Q & A with Sparrow: Yoga is like a surf board

Sparrow Deviyani walks through a sea of crescent lunges, smiling at the room full of happy yogis.
Just one of many sparkling moments in one of Sparrow's vibrant yoga classes.

We asked Deviyani — a teacher and musical therapist, who will be presenting her Experience SOUNDevotion at the Whistler Yoga Conference on June 5 (7 p.m.) — to share some of her insights with us about yoga, life and starting a practice.

Here's what she had to say:

ON YOGA . . .

I remember being eight or nine years old and seeing yoga in my mom's Vogue beauty book and really being drawn to it. However, growing up in small town Alberta... Not much yoga happening there in the 80s!

I officially came to yoga in university 10 years ago. I wanted to learn to relax while performing and to breathe for singing. Denise was my teacher who blended kripalu ashtanga anusara and kundalini yoga techniques. Always something different each class, which I love and still flavours my teaching style now. I think we hold a special place in our heart for the first teacher!

MOST CHALLENGING. . .

Most challenging was to practice consistently. I would go one week and then not for another month. I found that getting to class was the hardest as there were many excuses and distractions keeping me away. Once I was there it was always amazing.

YOGA . . . A SURF BOARD?

I went away from yoga for a couple years but always did some postures at the gym or in my home. One day a gym manager saw me practicing in a squash court and came in and asked if I'd thought about teaching. He helped me find a studio and I signed up with a friend for a 40-day challenge, both of which were good motivations to keep on the path.

Yoga is like a surf board — something to stand on while riding the waves of life.

It teaches me to be effortless when I start to are life as challenging: Restorative practice is great for this!

I found and still find yoga to be a great way to take care during crazy times and to take life events and learn from them. As a wise friend has said to me, when we change ourselves we change the world.

TIPS FOR ANYONE NEW TO YOGA. . .

Such a great thing to be in the beginner state of mind! Be open! Stay the course and be gentle with yourself and expectations.

Know there will be ups and downs. Also try lots of different styles and teachers to find what you resonate with.

You might be surprised by what you find works for you.

Yoga is like a science experiment where you as the scientist get to try different variables and observe outcomes in body and mind. Yoga is an artistic masterpiece where you are the creator of every moment.

GOOD VIBES. . .

We are all vibration and energy and use sound naturally to express ourselves and move energy through laughter, surprised gasps, ouch at a stubbed toe etc..

We can actually tune our body minds and spirits through intentional use of sound. We can find peace and meditative brain states through sounds and balance our bodies — our organs have a sound vibration as an example — literally. We can tune up to live in tune with ourselves and others.

OM . . .

In yoga we use chants to recreate this effect. Om is said to be the sound that contains all other sounds. The original teachers who received the information regarding yoga perceived it through sounds that became forms or symbols. om is one of these sounds.

There have been studies recently that have demonstrated how the sound om creates a form in sand. Sound and form are linked.

We can use different vowel sounds and tones to balance energy centers also called chakras.

When we use sound we connect which is the meaning of the word yoga.