Penny Ballantyne 

 
 
I had been practicing yoga postures on and off for over 20 years before I stepped onto the Path of Yoga. When I did I found my life profoundly changed and enriched. As many people do, I thought yoga was just a form of physical fitness, a way to get strong, flexible and hopefully thin! Sometimes I was but more often than not I wasn't; nor was I feeling centered and at peace with myself and my life. In 1992 I had the opportunity to visit the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, Massachusetts, the oldest yoga center in the U.S., where I began to sense there might be more to yoga than a strong, flexible body. When our nest was empty of children and the last dog, something seemed to call me back to Kripalu for a closer look at yoga. What I discovered was a 3000 year old tradition framed by the practice of Hatha Yoga Asanas or postures, the heart of which was a way to awaken the deepest levels of self-awareness, compassion and connection. The word yoga means to yoke. To bring together the sensations in our physical bodies, our thoughts and emotions, and the inner consciousness that is pure non-judgmental awareness. When we practice yoga in this way it leads to a deep sense of union with oneself and all of life. I knew this would be my path for the rest of my life. I knew that I wanted to share it with others. The word Kripalu means compassion. I decided to teach Kripalu Yoga, the yoga of compassion, to show others that this gift is there for them too. In 2001 I received my 200 hour teacher certification from the Kripalu Center. I hope you will be inspired to begin this amazing journey. May the wisdom and support of the wonderful teachers who guided me inspire you through my teaching. Namaste, Penny Welcome_files/Gentle%20Yoga.doc

Welcome to Penny Ballantyne Yoga

“The practice of yoga is not learning to stand on your head, but to stand on your own true feet.”

                    S. Satchidananda

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