We had the good fortune of connecting with Douglas Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Douglas, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
The more I focus on making time for taking care of myself and finding ways to make work fit into that, the happier I have become.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am most well known for being a yoga & meditation teacher. But before teaching spirituality, I was most passionate about making music. When I started my business, these two parts of my life, the creative and the professional, were somewhat segregated. But they have become more integrated in the most beautiful way over time.

As you may know, music is not an easy way to make a living. And making music can suck up a lot of time and resources. So when I felt ‘called’ to teach spirituality, I ‘gave up’ making music because I thought maybe it was a destructive force in my life, almost like an addiction. I told myself that if music were meant to be in my life, it would come back to me at some point.

Well, music came back through Kirtan. Kirtan is a form of yoga where a facilitator sings a mantra or chant to a melody as a ‘call,’ and the participants sing the tune and words back to the facilitator in a ‘response.’ It is a powerful practice that must be experienced to be understood truly. But it is also creative, as the facilitator can set the mantra to whatever music they like and write new music if they choose.

While you might think that a musician becoming a yoga teacher would be drawn to Kirtan immediately, it took seven years before I felt ‘called’ to start doing Kirtan as a part of my teaching. Perhaps part of the reason it took so long is I am not naturally drawn to singing. And if you are going to facilitate Kirtan, you have to sing! Another is it just did not feel authentic at first. I think I needed to mature as a teacher before I was moved to open up that part of my teaching.

At first, some of my long-time students resisted me bringing the musical side of yoga into my classes. But I’ve had more than one student tell me that while they didn’t like it at first, it is now their favorite part of my teaching. We chant at the start and end of every class I teach and do dedicated kirtan events where we chant, call, and response for several hours.

This integration in my work did not stop with music. In college, I majored in philosophy, the worst way to make money ever! Lol. Well, yoga has a rich tradition of philosophy that I’ve understood and explained to others who do not easily understand philosophy. It’s gratifying to use that part of my brain to help others and not just contemplate my navel! Lol.

Video production and content creation are the final areas that seem to be currently integrating. I’ve always been interested in photography, video production, and content creation. Before the pandemic, I had written off sharing my teaching through these means because the power and immediacy of working in person with others are just so satisfying. But once the pandemic hit, I found myself ‘forced’ to share online through videos rather than in person in yoga studios or on a yoga retreat.

Like many others, I was not prepared to share online. And like others, I scrambled to buy the right equipment to support my spiritual community when they needed spirituality, yoga, and meditation the most! I had a fledgling Patreon page at the time, and it took off. Students, new and old, came out of the woodwork and started supporting the content I was creating. Thankfully, many of these people still support me, and my Patreon page has become a significant part of how I share my message with the world.

So what I love about what I do is that it has used, opened up, and stretched every latent talent and aspect of myself, even those I didn’t know I had! The physical, creative, and logical parts of myself are all used in what I do. I could have never envisioned a job where I could explore and share philosophy, music, health, and spirituality, all things I am highly passionate about. And yet, here I am!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Decatur is my home so I would take them to the many fine restaurants in this part of town. I realize that this might sound strange for an ordained minister to say, but I love gastro pubs! The Brick Store Pub would be my first pick. But we have so many good ones in Decatur. The list goes on: the Marlay House, The Thinking Man’s Tavern, The Imperial! I also like Taqueria Tsunami for tacos, Sapori Di Napoli when I want some Italian, and Sushi Avenue for Japanese cuisine.

As for showing them the best time ever, I love to hike. So I would take them on the beautiful trails in and around Atlanta. Clyde Shephard Nature Preserve, The South Peachtree Creek Trail, The Cherokee Trail at Stone Mountain Park, Kennesaw Mountain, Red Top Mountain, Pine Mountain. And if we could take some day trips, Tallulah Gorge, Raven Cliff Falls, and Yonah Mountain.

As for in-town activities, I’ve always loved the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. One of my close students, Christopher Pulgram, plays violin for the ASO, so I would definitely take them to see the orchestra.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My teachers deserve a shoutout.

Spiritual teachers I’ve worked with in person or one on one who were influential: The Atlanta Soto Zen Center, Deva Parnell, Paul & Suzee Grilley, Kamani Desai, Fred Davis, and Scott Killoby.

Kirtan Artists I’ve worked with in person: David Newman, Jai Uttal, & Sean Johnson.

Teachers I’ve read who influenced me: Muso Kokushi, Eckhart Tolle, Byron Katie, and Adyashanti.

Website: https://www.mahapathayoga.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/douglas_hayward_johnson/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-johnson-b944132b/

Twitter: @DouglasHayward6

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mahapathayoga

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBHkiGKAhkYVXasdnC5ekrA

Other: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mahapathayoga

Image Credits
Thu Tran

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