Over the course of this week, as we at Tula settled into our routines, I've gotten a chance to sit down with many of my instructors and talk about yoga - philosophy, schools of thought, teaching styles. What I discovered is a whole lot of contradictions and diversity. One instructor informed me that she does not believe in using props ('props cause injuries', was her statement). Another instructor informed me that we need more props as they were essential to her class. I asked the instructors for recommendations of studios to visit while in NY next week - I got lists of studios that ranged from extremely traditional (Dharma Mittra) to the extremely non-traditional (Tara Stiles). I even got a recommendation to go to a certain instructor and then a recommendation to specifically stay away from that particular instructor! I received differing philosophies and thoughts about how to handle student 'assists', whether or not to teach headstands, and what was the 'right' balance of western, fast-paced, aerobic-type yoga and the more slower-paced, meditative forms of yoga.
I got to thinking about all these seemingly striking contradictions in these instructors that all work at Tula. How can I have such differing perspectives and styles while still trying to build the 'Tula' brand and identity? Why would you come to my studio when you have no idea what you are going to get?
The answer that I came up with is that this is exactly why you should come and practice at Tula. There is strength and power in diversity and differing opinions. At the core of it, yoga is yoga is yoga. Whether you are practicing in a rural part of India on a mountaintop or in your Manhattan apartment in your designer jeans. Everyone is different - personalities, beliefs and body-types, shouldn't your yoga studio match this reality? Is yoga really one size & style fits all? I don't think so.
I truly believe that yoga is for everyone. Come in and find your yoga, your voice, your opinion. Take classes from each of our amazing instructors and find out what you like, what you don't like. If you are like me, you will probably like bits and pieces of each or the style and pace that you crave will change with your mood or the season.What better way to do that than by offering a wide range of diversity in instructors?
Eventually Tula will evolve into what this great community wants it to be, but for now I will continue to seek out diversity and contradictions so that you can make that choice for yourself.