Page 7 - Demo-Hawaii

the yj interview by andrea Ferretti

(
yoga’s Lilias Folan’s warmth and wisdom )
After nearly 50 years of practice,
continue to be accessible to all.
grande dame

How and when did you discover yoga? I went
to my doctor with a litany of problems. He just
said, “Madam, there’s nothing wrong with you.
You’re suffering from the blahs. Exercise.” I
had a wonderful husband, two beautiful sons,
a golden retriever, a boat on the sound, and the
question was, “Why aren’t I happy? What’s miss-
ing?” I decided to go to a Sivananda Yoga class at
the YWCA in Stamford, Connecticut. I stopped
smoking, slept better, and had more energy.
How did your television show come about? I
would watch Richard Hittleman’s shows in
black and white with two beautiful, perfect
women demonstrating postures. I thought, “I
could do that better.” Then, the wife of a local
PBS producer took my yoga class. She told her
husband I would be perfect for a TV show.
How did it feel to be a part of something so
groundbreaking? I got very good schooling
from Sri Swami Chidananda, a teacher in the
Sivananda lineage, and some wise teachers like
Angela Farmer, Goswami Kriyananda, and Dr.
Jean Houston. Their advice was that this was
service. Don’t hold on to the fruits of your
Decked out in her leotard and braids, Lilias Folan brought actions—people writing in and being recognized
yoga into living rooms nationwide via her syndicated 1972 PBS in the streets, that kind of thing. It became and
television series, Lilias! Yoga and You. Through the course of the still is a practice. It’s my sadhana.
show’s 500 episodes and her travel around the world, she introduced Do you ever worry about how much yoga has
millions of people to yoga, yet remains sincere and humble. grown since you started your show? Losing its
Would you call yourself a spiritual seeker? Absolutely. I’ve connection to the mystics of the past of India?
been a passionate spiritual seeker since I was a little girl. My up - No. It will be what it will be. I really do think
bringing was very difcult. When it got really tough, I would go that all is well. Joy belongs to everyone.
into the center of my chest, and I would meet with my friend who What motivated you to write your book, Yoga
would soothe and connect me to something that I had no words Gets Better with Age? I wanted to share my
for. And that’s where I would heal. journey. I’m in a 70-years-young body, and I do
That’s yoga from a very young age. That’s how I came to the my yoga practice differently. Certain postures
planet. But as a teenager, I forgot about my friend. Then I had a don’t mean as much to me anymore, but other
major crisis and thought, “I can solve this. I’ll go back inside.” When ones do. The essence of the book is to show how
I did, I couldn’t nd my friend. Yoga brought me back to this inner to work intelligently with a midlife body and Ryan Donnell
friend that’s always been there. Yoga brought me home again. beyond in a way that’s pain free.

188 yogajournal.com February 2010
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