Lindsay Majer – Teacher Profile

Lindsay Majer, the most recent addition to our family of teachers at Iyengar Yoga Asheville, describes four of her personality characteristics as follows: the ability to adapt to new situations, a continuous learner of life, a deep curiosity about the natural world, and a passionate interest in exploring the subtle inner body. In a recent yoga class she taught, the theme was Yoga Sutra 2.47 or vairagya (non-attachment or letting go): B.K.S. Iyengar translates this as: “By relaxing effort and fixing the mind on the infinite, [asana is perfected].” Lindsay asked students to pay attention to the quality of energy present in each asana. In Trikonasana, for example, where were we over-efforting? By softening and letting go of the over-effort, could we experience more lightness and ease? Lindsay’s steady, grounded, and welcoming energy invited us to access our own prana, or vital energy, which helped to sustain the effort in the pose.

Some of these personality characteristics may stem from having moved every three to four years as a child. Her father had a career in the Army, her mother was a teacher, and the family, which includes an older brother and a younger sister, relocated a number of times in Lindsay’s first 18 years. After a brief stay in Hackettstown, NJ, Lindsay’s birthplace, the family moved to Germany, where she attended kindergarten. First through 3rd grade took her to a suburb of Richmond, Virginia, 4th to 7th grades placed her back in Germany, and then she returned to New Jersey to finish high school.

“Moving frequently and living in different cultures as a military kid developed in me the need to kind of roll with new people and places. I developed flexibility and appreciation of community, which the military provides, but also I admit to a tendency to escape sometimes when the going gets rough. One of the benefits of yoga is that it invites me to be present in this very moment.”

The Call of Nature, Music & Yoga

Growing up, Lindsay was drawn to studying and spending time in nature; she also loved playing soccer and music. “I started out playing the flute in marching band, but switched to trombone. Band was a big part of my life at the time—the games, the practices, the competitions.” Lindsay downplays her musical abilities, but wonders if her choice of wind instruments wasn’t her introduction to breath work, an essential component of yoga. Not one to (pardon the pun…) blow her own horn, she modestly asserts: “I’m good at a lot of things, although I may not excel at them. Perhaps it’s my commitment and loyalty to these efforts that I’m most proud of.”

Lindsay was eager to go to college and attended James Madison University, in Harrisonburg, VA, where she obtained a BS in Geology with a Concentration in Environmental Science. “I was undecided on a major at first, but a field trip convinced me to choose geology and to focus on water quality. I wanted to understand how nature works and how we can live more in balance with our natural world.”

Other defining moments arose in Lindsay’s freshman year. A fellow student invited her to attend a yoga class he enjoyed. Lindsay was curious and said yes. The class was held in a church: no pews or chairs, no mats or props…just a large carpeted space. “I loved it right away and went every week for all four years of college. In retrospect, I’d say the style was a basic hatha class.” For a first-hand account of her introduction to yoga, check out Lindsay’s blog HERE.

Lindsay continued to explore her field of interest abroad. During her junior year, she spent four months studying Geology, Environmental Systems, Australian Biodiversity, and Australian Culture, at Queensland University of Technology, in Brisbane, Australia. Once again she was immersed in a different culture. In between snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef and exploring the Outback, she continued practicing yoga on her own in her rented bedroom off-campus.

Finding her Way to Meaningful Work

When she returned to the U.S., Lindsay dutifully applied to jobs in her field. “I guess I was naïve about the doors that a bachelor’s degree would open, so while I was waiting to be recognized, I waited tables. After nine months, I started to feel defeated.” While she awaited her fate, she decided to move to Asheville in 2003, drawn by its counter culture vibes, art and music scene, farmers markets and good food, and access to all things nature: forests, mountains, rivers, hiking, biking, and paddling.

Not long after moving to Asheville, she became a volunteer at the Colburn Mineral Museum; in time, the job became a paid position as an Earth Science Educator. One day she saw a coupon in Mountain Xpress offering a free class at Lighten Up Yoga, owned by Lillah Schwartz. Lindsay took that free class and continued a work-trade at the studio every Tuesday night for 11 years.

That free class opened up many opportunities, not only in yoga, but in her career. In one of those delicious small world situations, Lighten Up Yoga was located at 60 Biltmore Avenue, which also housed Equinox Environmental Consultation and Design. Lindsay introduced herself to the manager, and in 2004, was hired as an Environmental Planner. Among her projects were watershed assessments and planning for stream restoration, enhancement, and preservation. “We’d walk various streams to assess the biological and chemical health of the water; we also created aerial maps to view the land use conditions of a particular watershed. The work was physically and mentally engaging.” Lindsay also worked with landowners, stakeholders, and volunteers to engage in best land management practices, a process that heightened her understanding of how environmental practices don’t always economically benefit the individuals affected by those practices. (One other small world story: 60 Biltmore Avenue was owned and renovated by Jim Samsel, a dedicated IYAVL students. See his profile HERE)

To deepen her professional skills, Lindsay entered a two-year program to earn an MA in Geography with a Concentration in Community and Regional Planning through Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, with classes conveniently available in Asheville.

Focusing on Community Engagement & Justice

“In the environmental field, we often talk about sustainability, which is the trifecta balance of environment, economy, and people. In practice I felt like people, especially disadvantaged communities, were often left out of the sustainability equation.”

In 2013, Lindsay embarked on the next phase of her work life as the Social Enterprise and Food Program Manager at Green Opportunities, whose mission is to support marginalized communities toward employment through job training and service. She managed a $1M federal community development grant. During her three years there, she also developed systems and processes for the operation of an urban agriculture enterprise and a community food kitchen. “I feel strongly that we need to build community-based solutions to local environmental and sustainability issues.”

As much as she loved this job, Lindsay struggled to afford living in Asheville on a modest salary. “I was doing the Asheville Hustle, working more than one job to pay my bills. I was involved in the community garden at Pearson Avenue, one of several Bountiful Cities gardens, an urban agriculture non-profit founded in 2000. I also had a few private clients, for whom I did residential gardens. One of my clients was Gail Ferguson, an IYAVL student, and Amy Mandel, the founder of Tzedek Social Justice Fund.” This fund redistributes money, resources, and power to support systems change and community healing in Asheville by supporting organizations and individuals working to improve racial and LGBTQ justice, and dismantling antisemitism.

Amy recognized Lindsay’s other talents and in 2016 hired her to serve as Director of Mindful Operations and Finance with Tzedek Social Justice Fund. Her role there is to create, manage, and enhance the company’s systems and processes for efficient operations. She also oversees staff sustainability, including policy development and benefits distribution. She is responsible for the annual budget and for accurately reporting to funders and auditors. “While writing policies and managing budgets does not overly excite me, I have to remember that I am contributing towards something much bigger. Tzedek’s work aims to shift systems that harm people and transform our community into a place where everyone flourishes. This is a lot like the aim of yoga: freedom from suffering.” To learn more about this organization and how you can get involved, visit their website HERE.

The job at Tzedek is part-time, which leaves Lindsay time and space to pursue teaching yoga. She completed her teacher training with Lillah Schwartz in 2014 and began teaching weekly classes at the YWCA and later at One Center Yoga. After several years of continuing education, study, and mentorship under Randy Loftis, the owner of IYAVL, Lindsay became a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher in November 2022. She currently teaches classes at IYAVL, Wellspring Wellness Center, and the Cliffs of Walnut Cove.

“Iyengar yoga has a reputation for being rigid, harsh—even grumpy! What I’ve come to appreciate over the years is the emphasis on safety, sequencing, and integration of all aspects of yoga that extend beyond the mechanics of physical alignment. The detailed instructions keep us grounded, present, in touch with our individual, energetic nature—which is who we really are. When I studied at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India, in 2019, I experienced pure joy from the teachers. That joy and playfulness is what affirmed my commitment to Iyengar Yoga.”

Shaping Yoga to Fit her Life

Lindsay continues to explore the ebbs and flows of how her home practice can meet her changing physical, mental, and emotional needs and the time she has available to practice. “I have an old hamstring injury that is resurfacing right now, so I’m nursing that with what I’d call maintenance yoga. I’m not pushing myself to do advanced poses, which might be detrimental. I’m re-reading The Tree of Yoga by Mr. Iyengar, and finding new meaning in his teachings. In particular, he talks about aligning your yoga practice with what else is going on in your life. As a working ‘householder’ I have to prioritize my time, which means my yoga practice needs to reflect what’s going on in my life right now. It’s important to practice and to come to class and to be honest about what you can do, set an intention, and then do it!”

Lindsay lives in West Asheville with her partner of seven years, Matthew. Together they enjoy exploring the great outdoors and patronizing local eateries. “Like many long-time residents of Asheville, I have some concerns about its rapid development, but it’s still a fabulous city and the place I call home. In spite of my interest in new places and people, I’m not going anywhere!”

Lucky us. Lindsay teaches an all levels class at IYAVL every Wednesday, from 10-11:30 AM. Come find out for yourself what it feels like to access your prana or vital energy in Downward Facing Dog Pose, compared to Tree Pose. Come experience the warm, attentive energy that is Lindsay Majer.