Christina Hatgis

Yoga has been a central part of my life since my early twenties when I read the Bhagavad Gita and went to India! I have been mesmerized ever since. I started practicing asana in my mid-twenties, and teaching in my early thirties and bow down to the many wonderful teachers who have generously shared their wisdom, steadfastness and deep understanding of a practice that is so much more than a daily series of asana poses.

4 years ago I became seriously ill and though I gave up teaching for a spell to focus on getting well, I never stepped off the mat. Having a safe and sacred space on my yoga mat was where I could stay present in my body even with the fear, pain and discomfort I was living with. It was the foundation from which I explored the journey of healing by bringing me back to the now, over and over again. Yoga and meditation nudged me gently minute by minute, to have direct compassion and kindness toward myself all the time not just on the mat. I realized that the act of intentionally moving my body, and staying connected to my breath, was sacred and a gift, no matter how limited the movement was. The practice dropped me squarely in a place where I was able to trust that there was a life force moving through me that had the capacity and intelligence to heal. As I continue this journey of staying healthy, and working with others to find health, I often think of how lucky I am. I had many years of practice to draw from and it continues to help me navigate the hard work of acceptance at any given moment no matter what I am facing, without letting fear or doubt take over. It is a beautiful way to honor my body and my life. I teach from a deep place of knowing how powerful this practice can be. How it can support us on this path of our unfolding lives. My primary practice has been Ashtanga with Eddie Stern. I have studied Iyengar Yoga in India, Anusara Yoga with John Friend and Amy Ippoliti, Prajna Yoga with Tias Little, and did my first formal training in the US with Cyndi Lee in a class of just 4 students (before OM Yoga!!)!

I am an LMT and finished a Master’s Program in Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture in December 2020. I am also finishing up a two-year training in Focusing Oriented Therapy. In 2007, I co-founded a small yoga studio, Mala Yoga, in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn and left the studio in 2017. I have two teenage kids and probably learn the most about love and patience from them.

Photo: Mackenzie Stroh