1. What brought you to the practice of yoga?
A desire to train my mind and body in the most effective way.

2. Who are some of your yoga teachers?
Shri K. Pattabhi Jois was my main teacher.  His daughter Saraswati and grandson Sharath are my teachers now.  I also studied Iyengar yoga with Janet Lilly and Gabriel Halpern 10-15 yrs. back.

3. How would you describe the form of yoga you teach currently?  
Pure for sure Ashtanga Yoga as taught by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois.

4. Where do you teach?
My shala mainly.  I teach 6 days a week.  I have been teaching here for over 10 years but I  also assisted Sharath at the main shala KPJAYI in Mysore, India.  I taught for 6 months for Jois Yoga last year.  I have taught at many local studios in the past.  I also taught at UWM for  8 years.  This year I am focusing on building the Ashtanga community here in southeastern Wisconsin.

5. Why do you teach?  
My teacher asked me to.  It is needed.  I love it passionately,and I think it can save the world.

6. How do you describe what yoga is?  
The process of using the body in order to train the mind.

7. What aspect of yoga do you personally want to explore more deeply?
All aspects forever.

8. What are your thoughts on the growing popularity of yoga?
I am both thrilled and horrified by it.  I am horrified by the greed and commerce being generated around it.  Teacher trainings, yoga alliance, yoga insurance, clothing lines, online classes and hybrids like Iron yoga, hip hop yoga, yoga booty bellydance and yogalates really leave a bitter taste.  Nothing in yoga is sacred anymore.  It’s being dissected and marketed like a GMO food product. I don’t sell anything.  No shop no props, no teacher trainings just Mysore style and Led classes that’s it.  The lack of interest in being an actual student also surprises me.  Everyone now wants to be a teacher.  The fast and easy purchases of yoga certificates has led to an ocean of dangerous and dubious charlatans teaching without actually being connected to a lineage or an authentic method.  Firstly, we should be students.  After a long time your teacher will ask you to teach.  Yoga is not a vocation.  It is an ancient cultural and custodial art form.  It should not be exploited as a career path.  Boga rules in the west.  

However, I am thrilled by the fact that yoga is a household word and that there are yoga mats and books and magazines in almost every household in America.  The word has been thoroughly seeded.  However the meaning and practice is corrupted.  I think that if we can re-infuse the word with the authentic practice and meaning which is specific in method and which purpose is as I stated above to control the mind, then yoga has the capacity to germinate into a world culture which could save the humanity and nature by upholding ahimsa (non harming) as its primary directive.

9. What are your hobbies?
My partner and I are both artists.  We recycle and make our own clothing, we draw, write and design all kinds of things from films, architecture and jewelry to tattoos and multi media presentations.  I am also an info nympho.  I passionately love reading, researching and discussing ideas of all kinds.  I love music, science, movement and nature.  I love travel.  I have been to India 8 times and have also made trips to Nepal and South America for shamanic studies.

10. What is something unique or quirky about you that not many people know about?
I collect action figures, play air guitar,and I have my own secret language!