Seattle Yoga News is on a mission to find and highlight all of the hidden, and maybe not so hidden, gems in our yoga community and beyond. We want you to learn about their experiences and perspectives, but also a bit more about their personalities, so we have a few fun questions for them. This week’s spotlight is turned towards Emily Kasman.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME A YOGA TEACHER?
Simply, it was the way that yoga made me feel. The movement connected me to something bigger, something that felt universal, that I had tapped into an infinite amount of knowledge each and every time I practiced. The pure fact that I have an opportunity to share even a minute amount of this knowledge with students is still such an honor.
WHAT IS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU ALWAYS GIVE YOUR STUDENTS?
Each and every time you step onto your mat…or grass, or dirt, or bamboo flooring to practice, your body has something to teach you. Be open to what it has to say.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR YOGA PHILOSOPHY?
I believe, like so many before me, that the physical asana practice is in place so that we can explore stillness in all realms of our life. Throughout the many stages of our practice, we realize tendencies and patterns (samskaras) that have accumulated during our daily lives. With awareness, and eventual stillness, we begin to accept, or maybe change, these parts of who we are. That being said, I enjoy a slower-paced, intentional class that creates a groove that feels different than the chaos of a normal day. Where I can feel each pose integrating itself into my body. Where I can marinate in the posture and sense it seeping into the depths of my being. Guiding me towards more authenticity, love and light.
IF YOU COULD PRACTICE WITH ANYONE DEAD OR ALIVE, WHO WOULD THAT BE AND WHY?
I would love to take a class with all the people in my community, family and friends, that have never practiced before. I often say that you never forget your first yoga class, and to be a part of that experience would be a delight!
HOW LUCKY ARE YOU AND WHY?
Lucky has never been something that I thought of myself as being, even though my life has been a series of fortunate experiences. I was born into one of the most supportive, loving, fun families that I know. Without their ability to shape my life as they did, my story would contain a completely different cadence. Through growing up with positive reinforcement and a knack for knowing what professors wanted, I did well enough in school to eventually obtain a career that paid well. Add that to a long-term relationship from high school, a white picket fence, a dog, and disposable income for days, I was the luckiest girl ever. Right? Well, not exactly. After letting yoga into my life, I realized something was missing and luck wasn’t able to fill the void. This is where my good fortune begins to overflow. Through yoga, I began understanding who I was and what my dharma is. I let the yoga speak through me, so that I could be open to any and all synchronistic opportunities that came my way. Luck isn’t about doing nothing and letting fate take over. It’s about doing things that feel right to you and letting the universe support you in your adventure.
IF YOU COULD BE AN ANIMAL, A PLANT OR AN INGREDIENT, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
As one of my passions is food, and improving people’s relationship with food, I would be turmeric. This is one of my favorite spices, not just because it’s a beautiful golden color, but this root has so many healing qualities. Turmeric is a well-known anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is something that our world experiences in mass quantities, from arthritis, to skin issues, and gastro-intestinal problems. It causes physical, emotional, and even spiritual suffering. I would love to be an ingredient that decreases suffering, tastes delicious and creates a more vibrant world.
WHAT IS YOUR LATEST FAVORITE THING ABOUT HUMANITY?
Curiosity is my latest favorite thing about humanity. This trait is something that I’ve experienced quite often while traveling in Central and South America over the last two months, mostly in the young spirits that I have come into contact with in remote areas of Guatemala and Peru. Their eyes are honest and innocent. They look without judgement, inquire without words, and love with patience. I am as curious as they are and try to mirror their inquisitiveness with as much child-like enthusiasm and a smile. They rarely smile back, but nonetheless I feel their light shining bright.
WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO NOMINATE NEXT FOR THE YOGA TEACHER SPOTLIGHT?
He’s someone that I connected with the first time we met and I’ve wanted to learn from him ever since – Brian Charlton
Emily Kasman’s Bio: Emily lives by the words lokah samasta sukhino bhavantu, translating into “May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may my thoughts, words and actions contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.” Understanding that nature brings a sense of liberation and joy, Emily has created many retreats that combine adventuring outdoors and practicing yoga away from the studio environment. She believes that taking yoga out of a studio and into the world helps maintain inner stability by practicing in the ever changing elements.
