HUFFPOST: The 93-year-old yoga master Tao Porchon-Lynch was recently named “oldest yoga teacher” by the Guinness World Records. I’ve had the pleasure of studying with Tao and spending time with her over the last few years. She is one of my inspirations and certainly an example of what I call “Power Living.” Her journey provides insights to crafting an amazing life.
HUFFPOST: Are you walking through life unconsciously or with eyes wide open? What are the downstream implications of your actions? Sustainability is the ability to live fully in the Present without compromising the future. This applies to the environment as well as your own personal habits.
THE BUZZ: On November 5th, 2011, I hosted a yoga workshop at the Dwyer Cultural Center in Harlem with Tao Porchon-Lynch – my inspiration and 93-year-old master yoga teacher. It was Tao’s first time in Harlem and it will certainly not be her last. She connected with the community and they connected with her spirit.
THE BUZZ: On Saturday, August 13th, 2011, yoga master Tao Porchon-Lynch turned 93 years young! On August 14th, all of those who love Tao gathered for her birthday bash in White Plains. She showed off her dance moves with her 23-year-old dance partner!
PARTNERSHIP. Are you a loner or a connector? What type of genuine partnerships have you formed in your life? I was a tom-boy athlete growing up. I ran track, swam and did gymnastics competitively and was successful at winning many medals. Although I was technically on a “team”, I realize now that in all of those sports the final result was really determined by my individual performance. Except for in a relay race, I wasn’t really dependent on the other members like with sports such as football or basketball.
POWER LIVING TV: What’s your long view? Get inspired as Dr. Terri Kennedy interviews 92-year-old activist, model, film star, wine connoisseur, yoga master and award-winning ballroom dancer, Tao Porchon-Lynch. Learn about her life and get advice from a woman who is certainly Power Living!
From October 22nd through 25th, I participated in the SVN Fall 2009 Conference at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa in California. I also taught a yoga class. The Social Venture Network brings together the pioneers of socially-conscious business to collaborate and connect in order to transform the way the world does business. My sister, Sheila Kennedy Bryant, joined me. I must thank Ed Dugger from UNC Ventures for inviting me again, and Deb Nelson, SVN’s Executive Director, for welcoming me back. I joined SVN in 2002 as an “Emerging Entrepreneur.”
EXPERIENCE. What have your experiences taught you? How much time do you spend thinking about what you want to do with your life versus actually doing it? When was the last time you shared your personal knowledge with others? Experience is life’s great teacher. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “People grow through experience…
ONE. Can one person change the world? What will be your legacy? Whenever anyone says, “What can I do? I’m only one person,” I remind them of Gandhi’s insistence that personal change and the ability to bring about social change are linked. It starts at home with you. That is the essence of his often repeated quote: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” For him, it wasn’t a trite statement; it was a responsibility of the living. The PWR – Purpose With Results philosophy is based on discovering your own Life Purpose and then inspiring others through it.
THE BUZZ: From January 16th through January 19th, 2009, I participated in the 6th Annual Yoga Journal San Francisco Conference at the Hyatt Regency. I moderated a Continuing Education panel entitled “The Business of Being a Yoga Teacher,” with Jason Crandell, Pretzel France, Cyndi Lee, and Rogelio Nunez. From March 5th through March 7th, I was once again with yoga pioneers at the Third IAYT Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research in Los Angeles. Yoga Alliance held a special event at the conference in celebration of its 10th Anniversary.
