On the cosmic playground with
Laughing Lotus Yoga Center’s
Jasmine Tarkeshi and Dana Flynn.
Photo: Lynn Braz
September 2007 | Healthy Living :: Yoga
Laughing Lotus
Rising From the Mud
By Lynn Braz
The purpose of practicing hatha yoga, as every yogi knows, is not just to get better at yoga. It’s to get better at living. Caught in the whirl of daily obligations, though, that’s easy to forget. Dana Flynn and Jasmine Tarkeshi, owners of soon-to-open Laughing Lotus Yoga Center, recognize that their students are often more concerned with developing tighter abs than developing higher consciousness. So, their mission — in the Mission at 16th and Dolores — is to inspire people to awaken to the bliss of being alive.
“Movement is medicine. It helps us connect to spirit in a way that can be intoxicating,” says Tarkeshi. “Through asana, you can have the experience of expanding beyond who you think you are.”
Laughing Lotus marks a homecoming for Flynn, 45, and Tarkeshi, 38, who both hail from San Francisco. Their thriving Manhattan studio is renowned for its teacher training program and vibrant community. In San Francisco the couple are creating an eco-friendly space featuring natural resin finishes on floors and walls, and a huge skylight that floods the studio with natural light. Murals of Buddha, Ganesha, Krishna and other deities grace the walls. Laughing Lotus also offers astrology and tarot readings and special workshops.
Each Laughing Lotus instructor is certified through the studio and also brings his or her own voice to the vinyasa. Literally. Chanting, singing, inspirational quotes, even poetry are mixed in with guidance on how to perform the postures. “You experience so much inside. We like to see students playing with form and the freedom of a pose,” says Flynn.
“Yoga is about discovering yourself,” Tarkeshi adds.
To celebrate the studio’s debut on October 5th, illustrious spiritual leader Bhagavan Das will lead a ceremony followed by music and dancing. Festivities are open to the public. For info, visit laughinglotus.com.
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