ABOUT

Aubrey Zinaich (she/her)

E-RYT-500, KRI Level 1, YACEP, RPYT-85 (Prenatal)

In Progress:
Yogic Studies 500 hour Advanced Certificate

What informs my practice?

My practice is informed by my desire to be on a continuous path of self-discovery and awareness.  From this desire I am inspired to cultivate a practice of devotion and service which I have learned from the example of my teachers.  I believe that Yoga is more than a set of bendy āsana or postures.  I believe that Yoga presents a framework for self-realization and is a guide for becoming our authentic selves.  I am interested in the spaces of life that hold transformation and in bringing greater awareness to them.

 I am inspired by the works of Thich Nhat Hanh, Guru Nanak, The Bhagavad Gītā and the Upaniṣads.  My teachers are nature, Dr. Judy Plemons, Dr. Edwin Bryant, Keval Kaur Khalsa, Philip Deslippe, Jvala Singh, my partner, my child, my fellow teachers and fellow practitioners and many more. 

 

Which limb of yoga do I practice most often?

I practice the Yamas and Niyamas every day.  They are the foundational system of values for the way that I live my life.  I think about Satya / Truthfulness in my day to day interactions with people and the world around me.  My favorite practice is Īśvarapraṇidhāna the practice of devotion to the “highest”.  I work with the practice of Pranayama as it leads me into deeper states of meditation.

 

Which limb of yoga do I find the most challenging?

The Yamas and Niyamas as well as āsana.  I definitely struggle with Aparigraha / nongrasping.  On the same theme I also find Santosa / contentment difficult.  I always want to be better, to push harder and sometimes that can be destructive.  I find āsana difficult because I deal with chronic pain.  My body is not always able to do the same thing every day.  Some days my body needs rest rather than movement.

 

How do I honor yoga’s heritage?

Yoga can be defined as a path to liberation from the sufferings of life.  In my search for liberation, I have come to understand that some of the ways that suffering is manifested in our culture is through power and privilege.  I have just begun to understand the ways that I hold power and privilege in the world.  I am actively working to recognize these and to make changes.  One of these ways is by being on a journey to decolonize my own Yoga practice and the practice that I offer to others.  These are a few ways that I am proceeding with this decolonization practice: I am working to tear down the hierarchal structure within the practice space.  I offer suggestions for practice, but my goal is to hold space for practitioners to find what is right for them in the moment.  I am working to tear down the harmful gender binary often associated with anglophone yoga to make practice spaces open, welcome and more accessible for people of all gender identities.  I actively teach all 8 limbs of yoga and not just āsana.  I actively participate in both self-study and in continuing education on yogic philosophy and history. 

 

What does accessibility mean to me?

In the physical space of the classroom it means offering a welcoming environment, making a safe space for all students to practice together.  It means providing ways for people with accessibility needs to practice with comfort and providing equal access.  For me personally, accessibility means showing humility, finding humor in the practice, being available.  Not all bodies work the same, but all bodies are perfect.  I offer many options for postures in my classes, and I encourage the use of individual intuition, listening to the voice that resides within. 

 

What does accountability mean to me?

Accountability to me means transparency, open and honest communication, taking ownership of my mistakes and learning from them.  It means living my values. 

 

Which social issues are most important to me?

Racial Equity.  All aspects of American society are shaped in some way by racial inequity.  I believe in the intentional practice of changing policies and systems to prioritize change in the lives of people of color. 

 I believe that one way I can help make this change is by talking to people in my community about voting.  Yoga spaces are meant to be a place for change both internally and externally.  I believe that individuals can make a change by electing leaders locally who represent their values.

 

What social issues do I want to know more about?

I have a lot to learn about everything even the issues that I feel passionately about.  I know that I have a lot more to learn about being an advocate for all people and for real change.  I know that I have to continually recognize the lens of privilege that I see my world through.  I would especially like to learn more about the needs of our First Nations Communities and our Latino Communities.

 Many of the photos on this website were taken by Hill Honeck.