Teacher Feature: Michael Johnson

What brought you to yoga?

My initial experience with Yoga was a class with Jonny Kest back in 1999 in Royal Oak, MI. It was a Vipassanā meditation combined with what is now called Yin Yoga. We held each posture for about 3-5 minutes while focusing on the breath until we chose to rest. It helped me focus my attention and develop impulse control in a way that inspired me immensely. I went on to sit three 10-day Vipassanā retreats, traveled to India and completed many Yoga teacher trainings to teach it full time for the last 20 years.

By practicing Yama and Niyama whole heartedly (abhyāsa) and releasing attachment to specific outcomes (vairāgya), āsana can be done anywhere at anytime, no matter what shape our body is in. Everyone who wants to practice Yoga ought to be able to do so, in a way that works for them.

What do you find most rewarding about teaching yoga?

Yoga is a unique methodology for developing self-control. It can have wide reaching rewards for enhancing physical, emotional, mental and interpersonal wellbeing. Studying what it has been for the last 2,000+ years helps me understand how to make it more accessible to anyone who wants to practice it. Though I have much more to learn, I am beyond grateful to see people become more calm, centered and empowered in their lives week after week.

Do you have a favorite yoga pose?

I used to think that a Yoga posture was assuming a shape like table or downward facing dog. Now I understand that āsana means being firmly established (sthira) in practicing Yama and Niyama, the ethical foundations of Yoga, that make breathing, sense control, concentration and meditation more accessible. By doing so, we can create a good space (sukha) within and around us, regardless of the outer circumstances beyond our control. By practicing Yama and Niyama whole heartedly (abhyāsa) and releasing attachment to specific outcomes (vairāgya), āsana can be done anywhere at anytime, no matter what shape our body is in. Everyone who wants to practice Yoga ought to be able to do so, in a way that works for them. I am grateful to be a small part of the many diverse approaches at the Asheville Yoga Center.

Opportunities to Practice with Michael

Weekly Classes

Bhakti Flow Into Stillness | Sundays 10:00am-11:30am

*Gentle Restorative & Meditation | Mondays 7:15pm-8:30pm

Upcoming Workshops

6.10.24 – 6.14.24 Love of Wisdom Immersion: Exploring the Roots of Yoga Philosophy

9.23.24 – 9.27.24 Rekindling the Flame Immersion: 5-Day Yoga Teacher Tune-Up

11.8.24 – 11.10.24 Hands on Assists

12.2.24 – 12.6.24 Teaching with Compassion, Empathy, & Skill: Trauma-Informed Teacher Training Immersion

12.6.24 – 12.8.24 Yoga, Meditation & Neuroscience

Monthly Kirtans

Community Kīrtan (Donation Based) | 3rd Wednesday of the Month, 7:00pm-8:30pm

Michael Johnson has been a full-time yoga instructor for over two decades and a teacher trainer since 2003. He has traveled to India and studied many with many teachers and traditions. He is a lead instructor for Asheville Yoga Center’s 200hr Teacher Training and 300hr Advanced Training Programs. He offers in-depth online courses on the foundations of Yoga, Meditation, Prāṇāyāma, Āsana, Vinyāsa, Mantra, Sanskrit, Philosophy, Anatomy, History and Alignment. He also offers a 195-day Challenge that begins January 1st.

visit clearlightyoga.com for more information.

“Michael Johnson’s classes are a beautiful mix of music, exploration of the yoga sutras, well-sequenced asana practice, and devotion to the highest virtues of humanity- and peppered with tidbits of science and humor. In my opinion, it is a well-rounded experience which gently guides the students into an exploration of what it can feel like to navigate yoga and life in the modern world with integrity, health and compassion.” – Dana N.

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