• Teaser

Increase your focus through dristi and yoga

When I discovered the Rocket routines I knew I had found my yoga. Being 20 years old at the time it was a gift. One of my first yoga classes was a Rocket 2, I thought thats just what yogis do, as a beginner it was really amazing to see all kinds of people going upside down with a breath cue from Larry.

My body was so flexible and rubbery when I began practicing, really all over the place. The flexibility came very easy yet the strength was a whole other animal. The first time I did a handstand I thought my arms were going to break. Even just balancing in tree pose my body would blow with the most gentle breeze. However something deep inside me kept making me want to practice.

In the early years it was all about getting as much time on the mat as possible, flying out to San Francisco when ever I got a chance also driving to Columbus and taking busses to different cities. In the early 2000's there was a lot more traditional Ashtanga teachers then today and I explored Mysore practice with about a half of dozen, all of whom in some way or the other studied with Pattabi Jois. Larry was the one tho whom inspired 1000's of my practices. My spiritual fire ignited for the Rocket Vinyasa Practice. Most of the time I was on my own in Cincinnati just doing my own practice and what I found was the Rocket System offered different routines for each day of the week. Suddenly I had a tool in place for a 6 day a week practice that wasn't Primary Series every day. Each Rocket Routine balances the other out. The Rocket was fun and challenging and I began to meet yogis from all over the world that shared the love of the Rocket practice.

Often people walk into It’s Yoga with worry, stress and tiredness written all over their faces but when they leave, they show the effects of Ashtanga Yoga: they feel better and look better, lighter, freer, more relaxed and energized. This is why to me, teaching Ashtanga Yoga is a kind of self-realization; every time I lead class I, as a teacher, grow and express the insights of my own yoga. I see people take in the practice from various angles and develop, change and transcend their limitations, realize their possibilities.

In Memoriam: Larry Schultz, YogaDragonden (1950-2011)