WHO

Lynne Begier

WHAT

Begier, 40, started practicing yoga in 1991 and completed her teacher training in 2001. In 2002, she opened Back Bay Yoga Studio, now one of Bostons most popular yoga studios. Yogis choose from a wide variety of yoga styles, including Forrest, Vinyasa, Yin and Hip Hop. This original genre, started by Begier, combines downward dogs with Beyonc, for a fun and unique yogic experience.

Q. What first brought you to yoga?

A. I first started doing yoga when I was in college. I struggled a lot with eating disorders and depression, so much that I was actually hospitalized twice and left school for a while. My doctor at Johns Hopkins Hospital recommended yoga to me. At that time, there really werent studios everywhere like there are now, so I just started with a book.

Q. You studied a variety of different styles of yoga. Is there any one that you like best?

A. My initial training was in Kripalu, and it has always really spoken to me very strongly. But in 2002, I met Ana Forrest [founder of Forrest yoga], and shes been one of my main teachers since then. Ive always done different styles exclusively, working solely on one style for a period of time, and just meandered through different styles. I appreciate each style for what it has.

Q. How has yoga changed since you started?

A. Yoga has progressed so amazingly, and its become very fitness-oriented, but when I learned yoga, it wasnt what it is now. There was some breathing, some stretching. It was still really coming over to the United States. Ashtanga yoga, which is the father of Vinyasa and power yoga, became more popular in the 90s, but until then yoga wasnt as athletic. Things have progressed a lot. Now, there are a lot more styles and people are inventing new styles. It evolves.

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Lynne Begier talks about her Hip Hop yoga class