Hello YDL students! I am so grateful for each and everyone of you. Thank you for allowing me to do what I love and being a part of my classes. Some of you have been students since the early days when we only had audio classes and pdf downloads! It's exciting to look back and see how far we all have come.

Yoga has become a lifestyle for me. It’s so much more than the physical practice of asana. It’s about living an integrated existence- heart, soul, mind and strength. If the matters of my heart and soul are in disfunction, that manifests into my mental and physical health. Yoga Sutra I.14 says, “To achieve a strong foundation in our practice, we must practice over a long time, without interruption, believing in it and looking forward to it, with an attitude of service.” My practice shifts from a more vigorous power class at the studio to Yin and restorative postures at home- depending on the day or season of life. I’ve practiced consistently for years and I’m grateful for a modality that centers me and allows me to deepen and authenticate my spiritual-walk. I believe in and look forward to daily breath-work, prayer, movement and stillness. They are essential to how I can serve in my many roles: wife, mother, teacher, etc...

Dear YogaDownload Students! You inspire me. It really takes something to cultivate a home practice. My hope is that you will explore the many incredible offerings from this community. I believe that the practice of yoga is truly for everyone. Even if you find yourself challenged or uncertain, consider the possibility that you are right where you belong and that the discomfort is an agent of support and growth. Whatever you hope to accomplish, it is my desire to serve you. With love and kindness, Ellen

What are some other passions in your life or things that give you purpose and benefit your well-being? Aside from yoga, one of my dearest passions is being a beekeeper. I don't tend commercial bees nor harvest very much honey. For me, beekeeping is being a steward of the honeybees — I do my best to support them with nectar when they need it, aid their adjustments to the seasons and help control the spread of disease. In return, I receive from the bees lessons, both bitter and sweet, about how nature works and how to slow down and experience life in more detail. Going into a hive box pulls me into the present moment and every colony I've tended has taught me something.

How do you think yoga can help our world? Yoga doesn’t help the world. It’s not a magic potion, some sort of sacred ointment made of handstands and weird breathing you apply to life’s problem areas. All truly aligned, time-tested spiritual practices serve the same purpose – to (eventually) reveal to the seeker what they know, deep down, already exists, but perhaps forgot: that divine center, your “essence nature” – i.e.; that stable, wordless, unfucked-with Godhead, the Self that’s been there since the beginning of the beginning. When this Self is more fully awakened – be it with the help of meditation, asana, chanting, or myriad other sacred technique – what naturally re-emerges will look very much like… gratitude. Or kindness. Love. Compassion. Generosity. Empathy. Unicorns dancing on the head of Jesus. Pick any one, they’re all the same. For most sentient beings on Earth, this is the natural expression of your true Self. This is what spontaneously arises when all the other noise and nonsense of the ego have finally calmed down. So then: Yoga doesn’t help the world. You help the world, by skillfully, avidly expressing your divine Self, every damn day. Yoga is simply the revelatory catalyst.

Sweet YDL students, It is an absolute honor to be a teacher in your life. A concept that inspires me the most is the idea of a lit candle and the power of seeing that candle light others and those candles light others and so on. Before you know it, the whole world will shine brighter. The power of yogadownload.com is that I have the opportunity to spark the light within you and you have the chance to spread that light. Together we make a ripple effect. To even consider that your downdog and backbend work in your kitchen or a hotel room might be impacting lives for the better across the globe brings a giant smile to my face. I bow deeply in gratitude.

Hello my dear & wonderful YogaDownload family. Thank you for letting me share my love & passion for yoga with YOU. I am so grateful. I can’t wait to hear from you all & I hope to meet you someday. Thank you Thank you Thank You. With love & light, Pradeep

Thank you for practicing with me! I hope yoga has as positive of an impact on your life, as it's had on mine and you find joy in practicing. I love YogaDownload.com and the power that this site, media and modern technology has in connecting teachers and students all over the world! This site breaks down barriers and gets more people practicing yoga, so I'm happy you've made it part of your life. My hope is that you always remember to enjoy the practice, never take it too seriously, and use the practice to feel more joy and bravery in your everyday life.

To have a student choose to spend their time receiving guidance from me is the greatest gift! All I want to do through teaching is to connect to other people, to show up authentically with vulnerability, and to create space for students to do the same. When teaching, my aim is to guide students through a journey of self-awareness, which will gradually allow them to move through their lives with more openness and receptivity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to practice with me. :)

Jack Cuneo teaches from years of serious study with teachers’ teachers in Ashtanga, Iyengar, and Anusara styles. Although he is known for his capacity to perform almost every yoga posture, his teaching emphasizes the potency of practicing the basics with ever-increasing awareness and strength. He empowers students to forge a dynamic and graceful relationship with themselves – simultaneously loving who they are and striving for who they wish to become. Jack aspires to become a twinkly-eyed old man living on a mountain, infuriating visitors seeking straight answers by instead posing pithy, penetrating questions.

Learn more from his exclusive interview with YogaDownload: