Long before it became fashionable, Michael Eaton was an exponent of yoga. For the devout Rastafarian, the ancient Indian discipline is more than limb-defying postures.

“The most satisfying aspect of being a student of yoga is that it brings a lot of awareness to your life, and as far as teaching it, I just love it,” he told Observer Online.

A certified instructor, Eaton has been teaching yoga for 30 years in his hometown of New York City. He started in Brooklyn, where he immigrated to from Jamaica, and currently holds classes in nearby Staten Island where he has lived for over 20 years.

Eaton says his classes reflect the Big Apple’s diverse demographics.

“I taught in Brooklyn, a Russian neighbourhood and most of the students were white. I taught in a different neighbourhood in Brooklyn and it was a mixture of different nationalities; on Staten Island, I have Koreans, Chinese, Japanese, Russians, Vietnamese, whites and blacks,” he disclosed. “Sometimes, you really don’t know who will show up to a class.”

His most recent class was at the Unitarian Church of Staten Island in April. Citing its potential for building community unity, administrators there suggested Eaton return for an extra class in May.

“That’s a great feeling, ‘cause yoga is more than jus’ stretching. It heals the mind jus’ as it does di body an’ brings people together,” said Eaton.

The St Ann native grew up in Barbican, St Andrew and knew little about yoga when he settled in the United States over 40 years ago. Eaton found a mentor in Dharma Mittra, a Brazilian “guru of modern yoga”, whose Master Yoga Chart is one of the discipline’s signature manuals.

Eaton, who is also a music producer, credits yoga for making him more disciplined.

“It offers more blood circulation, more oxygen to your body and it also has codes to live by— ethics codes called Yamas (first of the eight limbs of yoga) and Niyamas (the spiritual focus of yoga), and it also prescribes a vegetarian diet,” he said.

— Howard Campbell

Michael Eaton (in tam, second row) with his yoga class.