My very first Yoga Conference was in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2004. My yoga teacher, Jimmy Barkan, was presenting there and he introduced me to his friend, Beryl Binder Birch, founder of Power Yoga. I took Jimmy's workshop twice and Beryl's too. I also met Ravi Singh and took his Kundalini class. I met some noted local teachers as well. The whole atmosphere was exciting! I felt the embrace of the Canadian Yoga Movement and the energy of the "rock stars" of the yoga world. There was a beautiful demonstration in the Yoga Marketplace of something that looked like Yoga Dance. I later learned that this dance was founded by the daughter of a close friend here in Fort Lauderdale. The mother, Marsha, now living in Austin, Texas came to my home to visit with her daughter from Canada just last year. What a delight it was to meet her and reminisce about that first Yoga Conference for me!

Through my life I have gathered a number of very close friends from Canada. My own brother ended up in Canada and married a Canadian. My own daughter married a Canadian! I do love Canadians. And Canada, too!