Yoga Is Not a One Size Fits All Franchise

Classically, yoga was not a standardized practice. This is because no one practice is ideal for all of us. No two people are alike, nor are their needs for optimum health. For yoga to be the truly spiritual and personal path to self-realization that the ancient seers required it to be, it was approached and practiced in a manner that honors the individuality of the aspirant. It was also regularly adapted to meet the practitioner’s specific changing conditions, needs, and goals.

Classic yoga is a highly individualized system of self-care that views each person as unique. It offers optimal recommendations for enhancing strength, flexibility, structural alignment, proper functioning of body systems, and mental steadiness. As the oldest psychology in the world, its chief aim was and still is the development of habitual one-pointedness—concentrating the mind at will to the exclusion of all else—leading to perpetual peace.

Why Personalized Yoga

Most people come to yoga for its physical and physiological benefits of fitness and deep relaxation. Some seek stress management, others simply want greater flexibility. Often people complain of tension and discomfort, usually in the low back, neck and shoulders. In some cases, it radiates down the limbs, causing tingling or numbness.

This chronic pain in most cases is caused by repetitive use patterns that develop unconsciously through work, chores, sports, and lifestyle. As a result, we create compensatory patterns which exacerbate the underlying conditions. Eventually, there is restriction, contraction, and loss of range of motion.

An inappropriate yoga practice can create similar havoc on the body, perpetuating habits of imbalance, causing discomfort, and ultimately, irritating the mind.

Strengthen Attention, Break Habits

Let’s face it, as much as we would like to think our issues stem from imbalances in the body (and they often do), the greater adversary is our own mind. The universal and fundamental nature of the mind is to be habituated, compulsive, distracted, addictive, fearful, and neurotic.

In addition, we are constantly presented with information that overloads our senses. The nervous system is hyper-stimulated and the mind becomes dull. It is easy to get comfortable, lazy, and go on auto-pilot.

The goal of classic yoga is to break this cycle—to weaken our unconscious habits and develop new and stronger disciplines in their place so that we can perceive more clearly, have better discernment, greater awareness, more patience, and an unwavering sense of stability.


"In May of 2007, I was told by four doctors that the plate in my hip from a prior accident had slipped and would require surgery to be put back into place. They also told me I would not be able to work. I consulted Monique for therapeutic yoga; she created a 30 minute daily routine of poses with the concentration on breathing to strengthen the hip area. After only 30 days of daily practice, the plate was back in place and the doctors confirmed that I did not need surgery after all. I am also able to work part-time now. I am happy not to have to go through surgery again." --Lynette, Taos, NM

Yoga Therapy

Therapeutic yoga utilizes the fundamentals of classic yoga to correct specific conditions of ill health within an individual. Depending on the condition, yoga works well as both a primary modality, or a complimentary therapy. Modifications are made to classical asanas or postures, as well as breathing and meditation techniques, in order to achieve a state of reintegration: The freedom from chronic disturbances and symptoms of stress that affect the immune system and our emotional state.

A Tradition that Serves the Student

Classic Yoga of India is based on the teachings of the legendary Sri T. Krishnamacharya, as transmitted by the Mohan family of Chennai, India with the sole purpose of helping others achieve a state of health and balance, in body and mind.

Because our capacity for self-deception is enormous, it is important to have a teacher we can trust. A true teacher acts as a mirror, helping to create a condition in which students can see themselves. The right teacher provides honest feedback instead of supporting a person’s neurosis. The teacher guides the student to be discovery-oriented rather than achievement-oriented.

Yoga’s Pyscho-Spiritual Benefits

When we personalize our practice and take yoga beyond the physical, we begin to develop a relationship with the Divine, with an internal power that becomes the flame of our own self-realization. We become more detached externally and more attached internally. We become less externally referenced and more internally focused. We become less affected by the highs and lows of life—the longings, cravings, and yearnings. And we become, as if by osmosis, more peaceful, content, and compassionate.

Classic Yoga of India in Taos, New Mexico:
The Key to Personal Evolution

The key to this personal evolution lies in daily discipline, right understanding, and the appropriate practice. A Classic Yoga of India personalized consultation will provide the practitioner with an evaluation, an individualized practice, and the necessary and compassionate guidance to empower one to succeed on their path. Both sixty and ninety minute sessions are available in private and semi-private formats.