What inspires you to teach yoga? Virya.  The joy of knowing I can help people tap into their hidden potential to achieve their goals and achieve unbounded happiness in this life and beyond.  Having suffered quite a bit when I was younger, I can now deeply appreciate levels of happiness I have been able to achieve since I started to practice yoga.  Everyone deserves to be happy and and I just enjoy helping people implement the practices that cause happiness into their day to day lives.

What is your current favorite pose? Handstand, when I can hold it longer than expected.

What is your teaching history? I started teaching dream yoga in 1999, after discovering how to dream lucidly on a regular basis.  After taking a couple of Yoga teacher trainings in Arizona and Detroit, I realized that there was much more yoga than I thought.  In 2001, I quit my carpentry job and started to teach full yoga full time.  Although I never made a fortune, I have learned so much from just focusing on helping others, night and day.  In 2003, I taught my first 200-hour yoga teacher training and have taught one every year since.  Each year I continue to take more trainings from my Teachers, so that I can be of better service to others.

What is a favorite inspirational quote? “The universe does not revolve around you…it evolves within You.” ~ Kimberley Theresa

When do you teach at The Asheville Yoga Center? Mondays 7:15-8:45pm, Wednesdays 9:30-11am, Fridays 1:30-3pm

The quick list

Birthdate: December 13th

Residence: Currently Hendersonville, looking for a place in Asheville

Family: My beloved wife and Teacher, Stephanie and two cats: Lord Naropa and Lady Niguma.

How long have you been practicing Yoga: In this lifetime, since 1998.

Most Challenging Pose: Unsupported Headstand

Three words that best describe you: Compassionate, committed and curious

What’s in your cd player? Rodrigo Y Gabriella 11:11

What are you reading now? Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabongka Rinpoche

Favorite Scent: Lavendar and citrus

Toothpaste: Tom’s spearmint

Soap: Any kind that does not test on animals, or pay other companies to do it for them.

Favorite Meal: Rice noodles with toasted sesame oil and Braggs…accompanied by sauteed tempeh with agave and Braggs…plus avocado.

Last movie you watched: Capitalism: A Love Story.

What is your favorite word? Any word that is truthful, meaningful, kind and helps bring people together.

What is your least favorite word? Any word that is untruthful, unnecessary, unkind or splits people apart.

What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Mental afflictions.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? The union of karma and emptiness.

Michael Johnson ERYT-500 is a certified Jivamukti instructor who has studied directly with Sharon and David in New York as well as with their Teacher Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. He has been a full-time yoga teacher in the Detroit area since 2001. He continues to study Yoga and Buddhism with Geshe Michael Roach, Lama Christie McNally, Lama Sumati Marut, Kimberley Theresa and his Angelic wife, Stephanie Johnson.

For a complete list of teachers and classes at The Asheville Yoga Center click here.

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