and 
JEN BISTRITZ
Years practicing yoga: 5
Years teaching yoga: 1.5
Member of Evolution Yoga Community: 2 years
Jen's schedule:
Wednesdays 1-2pm Sweaty Express
Make a reservation in one of Jen's classes now.
When did you start practicing yoga? I began practicing yoga with my mom during summer vacation before my senior year of college. I had recently been abroad to Southeast Asia (China, Hong Kong, Thailand & Taiwan). Not only did we tour several Buddhist temples and monasteries but in Shanghai, China, in the front of the hotel where we stayed, in the mornings, there would be a large group of men and women practicing Tai Chi. I think that entire experience abroad planted the seed which would blossom into my passion for yoga and specifically tranquility in the body and equanimity in the mind.
How long were you a student before you decided to become a teacher? Honestly, less than 2 years :) I began practicing in 2005 but I served in the Peace Corps from 2006-2008 where I wasn't able to practice as regularly as I would have liked. My practice in West Africa, where I served, was nothing like the practice I have now. Since my return, my practice has become daily with more focus on meditation.
What made you want to become a teacher and how did you know that you were ready to be a teacher?
Who are you currently studying? What are focusing on in your current practice? Elena Brower, Kathryn Budig & mentoring locally with Sandy Gross. In my practice, I'm focusing on maintaining the bandhas throughout the full hour or hour & 1/2 practice.
How do you take your yoga practice off the mat? The Jivamukti focus of the month this past August was 'The Magical Powers of Giving Blessings' Throughout the month of August I took this theme to heart in my own practice and in my teaching. Since then, I've found that starting every morning with a practice of cultivating gratitude for my life and all that I'm blessed with and then sending wishes of peace and love to those who I love is a magnificent way to start my day.
What are some of your favorite yoga poses and why? Handstand, Urdvha Vrksasana, as cliche as it may sound, I like to fly :)
Books & Music:
What are you reading now? Meditation as Medicine (Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D.)
What are your top 5 Yoga books (classic & modern)?
Yoga Sutras (Patanjali)
Jivamukti Yoga (Sharon Gannon & David Life)
A Return to Love (Marianne Williamson)
Yogabody: Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Asana (Judith Hanson Lasater Ph.D)
A New Earth (Eckhart Tolle)
What songs are on your current playlist? Free Bird by Lynyrd Skynryd, I and Love and You by The Avett Brothers, Om Nashi Me by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, Heart Sutra by Wah!, The Breeze by Dr. Dog, Change by Tracy Chapman
What are some songs/artists that you consistently play in your classes? Jack Johnson, Dr. Dog, Sharon Gannon, Michael Franti, Krisha Das, Wah!
Why (or why not) do you play music in your classes? I like to play music to inspire my students but I also like to incorporate periods of silence in the class particularly when I am teaching something new or the students through their practice have indicated that the focus should be brought to alignment.
Little Known Facts About Me: I lived in Benin, West Africa, a francophone country, for 2 years when I served in the Peace Corps.
Words That Describe My Class:
Why I Love This Studio: I love this studio because of the diversity. I love being able to expand my practice by practicing with teachers who have studied and practiced many different types of yoga. Plus I'm grateful that we offer all different levels of classes including Restorative and Deep Stretch vinyasa.
Favorite Comment/Quote that inspires you:
What If?
A Poem by Ganga White.
What if religion was each other?
If our practice was our life?
If prayer was our words?
What if the Temple was the Earth?
If forests were our church?
If holy water—the rivers, lakes and oceans?
What if meditation was our relationships?
If the Teacher was life?
If wisdom was self-knowledge?
If love was the center of our being
What if God was oneself, and all?
$9 classes with a new teacher to you!
...take a class with a teacher you have NEVER tried before for $9 (It's our 9th anniversary!). Take 3 classes for $9 and earn free classes: buy a 24 pass this month and get 9 bonus classes or a 12 pass and get 3 bonus classes...
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