“I bow to the twinkle in your father’s eye before you were even conceived. I bow to That which makes this tongue a speaking, singing, laughing instrument instead of a flapping piece of leather. It is That I am humbled before. I recognize That which makes these ears delicate listening instruments instead of just decorative flaps on the sides of our heads. I bow to that within you that makes these eyes seeing, loving, glancing, laughing instruments instead of just glass beads. Om Shanti Om”

Roxanne

My name is Roxanne. I am a writer, grandmother, Raja yogi. I have maintained my yoga practice since I was introduced to Swami Rama and his teachings in 1968. I received mantra initiation from Swami Veda Bharati, formerly Dr. Usharbudh Arya to the Himalayan Tradition in 1972, and became Certified to teach at The Institute of the Himalayan Tradition in 2008. I’ve found it’s not necessary to do complicated postures to get benefits from a yoga practice. In the Himalayan Tradition of Raja Yoga we use joints and glands exercises and asanas to get the body comfortable to sit in meditation, where yoga’s real benefits come through. Some say postures should only account for about 5% of a yoga practice. I teach “Boardroom Yoga” to executives at firms in Minneapolis MN and “Gentle Yoga” at The Meditation Center, and I do teach some students on a one-to-one basis. For times when I can’t be there, I wrote and produced “Stretch Breathe Relax”. This DVD is one of gentle stretches, relaxations and breathing exercises as taught by Swami Rama. It includes a narrative on the eight rungs of Raja Yoga. The Exercises in this DVD access your body’s own medicine cabinet in the form of hormones, joint lubricants and endorphins. The goal is one of making yoga fun, easy and available to everyone.