"A single thought, held clearly and firmly, can defeat an empire."

My best friend emailed me this article a while back about one's vision and staying true to that vision. I pasted it into my notes, thinking I would read it at a later date. That day came as I thought long and hard on the name for our studio. As I read though the article, I came upon this line, "A single thought, held clearly and firmly, can defeat an empire.", and I wondered. What was my vision, my single thought? Basically, I wanted everyone to get what I got from yoga, but what was that? It was different every day. I felt physically strong from my practice one day, mentally strong the next. Yoga has brought me strength, balance, focus, ease of mind, the ability to stay calm when the walls are crashing in on me, and to face my inner demons head on without fear. Through many teacher trainings that I've taken and assisted over the last 5 years, I've seen the practice do the same thing for hundreds of people just like me. They've been able to face their fears and doubts, the anchors that weigh them down from becoming the person they want to become, and let all that go. All through the practice of yoga!

So, as I kept this vision in my mind, I sifted through lists of names, listened to everybody's suggestions. Nothing seem to give me that, what my teacher, Baron Baptiste, calls the "Grand Canyon moment". A name that blew me away. Sitting and having beers with friends after class one night, we kept throwing out name after name. Then somebody said, "just call it 'Terry Ross Yoga!'". I hated it. I told the group that I didn't want it to be about me(I know that's a shock to those of you that know me!). I wanted it to be about the student. "So just shorten it" someone else said. "Call it 'TRY'!" I loved the word, I say it all the time in my classes. I want people to come to class and try a pose that scares them, try pushing themselves to a place they didn't think was possible, try sitting in a pose for what seems like forever and stayed focused on the present moment while the voices in their head chatter on. When they "TRY" something on their mat, face their fears and doubts, and succeed, what can face off their mat as well? We had our studio name! 

I tried yoga 30 years ago, and it saved my life. We know it will do the same for you. All you have to do is 'decide to try'. Please, just don't call it 'Terry Ross Yoga'. It's not about me. It's about You...