Bay Area Yoga Teacher Highlight: Janet Stone
Name: Janet Stone
Practice with me at: Yoga Tree Castro (Tues & Thurs 6:15pm, Friday 4:30pm + Saturday 9:00am)
How long I’ve been practicing yoga: At 17, a friend introduced me to Prem Rawat, and there began the practice of meditation in my life. It wasn't until very many years later—in the midst of my international multi-sporting, mountain biking, surfing and snowboarding journeys—that I found myself in India, the birthplace of my grandfather. There, I found asana practice through fellow travelers and the Sivananda lineage. Yoga came with me—or found me—everywhere I went after that.
My mantra these days: “It’s not about me!” This is my sacred mantra that I keep in my back pocket everywhere I go. Yes, I chant elaborate sanskrit mantras but this one is woven throughout all the other mantras.
A posture that has been resonating with me lately is: I’m gonna be a bit boring and pick MEDITATION POSTURE as I find so much subtle power, challenge, awareness and vitality unfolds in the time that I sit on my cushion.
How I like to practice yoga off the mat: Yoga permeates every aspect of my life as the longer we are “practicing” yoga the more we become the yoga. Yoga, by definition, means union and the more we are endeavoring to unify our apparent opposites the more we become a living expression of this practice. So, through my parenting, relating and all of the choices I make as to what I eat, wear, engage in, purchase etc...it’s all being informed by yoga.
The last book I read was: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy. This is one of the few non dharma books I’ve read as of late.
My Intention for this winter: Slowing. Stilling. Tending a subtle flame of illumination, by which I mean, slow my busyness, my asana, my commitments so that I can allow my nervous system to replenish.
Favorite local juice/tea spot: Any juice company that rejects plastic containers... but, who am I kidding, Trouble Coffee (this is for the moments I ignore the response to the question above).
Where I go for a nourishing meal: To a friend’s house who makes exquisite dal that is so nourishing.
What’s on your yoga playlist right now: Well, this is going to sound silly, but, my most recent album, Path Of Devotion, and you can find a couple great tracks by Essie Jain.
A few of my favorite yoga teachers are: The ones who embody the practice and who are not performing yoga for the outside world but are living it deep within their being.
A ritual I love: Japa Mala. Running the beads through my fingers as I recite a mantra. This centers me and gathers the busy of my thoughts into a focal point and wash them clean (even if for a moment).
What I am letting go of this year: I can’t say “letting go” but I can say that I’m softening my grip on my teen/tween daughters as they grow into themselves.
What I am embracing this year: I can’t say “embracing” but doing my best to love up and except the vast change in above mentioned teen/tween daughters.
My website: www.janetstoneyoga.com.
My instagram: @janetstoneyoga.
