About John
John Newman received his PhD in Far Eastern History from George Washington University in 1992 and has taught history at the University of Maryland since 1981. His books on history of the East and West JFK and Vietnam, Warner Books, 1992, Oswald and the CIA, Carroll and Graff, 1995) are known around the world and his views are sought on a wide array of topics by Congressional committees and US and foreign media.
John became immersed in yoga in 2002 and received his teaching certification in 2004. He began teaching at the Rockingham Memorial Hospital’s Wellness Center in April 2004 and founded Harrisonburg Underground Yoga in May 2004. East-West Yoga opened the doors to its elegant fully-quipped studio in April 2007. John’s latest book, The Secret Teachings of Jesus in the Light of Yogic Mysticism, will be published in the summer of 2009.
John is a level-III certified yoga instructor with the American Aerobics Association International and is a devoted practitioner of Iyengar Yoga pioneered by Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar. In his signature class, East-West Yoga, John blends the power of Ashtanga yoga and the flow of Vinyasa yoga with the detailed forms of Iyengar yoga. He has also developed sequences of asanas (poses) for those who are suffering from specific health ailments and physical disabilities. The facilities at East-West Yoga are handicapped accessible.
John is a student of archaic yoga—the earliest form of Hatha yoga codified by Pantanjali over 2,500 years ago. John’s objective is to discover the true roots of yogic practice and ethical observances and to apply and practice them in a Western context. John welcomes people of all ages, experience levels, and levels of fitness.