June's Yogi in Residence: Swami BEa
Melinda Marino
I started taking Yoga classes from Jimmy Barkan back in 1985. At first Yoga was simply a way of exercise. After a few years, I started exploring other styles of Yoga and studied Ashtanga Yoga under the tutelage of David Swenson. In 1997, I took my yoga practice into another level and it became a way of life. This journey has taken me to India many times, where under the guidance of the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh I have followed deeper studies about Yoga Philosophy and Sanskrit. Having discovered the deeper meaning of this philosophy, I have acquired a commitment to spread the message of Yoga wherever I am. I have explored many styles of Yoga, only to find the unity in their diversity. I have been trained and/or certified in Bikram, Barkan Method, Ashtanga, Jivamukti, Sivananda, Iyengar, Anusara and Universal Yoga (Andrei Lappa). Studies with Mano Ardissone at Ayama Yoga in North Miami Beach opened me to new possibilities and have expanded my understanding of the practice.
The system of Yoga has been so fragmented that it is my goal to make us all see that all Yoga is only one. I call myself a Teacher of Yoga, not making any differentiation or identifying with a particular style, and teach that way. To me Yoga is an ongoing process through which we can transform our consciousness into an awareness of our true purpose of life here on Earth. This is the new way for the new millennium. We went from the One to the many, and it is now time to find our way back from the many to the unity of ONE. I am also known as Tejas.
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