Kimberly Larson
Instructor Interviews
With Kimberly Larson
How were you first introduced to yoga?
My first yoga class was at a bookstore in Minneapolis. Every sunday morning the owner would clear out a space in the back and have a free yoga class. I enjoyed the experience and wanted more, so I found a local yoga studio and started taking classes. I felt immediately at home in my own body with yoga and started practicing on my own every day. I would take hot bath, then lie on the floor with my legs up in the couch until I was called into movement. My practice became a deep, silent meditation in which my body was moved into postures spontaneously, and I was the observer, watching and learning yoga as it unfolded.
What made you decide to move beyond being a student to become a teacher?/What were you doing before you taught yoga?
I was a bodyworker for several years before I decided to study yoga. I spent a lot of time telling my clients how to stretch their bodies between massages to maintain and improve upon the work we had accomplished. Eventually, I realized it would be easier to become a yoga teacher so I could lead my clients in an experience instead of just instructing them with “homework” of stretching. I moved to Massachusetts in 2002 to study yoga at Kripalu Yoga Center. There I studied yoga, sanskrit, ayurvedic bodywork, ayurveda, and panchakarma. At Kripalu, I worked in the healing arts, taught yoga classes, and lead workshops with my partner Terrel. We combined our love of thai bodywork, ayurveda, and compassionate touch in working with couples to kindle their love for each other. We traveled together to India and Thailand to continue our studies and then started Lakshmi’s Garden, a wellness retreat focused on ayurveda.
How has your yoga practice changed since you began?
My own personal journey of ayurveda was greatly inspired by the transformational work of cleansing. I worked on the panchakarma team at Kripalu, then led cleansing retreats at LG under the supervision of Dr. Rosy Mann, and eventually wrote the book “The Simple, Healing Cleanse” to encompass all the ayurvedic practices and principles that I use to guide clients in their own cleansing process. I am continuously awed by the power of self-care, yoga, and cleansing to uncover our better selves- healthier, happier, more connected.
Is there a particular aspect of yoga you are especially intrigued with right now?
My current passion is Pranayama. I have heard that Pranayama (breathwork) is 100 times more powerful than asanas (postures), but it was not until the last 2-3 years that I truly experienced that. My body's weakness is my lungs, and I see how unexpressed grief and sadness in me has contributed to my imbalance. Breathwork is my key to unlocking those emotions and freeing my body and mind. I feel new doorways within myself opening with my practice, meditation naturally unfolding, and a state of calm and bliss available to me when I need it.
When you really need grounding what do you do?
When I need to get grounded…The short version, I climb up a hill and spend time in Nature meditating and observing. The long version, I turn off electronics after dinner, take a hot bath, oil my body, and rest on my bed to cool. I then prop myself up with pillows, stretch my hands, and enjoy 20-30 minutes of breathwork.