Rusty Wells

I practice, teach, and live Bhakti yoga - the yoga of love and devotion. Balabhadra, a devotee of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, first introduced me to this practice in 1990. This compassionate spiritual master followed Lord Krishna's teachings found at the heart of the Bhagavad-Gita: Bhaktya mam abhijanati (18:11), which means "I can only be known by devotional service." In addition to Bhakti, Balabhadra also taught me the importance of selfless service, Karma yoga; and chanting in a group or softly to oneself, called Japa and Kirtana.

I began my practice of Hatha yoga in 1996 through the teachings of Masters Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnu Devananda, who emphasized the synthesis of asanas (postures), pranayama (breath exercises), relaxation, and proper diet to develop the physical body and awaken the energies. They also taught selfless service to remove egoism; mantra chanting and worship to release emotion into devotion and selfless love; study of the scriptures to transcend the intellect, and meditation to go deeply within and arrive at the true nature of our being-Self, God, the Truth.

I've been teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1998 and enjoy fusing together the many wonderful influences I've had from teachers such as Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, Georg Feuerstein, Shri Dharma Mittra, Baron Baptiste, David Life, Sharon Gannon, and everyone who has ever demonstrated patience and exquisite kindness - including every single parent who somehow 'keeps it all together'. Their eclectic methods inspire my teaching and continue to deepen the experiences of my own personal practice, and I am eternally grateful to them.

Ashtanga, Bikram and Jivamukti are other important systems within this diverse practice known as yoga. Inspired by these methods, I incorporate certain elements from each into my own practice and instruction. While my classes tend to be vigorous and physically challenging, their actual power stems from each student's internal experience. I encourage all to recognize that a generous, compassionate nature gives us the wonderful opportunity to transcend our limits and let go of what no longer serves us. With that realization, we can release our egos and prepare our hearts for the opportunity to be of service through unconditional love and devotion.