Press release from Purna Yoga 828:
Asheville has a new home for alignment-based yoga practice, as Purna Yoga 828 opens its doors mid-November at 697 D Haywood Road in the heart-center of West Asheville.
The studio, owned and directed by long-time Asheville resident Letitia Walker, will focus its teaching around the Purna Yoga lineage, which draws on the asana and pranayama of B.K.S. Iyengar but combines it with the meditational components of Sri Aurobindo.
“Although its roots run to the very heart of the history of yoga, Purna itself is relatively new,” explains Walker. “It combines the best of traditional yogic wisdom with a modern understanding of biomechanics to create a system that is truly ‘state of the ancient art.’ I am so excited to share this style with more of Asheville.”
Walker has been teaching Purna Yoga at The Asheville Movement Center in West Asheville, and at One Center (now The Embodiment Center) on Coxe Ave. for over 10 years. She is in the final stages of completing a 2,000 hour training in Bellevue, Washington, at the College of Purna Yoga and has also trained extensively in yoga therapeutics.
“My focus in teaching is to use my anatomical knowledge to demystify poses so students may find the alignment of the pose as well as freedom in the mind and body. Asana practice, for me, is never about perfecting poses but instead focuses on feeling more at home in the body and to connect with the deeper benefits of yoga. And, asana is just a small part of yoga.”
The studio is currently under construction and in the midst of an Indiegogo campaign to fund the final stages of upfit. Walker hopes the studio will open mid-November.
“The location and size of the space are perfect for us,” Walker explains. “But we had to modify almost everything else. New flooring, lighting, a new HVAC system, adding windows, the creation of two studio rooms and the manufacture of the Great Yoga Walls – it’s going to be a brand new space! We wanted to make sure that there were no obstacles between our students and them getting the best yoga instruction and care possible.”
Purna Yoga Co-founder Aadil Palkivala, after 40 years of studying with B.K.S Iyengar, discovered ways in which Iyengar’s work could be modified for greater safety and efficacy. With his wife, Savitri, creator of Heartfull™ Meditation, Aadil started Purna Yoga with the mission to teach people, not just poses, by adding the spiritual and mystical teaching of India’s independence movement founder, Sri Aurobindo, and his collaborator, The Mother.
Aurobindo’s philosophy can be summed up in one quote: “All life is yoga.” According to Walker, Purna, meaning complete, embodies this by addressing the whole person – body, mind, emotions, and spirit.
“Purna Yoga serves the complete person through asana and pranayama, applied philosophy, nutrition and lifestyle components, and through its dynamic and transformative meditation style. Our yoga is more than just asana and athleticism. It’s a way of living that reduces stress, brings us more into balance, and helps us connect more with our community,” says Walker.
More information and the Indiegogo campaign can be found at purnayoga and liveyoganow
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.