Guest Spotlight: Mahalakshmi Mahadevan!

Flow Fam - please meet our beloved guest Mahalakshmi!  Mahalakshmi is a dedicated Flowgi, and we are so honored that she chooses Flow as her yoga home.  Learn more about her below, and say hi if you see her around the studio!

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

I am inspired by the energy, creativity and the warmth and affection shown by all my teachers and my fellow yogis at Flow. Flow brings all the best people in one place!

What was your first yoga experience like?

My first experience at Flow was a Friday community meditation class back in January 2017. The Hare Rama Hare Krishna Maha mantra singing by dear teacher Brittanie DeChino was so moving and uplifting, I couldn’t stop my emotions from silently flowing for the entire duration of the class. And needless to say I couldn’t stop coming to Flow.

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Every class I’ve taken at Flow has had a salutary influence and I’ve been consistently drawn back to practise with Alicia Moyer, Aqeel Yaseen (Viveka Om), Brittanie DeChino, Caroline Weaver, Chelsea Xeron, Cory Bryant, and Sam Breschi. I’m especially grateful for Dharma Yoga offerings that integrate pranayama and meditation and Kirtan because these devotional offerings build community in ways asana practice alone doesn’t. I’d love to experience more of these at Flow.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

People may not know that I go by the nickname Machimi (pronounced Match-mee) among family. Or that I have a darling 6 year old daughter who loves to sing and dance but is not so much into yoga. Or that I grew up and went to school and college in Kollam, a small town in Kerala, South India, famous for a spiritual leader of humble origins, Mata Amritanandamayi (in other trivia, it’s also known as the cashew capital of the world). Currently distressing news is coming out of Kerala as it grapples with the worst floods in a century; every little helps rebuild homes and lives destroyed in the deluge. The international community can make donations to the State’s distress relief fund here: https://donation.cmdrf.kerala.gov.in/

Thank you so much for sharing, Mahalakshmi!

Manager Spotlight: Maris Feeley!

Hey Flowgis!  Meet Maris!  Maris has been on board for nearly a year, starting as a Karma Yogi, then promoted to Manager and Senior Manager with the HR Team!  Maris is truly a rockstar, and we so love having her on the team.  Say hi and congrats on her upcoming nuptials if you see her around the studio!

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

I'm continuously inspired by Flow's inclusive & diverse community, from the classes we offer to my fellow yogis.

What was your first yoga experience like?

I first stepped onto a mat in 2013, and it was the honestly the first time I'd ever felt my brain go quiet :) It cut through the noise of everything I had going on and grounded me in a way that has now become necessary!

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

I love Clare for helping me see yoga in so many different ways; every time I take a class with her, I discover something new about the way my body can move!

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

I'm currently working on becoming a full-spectrum doula. Right now, I'm a practicing abortion doula, but I hope to be trained in birth & death doula work by the end of the year.

Anything else you would like to share?

If you see me around the studio, stop & say hi! I'm around quite a lot and I love to get to know our Flowgis :)

Teacher Spotlight: Angela Cerkevich

Yoga Teacher + Psychologist

Please meet our featured teacher, Angela Cerkevich! A dedicated yoga practitioner with a background in clinical psychology, Angela blends challenging asana with mindfulness practices.

What inspires you to practice at Flow?

Several items animate my desire to practice at Flow. First and foremost is Flow’s steadfast commitment to providing a wide range of quality classes. These, along with workshops geared towards mental and physical wellbeing, foster an environment where the practice of both participants and practitioners can grow and evolve. Additionally, a commitment to community has always defined Flow as a place that stands out from other studios. Having been with Flow since it first opened in 2004, I have been inspired by generations of Flowgis and their genuine interest in deepening their practices while building a community.

What was your first yoga experience like?

I grew up watching my father practice headstands in the morning, but it wasn’t until college that I explored the practice myself. However, my first class was in high school at a spa. While I have no recollection of the asana practice, I recall the sivasana as being unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It felt like heaven. I felt so clear, spacious and at ease. I wanted more of that.

What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine?

Yoga is fully integrated into my physical, mental, and spiritual life. I practice asana that supports my body’s changing needs and while this is what the observer would recognize as "yoga," it is only a small part of what I consider my practice. Yoga colors and shapes the perspective through which I view and engage with the world. This includes studying my thoughts and emotions, creating space for a pause to respond to others with a non-judgmental stance, and utilizing yoga nidra to restore my nervous system.

Who are some of your most influential teachers?

Joan Ravinsky. Richard Miller. Eric Baret. John Schumaker. Doug Keller. Para Soma. All the people in my life who have challenged me. All the people in my life who have loved me.

What is something the Flow community may not know about you?

Before working as a yoga instructor and clinical psychologist, I owned a pet–sitting company and cared for dogs, cats, and birds all over the DMV.

Anything else you would like to share?

My asana classes are geared toward balancing the mind as well as the body. That means that while you will get a workout, the emphasis is on a practice that results in mental and emotional alignment. I use the breath, specific energetic alignment cues, and a moderate, steady pace to do this. I am a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in Georgetown. While I believe in the power of this work, I am convinced that talk-therapy can be more effective when combined with a body-oriented practice. This two-pronged approach is most useful in rewiring the circuitry of negative psycho-emotional habits.

Guest Spotlight: Asaki Bradford

Flow fam! We're so excited to feature our guest of the month, Asaki Bradford. Asaki has been coming to Flow for over three years. Diligent in her practice, learn more about this Flowgi who you can find in our daytime classes.  Please say hi if you see her around the studio! 

What inspires you to practice at Flow? 

I love the community, fellow students, and teachers! I love that classes are full of working folks, students, retirees- a huge cross-section of our city. I love the ability to form relationships that endure over years and I find it especially meaningful to have several teachers who offer consistently intelligent practices which challenge the mind as much as the body. 

What is your current practice like and how does it fit into your daily routine? 

My goal is to practice in the studio 2-3 times a week, I usually only manage twice a week for the 12:30 pm classes. As emotionally and physically helpful as the practice is, it is a true challenge organizing my day to afford not only the practice- but the commute. I pass 3 studios en route to Flow, and have visited a couple, but they don't feel like home- and so I work to organize my day to afford the important respite. While I always imagine the languid days of summer will make my practice easier to fit it- it is actually infinitely easier for me when my daughter is in school!

What was your first yoga experience like? 

My first experience was in college- some 25 years ago. I restarted 3 years ago. In truth, I wanted to love the experience as much as I did in college- and didn't. I took a level 1 class and found that challenging. It was really the negative self-talk that almost made me stop, thinking I should be able to do now what I could so easily do then. Debra supported me though, she always reminded me of the incremental progress I was making and over several (like 6!) months my body began to feel more accessible and my mind quieted. 

Who are some of your most influential teachers? 

Alicia Moyer guides me in tapping into my inner strength. Her practice feels both spiritually centered and physically exacting. Sam Breschi builds a practice that leaves me feeling like I've lovingly embraced every bit & fiber of my body. It's like I've been completely wrung out- but in the most loving, wonderful way. And, I have found that Aqeel Yaseen reminds me to laugh and enjoy the effort. Each offers a pretty different experience which I appreciate immensely. 

Anything else you would like to share? 

I feel like such a work in progress, and I am so thankful to have the time and ability to work on myself. I know I have become a better spouse, mom, and daughter in large measure because I have chosen to focus on love, and I practice patience every day. My yoga practice has provided a guide to quieting myself to allow love and patience to supplant other anxieties that used to lurk inside. I really feel very fortunate. 

Stand as tall on the inside as you are on the outside…

Meet Mimi Rieger

This noble piece of advice or I call it my “mantra” was spiritually gifted
to me by my grandfather on my father’s side. Although he himself was
short in stature his wisdom rose high as did his progressive aims in
business and creating community. Standing at 5’8, I inherited my height
from my maternal grandmother who taught me to be diligent, hard
working and to always be kind. It was only until I found my true path
did these treasured bits of guidance begin to take shape and I was able
to recognize the strength, resilience, awareness and growth I was
cultivating.

Yoga found me in Washington, DC in 1998 as I worked to make roots in
a brand new city. My southern upbringing provided me with robust
social skills but I lacked the personal moxie and evolution to know what
my true calling could be. Enter my very first yoga teacher, David. He
knew nothing about me, we did not speak for the first month I took class
at his studio, I kept my head down and did my work on the mat. Under
his watchful eye the magic of Yoga began to sink into my muscles and
immersed more compassionately into my soul. Things began to shift and
a glimmer of that taller version of myself began to take a stand. As I
grew stronger and more agile on the outside, I grew kinder, more
confident and softer on the inside.

As a martial artist, prolific mover of all types of fitness and dance I felt
very at home in powering through circumstances both physically and
emotionally, a dead end destination. As yoga began to open my eyes I
no longer saw this new city as a one-track highway but a grid with
infinite possibilities. I learned to navigate my life on my own terms, take
risks both professionally and personally and chose to spend time with a
new community; one that challenged me and my less, cultivated
perspectives on “real life” and learned to become a person of service.
After a steady practice for 3 years I became a yoga teacher, that’s when
the above mantra began to take real shape. As a guide, I could no longer
hide behind the movement, the postures and the breath, I had to take a
tall stand and trust that I actually knew what I was talking about; my
diligence and hard work at the forefront of my new journey.
Coming from an OCD, often thin skinned, tenderhearted individual like me,
this was quite the RISK. BIG TIME!

Fast-forward 17 years. That risk has awarded me with incredible
experiences and life moments. Gaining insight into who I am and who I
continue to become has presented opportunities beyond my
imagination. Today, as a small business owner and teacher I have been
honored to teach on International teaching platforms, film videos, teach
First Lady, Michelle Obama in the White House for her “Let’s Move”
initiative and other amazingly fortunate experiences that as a budding
yogi I could have never fathomed.   I continue to be inspired to seek, to
reach, to serve, to explore, to love, to risk, to think waaaay outside of the
box and to be still and let things happen (very hard!!).   

This is a brief glimpse of how my valued family, the practice of yoga, and
the willingness to diverge on a different path has contoured my soul.
Keeping myself healthy with practice, time with my family, laughter,
travelling to my bucket list destinations, cultivating my design business,
and taking time to just “be” has created a cornerstone for me in DC. As
my story continues to unfold and my insides continue to rise taller I am
excited to see where the next path leads me…

You can practice & get inspired by Mimi throughout the week at Flow.