I discovered yoga as a teenager in the late 1960’s. It was an exciting time to be alive! It was also a tumultuous time; a time of uncertainty. ​
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Much like today, I believe.
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As someone with scoliosis, I've always appreciated the physical benefits of yoga, but my introduction to the practice actually grew out of a curiosity about Eastern philosophy. I wanted to learn how to meditate, and I saw Hatha Yoga as a gateway. To this day, my yoga practice is informed by my desire to find stillness, to create calm amidst the chaos.
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For me, it is not all about the body. It is the union of BODY, MIND, and SPIRIT.
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And this is what I aim to impart when I teach.​​​​​​​
simplyYOGA, est. 2003
Barb Germershausen, ERYT500
she/her/hers
After practicing various styles of yoga in my twenties, I finally found what I'd been looking for during an Integral Yoga class in Marietta, Georgia: the BODY*MIND*SPIRIT connection. I was hooked. By 1984 I was practice-teaching wherever I could, and substituting for my teacher. Here's the rest of the story in a nutshell:
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June 1987-December 1988 - Santa Fe, NM
-taught evening yoga classes at the Waldorf School and city parks program
-lived and worked in a Vipassana Meditation Center
-studied Sivananda Yoga
-attended College of Santa Fe in their creative writing program
June 1989-April 1996 - Austin, TX
-opened Yoga House on the edge of UT campus
-offered classes in yoga, meditation, tai chi, qi gong and kung fu
-taught yoga at a medium security all-male Federal Correctional Institution in Bastrop, TX
-sponsored a weekend event with Swami Satchidananda
-developed an intensive year-long apprenticeship program
-certified dozens of yoga teachers in the central Texas region
-granted Yoga Alliance ERYT500 status
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June 1996-present - Charlottesville, VA
-taught at Living Yoga on Market Street (1996-2002)
-offered classes at Parks & Rec, Charlottesville City, Mary Williams Senior Ctr, Colonnades
-established simplyYOGA (2003)
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I currently offer in-person and online yoga and meditation classes, workshops, retreats and private instruction. I also teach chair yoga online and at The Independence/Charlottesville.
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What's with the eyepatch, matey?
Arrrgh! It's a curiosity, ain't it?
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When children ask me why I'm wearing a patch over one eye, I often respond with this:
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"What? Have you never met a lady pirate?"
It usually elicits a gasp, followed by a wide grin. Yep, that's how I roll. But if you'd like to know the real story behind the patch, check out this video from The Moth Story Slam at The Miracle theater in Washington DC where I came in second place, just three tenths of a point behind the winner. For this introvert, just getting the nerve to be on that stage was a win!​ I hope you appreciate the story.