Q&A with Our Founder Bill Ades | Inspiration Behind Llamaste Family Yoga

Llamaste Family Yoga was inspired through a collaboration between myself and my son who at the time was 11 centered around, well you guessed it, the llama. Llamas are fun, loyal, congenial and generally chill. 

Around this time, as a result of a running injury, I started practicing yoga as both a form of exercise, and to regain my flexibility. What started as a drawing requested by my son, Llamaste was born and I soon launched my brand by creating bags which yogis could use to carry all their necessary items to their classes, such as their mats, change of clothes and even a compartment to place the shoes they would need to change into. 

Eventually I expanded into apparel and wanting to further my knowledge and dedication to yoga, I decided what better than to have an apparel brand for yogis made by yogis. After getting my certification, I decided that Llamaste was not just about apparel and practice, but about encouraging family connection and community through yoga. During my journey toward my certification I learned so much more, the whole philosophy of yoga, which actually means "union" of the body, mind and spirit, and this fit perfectly with the llama, whose totem symbol llama is represented by endurance, community and gentle strength, values in which the yoga practice embodies. The same as the mission Llamaste has towards its students. 

2. What are some of your favorite yoga poses?

I love standing poses, such as Warrior and balance poses, such as the tree, where I am utilizing my whole body. More recently I have really enjoyed inversions, such as headstands. It took me time to learn, but once I did, it's like I can't stop doing them.

3. What's a dream place you'd like to do, or have practiced a full yoga session, i.e top of mountain, paddleboard in the middle of the ocean, etc?

One of my favorite experiences was practicing on a paddleboard. Inspired by one of my teachers who taught and worked for me for several years, I spent the summer by the shore where there was a SUP (standup paddle board) place where you could rent a paddleboard by the day and take lessons as well. After learning the basics, one of the teachers, a yoga instructor, gave me a lesson. I was nervous at first about falling, but realized that it's actually fun to be out there on a summer day and then be able to cool off just by falling in. After the first lesson, I rented one on my own and had a blast for an hour! Another one is in the ruins of Machu Picchu surrounded by the llamas who of course live there. Also Sefat, a city high up in the mountains of the Galilee where in the 16th century Kabbalah was revived.

4. What's your favorite family class to teach, kids, tweens, adults?

I love the practice of vinyasa which I generally teach to adults. It encompasses all the aspects of yoga - breathwork, which is done at the beginning of the practice and sets the foundation for the practice, guided movement, in which I start off slow and build into a workout, where I'll add a few advance postures like inversions and balance poses, and the relaxation, where the class gets to receive all the benefits of the practice and where I add a dharma talk or talk about some yoga philosophy.

So there you have it, Llamaste Yoga Studio would love to have you join Bill and the wonderful teachers for one of our daily classes.

XOXO

Latain Palmer | Director of Social & Community