I first met Lynn Maloney at Kirtan at the original alleyCat studio years ago. Lynn Maloney has been part of alleyCat since the early days, having known Ken and Kathleen as residents of the Kripalu Center. Having been the beneficiary of both her acupuncture practice and her yoga classes, I can attest to her vast knowledge of presence, awareness and sacred practices. Read on to learn more about what inspired Lynn to become a yoga teacher and ultimately an Acupuncturist. Lynn Maloney teaches monthly Meditative Yoga classes at alleyCat on from 2-4p the 3rd Saturday of the month.
aCY: What drew you to the practice of yoga?
Lynn: In my late twenties, I moved to New York City, fresh out of graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I had completed a masters degree in the history of science and a certificate in archival administration. I worked in mid-town Manhattan and flew across the country frequently for my job. It was during this time that I discovered the Kripalu Yoga Center, just two hours north of New York. The peace and aliveness that I felt after my first weekend trip to Kripalu started me on the exploration of yoga. Guidance to focus on my breath, pay attention to my food at meal time, and enjoy walking on the beautiful grounds, all while free of the stimulus of TV and cars was actually exciting. I would return to my life in the city with fresher eyes, more attentive to my surroundings, and longing for more of what I had learned at Kripalu.
aCY: What inspired you to become a yoga teacher and what has influenced your style of teaching?
Lynn: My style of teaching has been influenced by the emphasis taught at Kripalu, practicing full awareness on the experience of being on the mat as practice for being fully present to life off the mat. The knowledge that choosing to shift my focus to my present, embodied experience can change my mental, emotional and physical tension inspired me to share the practices of yoga. The effect of my first yoga classes at Kripalu was a feeling of being centered, relaxed and joyful. Learning that joy was accessible with a simple shift of focus on a few practices of breath, movement, and intention inspired me to learn more. I eventually moved into the Kripalu Yoga Center and stayed for three years, completing my yoga teacher training while I was a resident.
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