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

Yoga

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakens.” Carl Jung