Pravassa Yoga, Personalized Holidays

1. Can you tell me a little about how you got into yoga?
I found yoga 16 years ago in college. I registered for a Sivananda class to fulfill my gym credit. Interestingly enough, I failed the class because I didn't bring in a home cooked meal at the end of the term. (Living in a New York City dorm room with no kitchen didn't lend itself to cooking.) But a seed was planted and I started going to the Sivananda center a few times a week for classes. From there I opened myself to both the spiritual and physical aspects of the practice and began exploring hatha and vinyasa as my main form of exercise as well as a place to retreat from the day-to-day craziness of NYC.

2. Can you tell me what Pravassa is and how it helps people find yoga retreats that are right for them?
Pravassa was created out of the challenge to balance my work life and my down time. I found that when I was on the road for work, I was seeking out classes and healthy food to try to keep some balance regardless of the time zone I was in. This concept then extended toward my vacations as well. Pravassa was born in 2009 as a way to bring together like-minded people who are looking to rejuvenate, restore and retain their healthy way of life. By offering multiple modalities that compliment yoga, such as Pilates, massage and cooking, we appeal to clients who want more than just yoga on a vacation and feel comfortable bringing their friends and partners along for the trip.

3. What is different about Pravassa and what effect does that have on the people attending one of your retreats?
Pravassa vacations offer a combination of wellness, fitness and culture at unique properties and location around the world. We work with top instructors from the U.S. who understand the balance between health and wellness and how important your vacation time is to you. Our trips are no pressure getaways. We typically offer yoga twice a day as well some group meal times and active excursions. If you prefer not to attend class or skip out on a meal for some alone time, we totally understand, as we're here to make you happy. In all the trips we've lead since 2009, attendees have made life long friends and travel buddies. Some single travelers have also made Pravassa trips their yearly vacations as they know they'll have a good time, meet some interesting people and explore a culture or landscape they might not have ventured to on their own.

4. How do you see the future of yoga teachers as they strive to balance the spiritual aspects of yoga with the realities of making a living?
The future of yoga is going to be as vast as its past. Yoga instructors will tell you that they were drawn to this path for various reasons be it, spiritual, physical or even metaphysical. Like any ancient text, the 8 limbs of yoga need to be interpreted for today's world. In the 21st century humans are advancing technology at an alarming rate and therefore the message of yoga can be spread more easily between countries, cultures and classes. Instructor choose to interpret their path in a way that works for them. If this means recording a meditation or asana class and selling it on iTunes for $.99 so you can spread your message and put food on your plate or move to an Ashram in India where you do chores in exchange for board, who are we to judge? Yoga has always been about finding balance and samadhi within ourselves and as no two people are like, therefore no two processes will be the same.