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| dhamma mama & the little guru |
For me, dharma is the path of skillful action. It is the commitment and ability to discern
my purpose or duty at any given moment, in every situation and in my life journey. As a student of the dharma, I see life
as the ultimate teacher and endeavor to make skillful choices by living mindfully—being present, listening deeply, trusting
my inner wisdom and personal rhythms and not being attached to outcome. The journey of self-discovery is
the most fascinating and rewarding adventure that we can ever take. Combining the art and science of movement and meditation,
yoga is a vehicle that can guide us to a deeper understanding of ourselves. It brings us into harmony—body, heart, mind
and spirit—with the world around us.
The asana (postures) are models for living. Each twist, backbend, inversion
and forward fold gives us a new vantage point from which to view ourselves and others. Moving through vinyasa (mindfully-crafted
sequences), we may contemplate how to embrace change and make transitions in our daily lives.
Our breath teaches
us to expand and to surrender. Through each inhalation, we create space to receive the understanding and strength to nurture
our tender places, refine our choices, and to begin anew. Through each exhalation, we learn to relax our efforts, embrace
our depths, ground and preserve our energy, and release tension. Becoming conscious of the gentle pause between each breath
helps us cultivate balance and equanimity.
As we learn to mindfully link our breath with every action, we become
empowered to trust and listen closely to the wisdom of our bodies. In the absence of all other tools, the breath is an innate
reminder to abide gracefully in present-moment awareness. On
this yoga journey, we learn to see the world with eyes of compassion, to honor the lessons of the past, to trust the promise
of the future, and to celebrate the gift of the present. This is the dharma of yoga. This is the art of skillful living!
The Journey
I cannot help but pause whenever
I’m asked how long I’ve been practicing yoga. The technical answer is: since 2004. But the simple truth
is that I’ve been on this path of practice long before discovering the asana of yoga. I just didn’t have a name
for it! I became
intrigued by the concept of “living simply so that others may simply live” upon hearing one of my favorite writers
share that adage during a lecture I attended in1997. It was the most poignant lesson of my entire college experience. Many
years later (after a series of life-altering events that included living in Brooklyn through the terror of 9/11), I returned
to my Lansing roots with the intention of putting that wisdom into practice.Back on home soil, I awakened fully to the understanding that my spiritual compass was aligned with yoga
and Buddhism. And, in the magically effortless way that life unfolds when we are attuned: the teachers appeared! I
discovered my root sangha (Lansing Area Mindfulness Community) and soon began a 200-hour yoga
teacher training program with As You Are Yoga. I am nationally registered with Yoga Alliance (RYT 200), certified to teach yoga to adolescents (AYAY, 2009), have completed additional training in anatomy for yoga (Paul
Grilley, 2008), and received a Reiki Level 1 certification (Reiki Arts Continuum, 2003). In what seems like another lifetime, I earned a B.A. in Psychology and an M.A. in Cinema Studies from New York University. My yoga journey has been
a circuitous road. Each experience has prepared me to teach this healing art and, in turn, yoga has become an extension of
my long-term inquiry into human relations and communications. My approach is deeply inspired by music, nature, my mindfulness practice and, more recently,
motherhood.Since
2006, I’ve been continuously blessed with opportunities to teach—and learn with—diverse groups of people
throughout the greater-Lansing area. In 2008, I founded dharma yoga arts with the vision to nurture sangha and to inspire
the art of skillful living through movement, mindfulness and meditation.
__________________________________ The Art of Living Yoga
Ahimsa-pratishthayam
tat-samnidhau vaira-tyagah When one perseveres in nonviolence, hostility vanishes in
its presence. — Yoga Sutra 2:35
Friend, Mentor, Teacher,
and dYa Collaborator.Ann Lapo offers a mindful approach to movement, relaxation, and breathing awareness with special focus on
alignment that honors the uniqueness of each individual.Having studied the Hatha, Iyengar, Anusara, and Kripalu traditions over the course of two
decades, her primary influence has been the HighEnergy Yoga techniques of Roger Eischens from whom she received teacher training.
In addition, she has had Anusara teacher training with Betsey Downing. Ann also facilitates stress management and other business success classes, workshops and
retreats for both personal and professional requirements throughout the Mid-Michigan area. She is committed to building community and sharing
the joyfulness of yoga. Read more: The Art of Living Yoga.
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