Yoga Is Conference gathers yoga and meditation teachers for the largest online yoga conference of its kind.
Suzanne Bryant, Creator and Host of Yoga Is, and Elana Maggal, conference co-producer, talk with Felicia Tomasko.
Q&A with Suzanne Bryant, Creator and Host of Yoga Is
Felicia: Your film and this conference are both named Yoga Is. What is yoga to you?
Suzanne: Yoga is an extraordinary blessing and practice that will truly transform a life. It liberates you from conditioning, fear, limited beliefs and gives us tools to navigate the inevitable obstacles and painful moments in our life. It allows us to see our true nature, our beautiful individual self and discover that we are part of something greater than just us, we are part of a whole. Through the transformation with yoga, we find our authentic self and where in the world our unique being can serve, with a sense of passion and pursue. Yoga is a continuous unfolding, each day we practice we become more free from limitations and tap into our true nature which is love.
Without yoga, my life would look so different. I used to live in fear and doubt. Yoga has allowed me to tap into my power and live my life without limitations.., being open to life. When life throws obstacles, I have my tools of yoga and meditation to get me through any challenge I face. I thank the universe everyday for this gift.
The moment you step on a mat or prepare for meditation, is a moment that is a new beginning and everyday we have this opportunity to become a kinder and more compassionate being. This is exciting to me.
How has this definition changed since the film?
After my film was released I received thousands of emails how the film had changed peoples lives, helped them move through obstacles, heal suffering, connect to purpose and have the courage to go after their dreams. So many powerful emails that made me realize that this practice is a true foundation for living. I now see yoga as beautiful unfolding for each person to comes to this path and is open to the gifts and also a tremendous source of support in the times of change and challenge.
How has it changed since developing these conferences?
As I have had the opportunity to interview all the amazing teachers in the conference, each one of them reminded me of how much I love this practice. To see all the teachers so passionate about their own unique experience with yoga is a reminder that yoga is an individual journey. We each experience what we came to this practice to open up to or learn about ourselves and others.
How do you encourage others to decide what yoga means to them?
I believe yoga is something that is different for everyone, and we all come to the practice for different reasons. Ultimately we are all look for freedom from our suffering or limited believes. So I encourage each person to come to yoga with out judgement and be open to the magic and see what unfolds for them. Each of us has our own transformational journey to discover.
What has changed in your life as a result of engaging in the latest round of discussions with yoga teachers you’ve been interviewing?
I am in deep gratitude for what yoga has brought to my life and that I am able to share it with so many with this conference. I am reminded even deeper how much I love this partake and how much it effects our lives in such powerful ways.
What do you hope people experience through the conference?
I hope people find classes and interviews that they can watch again and again to keep them supported in their daily life. Also find support and inspiration to move though transitions or limitations in there life. As well as discovering a bit more about yoga and it’s
Valuable tools to move through this journey of life with. I hope they find classes and interviews that inspire them or give the courage to move through an obstacle they face.
Q&A with Elana Maggal, Yoga Is conference co-producer
Felicia: You’ve been involved with yoga conferences in various forms for years. How have you seen people’s lives changed as a result of attending a conference?
Elana Maggal: One of the aspects of my former job as Conference Director for Yoga Journal that I loved the most was when attendees would come up to me during the conference and thank me for changing their lives. Sometimes they would have tears in their eyes because they experienced a major breakthrough in a class; other times they re-connected with a partner as a result of coming to the conference together. Or perhaps they had an injury and took a workshop from a teacher that helped them manage their pain. Regardless of the reason, it was always a life changing experience for the attendees.
What piece of advice or comment from a yoga teacher has been meaningful for you?
This is a tough question, as I’ve gotten so many words of wisdom over the years from so many of the amazing teachers that are in this conference. When I left Yoga Journal to start my own business last May, the support I got from the teachers was incredible. They really believed in me and guided me through having the strength to believe in myself to create a business from a vision. And so far, it’s working — thanks to the years of yoga and the wisdom and support of the teachers!
How did you help select the teachers for Yoga Is?
Having been the Conference Director for Yoga Journal for 13 years, I’ve had quite a bit of experience working with almost all of the world-renowned yoga teachers. I’ve gotten to know most of them quite well on a personal level. It was a combination of which teachers I knew would be a good fit for the Online Conference and who would attract an audience. We are going to host another one in the fall, so I will be working on our next stellar line-up shortly.
How have you seen something in your own life differently as a result of the conference?
Co-creating this conference has been a really different experience than creating a live conference. Being able to take ½ hour classes has been really inspiring to me. People’s lives are busy (as is mine, running my own events business and being a single mother of two children) and sometimes it’s difficult to get to a studio, so I’ve discovered that a short online practice is better than not practicing at all. Sometimes all you need is ½ hour to feel grounded and able to continue your day.
Register for the Yoga Is Conference: http://yi.yoga/index.php
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.