How do you bring yoga into your life?

I take the myths inside myself during the yoga practice, infuse my body, mind and spirit in powerful uplifting energies and bring this into my life, my mothering, teaching, relationships and work.  Yoga re-maps consciousness so that our negativity and fear begin to fade and our joy leads the way. This is a very empowered way to live life.  A proper meditation practice will accelerate this process so we can heal from deep inside and as a result love our selves and others deeply. Life will begin to flow in auspicious ways when we are in our joy. Yoga is a profound practice of waking up. I'm so grateful each day for this path. 

Where do you like to travel? 

I love to travel and teach retreats all over the world. Mexico, Bali, South India, Italy are some of my favorites. I also love offering local retreats  in Crestone,Colorado as well as in my intimate home studio in Boulder, Colorado. 

Who are your most influential teachers?

I have had amazing teachers. Without knowing it, I started at the top. I always say it was divine intervention the way I have met my techers. What a blessing! 

My first couple of decades of practice I studied deeply with Richard Freeman. He is a rare soul and taught me the inner intricacies of pranayma and how it relates to asana. He also gave me my practice: Ashtanga Vinyasa. I still practice Ashtanga weekly and also have found my Iyengar and Anusara backgrounds invaluble for teaching students how to be safe, to break down poses and grow slowly towards more advanced postures.

I studied for many years with John Friend in Anusara Yoga and attribute my understanding of yoga therapy to John and his understanding of bio- mechanics. I was also studying the Rolf & Structural Integration Method and find that yoga and body work together are very powerful healing modalities. Anusara Yoga also introduced me to Kashmir Shivism and Sri Vidya Tantra where I met my philosophy teacher and dear friend Douglas Brooks and Sally Kempton. Douglas and Sally have inspired my love of the Goddess tradition of yoga and mythology. 

The past decade I have been very deeply immersed in a mantra based meditation practice under the great tutelage of my teacher, Paul Muller Ortega. Paul has been the most extraordinary teacher of philosophy, and his knowledge of meditation is unsurpassed. He is a master teacher, and is kind, generous, and authentic. I'm now authorized to teach this practice to others. Its been the most profound practice for  increasing the energy within (eventually and inevitably raising the Kundalini Shakti as described by ancient texts).

What is the true meaning of yoga to you?

Raising your Kundalini Shakti is truly the meaning of yoga. As our body and mind is suffused with energy (shakti) life just gets more expansive. Physical dense bodies meet their vibratory essence: this is yoga. We are much more than physical. I always say the rock and the star meet and you get a rock star. 

This is who you are: a beautiful soul with so much talent and capacities waiting to be revealed within. Yoga eventually reveals this to us. My teachers have shown me that the true "Guru" or teacher is inside of me. This is authentic, and honest. Its true, the teacher is already there within every human being. Its just a matter of access.Yoga knows how to open the gates to your true nature: your great self. 

Fulfillment in life requires the proper practice

If we want fulfillment we have to change the inner state and a proper meditation practice will do this over time and with consistent practice. A householder path of meditation serves living in the world; working, raising families, engaging in work and relationships. We need to understand that not all practices offer the same results.  Much of what was disseminated in the West was for living in Ashrams. We just need to know the difference and how this impacts your life. 

What are some other things that give you purpose and benefit your well-being?  

In addition to yoga and meditation (which take up a lot of my life) I adore the outdoors: skiing and hiking especially. I also love to cook and have a degree in the culinary arts. Its a blast to cook for others and sit around a candle lit table conversing. I adore my family: two kids, husband and dog. I love community! I love studying ancient yoga texts and Goddess lore and I love to combine all of my loves in traveling the globe offering retreats.

PRACTICE ONE OF JEANIE'S MANY SOULFUL, MYTHICAL, AND PHYSICAL YOGA PRACTICES HERE!