My Yoga story

My initiation into Yoga came 10 years ago when a surgeon friend of mine, submerged me into three heavy-duty practices a week. Surviving the brutal heat & the vigorous exercise of bending & stretching profusely.
Soon I realized there was great depth to yoga, beyond the movement.

I moved on, lightened up my practice on & off through the next few years, till I walked into the energy at Red Lotus.

I was very much inspired from a short story told by Eckart Tolle, from, "A New Earth", he writes:

"Someone recently showed me an annual prospectus of a large spiritual organization. When I looked through it, I was impressed by the wide choice of interesting seminars and workshops. It reminded me of a smorgasbord, one of those Scandinavian buffets where you you can take your pick from a huge variety of enticing dishes. The person asked me wether i could recommend one or two courses. "I don't know" I said. " They all look so interesting. But I do know this" I added. Be aware of your breathing as often as you are able, whenever you remember. Do that for one year, and it will be more powerfully transformative than attending all of these courses. And it's free".

"Being aware of your breathing takes attention away from thinking and creates space. It is one way of generating consciousness. Although the fullness of consciousness is already there as un-manifested, we are here to bring consciousness into this dimension."

My five month immersion into "Yoga Lifestyle & Teacher Training" at Red Lotus Yoga, induced my connection between Body, Mind & Spirit. Of course it is all about the breathing! And now I instill the breath as the cornerstone when I teach Yoga, no matter what level of the students practice. Reminding them of the practice of "breath awareness" on the mat and "breath awareness" for life off the mat.

Namastè

Samantha Roggin, E-RYT 200 / RYT-500, started teaching Hatha yoga with an emphasis on alignment in 2014. Since discovering yoga in 2010, it has taught her how to manage her anxiety and accept her most authentic self, ultimately changing her world in every way imaginable. Samantha has an insatiable desire to learn and will forever be a student of yoga. She has studied under phenomenal teachers - earning her initial teaching certification with Heidi Peters, continuing her education with the Beaumont School of Yoga Therapy led by Veronica Zador, and is now humbly influenced and inspired by Brian Granader. When attending a class of Samantha’s, not only will you benefit physically from her passion for alignment, you will also be encouraged to make your breath a priority along with an abundance of compassion for yourself, which means leaving your ego at the door. She cannot wait to see you on your mat and share what she has learned over the years with YOU.

Brian Granader ERYT 500

Owner Red Lotus Yoga

Director of the Red Lotus School of Yoga

Husband, Father, Yoga Teacher

 

My first yoga class came during a time in my life when I was working seven days a week as a residential Realtor. I was in the top 1% of all Realtors in the Century 21 System and in the top 1.5% of the Realtors locally.

 

I was helping a lot of people purchase and sell homes and felt like I was killing myself without knowing how to stop.

 

After practicing yoga for about a year, I took a teacher training program to deepen my practice and knowledge.

 

I enjoyed it so much I began teaching part time and selling real estate full time.

 

One day I asked myself, “If I had only six months left to live would I rather be a Realtor or a Yoga instructor?”

 

That day I decided to teach yoga full time and transition out of real estate....I never looked back!

 

I have owned Red Lotus Yoga since 2003 and have been leading teacher training programs since 2007.

 

My wife, Kate, and I run Red Lotus Yoga while caring for our daughter born in 2010.

 

We have a full life and if I asked myself today, the same question I asked in 2002, my answer is still, to be a Yoga Teacher...and I’d add husband and father too:)