LIVPREM
LivPrem means devotional love.
During a study of Kundalini Yoga, I was given a spiritual name. The message I received said, "You have been blessed to live as Adi Livprem Kaur, the Princess/Lioness who is the infinite embodiment of celestial love through her one-pointed devotion to the Divine." I began to use this name as a mantra, hoping to embody it's qualities. Adi refers to God’s primal energy; the infinite source. Liv means one pointed devotion. Prem is love or beloved. I understood it to mean that by offering all of my energy and surrender and devotion to the essence of Divine Love, I could become an expression of that.
About Jaymi
"Practiced for a long time, uninterruptedly and with reverence [the state of yoga] becomes firmly grounded." Yoga Sutra 1.14
I first began my journey with yoga in the summer of 1996. A close friend gave me a VHS tape of Patricia Walden leading a practice. I loved it. I nearly wore out the tape! There was something special and unique about moving my body and listening to my breath that settled my mind into ease and my body into a state of well-being. I was hooked.
A year or so later, I attended an introduction to meditation weekend. I began a sincere and steady practice of sitting in stillness with a mantra, and my consciousness began to feel the same love for yoga that my body and mind already had come to know.
As I began my university education, I struggled to choose a major; I was hungry for any kind of learning. I decided to divide my studies between philosophy and comparative religion. All of these experiences came into union twenty years later when I enrolled in a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training Program with Cityoga. Bringing twenty years of personal practice and self-led study with me, I began a deeper and more broad study and practice of yoga. The longevity of my past practice and consistency that teaching has brought to my life has brought many rewards. It is my hope that through sharing what I've learned with others, they too can enjoy the freedom, well-being, and joy that yoga brings.
[The state of yoga] is also attained by surrender to God" Yoga Sutra 1.23
I have always been a seeker. From my early childhood, my first direct experiences of the Divine came through devotional singing and worship. My father was a music minister in many church communities during my adolescence. Unlike other teen aged kids, I woke up early most mornings to pray and study the Bible. When I went to college, my curiosity about how other people approached the Divine led me to study many different faith systems and practices. Eventually, I left my formal studies to learn on my own. I am still learning. I hope to always be learning new and novel ways to connect to the Divine. Every method, technique, and practice I have given true effort and devotion to has brought me the same kind of feeling and experience: union, the state of yoga.
"To preserve openness of heart and calmness of mind, nurture these attitudes: Kindness to those who are happy, compassion for those who are less fortunate, honor for those who embody noble qualities, and equanimity to those whose actions oppose your values." Yoga Sutra 1.33
Yoga is not something we do. It is a state of being that we can embody. Through practices and the cultivation of certain attitudes, we can remain in a peaceful, steady, and loving way of being.
Like most any other yoga teacher, my teaching practice includes the elements of breath, alignment , and posture. Additionally, I strive to include aspects of yoga philosophy, meditation practices, and devotional and sacred music to bring yoga to life both on and off the mat. Teaching with all of these components brings a fuller picture of what the state of yoga really is and how to access it to improve your mental, spiritual and physical health.
Use the link below to find a class that's right for you.
I look forward to meeting you.
Namaste.
The history of yoga and my own practice.
Here’s a video about the history of yoga and my own journey with the practice. (Video by Erica Guerrero and Bridget Pickens. Used by their gracious permission.)