Teacher Feature: Rosan Cruz

I first stepped on a yoga mat in New York in 1995, while on sabbatical leave from a stressful corporate job.  Since that first Hatha Yoga class, I went on to study and practice several styles of yoga, including Sivananda, Iyengar, Ashtanga, Bikram and, eventually, Kundalini Yoga.  This then led her to workshops all over Southeast Asia and India, where I trained under teachers like Bela Lipat (Sivananda/Ashtanga), Sri Pattabi Jois (Ashtanga), Dinah Salonga (Absolute), and Marisa Harnadh (Kundalini Yoga).

Early this year, I completed the teacher training program in Hot Yoga at yoga+ where I now teach the Absolute Series. After that, I did the Kundalini Yoga Level 1 and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction meditation technique under Guru Dass at the International College of Kundalini Yoga in Bali.  Guru Dass, a direct student of Yogi Bhajan (Kundalini Yoga) and Ramesh Balsekar (Advaita), is one of the most knowledgeable and experienced Kundalini Yoga teachers in the world.

I love how the ancient technology of Yoga goes beyond the physicality of the poses and awakens the practitioner spiritually. I want to deepen my own practice, share my knowledge, and inspire others by teaching.

I love teaching yoga. My class is in the morning and I wake the students up by telling them to look at the mirror, smile and greet themselves a good morning before we start class! It's best to start the day right and the best time is on the mat! I have regular students in the morning and each month we try to push a little harder. If you ask my students I'll be more focused on sucking the navel in, working more on the core than trying to be more flexible.

Depending on the number of students in the class, I try to give them all a gentle massage and remind them to lie longer in savasana and enjoy the healing benefits of yoga. Sometimes, I'd tell them to command their body to heal - wherever the healing is needed. As much as possible, I want the students to enjoy the class, go for stability by building their core muscles, and keep practicing!

Through my classes, I hope to help students open their hearts and eventually, master all aspects of themselves which is the true meaning of Yoga.