Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/205938
by Stanley Blackmur Star of Excellence 2013 1. It seems when you walk into Jai Yoga you are almost transported into a very calm and relaxing space. Have you heard this before? (Laughter) People have definitely mentioned to me that they feel Jai Yoga does have sort of a special feeling to it. I would say though, any time or any space where you practice yoga consistently within a community, there is a certain affect that may kind of attach to the area. It does have a very nice feel to it and I am really happy other people feel that way too. 2. Why do you think yoga has become so popular in recent years? I think it's a combination of many things. I would say yoga, as a physical exercise, may have different things to offer a person than simply running on a treadmill or performing certain exercises day after day and I think with all the repetition that people experience on a daily basis, yoga may provide an alternative. I also think that religion in America is in the midst of a fairly significant shift and reorganization. People, whether good or bad, are actively seeking new forms and practices of spirituality, so in that context, I think yoga probably appeals to a lot of people, especially younger people that are simultaneously interested in spirituality but not the traditional organized forms. And then of course you have the marketing genius of Americans. Americans can take anything and make it popular. It's is kind of amazing when you can take a several thousand year practice rooted in fairly esoteric material and mix it up with social media and hip hop music and see how it becomes all of a sudden very accessible and interesting to lots of people. 3. Do you think yoga will continue to grow? Without question. I predict it will in a substantial way. I just read an interesting article about the Seattle Seahawks and their "strange" practice rituals, which include techniques such as yoga, meditation, and visualization. Pete Carrol has always been ahead of the curve on this training for sometime but you will definitely see a surge of yoga practice and routines in the fields of professional sports and also in the arts. And that will translate into more and more people having interest in these disciplines. 4. What would you say to get someone to come to Jai Yoga who has never practiced yoga? Hmm. I don't really like putting the hard sell on people but if I had to say anything it would be like more of an open invitation. We have a $25 special for all new students which includes unlimited yoga for two weeks so if you are interested in trying yoga that seems like a pretty fair deal. JAI YOGA 871 Washington Street, Braintree / 781.849.0300 www.jaiyogabraintree.com 65