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I am a very passionate amateur golfer and I read where Tiger Woods practiced yoga,
so I thought I would give it a try. After taking a few classes, I found I had the
wrong impression of yoga, believing it was only about meditation and passively laying
on the floor. I was also a bit apprehensive and embarrassed because of my lack of
flexibility, but James’ approach is nonjudgmental and inclusive. After the first
class I never felt self-conscious again and I soon learned it is a great way to
get a good non-impact workout. As to my golf game, I have noticed an ability to
concentrate more on each shot. My posture has improved as well as my swing plane
and distance. I am also able to use yoga stretching to give me a quicker warm up
before a round.
Mike M.
I am an industrial designer and had a very negative experience with a builder during
the first stages of construction of a foundation project. Also, on the work site,
I somehow injured my foot and had an intense burning pain in left heel. I went to
doctors and found no relief, so I thought I would try yoga. I saw a yoga school
in cool building near my shop and came in to check it out. I met James and he seemed
down to earth, so I started coming to noon classes. His energetic yoga classes have
helped me flow through the frustration of the building disaster and calmly make
positive corrections. I am also much more flexible and have no pain in left heel.
It is gone entirely. I really look forward to the classes now. It is a great space,
physically and energetically and James excels as a sensitive teacher with passion
and humor for his students and profession.
Norman P.
After taking classes at SomaYoga for a year, I feel like a new person: My problems
with asthma and PMS have all but vanished. I manage stress more gracefully and I'm
much happier with my body. Not only that, but James has created a space that is
warm and supportive--a real community. Don't miss his challenging, uplifting and
fun classes! And I mean every word of it,
Jennifer
I am a bartender and an athlete and recently started taking various yoga classes.
I felt I needed more from my exercise than just a “workout” and I was bored with
the gym vibe. I was about 15 – 20lbs overweight, yet strong from weight training
and I knew I needed more flexibility. I was emotionally frustrated because I knew
I needed to make some life changes also. I was very determined to change my life
and my body. I started taking class with James and my entire being has changed.
Partly because of James and partly because I was/am open and ready for the information
he had to share. The classes made me physically stronger and more flexible and in
general much healthier. Emotionally I became more centered, more calm, less anxious
and the happiest I’d ever been. After a few months of classes, I went on a retreat
in Mexico with James and that really made it clear to me that I wanted to become
a yoga teacher. He encouraged me and now I have completed his SomaYoga Teacher Training
and SomaBodywork training. I am on a new path in life and am the most focused and
motivated I’ve ever been. Everyday I am grateful to have found such a wonderful
teacher and that I gave myself the opportunity to experience all he has to offer.
Erika
I'm addicted to the energetic yet relaxed feeling I get from my SomaYoga classes.
I consider it to be the most important of all the activities I do for my health
and I value the meditation and chanting that are often included in class. Under
James' program and guidance, my yoga improved more in 6 months than it had in the
previous 5 years, during which time I had tried several teachers and styles. I recently
recovered from a major reconstructive surgery in what my doctor described as "record
time," during which I had returned to yoga again before I even began physical therapy.
I credit yoga for giving me the flexibility, strength and internal energy I needed
to heal so quickly. I've been working with James for almost 2 years. I enjoy the
sense of community that I feel at SomaYoga, where everyone is friendly, supportive
and relaxed. He also provides a peaceful, Zen-like environment - with plenty of
fresh air, plants, incense and water fountain - which is essential to my personal
relaxation while practicing. Definitely the best yoga experience I have ever had.
Paul W.
Flash Developer, SF
James is a great instructor for several reasons.† I am a big guy and I have been
doing resistance weight training for years.† I felt completely out of place in my
first attempt at yoga with another instructor.† It seemed the yoga instructor was
perturbed by my size and made a point of correcting me in front of the class in
a very negative way, joking about my body.†I never went back and I was very turned
off to yoga until I met James. He was totally non-judgmental, supportive and encouraging.†
He took the time necessary to help me build my yoga skills and advance at a rate
that was comfortable for me.† He truly inspires me to excel and I recommend him
highly!
Mike D.
Venice
James is a great teacher. As a beginner, he welcomed me warmly to the world of yoga
and let me find a comfortable place to start. As I moved on to more advanced classes,
he was able to offer me new challenges and insights about my individual practice.
What I like best is that he gives detailed directions on alignment, and his energetic
style and sense of humor keep you engaged and having fun throughout the class.
D. D.
Berkeley
After jumping from studio to studio I finally found SomaYoga. James is a wonderful
teacher, and unlike many of the other places I had been to in the past he made sure
we were all doing the postures correctly. His class is challenging and yet he never
pushes people past their ability. I have a friend in who works in an emergency room,
and he says that one of the most common things he sees are yoga injuries. James’
class will make you sweat safely. His knowledge of anatomy is translated into the
yoga postures so your body feels safe, as it grows stronger and more flexible.
Annie
San Francisco
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