Michele Klink
Happy 2023! meet Michele Klink, our first feature of the new year.
Michele teaches amazing classes in our studios and has a devoted following of yogis and friends. In addition, she’s our Lead Teacher for the 2023 Metta Yoga 200-hour Teacher Training starting this month! (Not to worry, friends, there’s still time to register!)
So Michele, in a nutshell, why do you teach yoga?
In a few words: to help evolve consciousness. I have long been facilitating ‘aha’ moments, deeper insights and expansive revelations for others.
Like a hummingbird, I joyously flit into your life to flap my wings of iridescent offerings, dropping bits of nectar into your awareness, so you may continue your resolve to evolve. Hence my motto: Resolve to Evolve with Michele Klink Yoga.
I genuinely believe in you. You have a divine spark that calls for nurturing and you can strengthen this ember through yoga. And many other ways too. I see your potential and offer an evolution of experience for your body, mind, and spirit in a safe, nurturing environment. I help you realize you are more than you ever thought you could be! I aspire to be a key that unlocks a gateway of your higher awareness.
And with a multi-dimensional approach to my teaching, I offer not just the physical aspects of yoga, but also the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. My aim is to honor where you are presently at while also paving the path to transformative and healing experiences. The artistry in my instruction has a unique quality with emphasis on theme-related storytelling for inspiration and living a happy life off your mat. I teach about ancient yoga philosophy that embeds the deeper traditions important to the practice of yoga. Above all, I teach from my heart with love, kindness and compassion, seasoned with playfulness, that inspires and elevates the soul. One time a student said to me, “Michele, you are like CPR for the soul.” That sums it up.
What a beautiful visual - I love the image of a hummingbird sharing bits of inspiring nectar. What inspired you to start your yoga practice?
I grew up an athlete. In my younger years, I was always doing gymnastics and swimming. I was also very philosophically oriented, seeing the beauty and poetry in nature. At my 8th grade graduation, I gave a presentation about the evolution we all had gone through in grade school, making analogies to sunrise, moon, stars, paths in a forest, sunsets. That experience revealed to me my ability to speak in a deep, authentic, inspirational way that moved others in their awareness and hearts. Then, in high school, as an athlete I was competing in swimming and state championships. In my young adult years, I lived in Boulder, Colorado and was passionately active in skiing, cycling, running, hiking and backpacking. I am a lover of nature, wildlife and the great outdoors. With all my athletic activity, I always had a propensity to ‘stretch.’ I dabbled in yoga, the stretching type classes. Then, when I went to my first ‘real’ yoga class, I had a profound experience of grounding and presence. Yoga allowed me to experience myself, through my body, to a much greater dimension of who I am. It merged my physicality with my spirituality. It was life changing. I had expanded my perspective of life and developed a stronger intuition. Emotional waves become transformed, and my experiences were woven into a beautiful tapestry of deep understanding. I have continued yoga regularly since that experience over 35 years ago. Oh my, it’s been that long? I guess it IS a lifestyle, chuckling…
It sounds like you’ve always been on a path of yoga, toward yoga. Over the years, have you discovered a favorite pose or series to practice and to teach?
I love practicing and teaching a sequence that leads up to Hanumanasana (monkey pose), or full splits. Also, Svarga Dvijasana (bird of paradise), standing balancing pose. An even greater joy is my storytelling of the classic mythology around those and other poses.
I also love practicing and teaching Therapeutic Yoga. We have a society of active people, of all ages, who have therapeutic needs for the body. I really enjoy keeping people connected to their lifestyle, athletic interests and yoga practice through knowledge of therapeutic alignment, recovery and well-being. Good alignment, with strength and flexibility, is good therapy! And the Therapy Ball Rolling is a self care necessity.
Yoga is so much deeper than the asana practice where we first begin. Being able to incorporate the philosophy and storytelling behind the poses is such a skill and makes the yoga class so much deeper. Knowing the history behind the poses allows students to more fully embody the shapes as classes progress. Speaking of history and storytelling, what family or lineage of yoga do you most associate with? Who are your most inspiring teachers?
I have studied many lineages of yoga over the years. I value and respect them all. Satchidananda said, “many paths, one truth.” I stay close to the tradition and history of yoga. Over the years, I have been influenced by Iyengar-inspired, therapeutic and precise alignment, Ashtanga vinyasa, Bhakti Yoga devotion, Therapeutic, Restorative and Yin Yoga traditions. And too many more to name. Karma Yoga, selfless service to humanity, has always been a consistent current and underpinning to my yoga practice, as well as Jnana yoga, an unending study of philosophy and spiritual texts. I am an eternal student. I will never cease being curious and desiring to learn and evolve my consciousness.
In the family tree of yoga, your teachings and classes span many branches and your roots run deep! As you’ve evolved your practice over the past 35 years, have you uncovered a least favorite yoga pose? Does such a thing even exist anymore?
I don’t have a least favorite pose because they will all teach me something of value. I used to be very confused about Trikonasana (triangle pose). I asked so many of my teachers along the way about this complex posture in which there are so many ways it is taught. I finally landed on my understanding of an aligned Trikonasana, thanks to two core teachers for me, Lisa Walford and Maty Ezraty (rest in peace Maty). All that is to say, if I have a pose I don’t like, I take it on as a study to invite transformation, deeper knowledge to land upon my own understanding and truth. I encourage students to do the same. For everything we don’t like, there is a teaching embedded within.
So true, the more we practice, the more our relationships to the poses changes. What may be a favorite pose initially evolves over time, and the poses we shied away from we learn to embrace as we develop new ways to approach them. As the new year begins, and as new yogis start on their path of practice, what one piece of advice do you have to share?
Breath practices will change your life. Take deeper, longer breaths, as much as you can! Encourage a beginner’s mind and stay curious.
Maintaining a beginner's mind is great advice! What an important reminder for all of us, beginners and veterans alike, to take longer, deeper breaths. Truly transformative! Breathing deeply on and off our mats is one of the many benefits of our yoga practice. Speaking of, how do you practice yoga off your mat and out in the world?
It is a lifestyle that weaves its way through all aspects of my life.
Yogi through and through! Ok Michele, moving onto the fun stuff (it’s all fun stuff!), what are your favorite things to do other than yoga?
Hiking, nature, wildlife. Playing and cuddling with kittens, cats, puppies, and dogs. Beach walking, swimming. Cooking and entertaining. Thai food is my latest specialty. Spa time and star gazing. Mountain scrambling. I pick a mountain peak each year to summit via hiking. I have summited Mt Whitney, Half Dome, Mt. Shasta, Swiss Alps, to name a few.
That is an impressive list - wow! I love learning new things about our teachers! I think your previous answer gave us some hints, but where are your favorite places to be outside of the studio?
I like to be in nature - especially at sunrise or sunset… or moonrise or moonset.
As we get to know you better, I have a feeling that you are passionate about many things. Do you have a passion project?
I am passionately studying wildlife management and conservation. I am drawn to habitat and biodiversity restoration. To remember that we share this planet with wildlife. I love wildlife and like to tell stories and inspire people of all ages about animals.
I’m also passionate about seasonal living… living in tune with all parts of the seasons. I am always involved in some experience, ritual, ceremony around embedding the meaning and cycle of the season in my body, mind, heart and soul. I like to do this with and for others too.
I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the beginning of the new year. While every month, every moon, every equinox is a new beginning, there’s something a little bigger about the change from one year to the next. Whether it’s resolutions or ceremonies, many people honor this change with intentions, goals, projects, etc. What excites you most about 2023?
Change. Creating fresh new energy. I’m the Lead Teacher for the upcoming Metta Yoga 200-hour Teacher Training from January through June. Travel! I will be taking a yoga group on a retreat to Peru in May 2023. Above all, I am excited about the unknown and curious to allow all that may come. To follow threads of inspiration to spark joy and fulfillment.
That is inspiring! Who inspires you?
Everyone because each person is unique and has something special to offer.
Aw… love the love! Ok, speed round! What book are you currently reading?
Sacred Medicine by Lissa Rankin, MD
Who are your go to musicians of the moment?
Ananta Govinda is a modern day Bhakti musician. Third Eye Opener album.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
National Park Ranger. Teacher. And I have been a teacher and educator all my life. My dharma.
If you could be an animal, what would you be?
Lion. My sun sign is leo. Lions love, protect and encourage the cubs and family. I feel I do that with the ‘cub-family’ of yoga students. Lions are part of a pride, a larger community. I am a group whisperer and enjoy bringing community together for higher purposes, known and unknown.
Almost done, what are your favorite quotes?
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
– Anais Nin
“Forget your voice, sing!
Forget your feet, dance!
Forget your life, live!
Forget yourself and be!”
— Hafiz
Favorite food?
Homemade Indian food with the Dalal’s :)
Anything else interesting that you’d like to share with our Metta Yoga community?
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
Michele, thank you so much for your time and for sharing your wisdom and insight! Taking a deeper dive into getting to know our teachers beyond our classes is such a reward, and you are a true gem! We love Michele!
If you haven’t been to one of Michele’s classes yet, now is a wonderful time to start! You can find Michele at all three of our studios throughout the weeks and months to come.
Monday’s 5:30-6:30 PM Vinyasa Flow: CLOUDBREAK SAUSALITO
Wednesday’s 6:15-7:15 PM Vinyasa Flow: METTA YOGA CORTE MADERA
Wednesday’s 7:30-8:30 PM Yin & Restore: METTA YOGA CORTE MADERA
Friday’s 4:15-5:15 PM Happy Hour Vinyasa Flow: CLOUDBREAK SAUSALITO
Monthly Full Body Roll Down Special Events (https://www.mettayogastudio.com/events)
If you want to take an even deeper dive into your practice, join us and Michele for our 200-hour Metta Yoga Teacher Training from January 20 - June 4, 2023. More information can be found here: https://www.mettayogastudio.com/training
You can can also catch up with Michele on social media at:
Instagram @ micheleklinkyoga
Facebook MicheleKlinkYoga
Website: www.micheleklink.com