I have practiced yoga for many years with different instructors. After all these years I have embraced the essence of yoga which is nothing but the love of sharing, caring and empathy. I am extremely happy to encounter Tim in Montreal. He helped me not only with the helpful yoga techniques but also reminded me of these core values. He played an important role in my yoga journey in this part of the world as a teacher but more importantly as a friend.
Planet Yoga, incarné avec générosité et humanité par Tim Ruddy, procure à tous les participants, une attention personnalisée et une expertise vraiment unique. J’ai eu le privilège de pouvoir compter sur les enseignements de Tim Ruddy au fil des ans et constate que ce sont ceux-ci qui m’ont fait le plus progresser et qui m’ont motivés à persévérer. Merci !
Les lundis avec Tim : toujours très apprécié. Je sens que j’apprend à chaque cours, que je progresse, que le niveau progresse, même s’il y a toujours des nouveaux.
Hi Tim,
I hope you’re having a nice holiday, as am I. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for the special 2 hour “moving towards hanumanasana” class. I’m glad the room was so warm which really prepared the muscles for stretching. At the end of the class, during the last pose with our legs open and the feet bound together, I felt small twinges of pain in my right, more blocked hip. I just relaxed and gave into the pain and felt my hip open up. That night, I woke up 3 times just to blow my nose which was continually congested. I appreciated this period of decongestion in my body. The next evening, I had a jazz class and my splits were about 2 inches more open than before. That night, I was more pulled up in my dancing and I really floated. Even my teacher and the guest we had watching the class remarked on my improvement. So thank you so much for all this and please remember me whenever you have a special class like that one.
My months of “practicing around” have begun! They began very well with a pranayama class with Tim Ruddy, Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher, on Saturday February 27, 2010. There was very little in the way of specific breathing exercises in this pranayama class. Instead, Tim put us through a series of postures, using an array of props including straps, blocks, blankets, bolsters, rolled-up yoga mats and chairs. Each of the postures had a specific effect in opening the chest and lungs to allow better breathing. Each posture required a particular setup of props, each had a subtle and powerful effect. Tim provided an excellent commentary on each posture’s dynamics, giving students a good understanding of what is happening in the practice in anatomical and physiological terms. Tim’s instructions were precise and clear. He has students hold each posture for a measured time, then move to the next posture setup. He follows a schedule of teaching that changes focus each week through four weeks, starting with standing postures, to forward bends, to backbends and to restorative or pranayama practice in the fourth week. I took his class in his apartment in St. Henri, where there is space for six people. He also teaches at the Westmount YMCA and at McGill University, as well as private classes and corporate yoga classes. He has been teaching Iyengar Yoga for 14 years, having taken teacher training at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco (IYISF). He also cites Mahyar Raz of Toronto as a strong influence on his teaching. He has been in Montreal for two years. I am hoping Montrealers will soon be getting more opportunities to take classes from this knowledgeable, sincere teacher who is clearly passionate about Iyengar Yoga.
I have done yoga for many years, and can say that Tim is by far the most thorough and attentive yoga instructor I have ever had. He knows how to push you to achieve your full potential, and is also very clear in his instructions. It’s nice (and rare) to have a yoga instructor be able to manage a class so effectively that he or she is able to give attention to every student. I look forward to practising yoga with Tim for many years to come!
Never having taken a Yoga class before, much less an Iyengar Yoga class… I really didn’t know what to expect. I’ve been interested in Yoga for a long time, but not having had someone to teach me the proper posture or flow of the moves, it made it very time consuming to improve. I consider Tim to be a Yoga teacher in the truest sense. His knowledge of the Asana’s and their benefits is perfect. He is able to incorporate the spirituality behind the moves, as well as the physical benefits. From beginner to expert level knowledge, he will aid you in your own personal goal comfortably. I believe Iyengar to be an excellent beginners Yoga, as the aid of blocks and the belt will help your body form the moves so you can gain the most from the Yoga practice. For anyone that is looking to quiet their mind, and improve their overall bodily health, I think this class will be the perfect fit.
I have been doing yoga with Tim for many years now, and I am very grateful for this journey and for his excellent guidance. Tim teaches by showing as well as describing, and he provides personal correction to keep every student progressing. In each class I am able to feel how far I’ve come as well as how far I still have to go, and I always leave feeling stronger than when I arrived.
“The precision of Tim’s teaching is confidently expressed through that unique quality of no-nonsense kindness. Tim keeps his presence; he is there to teach. You are there to pay attention and in so doing, learn.”
Tim,
Jasmine and I went to this Saturday morning class in Toronto. I really enjoy the fact that some people elsewhere in the country were doing the same things, the same way, as we do ! It is even more enjoyable when you think that people all over the world are doing this. It makes you feel like being part of a large peaceful community.
The good thing about being part of a large class is the energy felt during the Om chant. It is moving. Also, a different teacher may show you a new or different thing. (the teacher of thisclass was using ”muscles chart and a skeleton” to show which part of the body was working with a certain pose).
The bad thing about being part of a large class is the fact that each student gets less attention. Also, it is impossible to do as much poses as in a small class. The teacher has to go over and over on the same pose to make sure everybody understands. But, as much as the pose is repeated by the teacher, still, the chances that the student can do it wrong without being corrected are great…
I wanted to share this with you. (you probably already know all of the above…!!!)
Also, I get more and more convinced that you are a very great teacher !
With Tim, I found what a beginner needs most – personal guidance in asanas. He nudges your energies in the right directions and the asana starts to feel great!
Let me tell you about Yoga and Tim. I started yoga with Tim about 4 1/2 years ago. When I started I knew nothing about yoga. But the more classes I took, the more I enjoyed it. I started to have more energy and I was more relaxed. I also discovered that I slept better and never had muscle cramps anymore. And the stress level in my life was really lowered. I kept going to Tim because I realized that he was very personal in his classes and made sure that I was doing the yoga pose in the way to benefit me the most. I got spoiled with his classes. I tried others, but they didn’t give individuals the attention that is needed to fully benefit from yoga. He is definitely someone who really takes yoga seriously and knows all the benefits it can give. And passes this on to all his students. Anyone wanting to practice yoga with someone who truly knows it it’s Tim.
On behalf of Tony and I, we want to thank you for sharing what you know with us….I have taken many yoga classes during the past few years and have never felt as “complete” after your classes….
I presently teach yoga to children and am studying to obtain my official Certificate from YogaKids International….my 7 day Intensive Training is in Altanta this summer….so I am happy to be getting the fine tuning from you that I need….it certainly helps with my home study…