Page 43 - Adhiyoga Purana

The Demo That Sparked a journey: Adhiyogi at Whole Foods Market
In the early days of his professional teaching career, Adhiyogi—then a quiet and sincere teacher sharing the depths of Yoga—was invited to offer a demo class at Whole Foods Market in Springfield, Virginia, in January 2001. It wasn’t his first professional yoga class, but it was one of the earliest opportunities to introduce his Authentic Yoga System to the public in a professional setting.
Hosted in the community-friendly space of the store, the session welcomed a diverse group of curious attendees—many of them beginners, others simply seeking deeper insight into wellness beyond the surface. What followed was an engaging and informative session, combining not just postures but also discussions on the principles, philosophy, and purpose behind each movement.
The feedback from this demo class was overwhelmingly positive:
“This was a fun and thorough introductory Yoga class. The principles were taught, and I enjoyed it very much. Please have more!”
“Very informative for the beginning Yoga person. Instructor was extremely knowledgeable. Very good!”
“The demo part of the lesson was particularly useful. Thank you.” “I like the idea of learning more than just the poses.”
“Very nice session. Lots of information. Very interesting. Good instruction and good explanations.”
“The presentation was well organized.”
Many participants expressed eagerness to join formal classes, clearly moved by Adhiyogi’s depth of knowledge and simplicity of delivery. They appreciated not just the physical demonstration but the integration of breath, awareness, and inner reflection—elements too often absent from modern interpretations of Yoga.
This demo was a turning point—a signal that there was a genuine thirst in the community for authentic, holistic, and spiritually grounded Yoga. For Adhiyogi, it reaffirmed his path. What began as a one-time demo soon evolved into a lifelong journey of teaching thousands across the globe.
Whole Foods Market, unknowingly, played the role of a humble stage for a master who was just beginning to let his teachings flow freely into the world.
OM Shantiḥ
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