There I was, minding my own business in Tucson, Arizona when I got a call asking if I might be interested in bringing Anusara yoga to SPACE.

I was talking to Matthew Allison, an American, who like myself had spent many years in Asia. And like me, Matthew had felt a calling that pulled him away from a successful business career and asked that he change his life completely. He now is the owner of a fast growing yoga studio in Taipei, Taiwan called SPACE. An avid yoga practitioner himself, (we'll make a back bender out of him yet), he started SPACE for all the right reasons. He wanted to create something special that would build a really positive community, basing it on what he was learning in yoga, and bring that to the intensely urban setting of Taipei. He liked what he had experienced of Anusara; it's heart-oriented teaching, its powerful asana and its dedication to building community. He asked me to come help for six months. I said yes.

Matthew has gathered a terrific staff of local, American and Canadian teachers. The studio offers an eclectic mix of “Flow”, “Hot”, Ashtanga, and restorative. It now features Anusara as its leading style, using the philosophy and alignment as the underpinnings of all SPACE's offerings. We now have regular teacher practices, and a formal teacher immersion program in place. It's like, well, yogis in a candy store. Even though I haven't actually found organic dark chocolate here yet, I'm having a great time sharing and inspiring the teachers and students here with Anusara.

Ten minutes from the studio and down the block from where I live, is a big park where people gather early in the morning to practice Tai Chi. I saw a particularly impressive swordsmanship display there next to the lotus pond one day. My small street is known for its bustling produce market. Right outside my front door are a tiny women and her husband from whose stand I get fresh squeezed juice. Next to them, a stand selling yummy, sweet brown rice cakes with plums and raisins mixed in. That's usually breakfast. As I walk to the studio, I often stop to get my lunch “to go” along the way at one of the Buddhist vegetarian restaurants. It's like $3 for a ton for great food, Amazing! There are so many really good coffee shops here. Margarite happens to be right behind the studio and is my current favorite. It's got great cappuccino and is comfortable and quite, a good place to read.

Even though I have a weakness for good coffee, Taiwan is famous for it's outstanding Oolong tea. In one of our excursions, Matthew and his wife Wendy and I went to this town outside of Taipei know for its pottery and teahouses. It was so cool! We had a great lunch at a beautiful art gallery, then went and got totally high on tea. I am now all geared up with my own traditional ceramic tea set, and make out-of-this-world Oolong tea at home. I have also discovered that Taipei is known for its hot springs. I spent the entire day at one, with huge open-air pools over looking a misty river, straight out of a Chinese painting. That is definitely a redo.

Yoga in SPACE; I definitely feel like a very welcomed alien here.