ERIN FLEMING AT THE TELLURIDE YOGA FESTIVAL

27 Jun ERIN FLEMING AT THE TELLURIDE YOGA FESTIVAL

Writing about yoga instructor Erin Fleming, I feel compelled to quote Sarah Powers, from “Insight Yoga”:

“Yoga can best be understood as a set of behaviors that develops a holistic experience of the body, heart, and mind… A yoga practice is therefore an in-depth training in participatory observation and enhancement of the body, heart, and mind.”

Sarah Powers, an alumna of the Telluride Yoga Festival, is a renowned teacher of Yin Yoga and one of Erin’s principal mentors. At the 5th annual Telluride Yoga Festival, Thursday, July 12 – Sunday, July 15, Erin picks up where Sarah left off, teaching a class Saturday afternoon, 3 – 5 p.m. in Yin Yoga, also Erin’s specialty.

Her  first class description is as follows:

“A deep and soothing alternative to more active styles of yoga, perfect for “people-who-do-too-much.” The emphasis in Yin Yoga is on releasing muscles rather than contracting them. Each unique class is taught exclusively on the floor, holding passive poses for 3-5 minutes each. Yin Yoga poses target the tighter connective tissues in the hips, hamstrings, and lower spine and is practiced in a meditative environment. As a pure flexibility practice, this is an excellent tool for meditators, aging baby-boomers, injured/active athletes, and those new to yoga. It helps release accumulated tension in the body and simultaneously find a peaceful place for the mind.”

However, Erin’s path as a yoga practitioner and teachers was informed by a variety of styles. In addition to Yin Yoga, she studied Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Viniyoga, Anusara and Qigong, which is not yoga at all, but rather an ancient Chinese movement practice.

Erin’s second class on Sunday morning, 8 – 10 a.m., is a Qigong Yoga Flow, which combines an unhurried practice of fluid and static movement to create strength, flexibility, essential balance, deep body and breath awareness.

Erin Fleming has taught yoga for over 17 years to thousands of students. She has led teacher trainings, retreats and workshops in England, North Wales, Spain, Denmark, Brazil, Mexico, Cuba. France, Greece, India, Bali and Singapore. Back home in Marin County, CA, Erin is acting director of Bay Club Marin. She also developed a program for employees of Lucas Films that has been thriving since 2004.

Click the play button and listen to what Erin has to add to her story.