olympic Water Polo Team

Many sports enthusiasts worldwide are counting down to the 2012 London Summer Olympics begin on July 27, when athletic teams will demonstrate their excellence. To reach their level of expertise, athletes undergo demanding training regimens consisting of practice drills, weights, and cross-training. And in the case of the elite USA Women’s Water Polo team, each member also considers her Yoga mat an essential part of her training equipment.

The intense team training schedule in the pool and weight rooms at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos seldom allows members time for a frequent Yoga practice, yet they manage to carve out time between training and travel to fit in an occasional Yoga class, rehabilitation, cultivating mental and physical balance, and improving performance during competition.

including visits to the nearby Purple Yoga studio.
Team members cite a number of benefits from Yoga, including injury prevention and We had the opportunity to interview a number of the yogis on the team and to hear, in their words, why they practice.
Yoga and Flexibility: Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation

Annika Dries: “We all try to incorporate a little bit of Yoga when we stretch on our own. We need to have flexibility when training with weights at this high of a level, and practicing Yoga has really helped.”

TumuaAnae: “In water polo, we do a lot of repetitive motions, so with Yoga, it’s great to reverse the muscles that we use a lot in polo and tone the muscles that we don’t use as much.”

Heather Petri: “I started practicing Yoga a couple years ago after sustaining an injury. I needed to find something to help me relax, since recovery from an injury is mostly a mental process. Yoga also improved my flexibility, which is one of the most important things that you need after an injury in order to be able to do the rehab.”
Finding Physical and Mental Balance

Betsy Armstrong: “We definitely take advantage of hitting the mat after long trips. We’re constantly in airplanes and hotels, so when we return home, Yoga helps us decompress physically and mentally. It also helps us re-center ourselves after going through all the ups and downs during tournaments.”
Kelly Rulon: “In water polo, we do the same thing every day, so it’s great to use Yoga to put ourselves in a different mind frame and calm down and relax. Also, when a Yoga instructor is positive and brings good energy, that inspires you; it’s similar to water polo because coaches also inspire us to help us improve our practice and try different things.”
TumuaAnae: “Yoga helps calm your mind, and helps us let certain things go, which is great in the pool because then you’re able to do what your body wants to do. Being able to clear your mind and body at the same time is my favorite part of Yoga.”
Heather Petri: “Yoga is a great a way to bring focus to whom you are and to what you really want to be thinking about. It gives us the opportunity that we all need to feel peaceful and to really get away from everything.”

How Yoga in the Studio Helps Polo in the Pool
Betsy Armstrong: “Yoga helps prepare us for games. As a goalkeeper, practicing balance in Yoga is especially useful for helping my balance in the water.”
Maggie Steffens: “Yoga is great for strengthening our smaller muscles that don’t get worked out too much during our training.”
Heather Petri: “In the rigorous training we go through, all the focus is on the big muscles and the little muscles can go out the window. Yoga helps us to build lean muscle by exercising smaller muscles in places like our shoulders and knees so that we feel compact and well-put together. Yoga is also great for teaching you how to use those core abdominal muscles that sometimes people don’t use.”
Annika Dries: “I use the breath work i learn in my Yoga practice during competitions to calming myself and bringing my focus to my breath. Yoga helps focus you on the moment and that’s the biggest thing from an athletic standpoint — you’ve got to be able to perform in that moment.”

Join us as we cheer on our local heroes, the US Women’s Water Polo team, at the London games. Follow their achievements at: usawaterpolo.org.

By Melissa Hoon: Melissa Hoon is an Orange County-based writer and cultural studies graduate student who is training to become a Yoga instructor. She enjoys hiking and doing volunteer work worldwide. About.me/melissahoon

Photos by David Young-Wolff:

David Young-Wolff loves to tell a story in a single frame. Never satisfied with the ordinary, he strives to create exciting images with a unique twist. In addition to his assignments, he is currently working on two projects. One is coming to LA, which involves photographing people who are moved to LA from other countries. He is also shooting photos to illustrate an upcoming book, Navajo Mothers, Navajo Daughters. davidyoung-wolff.com

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Olympic Team Practices Poolside Yoga appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

By Melissa Hoon
Photos by David Young-Wolff

Kirtan in the living room was part of Noah Williams’ North County San Diego childhood. His hippie parents and all their friends hosted these sacred music events along with Yoga and meditation classes, rituals, sweat lodges, and more led by Indian and Native American teachers. At the time, he thought this is what everyone did. It was only later when he realized just how unique his family’s way of life really was. Now 37, Noah began practicing Yoga at the age of eight; whenever he wasn’t on a surfboard or skateboard he participated in chanting and asana practice with his stepfather who had studied Yoga while living in India for several years.

At age eleven, unexpected tragedy struck, further inspiring his practice. While he and his younger brother were skateboarding, Noah witnessed his brother’s death when he was struck by a car and killed instantly.  Noah stood over the body wondering, “Where did he go?”  His mother pointed him toward religion, but after exploring various traditions, Noah had still not found the answers he sought.

“I didn’t want hearsay or to know someone else’s idea,” Noah said. “I wanted to see with my own mind what really happens after death.”

Noah began attending services at the Self-Realization Center in Encinitas on Sundays with his mother who felt it would help in the wake of the passing of her youngest son. There he became inspired by Paramahansa Yogananda, Kriya Yoga master and author of Autobiography of a Yogi.

On Noah’s quest to find his soul’s true purpose, he discovered silent meditation through Kriya and pranayama – the spiritual basics taught to children at the temple. Then at the age of 16, after a few years of silent meditation, Noah had a dream while camping in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In the dream, he was given forceful, yet intangible, instruction to find prana or chi.  Upon his return home, he began studying Yoga and martial arts, including Tai Chi, Qigong and Tang Soo Do under Mark Rosenberg, the first teacher with whom he seriously practiced asanas.

“It was inspiring to meet Mark Rosenberg,” Noah said.  “He was someone who I really felt knew what I wanted to know.”

Rosenberg taught him more about asana, leading Noah to devour every Yoga book he could, including The Upanishads, which inspired further study to gain a better understanding of the soul. He began practicing in his hometown of Encinitas with Tim Miller, who was one of the first to bring Sri K. Pattabhi Jois’s lineage of Ashtanga Yoga to America.

“The primary emphasis in Ashtanga Yoga is the practice of asana,” Noah said.  “Then the focus becomes the movement of prana.  Then the focus is on controlling your mind.  Ashtanga Yoga is the integration of asana with perfect concentration, or meditation.”

When Noah met Miller at the age of 17, he committed to three years of practice to answer the question raised at his brother’s death; the question that started it all: “Where did he go?” After three years, Noah yearned for an experience beyond the physical practice of asana, so Tim suggested his own teacher, Pattahbi Jois. At the age of 20, Noah boarded a plane to India, where he studied with Jois for six consecutive months, when Jois was still teaching in a small room at the back of his house.

“Pattabhi Jois laughed because I was so young.  He just said to practice, practice, practice for a very long time.” When Noah told Jois he was a college student, Jois replied, “Don’t waste your life.  Yoga is real.  You come to me, I will teach you Yoga.”

“Slowly, I understood how the practice of asana was Yoga. Once I had that realization, he began to verbally answer my questions,” Noah said.  “I could feel Ashtanga Yoga was doing something, but I couldn’t really understand what. But that is what Yoga is all about – a lot of times we do not even understand because it is working on such deep levels of consciousness.  After daily practice for ten years, I began to have a deeper understanding of what I was doing and how asanas work on a deeper level, opposed to other exercise.”

At age 21 Noah began teaching Yoga in Los Angeles, as directed by Jois. A year later, in 1996, Noah opened Ashtanga Yoga Shala in Silver Lake with his then-wife and two of his students.  Always connecting first to his identity as a student, Noah’s primary motivation to teach was to finance his Yoga studies.  For the next 13 years, he spent six months each year teaching in Los Angeles and six months studying in Mysore with Jois.  He first brought Jois to Los Angeles in 2001 and was overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to learn Ashtanga Yoga.  Noah spent the next three years teaching a daily four-hour Mysore-style class of 80 students, while also practicing five hours each day on his own.

During the onslaught that followed Jois’s first LA visit, Noah’s marriage ended, he lost his studio, and he learned that Jois was dying.  He traveled to Mysore to spend Jois’s last days with his teacher. While in India, Noah sustained an abdominal injury and was confined to bed rest, unable to practice Yoga for the next three months following surgery.  During this time (three years ago), Noah realized just how chaotic the mind is, and his appreciation for Yoga grew even more.

Following his initial recovery and Sri Pattabhi Jois’ passing in 2009, Noah returned to LA to a group of students who expressed their desire to practice with him by their frequent phone calls while he was on the road.

“My experiences [in recent years] showed me that things are out of my hands,” Noah said.  “LA is my home.  My family and students are here.  The only thing that makes you a Yoga teacher is your students.”

Noah is now happy to be back in Silver Lake teaching at Ashtanga Yoga Nilayam, housed in a dance studio at Hyperion, just north of Sunset Boulevard, Mondays through Thursdays from 7 to 10 a.m. and Fridays from 7 to 9:40 a.m.  Beginning in July, the hours will change to 7 to 11 a.m. He will soon open a studio at a new Silver Lake location.

“Yoga will manifest anything you desire,” said Noah.  “Yoga makes you happy, and really, what more is there than being happy?”

On Noah’s Bookshelf: His Titles that Inspire

The Life of Milarepa: Milarepa was a great Yogi, but he was also a normal person who made a lot of mistakes in his youth but still aspired to the highest realization of Yoga.

The Wandering Taoist by Deng Ming-Dao: This is the story of a boy who learned to master prana or chi.  His studies inspire me to practice.

Old Path, White Clouds: Walking in the Footsteps of Buddha by Thich Nhat Hanh: The story of Buddha’s life.

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramhansa Yogananda: I feel a strong kinship to Paramhansa Yogananda since I grew up in Encinitas.  His presence is felt there, and his writing and deep understanding of Yoga are an inspiration to me.

The Bhagavad Gita and The Yoga Sutras:  The great books on Yoga philosophy.

Noah Williams can be found at the Ashtanga Yoga Nilayam: ashtangayoganilayam.com

Melissa Hoon is an Orange County-based writer who works at Chapman University and is studying to become a Yoga instructor. She lives her passion through service and travel through stints working in Vietnam, South Africa, and New Orleans when she’s not writing for LA YOGA:  about.me/melissahoon

David Young-Wolff loves to tell a story in a single frame. Never satisfied with the ordinary, he strives to create exciting images with a unique twist. In addition to his assignments, he is currently working on two projects. One is coming to LA, which involves photographing people who are moved to LA from other countries. He is also shooting photos to illustrate an upcoming book, Navajo Mothers, Navajo Daughters. davidyoung-wolff.com

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Noah Williams: Dedicated to the Practice appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.

Photos by Tai Kerbs & Martin Rusch

It might be surprising to hear that seven years working at the legendary Los Angeles music venue Largo provided a training ground for the instruction of Yoga. But for teacher and Yoga at the Raven co-owner Tony Giuliano, this was exactly the case. From working at the door to running the office and then spending a few nights a week managing the intimate space for music lovers, Tony says he learned a number of lessons that helped him understand how to create a vibe for a Yoga class, informed his teaching and ignited his passion for running a studio. Throughout his life, passion for both artistic expression and self-inquiry are common themes. Whether pursuing painting, working as a professional musician, or teaching Yoga, Tony Giuliano has maintained a desire to stay true to his heart and cultivate love through all his actions.

The Rochester, New York native’s joy of learning has him along a seemingly winding path from artist to musician to Yoga instructor. “Teaching Yoga has made me a great student of life,” Tony says. “I think you continually have to be open to examining yourself and be able to articulate that in an honest and authentic way.” Currently, his ability to be in tune with his heart’s desire has helped him foster happiness as the co-owner of Yoga at the Raven, a Silver Lake studio that opened last year.

He traveled a winding road from Rochester to the Raven. After attending junior college near Lake Ontario in New York, Tony transferred to the University of California in Santa Barbara. His thirst for knowledge and desire for inspired an exploration of the US with his brother. A talented artist, Tony funded the trek by selling hand-painted T-shirts that reflected his interest in Native American culture.

While living as a painter in New York City, Tony discovered Kundalini Yoga through Ravi Singh.  He later moved to New Mexico where he earned a BFA in painting and met his wife, Maren, whom he lovingly calls “the caretaker of my intentions.” The two were instant best friends—a connection that continues to thrive 15 years later. They support each another in meditation, sitting for practice on their hillside rooftop and often traveling to meditation retreats together.

In 1997, the duo settled in LA. Tony and Maren reside in Echo Park in a 1928 Spanish-style home that Tony rebuilt himself from its Italian-inspired patio to the rooftop with a view upon which they meditate daily. In LA, Tony pursued his career in music as a songwriter and worked at Largo where, “It was like watching the great Yogis of music,” Tony says.  “I saw Elliot Smith, Amiee Mann, Jon Brion and so many talented folks who knew how to blow the heart wide open.” There is a connection between the Yoga and music. Tony says, “Music and teaching Yoga have a similar thread.  Each Yoga pose is like a song and each one holds different melodies and texture.”

He began taking Anusara Yoga classes at the Hollywood YMCA, and soon dedicated himself to studying under Anusara founder John Friend and Tantric philosophy scholars Douglas Brooks and Paul Muller-Ortega. Tony credits Yoga for helping him gear his life toward his destiny.

“Ask yourself if you are doing what you love. If you’re not doing what you love, close your eyes, go inside and listen,” Tony says. “When the minds settles, like in savasana or meditation, so often the whisper of the heart becomes louder and is telling you exactly what it desires. Yoga hopefully teaches us to listen. Most importantly, it allowed me to create more love in my life.”

Tunes that Inspire

1.  “Om Namah Shivaya” by Steve Gold

2.  “Prana Groove” by Stevin McNamara

3.  “Sunday Morning” by Todd Boston

4.  “Baba Hanuman” by Krishna Das

5.  “Hanuman Chalisa” by Shantala

6.  “Shema” by Josh Brill

7.  “All Alone” by Bhagavan Das

8.  “Raag Gaoti (Alap 1)” by Gundecha Brothers

9.  “Purna” by Steve Gold

10.  “Opening” by Wah!

Words of Inspiration

1.  Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. “I’ve read this book so many times it is taped together. A classic tale—so beautiful in its innocence, simplicity and wisdom.

2.  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. “The ultimate book about unconditional love”
3.  Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda.“This interesting and rich book is the story of a truly amazing man.”

4.  John Lennon: In His Own words by John Lennon.  “I love how [Lennon] encompasses the full range of human emotion in both life and song.”

5.  Play of Consciousness by Swami Muktananda.  “I love “Muktananda’s vivid description of his spiritual journey.”

Melissa Hoon is an Orange County-based writer who works at Chapman University and is studying to become a Yoga instructor. She lives her passion through service and travel through stints working in Vietnam, South Africa, and New Orleans when she’s not writing for LA YOGA:  http://about.me/melissahoon

Melissa Hoon

Melissa Hoon is a journalist currently training to become a Yoga instructor. She is a devoted graduate student of cultural studies and is passionate about her volunteer work, including in Vietnam on medical missions, in New Orleans rebuilding Hurricane Katrina victims’ homes, and in South Africa at a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected children. These experiences have led Melissa to seek a lifestyle of helping and healing, namely through various meditation practices.

The post Teacher profile: Tony Giuliano appeared first on LA Yoga Magazine - Ayurveda & Health.