Experienced Certified Yoga Teacher
Qualifications, Background, Philosophy, and Class Format
I thought that it would be a good idea to share with you some information about me, my qualifications and background, my teaching philosophy, my class format and focus, as well as what you can expect from me.
In 1987, I became interested in yoga, mostly for its proven health enhancing benefits for the body's overall health. I was brought up by parents that strongly believed in the mind/body connection. My step father was originally a practicing MD who later gave up his practice to help people become more aware of how their health was directly connected to their life style and the way they think. He opened one of the first Mind/Body centers that offered alternatives to modern medicine. My mother is a teacher by nature and taught movement oriented exercises that promote health; originally dance and aerobic exercise, then NIA, and finally the practice of Yoga. With such a background it seems inevitable that I too would be drawn to exploring this connection between the mind and the body, and to share this information with those around me. By 1988 my interest in yoga became the focus of my life. I went to as many classes as I could find locally. I asked my teachers questions constantly, read books and for four years practiced yoga twice a day for an hour and a half each session. By 1990 I was assisting my mother in her Yoga Classes as often as possible and working as a contractor full time doing home renovations. Helping people in Yoga came very natural to me. I had no idea that in the few years that followed I would give up contracting and become a full time Yoga Teacher.
In February 1993 I went to the Kripalu Yoga Center for Yoga and Health (which at the time was a Yoga Ashram) in Lenox Massachusetts for the residential month-long Yoga Teachers Training Certification Program. I originally went to selfishly learn as much as I could with no intention of ever being a teacher. The program changed my views quickly and upon completion of the program I began teaching weekly Yoga Classes at my stepfather's center for health (The Center for MindBody Integration). This opened the door to a whole new lifestyle for me that continued to change as I evolved.
About one year later I began teaching evening classes at Excell (adult continuing education) for a few years. I quickly out grew the mind body center and offered classes at health clubs to the members and outside public so I could work with a larger population. In 1993 I met Mary who quickly became my best friend and two years later my wife. Mary was very supportive and a Yoga practitioner herself which made it easy for me to continue my personal studies. In 1998 Onondaga Community College (OCC) offered me a position teaching Yoga as a physical education credit (gym credit). This marked the end of my contracting business (Creative Renovations).
I began offering classes at various businesses and organizations for a while and started doing demo's, health fairs, presentations and workshops. As my love for teaching grew, so too did my needs for a better place to offer my classes, a place to call home. In 2000 I ended up finding two wonderful locations. The May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society on E. Genesee St. and the Loretto Tower on E. Brighton Ave. Both locations are conveniently located in Syracuse where I live and are very accommodating spaces with plenty of room for me and my classes to grow. I continue to hold my classes at these locations and offer meditation series and retreats throughout the year. I also teach weekly classes at University Hospital for the faculty, interns and staff and at Sedgwick Heights to the elderly. Sedgwick Heights is a senior citizen residential community. In 2008 I was invited to also hold classes at the Hematology-Oncology Prevention and Wellness Center on W. Genesee St. The center is the first of its kind offering the widest variety of mind-body modalities in this area. Throughout this evolution of my yoga life, I have to date purchased a total of three early 1900 fixer-upper homes (of which my wife and I still live in one) and completely restored them to their original condition. I hope to eventually create a center where my wife (who is a psychologist and has a healing practice) and I can offer our skills and modalities in a place of our own. For more information on Mary's work, go to www.IntegratedEnergyHealing.com or www.AlternativeAutismSolutions.com
In 2006 I completed the Professional Level Kripalu Yoga Teacher Certification (500hr) program and currently am recognized as a registered Yoga Alliance (E-RYT 500) member. In August 2008 I registered my name as a school with Yoga Alliance and was approved (Yoga with Tony Riposo RYS) and developed a 200 hr. Yoga Teacher Training Certification course designed to teach future teachers and anyone that wants to take their practice to a deeper lever; the practices of Yoga. I still offer classes, workshops with CEC and Trainings at the same various locations.
Yoga is an incredible path that has taken me farther than I could ever imagine. Now two decades into Yoga my practice still consists of daily postures and an hour of meditation. I study the scriptures and work toward furthering my continuing education credits and advanced certifications.
My classes are unique. Because of my interest in the mind body connection and because I am a Kripalu Certified Yoga Teacher, the classes are very experiential. As each part of the class is led, you are guided (encouraged) to notice your experience rather than mindlessly following along. No two classes are alike (classes are not repetitive) and I offer a wide variety of different techniques, practices and postures with multiple variations. This way regardless of your ability or level of practice everyone can find their way comfortably through out the class. I do provide assistance where needed but allow the individual the space they need to find their own way.
picture by Elisabeth Groat
In the guided meditation portion of each class I lead everyone to explore the nature of the mind through different meditation techniques. Breathing (pranayama) is taught in a variety of ways but mostly focuses on the calm breathing exercises which help reduce stress, anxiety and help one to be more relaxed and emotionally calm. The breathing and meditation together heighten the mind-body connection and makes it easier to be in the moment which is where you want to be when practicing the Yoga Postures.
picture by Elisabeth Groat
The posture portion of each class follows warm-ups to prepare the body for the selected postures for the day. I believe that we are "physio-logical" beings and as we explore the Yoga Postures we are in fact exploring our true nature. How we move and where we can go (our flexibility) is an expression of our existence. How you are currently is a reflection of everything that's happened to you in your whole life and maybe before (genetics). I believe that "your issues are in your tissues". When you are ready you will eventually find your way into the postures fully.
picture by Elisabeth Groat
As the postures are led I offer and encourage each person to go to where the sensations are strong enough to hold their attention and see what's there. In this way the posture and the movement have purpose; exploring the connection between the mind and body. I discourage trying too hard or going too far in any pose because there is no prize awarded for being better than you already are. In therapy if you are pushed too hard you will avoid the very topic you are there to resolve and in a posture if you push or try too hard you will tense up around the very area you are trying to work through. Both the mind and the body need to be ready to progress in each posture. If you are steady and comfortable you will go farther that you can imagine. This is because you can only imagine what you have already experienced. In order to move forward both mentally and physically you need to let go of the past; let go of control, be in the moment and free yourself from your self limiting beliefs (afflictions). Yoga is about exploring your true nature; finding your way into and out of experience. As a teacher, I offer many variations and expressions to the Classical Yoga Postures so that no matter who is in my classes anyone can benefit.
picture by Elisabeth Groat
I feel that forcing a posture on someone could be counter productive and even lead to injury. Each class ends with relaxation.
Yoga is also spiritual by nature. Due to the deep sense of inner stillness one finds as they practice yoga a sense of inner peace is very common to feel. Practicing Yoga it is common to once again notice that we are by nature biologically peaceful. The word yoga actually means "union", bringing things together, oneness. Yoga heightens that connection between the mind, body and spirit. Regardless of your religion you will always feel safe. The yogic philosophy on religion is that there is in fact a higher power, a divine or supreme being. Yoga, in fact, welcomes all religions and their followers to use the practices and teachings to aid you in your own spiritual journey.
I welcome you to come to my experiential classes; they are designed with you in mind. Bring in your questions, ask for postures you long for, tell me where your aches and pains are or what you are working toward and it will be woven into the class. Although the classes are led as a group each person is honored individually, respecting personal and spatial privacy. I would be honored to share my experiences with you as you embark on your own personal path of love.