Teacher Spotlight: Susan Kihurani Skinner

Flowgis! Many of you already know our beloved Teacher of the Month, Susan Kihurani Skinner, as her classes are some of the most well-attended! Learn more about her below :)

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

The amazing humans that come to Flow (whether it be to work or to practice) and the strong sense of community. I work a full-time job during the day, which can be really exhausting, and sometimes, in my often frantic hustle to leave my office and navigate the city to get to my class on time, I question whether this crazy dash is worth it. However, without fail, once I make it to Flow, I am instantly reminded of how much I LOVE being a part of this community. Whether it be the wonderful Karma Yogis, Managers, Teachers and other Flow staff, or the amazing students that come to practice, I am always inspired by the people and the amazing, uplifting energy. I always end up leaving my classes on a "yoga high," thanks to these wonderful humans! And am reminded that yes, it is more than worth it :) Much love and appreciation for the Flow community! And thank you Jen Beach and Kathleen A. Kern for making my Mondays extra special :)

What is a typical day like for you and how does practice fit into your daily routine?

I typically wake up around 5:45am and then walk my dog, Ella, before heading morning Mysore (I just started Mysore a few weeks ago and it's been a really challenging, grounding, and humbling experience, but I'm really loving it!). After Mysore, I walk to my full-time job, where I work as the Director of Contracts for a research firm. After work, if I'm not teaching an evening yoga class, then I'll try to catch a spin class, take a run with Ella (but only if the weather is just right, lol), or just hang out with my husband.

What was your first yoga experience like?

When I was in undergrad at GW, I needed to take a 1-credit class, and all my friends were taking this "really cool" step aerobics class (clearly showing how dated I am), but I wasn't able to get into the class. The only class that I could get into that fit in my schedule was a Yoga/Pilates 101. I signed up and have been hooked ever since!

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Mimi Rieger has had the biggest influence on me. Mimi was the first yoga teacher that inspired me to start practicing regularly. Before I met Mimi, I would practice here and there, but not consistently. After taking one of Mimi's classes, I was instantly hooked and couldn't stop coming back for more. Mimi has shown me the importance of persistence and intention in practice. She has helped me grow in so many ways, both on and off the mat, and is such an amazing, selfless mentor and friend. Joan Wadopian has also had a big influence on me through her thoughtfully sequenced, precise, alignment focused classes, as well as her no-nonsense attitude. Other teachers that have influenced me include Cory Bryant, Sam Breschi, and Angela Meyer.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

I am half Kenyan (my father was born in Kenya) and half Pennsylvania Dutch (my mother's family used to be Amish and Mennonite), which might be one of the oddest combinations, but definitely has made life interesting and full of character :)

Come check out why Susan's classes are so popular on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 14th St! Not only is she an awesome teacher, she's a truly wonderful person to be around.

We love you, Susan!

Community Spotlight: Irene Farrow

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

The. Community. And the amazing caliber of teachers and students, especially the morning mysore crew! They are the best people to 'bow to the lotus feet of the Gurus' with. Flow has an immensely diverse student body and I wish more studios could emulate it.

What was your first yoga experience like?

While serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in rural Peru, I was given a hatha yoga DVD that I practiced with on my laptop in my tiny dirt-floor room. As I explored the postures, I became increasingly enthralled with how this yoga thing unlocked tight parts of my body and helped me stand taller, breathe deeply, and think clearly.

What would your perfect DC day look like?

Sunny, warm early summer. A big cup of coffee, followed by a fierce mysore practice or fun Rocket class, followed by an enormous breakfast with lots of cheese and kabocha squash. Then a relaxing day - enjoying the fresh outdoors or an art gallery with my boyfriend, drinking tea and catching up on New Yorker articles, and baking something chocolate-y and gluten-y. No television, minimal connectivity.

What are some of your favorite things to do/places to go pre and post practice?

I am a firm believer in Guruji's assertion, "No coffee, no prana." Before mysore practice, I almost always down plenty of coffee, black.

Anything else you would like to share?

I would love to take up classical piano again. If anybody has a used keyboard for sale, hit me up.

Another Bump in the Road

Flow's Mysore guide Jen Rene shares how an accident in India influenced her outlook on all things.....

ANOTHER BUMP IN THE ROAD

When I stepped onto the rock, it never occurred to me that I might be swept off of it. Initially, I tried to hold my ground when the wave hit, but then the water rushed over my head and I realized how helpless I was to its sheer force. I remember reaching for the rocks, trying desperately to find something to hold onto and failing. I didn’t feel my body hit the rocks though I know it did. I had no choice but to surrender and ride the wave, and I was filled with a sense of both panic and calmness. I didn’t know if I would come up – I didn’t even know where up was.

I finally got my head above water, but my relief was immediately followed by the terror of realizing that there was no beach in site. I was in a rocky cove, and the way back to land was far. Waves were crashing into the rocks that I had just been thrown from, and I knew that those rocks were my best chance to get out of the water.

I got my bearings, and powerfully kicked myself to the rocks as soon as I saw a break in the waves. With the help of Peg and Meghan, I managed to get out of the water and off the rocks. What followed was a scary, long, and painful day, but I was also filled with a grave appreciation for the fact that things didn’t turn out worse.

When the universe imposes something like this on you, it is trying to teach you, to tell you something. I have no doubt that this will change things – my practice, my perspective, my life. Maybe this experience really is the teacher, and I guess this – and not the next pose – is the lesson I really needed to learn.

I am trying not to waste energy feeling disappointed. This accident isn’t random. I showed up in Kovalam feeling drained and burnt out. I spent the past month doing nothing but standing poses in my practice. On arrival in India, I was feeling cautious about participating in David’s teacher intensive. I was honored to, but worried about assisting David in the Mysore room because I didn’t want to overextend myself. I was being very conservative with my energy, because I wanted to go home feeling like I had rested. I wanted to return home feeling different than how I felt when I left.

Apparently, the universe wanted me to rest so badly that it literally forcefully removed me from my path. There will be no more advanced series for me this month. I won’t be walking very far or very fast. I can’t go to the beach, because I have open wounds. The Ayurvedic doctors won’t even treat me until the stitches come out and the bruises are gone. The Internet has been down constantly. I literally have nothing to do but rest.

Four practices into a month-long intensive and I hit another bump in the road. Reflecting on the past three years, I seem to have had a fairly big setback every year or so – Dengue fever, getting hit by a car, sprained ankle and broken foot. Maybe these mishaps are to keep me humble; maybe it’s because asana would be too easy for me if it weren’t for setbacks; maybe it’s to make me a more skilled teacher; maybe it’s to slow me down.

Maybe I’m just on the wrong path – and that’s why fate keeps picking me up and throwing me off. Surely there’s a lesson here. I didn’t decide to rest – it was forced on me. It was so important that it couldn’t possibly happen any other way.

I came to India with my preexisting expectations of how things would happen. What I’m learning, though, is that I don’t get to have control over everything – and maybe that’s OK. I like to be in control, but all the things I try to control in my day-to-day life make me feel like I’m swimming against a current.

I look for straight lines in life – the quickest way from point A to B. I look for parallel lines in my relationships, trying desperately to sync them and avoid conflict. Heck, I even look for unbroken lines in my asanas as I try to perfect them.

I came here expecting one thing and I woke up to something completely different. I didn’t decide this – it happened to me.

And maybe that’s my lesson. Yoga is to have this experience and get right back on it. I have to live with the consequences, but I get to live. I returned to my mat a few days after the accident consciously feeling a different body, a different practice, than just a few days before.

This isn’t my first setback, and I know I didn’t spoil my chance. My practice will come back and my body will heal. I’ll keep going.

Time and time again, life is proving to me that no one gets to walk this path in some straight line from start to finish. You get bucked off, you have to fight for it, and you experience some negative results. But what matters most is your response to it each time, and your return to the path.

As David said, “Don’t fix so much on the destination that you miss all the cool points along the way.” And now, as challenging as the universe has made it to get to this understanding, I finally think I know how to take that advice.

Jen Rene