Be here now. This is one of my favorite sentences and reminders there is. Ram Dass, one of the great teachers of our time, sums up the goal of yoga, practice, meditation, and life in three powerful words.
Be here now has been my goal with what and how I practice and how I choose to teach, lead, guide, and most importantly, be in the world. With Strala Yoga, the now, is where we revel.
I love that the experience and feeling we intend with leading Strala shines so clearly across in the class. I dreamed of a yoga experience that goes beyond preaching “no judgment” and “no pose better than another” but I struggled to find an existing experience where the practiced matched the sign on the door. In the last short ten years we have witnessed yoga in the west evolve from a more insular practice, not particularly meant for everyone, to a whole lot of pleasant marketing language painted on, to an exercise only tension inducing act, and all the while, we’ve been the disrupter fiercely standing up for a practice that matches its preaching. Connecting you back to you, then getting out of the way.
“I’ve never tried Strala before and I felt really lucky to have my first class led by Tara Stiles. It was a really fun, happy and flowy class. It’s not to be compared with anything else – I loved it. Strala is relaxing, your body feels really easy, the movements feel a bit like slowly dancing. Because your body is constantly moving – as opposed to moving from pose to pose – your mind wanders less and you can really get your body & mind into a ‘enjoy now’ state of mind.”
We welcome people into our space with genuine hospitality in mind, and never taking guru like credit for our student’s successes, but are very proud and inspired by this vibrant community that helps themselves with our guidance.
With Strala, we are fiercely mindful of what and how we do and how it makes you feel. We strive to always improve, never be fully satisfied with delivering the perfect experience. Our Guides lead by being what they aim to deliver, and work diligently improving their skills of leading. There is no limit on how great this experience can feel, and even when it feels already so nice, we hold ourselves accountable to deliver an even more connected, mind-wandering less, enjoy now, feeling with each class we lead. This is our promise to you.
There is a strong strala vibe whenever a class is about to begin. People come together to work on improving their own mind body connection, all the while feeling great. We all soak up the super positive vibes of the atmosphere. It’s like no other experience, the atmosphere is special. We get swooped up in the encouraging, happy, no pressure vibe, and we work to achieve more with less. We are practicing how we want to be in our bodies, minds, hearts, and in the world. This experience cheers us on to continue to improve in all aspects of our lives with a, feel great now, attitude. There is no dogma, no suffering, no pain, but all sensation, sweat, and achievement of what we never dreamed possible. We do more with less, so we can do more, and do more good for ourselves and those around us. I’m so proud of the Strala community, our Guides, and the awesome people who participate in regular classes around the world. Alone we can do a little good for ourselves. Together we can do great good for ourselves and have a wonderful impact on those around us.
Recently I asked some of the wonderful Strala Guides, why they lead and their responses were powerful. There are loads of amazing purpose statements, I’ll share a few here now and a few later.
“I lead Strala because it makes me feel alive and happy, and that’s how I like to connect with people, hoping to bring them peace, jioy and happiness which of course is a cornerstone to health smile.” – Torja Ngenge, Geneva
“I lead Strala because it lights me up to watch people feel funky and free.” – Chris Emmer, Michigan
“I lead strala because I enjoy the feeling it gives me when I move & when I share it i see the same feeling others experience too. & connecting to who they are uniquely. Also better as a guide myself.” – Jaya Jan, India
“I lead Strala because it invites people instead of being exclusive. What we learn with Strala is how to connect to our core essence. Supporting people in simply being, instead of being right or wrong, feels wonderful.” – Mel Exner, Berlin
“I lead Strala to share with others the amazing feeling of moving how YOU feel good to move, not copying others but finding your own way. Trusting yourself that you can do what is best for you. Accomplishing things without pushing yourself further and further, instead easing into poses and exploring. I’m never going back to moving any other way I’m so happy to be able to share this experience and for all the ways Strala has changed my life.” – Charlotte Stomilovic, Sweden
“I lead Strala because it makes space for me to be & feel ME & helps me to support others in doing the same.” – Rae Broderick, NYC
“I lead Strala because it is so much more than just a “yoga class” – it’s a way of being that makes space for everyone to be their own unique selves. It’s an amazing feeling of freedom in both the body and mind that I want to pass on to as many people as possible!” – Michelle Caron, Montreal
A common feedback from we hear is people are feeling great and loving the soft natural movement carrying the class through simple and challenging movements alike. Unlike vinyasa yoga, which moves quickly from “pose to pose” there is no arrest of the pose or breath in Strala, just like nature, just like us. We work with what we are naturally, dissolve tension and expand our comfort zone by moving easily, everything we’ve got, in every direction we can. It’s reviews like this that make me so happy people are feeling great and connected.
Soften
Breathe
Move from the middle
Your authentic self is vibrant.
Keep expanding.
Love, Tara
About Strala Yoga Training
Strala combines the movement and healing wisdom of tai chi with the form vocabularies of yoga, tai chi, qigong, and Traditional Chinese and Japanese Medicine, to help people release stress, move easily through challenge, and live radiantly inspiring lives.
It begins with a mindset, that says our best way to get where we’re going is to feel good along the way. It also works miracles for whole health, helping us to find ease in our bodies and minds, and create the right conditions both for healing and optimal performance.
In our Strala Yoga Training Courses, you learn to shape your destiny on every level that counts, from your psychology, chemistry and neurology, to your chromosomes and even gene expression. The unique set of skills you develop – for connecting with yourself and others, unblocking your energy, healing what needs healing and accomplishing challenge with ease – uncovers your ability to create the life you want, and be an inspiring leader to the people around you.