Oldest Living Yoga Instructor Shares Poses and Life Philosophy in White Plains
Iconic yoga master Tao Porchon-Lynch treated yoga lovers to a special session at Everything Physical Plus in White Plains last Wednesday creating a relaxing environment and encouraging participants to live each day to its full potential.
As the world’s oldest living yoga instructor at 99 years old, Porchon-Lynch shared stories of her life and words of inspiration with the class in between intricate poses and breathing exercises during the two-hour session.
“Everyday is a new day filled with possibilities,” Porchon-Lynch said. “Every morning when you wake up, just say to yourself, “this will be the best day of my life,” and it will be.”
While Porchon-Lynch was introduced to yoga at a young age while playing on a beach in India where she lived during her childhood, her extraordinary life reflects in the advice she offers to her students that anything is possible and to never give up.
In seeking justice, she marched with Mohandas Gandhi in 1930.
“I’m the only one left who actually knew Gandhi and marched with him left in the world,” Porchon-Lynch said. “He liked me and I just didn’t know who the dickens he was and everybody else knew,” she remembered.
Later, when WWII broke out, Porchon-Lynch became part of the Freedom Fighters movement in France, stating that she wasn’t afraid to help people because she was “too silly to be afraid.”
“I bought a boat with potato sacks in it and I covered all the people I could take on with potato sacks because the German dogs couldn’t smell people’s bodies (under the sacks), so I managed to get a lot of people out until they eventually found out about me and I escaped,” she said.
After escaping to England, she later worked as a model and was an actress.
Porchon-Lynch began giving formal yoga instruction in 1965 in the United States, where she became certified. Today, she lives in White Plains and teaches many forms of yoga at the Fred Astaire Dance Studio in Hartsdale.
“I love yoga,” Porchon-Lynch said. “What I want to do in my life is take care of all of the universe and I’m going around the world and I’m going to (teach) that yoga is a nice key to living.”
Owner of Everything Physical Plus at 185 Maple Ave., Raymond Gandolfo, said he was so excited to have Porchon-Lynch teach at his studio for the day that he couldn’t sleep the night before.
“I was like a kid getting ready for a filed trip; heart pounding, butterflies. I couldn’t wait to meet her,” Gandolfo said. “I’ve seen her on television numerous times and the fact that she’s actually here in our facility is a dream come true. I have goose bumps.”
Gandolfo, who participated in the class, said his biggest takeaway from Porchon-Lynch’s instruction is how you’re never too old to pursue new things and go after your dreams.
Arlene Towers, director of yoga at the White Plains studio, has been studying with Porchon-Lynch for over 30 years and was honored to stand by her mentor throughout the class.
“I’m very proud, she’s just a very special person,” Towers said. “The minute I met her years ago I fell in love with her. She’s helped to change my life. She’s just extraordinary.”
On Nov. 18 at the Athleta store in Manhattan, Porchon-Lynch debuted her new book “Shining Bright: Quotes and Images to Inspire Optimism, Gratitude & Belief In Your Limitless Potential” as part of the Women’s Entrepreneurship Day events at the United Nations. The book can be purchased at http://www.thetaoexperience.com/.
