#ODDlight Feature: Adam Gericke

 

Name: Adam Joseph Gericke

Nick Name: Never really had one that stuck...

Hometown: Hebron, Indiana - there's literally only 1 stoplight in the town.

Favorite Place: My house - I love being home in my own space with my small family

Favorite color: Blue everything

What’s your sign? Virgo

Most embarrassing moment?

Most empowering moment? Realizing that I am not my thoughts, but I am a witness to thinking. All of a sudden there is a choice in which thoughts to follow - I ask myself which will lead me ahead in a positive path? It's a choice, and I now choose to feed the light instead of the dark.

Fun Fact most wouldn’t know about you? I grew up dancing, and that was my first career- a professional dancer. It was my ticket out of small town Indiana, and I never looked back. You can see me in the dance hit - STEP UP. And I've also been a working electronic music producer and if you look you can even find a few of my tracks for sale...- Dance music for life! utz utz utz utz

When you aren’t at the studio where can you be found (favorite past time)? If you don't find me practicing yoga or teaching, I'm probably hiking somewhere, hanging with my dog Frances and husband Blake, or making music in Ableton Live.

How do you define yoga? Yoga to me has been about changing my relationship with my small self, my higher Self, and the entire outside world.

Why do you teach? In teaching yoga, I hope to help share the shift that I have experienced in my life with as many people as possible. Through yoga I have learned to treat myself with the same compassion and kindness I shared with other people.

What brought you to become an instructor? Same as previous answer....

What is your favorite song to play in class? That's impossible to answer - it literally changes daily. You will always get a mix of current tunes and my kirtan jams!  ( CHECK OUT HIS SOUNDCLOUD - DJ'ing MAY 19th at ODD  - https://soundcloud.com/user-987305689 )

What is your favorite pose or flow? Why? My favorite yoga pose is my meditation seat. It's what this practice is all about. As physical as the asana practice might show up on your mat, yoga is the stilling of the mind. And each of these physical postures strengthens or opens the body to sit for prolonged periods of meditation. If you haven't found your meditation pose yet, meet me at 6:15 on Mondays in SL - let's meditate together!

Memorable yoga moment? - This might sound cheesy, but a few months into practicing yoga I had a moment in savasana where I think I truly surrendered for the first time in my life. My physical body relaxed completey and in that surrender, the exact opposite of what I thought would happen, happened when I let go. I felt completely supported in that moment, and I still carry that inner support with me now.

Where did you first hear about One Down Dog? Where didn't I hear about One Down Dog. I met Brianna, Ellina, and Bobbi all independently of each other. It was so sychronistic - One Down Dog is where I was meant to be! My husband works in television, and worked with Brianna's husband - Brianna's where the connection was first made. To make a long story short, I met Ellina and she asked me to DJ her store opening of Mairtri in Culver City. Bobbi was there helping with Ellinas party and we became friends. It was a natural progression that kept leading me back to ODD. It's my LA yoga home and it's where I was allowed to find my voice as a teacher. I have so much gratitude for Jess' open arms.

What is your favorite yogi prop or piece to wear or use? (favorite mala etc) I always have my mala close - but you'll only see me wear it, if I haven't meditated yet that day. It'll be my reminder, but I don't like to wear it as fashion.

What special causes or non-profits do you hold dear to your heart?  Anything to do with no-kill shelters....We used to support North Shore Animal League in NY, but haven't sought out anything here in LA.

BABY FRAN!

Are there any links, @names, and #hashtags you would you like us to use in promoting you and your happenings? My website - adamgericke.com Insta - @wakeupmeditate