I was first introduced to yoga by chance in 2002 while visiting Bangalore, India. I was invited to stay at my Jewish friends’ home, Amy and Josh. Each morning, Amy woke up at 4:30 a.m. to practice. Little did I know, she was a Mysore practitioner of the Ashtanga tradition. Watching her dedication filled me with admiration, and I thought to myself, One day, I want to be like her.
When I returned to Vietnam, yoga was still something completely foreign, nowhere near as popular as it is today. There were no studios or classes at that time. I was fortunate to meet a kind yoga practitioner named Quyen, who was literally the only yoga teacher back then, teaching at the Sofitel where I was a gym member. My yoga journey began with her sweet and gentle guidance.
With a passion for yoga and a desire to understand its ancient philosophy, I decided to join a 200-hour teacher training in Hatha Yoga after migrating to the U.S. in 2004. A decade later, I entered the Mysore practice under the guidance of Todd Roderick, a renowned teacher of the lineage. I thought that by taking on this challenging path, I would reach the very peak of what yoga is.
As a certified instructor and advanced Mysore student, I became consumed with perfecting on the advance poses, disregarding all other aspects of yoga as a whole. This ego-driven approach, fueled by pride and forcefulness, soon led to pain and injury. Through reflection on these struggles, I realized I had been uncompassionate toward my own body and missing the deeper meaning of what yoga truly is. I began to understand yoga beyond the poses and glimpse its deeper, more profound meaning. I have since revised my approach, returning to the true essence of yoga—a practice of balance, awareness, and compassion for myself and others.
Yoga is a dynamic, profound practice of cleansing the body and mind, cultivating compassion, and letting go of attachment to perfection. If we focus only on the poses, we risk injury and miss the deeper essence of yoga. My journey is still unfolding, and I remain a student every day. With gratitude, I share what I’ve learned—not as something to master, but as a practice to carry gently into daily life.