Favorite Yoga?

Recently, I made a reference to particular style of yoga while teaching a morning class in an attempt to offer a variation to a familiar pose.  After the class shifted from that pose into downward dog, one of the students remarked, "What kind of yoga is your favorite?" This question took me off guard.  Needless to say,I didn't really answer the question, instead gave some unsatisfying noncommittal answer then moved onward with the flow.

This was several days ago, and the question still lingers in my mind. It is always interesting how the  inquiries of my students move me deeper into my own practice.  I love this side of teaching.

So, what is the answer? My favorite yoga?  Why is that such a hard question to answer?

Although a registered yoga teacher, I am hardly an expert on all the different schools of asana and their different beliefs and nuances. I have visited all sorts of classes, Bikrim, Iyengar, Kundalini, Forrest and the list goes on.  All of these had something beautiful to offer, and I always walked away a richer person. Overall, I am glad to have had the exposure. But, one thing has come clear.  No school of yoga that maintains an exact method or formula fits my personal path.  Personally, I find that my favorite forms of yoga are those that incorporate and combine aspects of different schools into a wonderful kaleidoscope of practice.

That is probably part of the reason  for choosing Anchorage Yoga when deciding where and with whom to study for my teacher training.  It offered different types of yoga along with its own hybrid signature style and had a diverse group of teachers with a variety of backgrounds on staff. This granted me the framework and freedom to discover my own yoga.

All this aside, I still haven't answered the question.  What is my favorite kind of yoga?

If I am honest I must declare, "My own!"  Yes, my favorite is the one I discovered within that has been cultivated and nourished by so many wonderful teachers.

Namaste!