The Thread of Yoga Revealed

Namaste, Yoga practitioners! Thank you for checking out the Yoga Revealed Podcast BlogPost! Today we hear from an amazing individual, Richard Freeman, who has been practicing yoga since 1968. This is Alec Vishal Rouben and it is truly an honor to share this interview with you. Let’s share the story of how this interview unfolded…

My personal yoga journey began at CorePower Yoga, in the heat, trying to understand my body, habitual patterns of my mind, and life itself. In my first few years of practice, I was a go getter for the asana! A few years would pass and I became more thirsty for the depth that Yoga held. So, I began practicing at the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado, under the guidance of Ty Landrum, Richards Senior student, and Mary Taylor, Richards Wife. Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, as taught by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois; GuruJi developed the primary series and five other advancing series for practitioners to move through, building tapas (discipline) and a cultivation of devotion.

One year at the workshop would pass and I would be accepted into Richard Freeman’s Teachers Intensive in July of 2015. This was a huge honor and it was sure intense! I had taken Richards class a few times before, but this was on another level of cultivating a genuine Student-Teacher Relationship. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to study with Richard and Mary. I had manifested an authentic teacher, dedicated to the path. (Check back NEXT thursday for an interview with Mary Taylor!) If you have ever taken Richards class, you know how mindful, articulate, and slow paced the movements and breath patterns are. Leaving out the heat, mirrors, and music; distraction is brought down, creating more observation for the vrittis (thoughts) to pass through without attaching.

It was a chilly Boulder afternoon when I arrived to Richard Freeman’s home. I pulled up with a sense of comfortable nervousness. To Interview a Master teacher…an incredible blessing and honor it is. Richard opened the screen door and out came his 13 year old dog, Ruby, who needed help to climb the stairs. Richard and I later discussed how beautiful it is to recognize yourself within animals, sometimes easier than it is to do so within other humans.

Richard takes me upstairs to his practice room and I lay down my laptop and recording device upon his extra long Manduka yoga mat, where two old style blankets rest, one for me, and one for Richard.

He passes me a cup of water in a Stainless Steel cup. These cups shine with presence.

I say, “These remind me of my Nani’s cups! They were from India.”

Richard responds, “ These are from India. ~Richards long pause~ Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar have sipped from this same cup.”

I contained my excitement as my I sipped from the steel cup, almost as if I was taking in sweet nectar. Amrita.

And so we began. I interviewed Richard Freeman, Soaking up an hour of embodied wisdom as he has studied and enveloped himself in this way of life, in a mindfulness practice that dives far beyond the single facet of asana.

Richard has been different from the beginning, he shares. You could consider Richard a Black Sheep in the Ashtanga Community. However, we won’t tell anyone that he uses props; keeping the postures a little more tailored to the individual.

Listen to this podcast to hear from a true student in the practice, an example for us all to continue our studies, no matter if we teach or not. Plus, you will get a few tips for the natural experience of plateauing in Yoga.

There is so much golden wisdom within this podcast and it is such a joy to share this with you. I encourage you to find a local Ashtanga Studio and give Mysore style practice a try (self-guided primary series…. use the cheat sheet for the poses!). One of the tips Richard offers is for individuals to try new studios and styles!

Richard Freeman and his wife, Mary Taylor are releasing a book in November of 2016, titled the Art Of Vinyasa. Look out for that! You can PREorder their new book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1611802792?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

Visit The Yogaworkshop.com and try to catch Richard as he travels the world teaching Yoga. You can find one of Richards Books titled, The Mirror Of Yoga and studio talks from over the years at Yogaworkshop.com/store.  

Richard will be teaching at the Hanuman Festival Located in Boulder, Colorado during June of 2015.

ALSO, check this video out! http://yogaworkshop.com/about/yoga-ruins-your-life. It’s beautiful how YOGA RUINS YOUR LIFE! :)

My name is Alec Vishal Rouben and it is an honor to mirror the wisdom of yoga back to you. Thank you for tuning in! If you would go to iTunes and rate Yoga Revealed Podcast with 5 stars, we would be eternally grateful! Thank you for subscribing to us and stay tuned for the next episode!

If you have teachers that you want to hear from, LET US KNOW! What do YOU want to know about from them? Please comment and share with us! We care about this practice just as much as you, So let’s live our yoga together!

With infinite gratitude,

Alec

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