Atsuro Chiba - Ashtanga Yoga Adventures: Surfing, Spirituality, and Life Lessons

Atsuro Chiba is a dedicated Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher known for his advanced practice and detailed understanding of yoga's subtleties. Originally from Kanagawa, Japan, Atsuro moved to the United States around the age of 20. With over two decades of yoga experience, he honed his skills under the guidance of acclaimed teacher Tim Miller at the Ashtanga Yoga Center in Encinitas, California. Atsuro currently resides in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he offers private yoga sessions and teaches online to students in Japan and California. His style combines deep physical practice with profound insights into the connection between mind and body.

Visit Atsuro on his website: http://www.atsuroyoga.com
Follow him on IG: https://www.instagram.com/atsuroyoga/

Key Takeaways:

• Atsuro Chiba shares his transition from California to Hawaii, adapting to new environments while maintaining his yoga practice.
• He emphasizes the importance of a six-day Ashtanga practice week and how aging affects this routine.
• Atsuro reflects on the invaluable guidance of his mentor, Tim Miller, and the impact of practicing independently.
• The episode underscores the deep interconnectedness of the mind and body in the practice of yoga, as articulated through Atsuro's personal experiences.

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Chapters

• 0:04 Yoga Journey from California to Hawaii and Online Teaching
• 7:19 Atsuro Chiba's Evolving Yoga Practice and Teaching Approach
• 22:44 Finding Inspiration and Connection Through Yoga Teaching
• 31:35 The Art of Intuitive Yoga Assistance and Energy Connection
• 39:11 Atsuro Chiba's Journey From Japan to Yoga in America
• 46:44 The Transformative Power of Yoga and Pranayama Practice
• 57:22 Yoga, Surfing, and Friendship Across Continents

Transcript

0:33

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast, so happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage, body work and beyond. Follow us at @nativeyoga and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com. All right, let's begin. Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. I have a very special guest for you. This is Atsuru Chiba. Atsuru is an incredible practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga and teacher, and he lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, and please go follow him on his website, at atsuroyoga.com and also you gotta follow him on Instagram at @atsuroyoga, Originally from Japan, he's been living in the States since he was 18, and he is just an incredible ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher, and I had a chance to meet and practice with him in California, with Tim Miller. And every time I would go out to practice with Tim and Atsuro was there, I always have the such good vibes from Atsuro. The best assist from Atsuro. He's so good, man. He's so talented. He has so much skill, and he's so humble. So he's not going to let you know that from this conversation, he's very humble, and he was a little nervous about talking on the podcast, just because of the language barrier, but I think he did an incredible job. And you know, if you practice yoga, you'll understand everything he says. And so I'm just so grateful you're here. Thank you for your support and Atsuro. Thank you, and let's go ahead and begin. So happy to have this chance to reconnect and speak with Atsuru Chiba and Atsuro. Thank you so much for joining me here on my podcast, because your first language is Japanese and I think your English is really good, but I know that it would be really challenging to do something like this in a different language, personally, right? So thank you. First of all, thank you so much for joining me today. Oh, thank you for having me. Yes, saturo, I mean, I got a chance to meet you in San Diego when practicing with Tim Miller at the Shankara yoga center, and I just really enjoyed being in the room with you. And there's so many times where I would watch you practice and just be in awe of your dedication and and focus and so and it's been a really long time since I've seen you. It was in 2015 so that's where are we? 2024 that's like nine years ago. And so I'm just excited. I've been I've been really looking forward to having this chance to catch up with you and to and to hear about your your yoga practice and your yoga journey and and everything that you've been up to lately. Can you, can you fill me in a little bit about your move from California to Hawaii? Okay, I moved here Hawaii. I Wafu two years ago, nice. I've been always looking for the new place. I've I've been practicing with Tim Miller for a long time, but I in my thoughts, someday I'm gonna away from him, I mean, independent, like, yeah, then I pass on what I told from him. So I've been always looking for the new place, but I never found the place I want to move. Yeah, because San Diego and snitters, it's very good. Yeah, I love that place. Yeah? And I. Yeah, team has studio to teach. And, yeah, yeah, I hear you. Was it? Did you? Did you just, like, did you decide, like, I'm bringing my family, we're just gonna go to Hawaii, and you just flew out? Or did you go to Hawaii and, like, find a place for your family and a house and everything. Or, like, what was the circumstances to to to make that move possible? Yeah, I've been to Hawaii before, 17 years ago for my friend's wedding. Then I really like, liked, yeah, yeah, and if I move in us, probably Hawaii is my first choice. Yeah, I yeah, I was thinking to move in California, like San Jose or Orange County, yeah, but probably I had a daughter third grade that time, then probably it's good for her to go to school in here, yeah, yeah. And California school role is we didn't fit us, yeah, regulations, yeah. So that's one of reason yes to Hawaii, yeah, yeah, we love oceans and natures. So that's cool at sura. Where? Where in Oahu Are you? Which town, Honolulu? You're in Honolulu, nice, and I got to go surfing with you in Encinitas. And your and your surf skills are just as good as your yoga skills. No, so I'm wondering, are you still surfing? Are you still charging the surf like you were in California? Yeah, nice. Are you going to North Shore and surfing pipeline and sunset? No, where do you? No more, no, actually, I didn't try. I tried the kind of big wave for me in San Diego, but in Bali, Indonesia, yeah. But here, no, yeah. And I live in South part, and I need to have time and energy, yeah, but I can't focus for that right now. I'm I understand I hear you, yeah, I hear you around here. Nice house, amazing. And are you? Are you teaching ashtanga yoga classes in Hawaii, on on the island in person? Yeah, I only teach private in here, uh huh, and I teach online to Japan and California. Cool. Time is different. So I used to have American schedule, American time schedule. I studied teaching online since COVID, yeah, before I couldn't imagine I can teach yoga online, I I agree at sort of me too. Same thing works, actually, yeah, yeah, very cool, yeah. And you have lots of students in Japan too, or some students in Japan. Yeah. I have students in Japan, yeah. So before I stood online, I could meet them once, twice a year, because I visited, I'm visiting once, twice a year, yes, but since the online class, I can meet them four times a week, got it? Oh yeah, that's great. That's cool too. Yeah, yeah, that's cool. When you when you teach online, are you teaching combination of leg class and self guided or my source style class? Are you doing just one or just the other? I teach my source style and one web class a week, cool, nice, and so in the My source style, you they have their camera on them, and you'll just give them guidance via some cues on. Like, move here, try this, move that, or is that? Is that kind of the way that you're doing is just like watching and giving verbal cues. Yeah, bubble cues is basic, so I give them more explanation. I tell them how to use their body correctly, and they need to do it. They do themselves, yeah, so they understand their head, then they try to do it by themselves, yeah, yeah, my soul style in in person, adjustment is the most of teachings, yeah. So, yeah. So physically they can feel, Oh, this is correct. This is not correct. No, yeah, then they understand the head, yeah. First physically understand, then the head, yeah. But online, it's opposite, yes, understand, then they do it by themselves, yeah, and I demonstrate sometimes. So they can see my demonstration. Yes, oh, atsuru. I mean you, you know, just so the listeners understand, for those I'm guessing some, some of the listeners know who you are, because they see that. Oh my gosh, at Sura, I gotta listen, because aturo is amazing. And then some, and then some people are going to be listening for those you listening that have not met atsuro yet. I just have to let, have to let you know those you listening like at Sura is practice is very advanced, and maybe you won't like me to say that sort of because you're so humble. Like, maybe you would think I would, I would imagine, just from the little times I get to know I've gotten to know you, you're very humble. So maybe you don't want me to, like, talk about how advanced you are, but your practice is, like, amazing, your yoga. I practice other bank seats. So I'm not sure if I am other banks. I understand these other banks of Ashtanga Yoga. Can you tell me? Because I know we're a little bit older now than we were when we were tonight period these days. So I'm guessing, or let me ask you, are you still maintaining a six day a week Ashtanga practice? Yes, I do. Uh huh. And which is your day off? Do you take us the same day off every week, Saturday or Sunday? Okay? Yeah, you leave that open. Do you not practice on full moon and new moon? I try to not, uh huh, yeah, understood, yeah, try to not. And how much, yeah, how much time are you devoting each day to your Yeah, to your because, I mean, you know, I feel like you and I were very, very lucky to share the teacher. Share our teacher, Tim Miller, because Tim taught us and brought to the table the asana practice, the pranayama practice, the the kirtan practice, the he kind of brought, in my opinion, and I'm guessing you would agree, but you can tell me if you don't, but I feel like Tim brought the whole thing. Tim was such a avid lover of the yoga, so dedicated to the yoga practice and and so when you can, you tell me a little more about, like, what kind of approach you're taking these days? Like, do you start with pranayama and practice some Asana series? Like, you know, are you are you trying to do? Like, where you start the week with, like, a second series practice, and then you're doing a third series practice on the second day, and then the fourth series practice on the on the next couple days, and then going back to a primary series practice on your last day. Or what? What does it look like for you these days? These days, I practice all of threes a week. So once primary, one second, the last of days, I practice other ones, series, yeah, and, and the primary, I mean, sorry, pranayama, I practice after asana practice. Got it. Yeah, but not whole thing every time, I'm sure got it, yeah, you know, yeah. What? Yeah. What time? What time are you waking up and getting started? Um, five, six in the morning, and try to practice earlier. So around seven is my best time. Like same as same schedule, in, in, in snitters, yeah, in studio, yeah, yeah. But sometimes I practice late, like eight or nine, nice, if I have the time. Yeah, I do it. It's easier. Little late start, late because my body is warmer, yeah, and temperature is also warmer, yep, yes, yeah. And how are you feeling physically these days, to maintain that type of serious, you know, that's a serious, it's challenging. It's a challenging practice to kind of keep maintaining on that level. Are you feeling, you know? Are you feeling pretty good? Are you, are you needing to, like, change things in any way because of any challenges like pain or discomfort, or do you feel like you're feeling dialed in and tuned up these days, like, what? What have you noticed in terms of the change with with gradual, with gradual aging process, um aging process, yeah, I feel different. I definitely feel different my body, yeah, also my mind, because when I practice with Tim, it's very, uh different, very, uh, easier to focus, because Tim already creates the energy, Yeah, in the studio, in you know, good vibes, good, you know, energy to practice, good, easy to focus, yeah, but I've been practiced by myself, so everything I need to decide what time I practice, you know, yeah, how long? Like, how, how, pace I should practice and stuff. So I think physically, I'm not that. I don't feel much difference, but the mind is different when I was there and here, yeah, so and and I feel, you know, Body, body and mind is connected, right? Yeah, so, yeah, so it's, it's influence for me, yeah, and practice, I want to improve my practice. My physical body is, I don't know if it's improving or not, but I have experience or practicing so I can practice more smaller. Yes, yeah, I still, you know, technical part, I still, I want to improve, yeah, and I think I can do it if I keep trying, yes, yes. And so it's, it's good, it's fun to practice. Yeah, that's cool. So Roman, yeah, because I always changing. I want to change. You know, I think people who practice yoga, they want to change something. Yeah, then practice. There's many reasons each of them, but if you have the kind of you know thing, then you can enjoy practice. Yes, yes. Do you feel like it's evolving? Uh. In terms of, like, subtlety, you know, like, um, the subtle body. Are you? Are you feeling like you're going deeper some days? Like, do you feel like there's like we hear, like things get better as they age, right? Like, in relation to, if we let something, you know, steep and, you know, go through a full maturation process. They get better. In what ways do you feel like your yoga practice is improving? Um, I'm sorry, sorry, yeah, that's okay. Like, do you feel? Like, let me try to think of an example. So, like, maybe physically, like, personally, I've, I've had some challenges in my body, physically, like, pain wise, so I've had to be a little less intense with my with my practice, and I've had to like, but in even though I feel like, in some days, if I judge myself, you know, wrongly, in my opinion, I would say I'm getting worse. But then if I look for where I'm actually improving, I feel like where I'm improving is just like, appreciating less. Like, I feel like I can I can appreciate less now a little better. Whereas before I was like, I need more, I need more. Like, give me more, and now I'm starting to, like, feel a little more. Like, Wait, give me less. I want a little less. So I'm just curious if you've noticed like, I guess maybe like, the quality of like attention, or if, you know, if you've noticed like, a difference in terms of the way that you're approaching it, yeah, my body, I used to have more muscles I feel, but I keep training, then I can keep it, yeah, yeah, But if you less practice, then yeah, going down so I don't want for my physical body, I feel still young, yeah, yeah, I, I'm trying to be yeah and But you know, if your mind become weak, oh, I'm old, so I don't need to. I should not practice hard. Then you become, I become, yeah, yeah, I'm still young, you know, yeah, I and if I keep doing same thing, and I can keep same, yeah, yeah, physical, yeah, it's easier to get but around the belly, I feel, I I might, I Try not eating food, which I gain the weight, by the way, yes, yes, more than before. When I was younger, I didn't, not, not so much care, yeah. I mean, I care about what I eat, but getting old, and I care about more than understood. I hear you. I'm curious what how has it been hard not practicing with Tim because I personally, like I missed him a lot. I haven't seen him in a long time. So I'm curious, or do you find it like I did? I saw that you wrote a social media post where you had said that I I feel like I'm going to continue the teachings that Tim taught me. And I got this feeling from you that you had maybe been wondering or thinking about, like, what do I do now? Like, how do I, how do I? Should I continue on teaching, or should I continue on sharing the yoga and that you had a little bit of an epiphany or a moment of clarity, that you were like, feel like my role or my duty now is to share what I've learned from my practice with him. Can you? Can you tell me if you did go through, like, a bit of a adjustment period or a difficult time? Uh, making that adjustment from being in that amazing vibes that were there to like where you are now, holding it down on your own, like real, self sufficient style. Does that make sense? I think so. All right, yeah, team, stop teaching. He was not happy to it. Not everybody not happy. How he stopped teaching because he's been teaching straight, not resting closer people who cross to him, me, and, you know, some teachers, they wanna attempt to take rest, because he never take rest. Yeah, he goes to workshop in a weekend, then come back, then straight to teach, to roll calls. And, yeah, yeah. He's been teaching hard for many, many years, yeah. And then he, you know, he stopped teaching, yeah. Then, so I, it was not happy, yeah, not happy, right? Yeah, me, yeah, and I want him to back to teach Yeah, or, or become healthier, or, you know, become strong again, yeah and yeah. Then I, I left studio and some teachers, you know, then I, I start practice by myself, Yes, and uh, always, you know, I thinking about him, yeah, Um, is he okay? You know, I wanna him to be, you know, happy, yeah, yeah. So then, yeah, then I, when I talked to him, Guruji passed away, 92 years old, or something. Yeah, I'm sorry. So I asked him, Tim, you have dream. Then he said, dream, keep teaching. Yeah. He said, Okay, So Guruji stopped teaching. Then he passed away. And then I told him, okay, so you if you keep teaching the you're not gonna die, I think, but you know, and the other day, he told us that. So Guruji passed away, but, but if Tim keep teaching, that means guru keep arriving, so that two things come out my mind last year, yeah, then yeah, if I keep teaching, then you know, probably Tim will be happy, yes, then my I feel so different. I am more I can be more positive, yeah, way of both I could get, um, so my passion came back, my passion of the teaching, it came back. I kind of felt that from when you, when you wrote that. I kind of, I felt that at Suro, yeah, from the way you communicated it, yeah, it was good. It gave me. It inspired me. It gave me some inspiration. Because I I've gone through similar, maybe not exactly the same, but similar, type of, um, feeling of like, just the challenge, of like, when you have a teacher and you have somebody that you're getting that much sort of connection and guidance from, and and then when it, when you, when I stand alone, I feel like I'm standing alone. But then I kind of, I'll always you. You know, imagined him, or think of something he would say, or something that he would a way he would look at me, or just just something that kind of brings me comfort, and it reminds me like, oh, okay, I keep going here, right? I'm gonna keep going and I I'll never forget the first time I went to his studio, when he was on E Street in the little studio off of the Do you remember the E Street studio, the one that I know? Okay, I've never been there. I since I met him, he changed so he has Brody studio. I mean, price, yeah, yeah. Okay, cool. I didn't know that. And so in, and I had just gotten back from Mysore, and I and when I was in Mysore, I couldn't do Kuku tosana. I couldn't I couldn't slide my arms through my cucutasana. So and I was really nervous when I was in Mysore, and I thought, There's no way charot is going to let me go any further. And and he, he did, and I and I was so happy, because I was like, Cool, I'm going to be able to go all the way through the primary series. But I couldn't get my arms through, and I was just struggling. And the first time I showed up at Tim studio, because when I arrived in Mysore, patavi Joyce, when I went to sign up, he said, Where are you from? And I said, San Diego. And he goes, Oh, team, oh, Tim. And I didn't even know. I didn't even know who Tim Miller was. I didn't even know that. I didn't know I was living in a town that Tim lived in. I because I hadn't practiced in the Ashtanga before we went to my store. We just kind of went there, totally green, and not knowing what we were doing at all. And right? And so when I came back, and the first time I went to practice with Tim, I went to, I got to my garba pindasana, and I kind of fudged my way through it, and he kind of looked at me, and he gave me that sort of like, kind of like sideways look like, I don't know if that's gonna that's good enough. And so he kind of sat down, and it was the most amazing experience, the way he just grabbed my hands, slid him right through, got my hands on my chin, rolled me around in a circle, popped me up into cucutasana, and just that little experience got me so pumped up. I remember I came out of the studio and I called my mom right away. I was like, Mom, you're never gonna believe what happened. I went to the studio with this guy, Tim Miller, and he put me into this Bose, and he like, whipped me around, and I was like, I felt like, my whole my, my whole energy, just like, was so lit up. It was so fun, and I felt so good. And I was so hooked from that moment like, and I I had good times in India, but when I got to practice with Tim, that's when I feel like, I really, I really connected to the yoga, yeah, and so I guess I want to ask you, or I'm curious, can you share a story with me of when you were practicing with Tim, something? It doesn't have to be anything like that. I don't know. But, like, did you, what did you do? You have any stories for me? Of good of good vibes, of just like some some experiences that you've had with them. Yeah, um, so he doesn't speak, not that much in his my soul class and but always he knows my attitude or like my thought, and he is like mirror. So when I am not good behavior, and he when I look him, then, oh, I'm not good right now, and when I am, you know, opposite way, like I am More, I have more too much energy or not clown, then when I see his face, then, oh, I was too much. Hi, you know, energy, yeah, I need to stay so he even we don't speak. I can feel what he is. Mean. He always bring me to right place. So that's. Duh, yeah. Big Yeah. Moment, yeah. That is a big moment. That is a big moment. That's yeah, that's kind of cool that to hear you say that like for somebody to help us to bring us to the right place, that's actually a really cool way to say it. You're right, yeah, but not I think, not everyone, yeah. You know, some people think, Oh, he's mean. Some people notice, oh, what? Oh, he's telling me, what should I do? Like that, yeah, yeah. So depends on people. Yeah, they feel Yeah. I think it's I have been I, I know him for a long time, then I become like that. No, yes, I Yeah, and yeah. In practice, I is adjustment. Is not only correct. The Asana also, I got energy, light, energy, like after adjustment. For example, down dog, yeah, in Surya Namaskara A or B, after his adjustment. In down dog, then I after that, when I jump forward, I feel so light, so I hear you answer, yeah, so yeah, energy. I could, I could feel the energy changing, yeah, yeah, that's cool, man. And yeah, have you? Have you had I know, like, when you, when you've assisted me before, I feel like you have a very good understanding of alignment. And just like, like your, your assists are really good. Like you, you really, I feel like you're really paying attention and looking at the body and kind of knowing what to do in the moment. Do do you feel like, can you explain a little bit if we imagine someone listening is new to doing or offering assist, hands on assist with students. Can you explain a little bit about your approach, or what sort of process you take when you think about it, or when you assess the situation and knowing how much and how little and where to apply and where not to apply, is that something that you can put into words? I know that's a hard, harder question, because maybe it's just totally natural for you and you don't even think about it, but I'm curious if there's any sort of thought process that you go through in your like seeing, assessing and then applying. Okay, so when I meet students, I see them how they are feeling inside and how their body type, big muscle, small muscle, big bone, skinny fat, like the balance of fat and muscles. Then when I adjust, so I into their body, then then I touch them. Then I just collect their Asana. Then, so when I touch I can get more information through my hands or place the body, which place to them. So I, you know, I just feel it. I just feel something. Yeah, then how much I should push, or how much I pull, or, you know, I find, I try to find, yeah, and basically I just correct the asana. It's hard to explain, but yeah, yeah, it's through looking and touching and all of. Thing, yeah, yeah. Do you feel like you're Do you feel like you're assisting is improving the more you're teaching, are you? Are you still do you feel like you're still getting because I know you said that you teach privates, and so obviously, you're still able to assist students in your private lessons. Do you feel like you're still improving and getting better with time. I'm not sure, but I believe so. I hear, yeah, I think, too, I have a lot of recognize, yeah, yeah, so, yeah, I, I think, I hope I'm improving still, yeah, yeah, as long as I practice teaching to to Try improve, then I think I can do it. Yeah, cool. That's what I'm so curious. Where in Japan did you grow up? Oh, Kanagawa. Is that? I apologize because I don't know the geography. Is that south of Tokyo, south? Is it a city or more of a country town, countries town, but in a good way, yeah, cool, like kind of result, not, not like San Diego. Many people visiting to San Diego, got it, got it in Japan, and it's called Hayama city. There is a second house of Emperor. So it's kind of famous city in Japan, nice. And there is ocean and the mountain beautiful, basically, yeah, many people from Tokyo visiting their garden weekend. So there's some fancy shops, you know, yeah, yeah, like fashionable stores. So it's not really country town like, you know, got it? Understand? What type of activities were you into when you were a kid? Like, I swim, things three or four or five, you know, like, competitively, were you I become that stage, but I didn't digest, yeah, swim, like, free swim, swimming, yeah, I yeah, I complete the stage in sixth grade. I mean, uh next, 12 years old, uh huh, 13, cool. I complete, then, then I finished. Got it, yeah. How old were you when you came to United States, um, around 20. Got it before become 20 years. Did you? Did you go to, like, the equivalent of university in Japan? Or did you after high school? I don't know, high school, uh huh, I came to us. Got it, got it. Went to college. Yeah, you did go, you do into college here in the States. Nice. What did you study when you were here? Advertisement, uh huh, uh huh. And when did you take your first yoga class? Um, 2000 2002 got it and where and with who, my friend in San Diego, before taking classes, I study yoga, which book, but I really don't understand how to take posies. Then my friend said I went to yoga class, and it was good, and we want to go. Then, yeah, let's go. Then I took class. First I tried, like, vinyasa class, like, I tried Vikram, some, you know, type of Yoga I tried, and it, it was good. I felt sent center, yeah, yeah. Body. Then I tried Ashtanga in San Diego. Then, oh, this is what I want to practice. It's, it's pretty difficult, yeah, jump back, jump, oh, then, no, you know, it's I felt really different than compared to other type of yoga, yeah, then more challenging to practice. Then after practice, I felt I also felt different, something good, yeah, yeah. Then I into practice Ashtanga, I my first teacher, who trained by timid and she was really good, good teacher who was that. Her name is Mao Hadi. Do you know her? She doesn't teach. I don't know if I met her. I don't think so. Yeah. All right. She She also influenced by David Swenson, so, David Swenson, book, the practice manual, yeah, she, uh, she has one. She had one. Then I, I study, I study the book. Yeah, really good book. It is you should have one if you practice Ashtanga. Oh, yeah, that's a great one. You're right. It's fair, and I love him too. I didn't met him many times, but I met him in California a couple of times. Yeah, and I yeah, I love him. He's amazing, isn't he? David, he's amazing. He's so funny and funny and so talented. I know, yes, yes. I yeah, I agree, yeah, that's cool. And then yeah. And then at some point, because the teacher that you were teaching with, and she was a student of Tim, she said, Well, you should go practice with Tim. No, she didn't say that. Hi, hi. How? When I become serious practitioner, then I went to them, yeah. So first, two, three years I practice, but not seriously. Then when I decided to teach, then I become serious. Then I went to Tim, got it, got it, yeah. And can you remember what your first class with Tim was like? Yeah, it was Hotel. Ah, I remember. I Yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember at Suro, that's right, parking lot, yeah. And that was so interesting at Suro, because the vibe, the vibe in the E Street studio, was so good. And then patabi Joyce came to Encinitas and taught at the YMCA, and the vibes were amazing. There was like so many people, there's like 300 people or whatever show up. And I remember then Tim had to close the E Street studio, and he was in the hotel. The hotel vibe wasn't, I was good. I mean, it was it doesn't matter, like you can be anywhere, right? Like it doesn't, it doesn't matter what the room is like. It doesn't matter. But I remember, like, the energy was like peaking from the whole East Street, and then the E Street closed. And when E Street closed, that's what I think even patape Joyce might have went with Tim for the closing or something. So there was, like, a very emotional, I think people are very emotional because they were so attached to the energy there and just the vibe that had been created in that room for so many years. And then we went to the hotel, and there was, there weren't that many people, and I remember thinking, wow. Like, I hope I'm not saying too much right now at Soro, but I remember because I had so much admiration for these, for these guys, like I was, like, a little bit awestruck and thinking like, these are famous Yoga people, right? These are, like, famous yogis. And I thought, when I saw how the energy could be so dynamic, and then it could just get so quiet all of a sudden, it made me go, even that happens to some of the most famous people. Do you know what I mean? Like, does that make sense? Like, I guess, just like, the reality of, like, it's not always just super blowing up and just so exciting, like, sometimes it does get a little bit kind of like, Oh, wow. Well, that was interesting. And now we're here, and it's really quiet. And how come, how could it be quiet after it was so busy? Like. You know what I mean, did? Does that make sense? Yeah, the room is very quiet. You can only hear their sound or breath, yeah, but the practice, what their practice is, is, I've never seen like, very dedicate practice. So first, yeah, oh, they my first devotion to practice. The people practice really deep so they are alive, you know, yeah, I lender their life to practice that. I thought, yeah, um, that's cool. That's sort of, that's cool, man. So I just enjoy hearing your stories. I I know it's amazing, isn't it? That's cool that you, that you got so like you're in that environment and took it so seriously and really, really honed in on the on the focus, and just so dedicated to it. I'm so happy. I'm so happy to see that you are keeping it going, right? You're keeping it alive, and you're you're actively involved in keeping it going, and I feel your humility and and I'm curious, we had a chance to sing Hanuman Chalisa with him. Do you still maintain or do you do any Hanuman chalisalisa practice anymore? I listen Hanuman Teresa, when I take shavasana, when I take rest. I do it sometimes, but I don't chant or sing in hanumanasu. I only chant invocation, Ashtanga, beginning and at the end, yeah, and pranayama chanting from Tim Yeah. That are long chanting, yeah, and I feel different after chanting, I feel more focusing like when I practice primary sweets first time. And you feel different, right? You feel more better inside, more. You feel more thinner mind and the body. So after chanting, I feel the same these days. I mean, last Yeah, 10 years or something, yeah, when I practice pranayama with him, him, yeah, his practice is very deep, like less than one hour, like 55 minutes, or something like that. And he practiced pranayama by himself at six o'clock, then we can join his pranayama practice. Then we just follow him in the teacher training. He explained how to do it, very detailed, but regular day he only he practiced by for him, but we can join him. Yeah, yeah. I practice with him from two three years. Then I was wondering if I can do it like Tim, because it's so hard, it's so hard. Yeah, so hard. After four or five years later, I could do it. I can't I could follow him. Then my chanting changed. I I chant, but I didn't feel anything before, but when I chant, then I fear something after kind of master, pranayama. Then that year in teacher training, Tim said, If you master the pranayama chanting is chanting changed. Then, oh, I just felt that. Man, that's cool. That happened. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I hear you at sura. I remember the very I remember the I remember I would show up and I'd see everybody sitting in the pranayama circle, and I would think, well, I'm curious. I want to try. I wonder if I'm allowed to try and and then so I don't remember who I asked, and they said, Well, you can try. And so I never really thought about cheating, you know, like cheating, like, where, like, when you're holding your nostrils and maybe just opening one up and letting a little air in to try to, like, survive because you think you're not going to make it. And then And then, and just trembling and sweating and trying to keep up with Tim and and then when somebody finally said, well, Todd, just cheat a little bit. Like, don't just don't do it loudly where anybody can hear you. Just like, and then I was like, Oh my gosh. Now I can survive. Like, I didn't think I was going to make it through it like the most difficult. And it's so funny how it can be like, you know, that that that we, that we were so, you know, it was so difficult that I wanted to keep going back. I kept wondering myself, why do I want to go back and do that again? That's so hard, but that it was so intriguing at the same time, that's so fascinating to hear that like you said, like after four or five years of doing every day with Tim that finally you couldn't even keep up. But it is. It's interesting too to think that you're you felt some change, and when you're chanting, do you feel like it was just because your your capacity, your breathing capacity had gotten to a point where you really felt like you were using your voice and your vocal cords and your air and your lungs to a level that that's when the chanting really became more powerful for you. Or, I mean, you, I know you did a great job of explaining it already, but is that, is that, do you think, like, why it your chanting felt like it opened up. Um, I think I, I can feel, yeah, ah, more sensitive energy part, yeah, so before I my feeling is, I live in the earth. I live on the earth. Then I my pranayama become deeper then I felt, Oh, I am the just, I am the part of the universe that I felt in pranayama practice, yeah, so that I that feel what? Yeah, very shock in good way. Yeah, that changed That more like since that moment I felt, yeah, that makes sense. I changed my view of the world. It's different. Yeah, I used to live in small world. More than expound Yeah. Like, yeah, I am the part of universe, nice. So I think I can feel more than before, yeah, that makes sense. Well, Said, that's so cool. AD, Soto man, I'm so excited to have this chance. Thank you so much for thank you so much for accepting my invitation to, oh, thank you so much for accepting my invitation at, sort of because I know, again, I know difficult with different language. And you had said to me before I hit Record button, you said, I just want to improve. So I want to do it. I just, I just want to get better. And I think you did an amazing job. I really do. I think, like, your English is great, and you've got it, you've got it. So I don't think you have anything to worry about. I don't think you have anything to worry about. And thank you so much for, like, being willing to because I know it can be a little vulnerable and intimidating to, like, put stuff out into, like, the world, but I do want to make sure everyone listening goes to your Instagram page and follows you, and it's saturo yoga, and I'll have the link in the description. And your family is so beautiful, and I love the way that you have two two daughters and but your old daughter, one son. Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize. Okay. Your oldest is your daughter, and the baby daughter is 10 years old. Yeah, my son is eight month. Eight months. I'm so sorry. I said, yeah, look like eight months. And sometimes when you write your post, they're in Japanese, and I'm like, I'm just gonna, I'm just gonna read off of the photo. I have no idea what those characters mean. I know I can hit the little button that will translate, but it's, it's so cute when your daughter helps you in your yoga poses and stuff. Like, she'll help you do assist. And it's amazing. You have the cutest family man. You have a great you guys have such a good vibe. And I love watching you on your on your social media and and the the energy that you put out is amazing. And that photo of you on the cliff doing the arm balance in Hawaii is so great. Man, those photos are just spectacular, beautiful, beautiful, amazing. It's like art and again, I mean, honestly, at sort of, I think of when I got chance to practice with you, I feel like you're, like, just a master craftsman. Like, I honestly, like, I mean, I I feel like you're you, you're you take it to the place of, like, being a master craftsman. Like, if you were, if maybe you decided to, like, be a an artist, like, in carve, and you chose, like you were gonna learn how to carve and make art, that you would be a master artist. Like, that's the kind of attention that you put into the practice, and it feels amazing. And I and I miss getting a chance to practice with you, and I I'm so thankful to have this chance to to talk. So thank you so much for for accepting my invitation. Oh, thank you. I really appreciate this opportunity. Yeah, yeah, I want to practice with you again. And, yeah, maybe soft gather or anything. I know I want to go surfing again too. I remember, yeah, I do. And my my son, my son is 18, and he's, he's really into surfing and and I'm always, because we have the studio here, I'm always teaching. And my son is always like, Come on, let's go surf. Let's go surf. And sometimes I teach all day, from like, you know, six in the morning until six at night, because I because I'm and I'm doing massages in between. So I teach and then do massage. And teach and do massage. So sometimes I'm so by the time it's like the sun is going down, I'm just like, I think I'm gonna go home. Ethan you go surfing, you know. So like, I still do, though, I am getting out there, and I've been getting into, like, doing a little bit more, like fun shape riding and like longer like longboard riding too, like, so I'm but I still do get on a short board as well. And, you know, I want to keep my shortboard skills up. I mean, Florida Surf and Hawaii surf is a very big, you know, difference. And I did get a chance to live on Maui for a year, and I used to surf in Hawaii, and I did get a chance to surf on Oahu and on North Shore and but that was so many years ago. Like, I agree with you. Like, when you say, when I asked you if you surf pipeline and sunset, you're like, Whoa. Like, that's such a serious level of commitment to feel confident in that type of crate. Like, really critical surf. But I So, yes, I do. But if I were to come visit you on Oahu, I think I would stay at Waikiki and just like, Go longboard surf with you. Yeah? You know, walking at the beach is amazing. Oh even, yeah, surf, yeah, I can be in a war, right? So good. So good. Yeah. Then, if you have surfboards, maybe fun. Well, hopefully I can come, I can bring the family to Hawaii, and, or if you are, if you are, how many kids you have? I have two. I have my son, my 18, and my daughter's 11, okay, yeah, uh huh, close, yeah, yeah, so, um, well, I know. Well, hopefully we can get together again Azzurro. And of course, I know, I know you probably aren't going to be traveling to Florida for any particular reason and soon because so far away. But if you are ever in this area, please let me know. Because, oh sure, I would love to have you here and teach classes. And I would love to have you come to our studio. So it would be a huge honor, but, but again, and it feels really good to have conversation with you, because of how much I appreciate and love Tim and I could definitely every time I saw you guys together, you guys have, like the classic, like Hanuman and Rama type of vibe, like I. Uh, so much. Good Vibes there. So I just uh, thank you Azzurro, I can't wait to thank you Todd. All right, thank you. Thank you. Native yoga. Todd. Cast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you like this show, let me know if there's room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve. And if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info at Native yoga center. You can find us at Native yoga center.com, and hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends. Rate it and review and join us next time you for you know you.