Student Testimonials

• Marnie McKnight Favell
• Paul Pasternak
• Ann Byrne
• Laura Cobb

Marnie McKnight-Favell
Student since 2002

I joined the Yoga Way in August of 2002. Since that time, I have gotten married, changed my career, lost my mother and grandmother, moved, and had a baby. My experiences have been significant, and without a navigation system I'm not sure that I would be in such a rich and fulfilling place within myself.

When I joined the Yoga Way that summer, I truly had no idea of the depth and expansion I was to experience through my Sadhana (spiritual yoga practice). I had been doing growth work and transformational healing work within myself for a number of years, but was truly seeking unity through yoga. I had been attending yoga classes for a couple of years, but did not find what I was looking for. Passing by the newly-opened studio, I memorized the phone number that was on a sign out front and I called when I got to my house. The first time I stepped foot inside the doors, I knew that I had come Home.

Over these past 5 years I've noticed many changes I have made within myself, and I have gone on to become a teacher and have gained the privilege of witnessing transformation within others as well.

In reflecting upon my path, one thing that stands out to me is my increased capacity to accept the various postures of life.

I have also learned that there is a difference between being the witness and being stoic during a difficult posture (both on and off the mat). I think for me that really developing an understanding of Fight v. Flight has widened my perspective on things. For myself, I came to discover that I would tend to think of being stoic as something different from "fight" response. I also think that this is a common misperception among people; that to fight something is to be in a blatant struggle or an aggressive position. "Grin and bear it" IS the fight response; being stoic is too. My discovery of these very beginnings of liberation from my ego-self has yielded very clear and sometimes very noticeable responses. Sometimes during my practice on the mat, I have experienced a swell of emotions that surface so strongly that I cold only cry out, shudder with energetic sensation, stop everything and curl up on my mat and let the energy come through me.

Over time, these experiences have resulted in my feeling much more even, steady, a sense of real Santosha. And each experience enables me to feel how rich and full its essence is offering me. When in sorrow or grief, I have been completely available to feel that - and in not filtering my energies to go elsewhere (into denying it or trying to quell it), I have not needed to linger in these energies for an unnecessarily long period of time. When experiencing joy, I am again available to experience it fully. My energies are better organized these days. Prana knows where to go if I do not get in the way.

These days I am appreciating my relationships and my life's moments very greatly. Each experience is golden. Now that Charlie and I have welcomed Violet to our lives, the richness and beauty of seeing what she sees for the first time and how she discovers this world and herself is the most magical gift. We can again become like children, which brings us to a beautiful and profound place in our spiritual center.

Today I am deeply appreciative for the love, guidance, teaching and support that I've received from Jahnvi, as well as from my sister students, and the students I have the opportunity to teach.

Here's to many more years of enlightened exploration! Cheers and Jai Bhagwan!

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Paul Pasternak
Student since 2004

In July of 2007, I went on a church mission to Biloxi, Mississippi to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The team that I went with consisted of 5 adults and 11 teenagers who ranged in age from 14 to 20 years. The mission was successful and rewarding, both spiritually and physically, but this is a story about my yoga experience during the trip.

Throughout the trip the team members entered into several discussions about their personal lives. During one of those discussions, I spoke about my 10 year involvement in the practice of Yoga. There was a strong feedback from the group which resulted in a casual offer on my part to share a Yoga session with me. It must be said that the emotional and physical demands of this mission called for relief that I felt only Yoga could give me.

One night after supper the subject of Yoga came up again and I made a second offer to guide any interested team members through a Yoga session. I never taught a Yoga class before and the team had never practiced Yoga before so I figured we were a perfect match! Since most of the teens were boys I attempted to "plant a seed" that it can be "cool" for a guy to do Yoga by convincing the oldest of the teenage boys into attending the session. When he agreed the rest followed! In the end, eleven out of the sixteen team members decided to try yoga, 2 adults, 1 teenage girl and 8 teenage boys.

We decided as a group that the Yoga session would be held on the beach, the same beach that endured the fierce energy and destruction of Hurricane Katrina. The beach served as beautiful, natural setting to conduct a Yoga class. I chose the intention for the class to be "Loving-Kindness". I reminded the group of the loving-kindness that we had been giving to the Katrina victims and the loving-kindness that we had been giving to each other as we bonded as a team. I then told them that it was now time to give loving-kindness to themselves through Yoga. We improvised by using towels as Yoga mats. I followed the practice of pranayama and asanas that I learned from Jahnvi and Marnie. I was pleased with the group's efforts and actions as a result of my instruction. I received a tremendous amount of positive energy from the group. For example, the female teen in the group - a girl with a sweet disposition, but who was also mentally and physically challenged - took a position in the front row of the class, directly opposite me. She gave her best effort to each asana and kept a beautiful smile on her face through the session.

When I reach savasana the sun had set and the beach became dark. Just as the lights are dimmed at our classes at "Yoga Way", Mother Nature had dimmed her lights for us on the beach. The peaceful energy that existed from the group at that moment in time will remain with me always. I brought them out of savasana and closed with a chant of "OM" and "Jai bhagwan".

At the end of the session, I found myself unprepared for the enthusiastic comments that began to pour out of the group. "You are a good teacher", to this I responded, "that's because I have a good teacher." "Wow, that was awesome", "I never experienced anything like that meditation at the end of class" another team member said. And the comments kept coming, "We gotta do this again!", "I'm going to go to a Yoga class when I get back to New York." There was a genuine and overall good feeling within the group. They shared their Yoga experience with those that did not attend.

I conducted another class on the beach on the morning of our return home. It was a special way to conclude our time together and a rewarding experience. Thank you, Jahnvi and "The Yoga Way" for giving me the opportunity, knowledge and understanding to pass on the beauty of YOGA.

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Laura Cobb
Student since 2004

About a year and a half into my practicing at the basic level here at The Yoga Way, I began feeling the need to deepen my practice of yoga. Previously I'd taken the basic or sequence classes a few days per week. After having the very different experience of practicing yoga in the level II classes, I stopped taking the basics classes for a while. I suppose I thought that I'd "graduated" from these classes (red flag for EGO!) During a particularly busy week when I had no time to take a level II class I decided that I'd take a basics class in order to at least "get my classes in" for the week. I had the intention of asking Jahnvi after class if these classes were beneficial for me to take anymore. Well, as will usually happen if I'm open to it, my question was answered during my practice. As I was practicing the standing warm-ups, I felt my body thanking me for coming back to these postures. I heard these words, "You will always need to come back to the basics." I knew this to be a true statement about practice on the mat and in my life. So, I now take whatever class fits into my schedule or whichever I am led to take. I know that my practice is deepened by my intention to be present, not by the "level" of the class that I am taking.

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