The LA Anusara Kula

My friend Mackie asked me to write some thoughts about the LA kula. Here they are. 

When I think of the LA kula I remember Naime Jezzeny back in the City Yoga days. I hear Naime's voice saying, "A kula is a community of the heart; it's people coming together not because they should but because they want to."  It all started at City Yoga, the beautiful West Hollywood studio where I fell in love with Anusara, where I did my Level 1 and Level 2 Anusara Teacher Trainings (there were no Immersions back then), and where I taught for years.  

I see Naime's face and the faces so many other teachers who were on the schedule back when City was an Anusara yoga studio. Teachers I know and love and think of often: Naime, Sue, Anthony, Noah, Tiffany, Tanya, Rebecca, Ross, Tara, Jessica, Lucy, Marc, Peter, Todd, Kris, Huck, Scott, Hillary, Camilla, Hagar, Tony, Shari, Gina, James, Joseph, Sharon, Kate, Cindy, Steven, Elsie…  I invoke them and so many others who have become friends through the years: Mackie, Jenny, Keric, Joy, Lynn, Rachel J and L, Monica, Jodi, Linda, Danny, Tad, Nicole, Randi Jo, Meghan…

I remember the first time our beloved Sally Kempton taught at City, and the first time Carlos Pomeda came to charm us with his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the history of yoga. I remember Naime talking about Douglas Brooks and how we couldn't wait to study with him. I remember when Noah moved from Tucson to Los Angeles and we were all inspired by him (and still are). I remember when Ross was Certified, and then when Tiffany was Certified, how ecstatic and proud we all were. I remember going to my first "Practice" class and being shocked and inspired by the craziness. I remember the time I subbed for Noah (what was I thinking?) and Darren Rhodes came to class! He had come to study with Noah but stayed and took my class. Because I didn't recognize him I wasn't nervous and he ended up loving the class! 

I remember John coming every year to LA and in those days we would go to the American Legion in Hollywood. The kula was much smaller then. There have been so many classes, so many workshops, so much laughter. So much life and so much radical expansion!

I also remember when Desiree lost her son and how we all gathered that night in a circle.
I remember Gary Eifer. 
I remember… I remember… I remember…
Remember: a word that literally means "to bring back again."  

I bring back those days when Naime taught at City. I met my best friend in the world - Jenny - at his class. We loved Naime. We went to his classes every week. I remember him sitting in front of the huge Siva Nataraja statue, in front of the two lovely arch-windows looking out at the big sycamore tree. He talked about his children, Milo and Luca, making his themes personal and universal, inspiring so many of us to become teachers, to become more than we thought we were capable of, to become something greater than our fear. 

The LA Kula is everywhere now, spreading out like sunlight. 

The dance continues. 
Still I miss Naime. 
Sometimes I still miss the old days. 

At the same time I look forward to continuing to teach and witnessing the growth of our community. I look forward to studying with new teachers and old, and watching the love and the light spread. I look forward to more Down Dogs, to a deepening understanding of the philosophy, to continuing refinement of our inner bodies and our Selves. And mostly, I look forward to one day studying with Milo, Luca, Leela, Hugo, Frankie, Grayson, and the future generations of yogis and yoginis in the making… not because I should but because I want to continue to come together in this beautiful community of the heart that is the LA Kula."