What is a Mudra and how did you come up with the name Mudra Moments? To question is part of the yoga and sometimes its about getting deeper into the question but to add some salve to your curiosity here it goes.
Mudra: The sanskrit word for a seal (not the animal) 🙂 or gesture also it means paradox which becomes the yoga. A mudra is an outer expression of an inner connection. We do this every day, in life, not just with our hands. We do this when we get married by wearing a ring on our finger and we do this at a graduation with the cap and gown. In life, we are always seeking significance and this is one way we share it. What is amazing about the tantra is that is also tells us that it, the mudra, is every part that goes into making the seal, for example a wax seal it’s the wax, stamp and the person making the seal – everything is part of the expression.
Moment: 1. A brief interval of time. 2. A specific point in time 3. A particular period of importance or excellence
How the seed (bija) was planted for Mudra Moments to blossom:
Elsie and Hillary met in 2002 in LA at City Yoga and shared a love of yoga as they took Anusara Yoga classes mon-wed-fri at 2pm with teacher Naime Jezzeny. They never missed a class and then both went through teacher training that same year at City Yoga where they both discovered their voice as teachers. Now they both teach full-time and study philosophy with Dr. Douglas Brooks sharing a deep study of Rajanaka Tantra Yoga and share these teachings in their classes. Funny enough their friendship is a mudra – Elsie being from San Salvador, El Salvador and a practicing Catholic and Hillary from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania raised Jewish but does not practice the faith.
Back in 2006 Elsie began to delve into technology discovering her love for this fantastic tool and becoming quite the YoGeek 😉 and then fearlessly grew into podcasting her live classes. With Elsie’s enthusiasm she immediately inspired Hillary to begin a blog which was The Gift Of Yoga then as she got over her fear as she learned to become friend with technology and podcast her private classes as well. The natural progression of their relationship led them to create Mudra Moments where they can sit and continue the conversation off the mat taking yoga into the everyday as a resource for teachers along with those who want to deepen their practice.
Began her love of yoga while attending grad school at the National Conservatory in Denver, Colorado. In 1997 she moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Not a good thing 😦 Didn’t gel with her at all. But it was because of this pursuit that she was able to really discover her love of yoga. It was delving into the practice of Anusara Yoga that she was able to rediscover her desire to teach. She chose to study and teach Anusara Yoga. Elsie has just recently started teaching yoga publicly again, primarily for Yoga Matrika and BYS Yoga. She has also found a new love: Podcasting and Social Media. Her biggest dream is educate the everyday folks about the beauty of new media and how truly empowering it is. Elsie currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA and is working doing exactly what she loves, being with her new and beautiful family podcasting and teaching yoga, while starting her new consulting business YoGeek.Me. Wanna know more about Elsie?
Hillary Rubin
In 1996 while working in NYC at the high profiled fashion house Prada, Hillary was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which at first seemed to be a story of doom even a sentence for failure. After embracing the diagnosis knowing there was a bigger purpose, she sought ways to heal herself and found an amazing gift – Yoga. Yoga as her discipline along with alternative health choices opened Hillary up to a personal methodology, which transformed her life. For over 10 years she has been focused on her growth by experience, experiment and study, which has brought her to become, a certified Anusara Yoga teacher specializing in Yoga Therapy and is a resource to many as a Health & Wellness Coach.
Hi Elsie and Hillary!
I love your new site (thanks, Hillary, for leaving me the URL!).
Of course, first thing I plan to do is link this site to mine; then, write a post about your site for my yoga friends to come visit as well.
It is my wish to one day return to the U.S. and meet you both and maybe take a class under either one of you. Interesting, Hillary, but I lived 2 years in Philadelphia while taking my post-grad studies. Another thing we have in common other than loving yoga!
Namaste!
Hey Jane,
Cool.. Glad you stopped by and that is cool about philadelphia love how we see how much we have in common other that yoga.
yes I do hope you get to the US or on a retreat with either myself or Elsie someday.
Take care.
Many sweet moments,
Hillary
Hi Elsie and Hillary!
I just wanted to come by your page and send some love. I’m a newly certified yoga teacher and I stumbled upon your podcast on itunes looking for something that would motivate me as a teacher and also give me some new issues to ponder. I’m happy to say that your podcast has given me lots to think about while crammed on the subway on my way home from work and also has motivated me to get involved in technology in a positive and proactive way. I created a blog http://www.spiralyogadance.blogspot.com to document my experiences as a new teacher and post some things that I’m finding challenging or helpful or inspiring. I’m from Philadelphia, but do a lot of travelling and have just secured a job teaching yoga at a yoga and surfing retreat in Portugal.. sweet! I’ll be teaching around 5 people, two classes a day and am super-nervous but also so excited. I feel blessed to be moving along on my yogic journey.
Check out my blog for a Mudra Moments shout out!
Best of luck to you both and I’ll continue to enjoy your podcasts with in Portugal.
Nicole Carlin