Nathan believes in “forever items” – activities and things found throughout life that stick, that are indispensable and integral to a life well lived. For him, two forever items stand out: teaching and yoga.
“I didn’t find yoga. It found me,” says the owner of Studio330. “I really believe you should try as many things as possible – maybe a piece of it will hold, a piece will become a forever item.”
It’s a philosophy that has pulled Nathan in many different directions but kept certain threads ever-present. He has spent most of his career in information systems and education technology, starting his own business in tech consulting when he was in his teens and working for the local school board for more than 20 years, as well as with other organizations. He’s also travelled widely throughout central America, Africa, and Asia, mostly on short-term volunteering trips.
“I’ve always been passionate about education – I believe that if you have something, hold knowledge in a particular area, you should share it. If it helps someone else grow or get through a sticky situation, then I want to share it.”
Alongside his tech career, Nathan pursued his love of physical fitness – particularly martial arts (jujitsu and karate), fitness training, and power lifting. And like many people, he was initially drawn to yoga for the exercise (and focus on anatomy), building on his earlier interests.
Quickly, though, and with the help of skilled teachers (particularly Hang Nhan, Karin Merkel-Dirksen, and Liz Huntly), he began to see the many layers – including the philosophy, various lineages, yoga sutras, breathwork, and mindfulness – and how all these layers work together to take care of the whole person, body, mind, and spirit. Nathan also practises Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Reiki, and is studying herbal medicine, on his way to becoming a registered herbalist.
“How do I take care of the physical and the mental? Through nutrition, activity, breathing – and when that is not enough, bringing in herbal treatments is important.”
At Studio330, Nathan wants, first and foremost, all participants to feel welcome and connected with the community. “I want you to feel the most comfortable – to grow, learn, build connections, friendships. There are so many different styles of yoga, and at our studio, there is something for everyone.”
He also wants it to be fun. “There are too many other things that are stressful. It should be enjoyable. I like to joke around. Laughter and community are the most important things.”
That said, he also believes in finding your edge on the mat: “Discomfort helps us grow, pain doesn’t. Take it to the discomfort level. It’s temporary, not permanent.”
When he’s not in the studio taking classes (as many as possible!) and managing the flow of classes and events, Nathan practises at home – focused more on restorative poses and meditation. He also likes to select a particular pose and break it down more thoroughly, which he then takes into his classes at Studio330.
Find him on the mat during his Fundamental series, Vinyasa Flow, and Hatha Flow classes.