World Renown Yogis Return To Glen Cove

Celebrating a new book with signings, yoga and meditation sessions

jcorr@antonmediagroup.com

Sarah Platt-Finger on Feb. 17 returned to her home-base in Glen Cove.

Platt-Finger is the director of yoga at Chopra Global and the co-founder of ISHTA Yoga with her husband Alan Finger. Recently, Platt-Finger co-authored a book with Dr. Deepak Chopra called Living in the Light, which is the #1 best selling yoga book on Amazon. Dr. Chopra is a well-known Indian American author and the founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, as well as Chopra Global, a modern-day health company that mixes science and spirituality.

On Feb. 17, Platt-Finger and Finger were at Buddha Jams, a relatively new yoga studio in Glen Cove founded by Jason Samel, to lead a yoga and meditation session. Platt-Finger signed copies of her new book, which were available for purchase at the event.

Samel said the event was so crowded, you could not fit much more yoga mats on the floor.

“It was so nice, it felt like coming home,” Platt-Finger said. “I went to North Shore Middle School and North Shore High School. I was very involved in the gymnastic team. I was actually there at what was called the Yoga Zone, which used to be in Old Brookville where I encountered this form of yoga that I now teach, that my husband started.”

That form is called ISHTA Yoga, and it’s practiced at a yoga studio in Manhattan. According to the ISHTA Yoga website, Kavi Yogi Swarananda Mani Finger and his son, Yogiraj Alan Finger created ISHTA Yoga in the late 1960s in South Africa. The ISHTA practice aims to give each student an understanding of how to incorporate aspects from various yoga styles and practices in a way that best suits their individual paths.

Platt-Finger said she had so much fun being at Buddha Jams, and that Samel is “infectious” with his passion, drive and enthusiasm for yoga.

“I think it’s great he’s bringing that to Glen Cove and Glen Head, where you can see there’s slowly a growth happening there,” Platt-Finger said.

Samel said he enjoyed having the opportunity of getting to learn with the Fingers. Platt-Finger led a 45-minute yoga class, and Finger led a 30-minute meditation.

“Just in that 45-minute time period the things I learned for my own yoga practice was just amazing,” Samel said. “And I know a lot of my clients had the same experience. They were very thankful for a refreshing idea of yoga.”

There were also people at the event who were the Fingers’ former students.

“They were just so excited to see them, and that was a beautiful thing to see,” Samel said.

How Samel got to know Platt-Finger was actually through her father, a radio DJ for WFUZ. He’s well known in the folk-mu- sic scene. And Samel, who worked in the music industry, and Platt used to work together on multiple projects, ultimately becoming friends. When he found out who his daughter was, he asked Platt to introduce them, which ultimately led to them talking and planning this event.

“I’m just following my dreams in so many different ways and how one thing just leads to another is beautiful and magical,” Samel said. “These guys are world famous yogis. I opened up a yoga studio nine months ago. I started yoga two years ago... I’m just so grateful for all these stars to align.”

Platt-Finger said she first discovered yoga when she was studying at Colorado College see YOGIS on page 4