Walking the Path, Separately and Together

After years of meeting online, our mighty, international band of Shadow Yoga teachers gathered for a week in early December. We came from London, Paris, Moscow, Istanbul, Sydney, Adelaide, New Zealand, Sacramento, Bend and the Netherlands—representing, quite literally, thousands of hours of collective experience.

I have so much respect for these deeply sensitive, caring people, and so much gratitude for the teachers around whom we gather.

A Community Shaped by Life

Among us are parents and grandparents, acupuncturists, a Jyotish consultant, massage therapists, a flight attendant, choreographers, a high school administrator, artists, translators, business owners, and at least one math professor—all facing the very human challenges of life.

We struggle with doubts.
We struggle with family dynamics.
We struggle with boundaries and priorities.

We also navigate the changing landscapes of yoga—often paddling upstream—to share this thing we love with small handfuls of curious, committed students.

The Quiet Work of Teaching

What may not be immediately visible here are the quiet, consistent sacrifices made.

For decades, these teachers have chosen conviction over convenience, friction over popularity, and patience over immediate results. They have created classrooms where real guidance takes place—spaces shaped by faith in a potent lineage, not trying to fill classrooms.

Teaching requires tending to one’s personal sadhana first and foremost, even when you don’t feel like it, and without anyone telling you what a good job you’re doing. Over time, this type of commitment gives rise to an intimate, unshakable faith in one’s undertaking—what Patanjali names śraddhā (Yoga Sutras 2.32)—and may lead, eventually, to the path of guiding others.

Discernment in an Age of Hype, Hacks and Promises

We know that yoga does not remove the difficulties of life, but rather refines our capacity to withstand them.

Through sustained practice, we cultivate viveka (discernment), the ability to distinguish what is essential from what is habitual, what nourishes from what distracts. In a culture drawn to speed, scale, and shortcuts (yoga hacks, anyone?), discernment helps uncover what is abiding, what is trustworthy, and what is worth investing our precious life force.

Returning Renewed

I return from this gathering renewed, as we continue to walk the path separately, but together.

I’m deeply grateful to our teachers, Sundernath and Emma, who carry the mantle of Hatha Yoga with depth and integrity. And I’m grateful for the students who keep this work alive through curiosity, sincerity, and a willingness to stay the course.

Wishing you a peaceful solstice, a nourishing new moon, and a gentle close to the year.