Interview with a Yogi

Satsanga, Goa, February 26, 2012 This Sunday afternoon I sat down to interview Jodi Boone, yoga teacher, fellow American, and lady of the house here at the Satsanga Retreat Center. Underneath bright pink bougainvillea we chatted about Satsanga, her yoga style, and her favorite spots in Goa. Part way through our conversation we were joined by Luciano, the big black cat that never has a shortage of laps to nap on.

What was your first experience in India? When did you first come here and what is the story behind Satsanga? I first came to India in December of 2006 because I had heard about an amazing philosophy and pranayama teacher named Emil Wendel, as you know, and so I came to Satsanga, studied with him, and met Olaf Starick (the owner of Satsanga). We fell in love and got married. That was the very first season that Satsanga had a retreat. Olaf bought this property in 1996, the first year foreigners were allowed to buy property in India.

About 10 years ago he got into yoga and his teacher was Emil. Emil was doing retreat in Baga (a village close by) and there was a festival going on. The music was so loud people couldn’t sleep and they couldn’t hear him during the lecture so he said asked Olaf if they could come over. After that Emil suggested to Olaf, whose dream it has been to live and die in India, that he build a few more guest rooms and a yoga shala and open a retreat center, “And when you do,” he said, “I will bring the first retreat group”. And so I came on that first retreat and that is how we met.