I am Susan Jane Mann, one of your newest members, and excited to be joining the YAGD organization. I currently live in Clawson, and am thankful to have learned of your group through Marilyn Bird, who teaches classes at the Clawson Community Center and also occasionally at the Clawson Library.
I began as a Yoga student in 2009 in Milford, attending classes conducted by Meena Puri. Originally from India, Meena’s father was an Ophthalmologist, and the family came to the States via Canada when she was a teenager. Not only did Meena conduct Yoga classes, but she also held many gatherings for students to learn about the Chakras, mediation, chanting, and to enjoy some really great Indian food! She was a wonderful person to introduce me to the many facets of Yoga.
In 2013, as my mom was getting up there in age, my husband and I came back to the Clawson area. At that time, I had had a recurrence of breast cancer, and I knew I needed some serious support. Reading an article in the Oakland Press led me to Gilda’s Club in Royal Oak, where I discovered multiple groups and a variety of supportive activities for cancer patients, their friends and families.
One of the best features at Gilda’s was their robust Yoga program. I was blessed and uplifted by so many Yogis – I can’t even name them all—but two in particular were Mark Boynton and Pete Anton. In the dark days of trying to figure out what the best approach was to treat the cancer, and during the various treatments, surgeries and bilateral hip replacements, I just kept going to Yoga to stay grounded and to maintain some semblance of sanity.
Having been a teacher in my earlier career, I was interested in becoming certified to teach Yoga. In 2022, Beaumont Integrative Medicine offered the 200 hour training, and I signed up. As soon as I graduated, I started a class at Gilda’s that I call Tranquility Yoga with Susan Jane, a gentle mat class, and then, through a series of fortuitous connections, I had the chance to start Tranquility Chair Yoga at a local church.
My goal is to guide students in a restorative class that helps them access their own sense of peace and tranquility. Utilizing Pranayama techniques, coupled with mindful stretching and poses, I hope to create a balm for the body, mind and spirit.
Meena would say “It’s just Yoga….. Give up the struggle….” I learned from many Yogis that there’s no perfection, there’s no MUST….there’s just the breath, and the gentle movement of the body and listening to the heart.
My goal is to provide students with a peaceful, calming hour where they can devote their energy to themselves, and leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and restored, no matter what issues await them on the other side of the door.
Namaste –
Susan Jane