Name: Matthew Clark
Hometown: Burke, Virginia
How long have you been practicing/teaching yoga? Practicing since 1997, teaching since 2000.
Why did you start? Because I was uneasy and seeking answers and yoga felt good and helped me put the world into perspective. I also loved that it was experiential...the movement of prana and such that I could read about I could also feel and experience.
What is your favorite place to practice? At Namaste Highland Park or at the beach.
What do you know now that you wish you had known when you first started teaching? A) To be careful with my body. B) How to do a proper down dog.
How has yoga changed your life? I'm healthier, wiser, more mindful. More content.
What song or songs are on the ideal class playlist? For me it's exotic sounding jams of the right tempo and energy...often without lyrics in English which I can find distracting or full of connotation.
What are some of your favorite bands? Neil Young, Black Sabbath, Neu, Popol Vuh, Emmylou Harris, John Coltrane, Ras Michael, The Grateful Dead, William Onyeabor, Terry Riley, Eno and Fripp collabs. Lots of stuff!
What do you do when you're not on the mat? I work as a private chef and I also do other various freelance labor. I play drums in a band called Flying Hair. I hike and camp and swim and adventure as much as I can. I love to travel.
What are your favorite venues to play music/see shows? I love the Echo and Echoplex, Cafe Nela and The Troubador...all the great theatre venues in LA...The Wiltern, The Shrine, The Orpheum, The Ace Theatre downtown. And I love house shows and oddball venues too.
What is something people would be surprised to learn about you? I'm a climate change denier! Just kidding....we need to save the planet! Turn off lights you are not using. Save water. Drive less etc.
You can find Matthew teaching at NHP on Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, Wednesdays at 10:00 am and 12:30 pm, and Thursdays at 6:30 pm. Be on the lookout for a special themed class by Matthew in September!
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