Alumni Profiles

Lev Pasikov
Traditional Eastern Arts/Yoga, 2009

I am very fortunate to have stumbled upon the Yoga program at Naropa. I chose this program because I wanted to learn the theoretical philosophy of yoga together with its practical application in an academic environment. The program is unique because it offers you the life-enhancing ancient wisdom of yoga with an emphasis on its realistic application in the modern world. This quality of the program is probably derived through the diversity of its classes and the depth of Nataraja's balanced teaching method, since he has been trained in India for a long while in the guru-disciple paradigm and also studied Western psychology at Naropa. What I enjoyed most was Nataraja's personal anecdotes of his yogic journey in India, his light touch and humor, and his heartfelt transmission in class (often we would start class with Nataraja strumming the tampura and chanting). I think the teacher is what brings the wisdom to life and Nataraja is vibrant and authentic, you can tell the man lives and breathes what he teaches.

Sree-devi Bringi is also an incredible asset to the program, bringing the culture of India into the classroom. She is always buzzing around excited to fill young receptive brains with the abundance of knowledge that is flowing forth at sometimes torrential rates. The program itself allows you to approach and understand Yoga and its evolution in from all angles, but the real gift is the magical touch of the teachers and the intimacy of the community that is created by not only learning but living Yoga day in and out. In terms of preparation for the future, I was able to travel to India and fulfill an internship teaching yoga in Pondicherry, and having returned from my sojourn in India am preparing to teach classes in Wisconsin, even as I miss the inspiring atmosphere of the yoga community at Naropa.

Lila Ferguson
Interdisciplinary Studies/Yoga, 2007 

What I enjoyed the most about Naropa’s Yoga Program was the community that was formed with my peers as we journeyed together on the same path for several years. The yoga program opens one’s body and psyche in new ways, bringing up challenging material for a student to look at and process. Nataraja Kallio has a strong dedication to teaching and challenges his students to continuously meet their edge, both in class as well as their personal lives. The program goes well beyond academics to provide a powerful and dynamic inner transformation. The Yoga program allowed me to open my body and mind, giving me new perspectives on how I see myself and the world around me. I doubt that any other yoga teacher training program would give such a rich and supportive container while offering students a very experiential and integral understanding of yoga’s ancient traditions and roots. Since graduating Naropa in 2006, Lila has taught yoga and life skills to teenagers and youth offenders in Colorado, California, New Mexico, New Zealand and Fiji. Lila currently leads international trips to the Fiji and New Zealand with high school and college students.

Eric Romano
Traditional Eastern Arts/Yoga, 2006 

The Yoga program at Naropa University is rooted in traditional Indian Yogic schools of practice, while preparing students to apply this wisdom in a modern western context. In my final year of the program I set my sights on becoming a teacher, four years later I am teaching Yoga as a full time job. Every day I draw on the inspiration I gathered from being immersed in the community at Naropa University, most significantly, the teachers in the Yoga program that fueled my fire for a lifelong journey. I am currently teaching in Olympia, Washington.

Christopher Edwards
Traditional Eastern Arts, 2008 

What returns to me over and over again from my time at Naropa are the questions, the first being "why teach?" I now find myself in the position of teaching regularly.  Again and again I ask myself this question, and the answer is just another question-"Why practice?" After all if I aim to teach something then how can I help anyone without understanding why I practice the very thing that I instruct?  I had a hunch before Naropa that my mind and my body were more intertwined than either would ever readily admit. I was correct in my hunch, but had no idea how vast and subtle a subject I was about to get into. Oftentimes today I feel that I still don't have a clue how big the space of Yoga is, and this brings me to a third question that pleasantly persists-"what is Yoga?" I learned at Naropa to match questions with practice and practice with questions and feel myself as the process that happens throughout. I am happy to say that this keeps going on today. I currently teach Yoga for the City of Thornton, CO.

Danielle Mallet,
Traditional Eastern Arts/Yoga, 2006

The yoga program at Naropa was by far the most unique yoga training I've come across. Nataraja offers a diverse umbrella of information that covers many types of yoga. He pulls together the gems from each tradition and instructs us in a kind yet powerful practice that focuses mainly on deepening the breath. His attention and respect for the depth of silence in a time where most yoga instuctors are filling classes with their mental chatter and music was much appreciated. For me, silence and attention to my breath have been at the heart of my practice. The main gift I have to offer as an instructor, besides knowledge of alignment and making sure people are safe in their postures, is the power of silence/breath. Valuing silence is incredibly uncomfortable. Most of the confidence I have in teaching comes from the knowledge bestowed by Nataraja and my Naropa experience.