SHARON LAVENBERG
LYW: What initially brought you to a yoga practice? How long have you been practicing.
Sharon: I have been practicing yoga for 8 years. Prior to that, many years ago, I was a runner. When I could no longer run, I took up walking for exercise and weight control. Yoga gives me the opportunity to stretch my entire body, not just the muscles used for walking. In addition, I was suffering from osteopenia (lower than normal bone mineral density) and my gynecologist recommended a yoga practice.
LYW: What brought you to LYW? And what keeps you here? How often do you practice?
Sharon: When I decided to take up yoga, I talked to a friend of mine who had been practicing for many years. I asked her to ask her teacher if she could recommend a yoga teacher in my area. She recommended Luke Ketterhagen who was teaching at LYW at the time. I loved practicing with Luke and when he moved to Santa Monica I moved with him. However, I continued to practice at LYW on Saturdays. A few years ago, Luke left the area and I moved to LYW full time. First of all, it is very convenient for me. I can walk to class and combine my walking exercise with my yoga practice. Also, I love the small classes and the personal attention I get. The teachers know me and I know them. I can talk to them about any probIems that I’m having and I know they care about me. I also love the community feeling with the other students. I feel like we are all friends. I try to practice yoga 3 times per week. When I can’t come to class, I have a yoga DVD that I use at home. However, I much prefer a live teacher.
LYW: Are there any observations/comments/anecdotes from a class or workshop you attended you care to share?
Sharon: When I first started practicing yoga, I felt very competitive. I would look around the room and see people doing things that I couldn’t do. I wondered what was wrong with me and had a negative opinion of myself. At LYW there is a strong emphasis from all of the teachers to listen to your body and not judge. Every body is different every day. I now accept my body and what it can do at the time. Sometimes I’m amazed and other times amused by what I can and cannot do.
LYW: Please share with us the benefits you receive from your yoga practice.
Sharon: Before I started yoga I thought of it as an exercise program. I wasn’t really aware of the breathing and spiritual aspects of the practice. However now, I really appreciate not only the physical aspects but the emotional ones as well. As soon as I lie down on my mat and start breathing, I feel my entire body relax and I move into a different realm. I love the feeling of calmness that comes over me. I also love the way my body feels after all of the stretching. I used to have back problems but I believe through yoga I have strengthened my back and now I rarely have a problem.