From Karen:
The Student Spotlight is a place for our students to share their yoga story, and inspire us with the ways yoga has enhanced their lives. A short version will be seen in our newsletter, with the full version of the student’s reflection published here as a guest post in the Karen’s Yoga Blog space. I hope you enjoy it!
We would love to hear your yoga story! If you would like to be featured in a Student Spotlight, contact me at info@greentarayoga.com
From Susan:
I have loved Iyengar Yoga since my first class with Karen many decades ago. Although I lived in other parts of Ohio for many years, I always continued to seek out study with Iyengar teachers in my area.
Now that I am back in Northeast Ohio, I am grateful to make regular yoga classes at Green Tara Yoga part of my life, along with all the other fitness activities I enjoy. One of the things I value about yoga is how it enhances other sports by improving my alignment, balance, and core strength. It also helps me meet the physical demands of caring for my century home and maintaining my independence.
Karen and the other teachers at Green Tara Yoga offer cues that help us develop greater proprioception—the awareness of where our bodies are in space. They teach us to engage muscles we may not have realized we needed to use, or that we could consciously control, bringing our bodies into better alignment.
Better alignment reduces muscle strain and can even create a feeling of weightlessness. I love how these principles help me improve my form in triathlon, weight training, and paddleboarding. Another wonderful benefit is that yoga helps me cultivate greater presence—something I sometimes find challenging as a neurodivergent person.
In my work as a coach and social worker, I spend a great deal of time online. Sitting in front of a computer can lead to poor posture—a forward head, slumped shoulders, and tight hip flexors. Yoga reminds my body of proper neck and spinal alignment while helping to reduce the pain caused by my degenerative arthritis.
What I especially love about Iyengar Yoga is the precision of movement taught by B.K.S. Iyengar. Karen is highly skilled at offering exactly the right cues to help me understand how to move and position my body. I also appreciate the occasional hands-on adjustments she provides, which allow my body to feel the movement she is teaching.
Karen makes every class fun, but there are also moments of beautiful presence—particularly when we chant OM or recite the Invocation to Patanjali. The sound of several students chanting in unison feels sacred to me.
Yoga truly is for people of all ages. I am 76 years old, and my practice helps me maintain flexibility, balance, and strength. I hope to continue practicing Iyengar yoga with Karen for as long as possible.
Susan Russell is a social worker, executive coach, and fitness professional. She was introduced to Iyengar Yoga by Karen in the early days of Green Tara Yoga over 25 years ago. Susan appreciates how Iyengar Yoga enhances her ability in triathlon, and presence in all areas of life.