As we ramp up for Wanderlust Squaw Valley this weekend, we had a chance to catch up with three great teachers from Yoga Tree in San Francisco and learn three fun facts about each of them. Read on to learn more about Pete Guinosso, Mark Morford and Kerri Kelly.
Meet Pete Guinosso
Wanderlust: What brings you to the mat on the days that make you want to stay as far away from your mat as possible?
Pete Guinosso: Our triggers, the stuff that pushes us off the mat are the exact same reasons why we need to get on that yoga mat. This is our shadow. This is the work; the reason why we are here.
WL: What is the most challenging thing about being a teacher?
PG: Making sure I set aside enough downtime with my wife Stephanie and our dog, Zoey… as well as myself.
WL: When your time on this planet is done, what do you hope people will say when they remember you?
PG: That I helped my students breathe a little bit more easy, and connected them to beauty (I am referencing beauty as felt from the inside of yourself, not the outside).
View Pete’s Wanderlust schedule here. Learn more about Pete’s upcoming trainings, workshops and classes at Yoga Tree.
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Meet Mark Morford
Wanderlust: What brings you to the mat on the days that make you want to stay as far away from your mat as possible?
Mark Morford: Newton’s law: A yogi in motion stays in motion. Which is to say: years of accumulated practice, daily ritual, no-bullshit commitment and sheer momentum from practices past will carry you through any hangover, frustration, pseudo-boredom, breakup, inertia, burnout. But it must be noted that after awhile this question becomes entirely irrelevant and nonsensical, like asking “What keeps you breathing on days you don’t want to breathe?” Shut up, quit whining, trust the practice, and do it.
WL: What is the most challenging thing about being a teacher?
MM: I was about to say, “Remembering that, in many ways, you’re still a student too,” but that’s actually not a challenge at all, that’s a gift. The most challenging aspect is negotiating the logistics of being a yogi in modern, profit-obsessed, brand-drunk America.
WL: When your time on this planet is done, what do you hope people will say when they remember you?
MM: “Kind to dogs. Smelled good. Tall.”
View Mark’s Wanderlust schedule here. Learn more about Mark’s upcoming training (Everyday Sorcery for Urban Mystics) and classes at Yoga Tree.
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Meet Kerri Kelly
Wanderlust: What brings you to the mat on the days that make you want to stay as far away from your mat as possible?
Kerri Kelly: In the past, what called me to the mat was cultivating resiliency in the face of my ever changing lifestyle. However, these days I am all about building capacity and optimizing all that is changing and evolving in my life. I am learning to work WITH the chaos and uncertainty and not against it. The more courageous I get in my purpose and my work, the more I discover the need to play big, lean in and show up fully. My practice helps me dig deep, discover new pathways to possibility and remember my strength and ability to grow even amidst the fear and challenges.
WL: What is the most challenging thing about being a teacher?
KK: Trusting your intuition. There is a constant play between teaching what is authentic to you AND being receptive to the needs of the group. Mastering this balance is an art and takes a lifetime of practice.
WL: When your time on this planet is done, what do you hope people will say when they remember you?
KK: I’m not sure about my legacy – that will unfold in time. In this moment, however, I am committed to being human and to modeling how to embody our values and actively participate in making a difference in the world. I am committed to that for myself and for others. I believe everyone has a significant part to play in transforming our world and I will do everything I can to help people wake up to that possibility within themselves.
View Kerri’s Wanderlust schedule here. Learn more about Kerri’s workshop and classes at Yoga Tree SF.