Michele Sherman Kalish
How did you get to Telluride?
I was born in Chicago and have lived overseas and in New York. I have been coming to Colorado since 1980, and my mom had a home in Snowmass from 1994 to 2014. I AM A MOUNTAIN GIRL at heart. When looking for a new mountain base, my family and I visited many towns but the first time we came to Telluride in the summer of 2016 to visit friends, we knew this was our special place. We now split our time between our home here in Town, NYC and a farm in NW Connecticut.
What’s your astrological sign:
I am a Sagittarius but will admit to never having studied this subject. I relate to some of the traits: blunt, generous, honest, liking outdoors and colors. And don’t fit with other descriptions: Extrovert, always optimistic…..
What brings you the most joy:
Spending time with my 3 grown kids and 2 active dogs, being in nature, experiencing live music and my yoga practice. And getting a full night’s sleep!
Who or what influences your practice style:
I have done over 500 hours of teacher training with many teachers across the country and have absorbed different styles. Over the years my life and my body have gone through many changes as has my personal yoga practice. What influences my practice is being open to change, choosing to learn from teachers who I respect, listening to my body and adjusting EVERY TIME I COME TO THE MAT, avoiding comparing my practice with anyone else’s, and continuing to be a student even when I am teaching. I am particularly interested in keeping our bodies strong and supple as we age, and helping each student find their balance between pushing their boundary and easing off to remain healthy.
How do you apply Practice to your life:
Just like yoga, LIFE is a practice. Every morning you have a brand, new opportunity to work on self-improvement, on and off the mat. Yoga has taught me to be more accepting and less critical of myself and others. Yoga has taught me to strive for balance in life, Sthiram and Sukham, when to push and when to ease off. And maybe most importantly, to remember to BREATHE and to use breath as a tool to self-soothe and reduce anxiety, fear and stress.
ABOUT MICHELE:
I have been a serious yoga practitioner since 1998, having dabbled since 1994. I completed my first 200-hour training in 2014 at Kula Yoga Practice in NYC, with another 200-hour training in 2021 and additional training in Iyengar, Yoga Injury Prevention and Yoga Anatomy. I studied with Schuyler Grant, Nikki Vilella, Nikki Costello, Jason Crandall and Rod Stryker. I had one-on-one mentoring sessions with Freddie Wyndham from 2007 through 2020 and absorbed much of his style of Slow-Flow Vinyasa with an Iyengar focus on alignment, without adhering to any strict dogma. I believe there is no being “good” or “bad” at yoga, and it is NOT about which poses one can or cannot do. We all come to the mat with our own limitations and strengths. It is about consistently coming to the mat, linking breath to movement and staying present in mind and body. Yoga has been the most consistent thing in my life for going on 30 years now. I believe that “all yoga is good yoga” and that everyone, no matter age or level of physical fitness, benefits from a yoga practice. I also believe that music enhances yoga and curate eclectic playlists for my classes that include artists such as DJ Drez, Stevie Wonder, John Mayer, Krishna Das, Thievery Corporation and The Grateful Dead.