Namast'ay hOMe Spotlight: Karen Johns of The Yoga Nest
Yoga is to my body kind of like what flossing is to my teeth.
Moving helps to keep unwanted energy from collecting in my body and causing a bit of "decay" so to speak. It keeps energy centers clear so that I can maintain a level of function that I call "feeling good."
Karen’s Yoga Path
I’ve been on this path for a pretty long time. I took my first yoga classes in my mid-30’s wearing overalls, never dreaming I’d eventually own yoga pants in double digits. I studied with a young, serious, passionate Iyengar teacher in various church basements and eventually found my way to Shine Yoga Center where the magical combination of asana, philosophy and sadhana became a supercharged catalyst for my personal growth. My body changed. My perceptions changed. My spiritual life matured and continues to unfold one pose, one meditation, one thought at a time. Ahh, what treasures I’ve received in the more than 20 years I’ve been practicing and teaching.
Why Yoga?
Well friends, I ain't no spring chicken. We are given this one vehicle for this one lifetime, and we'd do well to maintain it as best we can. Yoga is to my body kind of like what flossing is to my teeth. Moving helps to keep unwanted energy from collecting in my body and causing a bit of "decay" so to speak. It keeps energy centers clear so that I can maintain a level of function that I call "feeling good."
The older I get, the more sassy my body gets. Kind of like an eccentric lady in a red hat. It doesn't take the kind of abuse I used to give it as a younger person without a glimmer of my own mortality. It's demanding, discriminating and discerning. It likes to be moved, it likes for me to eat certain things, and it likes to keep a pretty regular schedule. And I am so awestruck by its generous service, how can I refuse? I bow to my body in such deep gratitude. You go, girl.
Why Karen Teaches
The older I get, the more I believe that we are here to love and be of service to one another. We will all age. What will it look like on each of us in 20 - 30 years? We've generally been taught that youth trumps age. There's quite a thriving market that is banking on it. Pharmaceuticals, makeup, supplements, miracle creams, hair dye, surgeries. The subtext is that something is always wrong. I believe we have the power to make a difference in how we FEEL in our bodies AND how we PERCEIVE ourselves as our wisdom starts to expose its powerful beauty.
Is it possible to love and appreciate our bodies with deep humility and awe? Is it possible to age with a sense of humor? Yes. Is it possible to age Grace-fully? Yes.
I teach because it helps people to feel good, stand tall, and reduce or maybe even eradicate pain. And because there's nothing quite as potent as the medicinal properties of a good laugh. At the end of every class, I thank my teachers, our bodies and my lucky stars for giving me the opportunity to love and serve the cool people who attend my classes. How fortunate am I?
Karen Johns is a registered yoga teacher, eRYT500 and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider. She is also the co-owner of The Yoga Nest in downtown Milford, OH. She offers regular yoga classes as well as Energy Renewal Healing Sessions that include Chakra Clearing, Visualization, and IQM (Integrative Quantum Medicine™.
Karen’s Reading List
Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out of Body Travel, William Buhlman
Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing, Carolyn Myss
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have, Mark Nepo
Dying to be Me: My Journey from Cancer, to Near Death, to True Healing, Anita Moorjani
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book), Don Miguel Ruiz
The Goddess Pose: The Audacious Life of Indra Devi, the Woman Who Helped Bring Yoga to the West, Michelle Goldberg
Goddesses Never Age: The Secret Prescription for Radiance, Vitality and Well-Being, Christiane Northrup, M.D.
How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali, Swami Prabhavananda & Christopher Isherwood
Light on Yoga, B. K. S. Iyengar
Myths of Light: Eastern Metaphors of the Eternal, Joseph Campbell
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, Eckhart Tolle
Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead, Tosha Silver
The Path of the Yoga Sutras: A Practical Guide to the Core of Yoga, Nicolai Bachman
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle
Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior, David. R. Hawkins, M.S., Ph.D.
Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife, Eben Alexander, M.D.
Sacred Sound: Discovering the Myth & Meaning of Mantra & Kirtan, Alanna Kaivalya
The Second Half of Life: Opening the Eight Gates of Wisdom, Angeles Arrien
Wheels of Life: A User's Guide to the Chakra System, Anodea Judith
The Wisdom of Menopause, Christiane Northrup, M.D.
Yoga FAQ: Almost Everything You Need to Know about Yoga - from Asanas to Yamas, Richard Rosen
The Yoga of Kirtan: Conversations on the Sacred Art of Chanting, Steven Rosen
The Yoga of Sound: Tapping the Hidden Power of Music & Chant, Russill Paul
Your Soul’s Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born, Robert Schwartz
Karen’s Personal Yoga Practice
Hatha yoga (asana)
Raja yoga (meditation)
Bhakti yoga (devotional chanting)