Matthew Tift, PhD, RYT-500
Hi, I’m Matthew, a yoga and meditation teacher. At the end of most classes I say, “may you live at ease.” I’d like the same to be true at my desk: one thing at a time, harming no one.
I teach yoga at The Marsh in Minnetonka, Minnesota (near Minneapolis). I trained at Kripalu, and my classes are gentle and welcoming. You don’t need to be flexible, fit, or experienced. You only need to show up and be curious. Sometimes I play harmonium while we practice. If you can’t make it to a class, you can use one of my guided meditations any time you want company for a few minutes of stillness.
I write about ordinary life read through yoga’s ethical teachings: a bench on a walking path, a bike ride, or a pause at a tech conference. If that’s your kind of question, the blog is the place to start, and you can get new posts by email.
I learned to meditate from Theravada Buddhist monks, and I owe a great deal to my teachers.
I have tried to carry the practice off the mat: assisting with the 200-hour teacher training at Kripalu, offering free yoga and meditation classes, and bringing yoga into schools and prisons.
By day I build websites for state and local governments at Lullabot, using Drupal and other free and open source software.
When I’m not teaching yoga or building software, I play violin, and love playing string quartets with my wife on viola and our two kids on cello and violin.
Currently, I am:
- Yoga Teacher, The Marsh
- Host, Pretty Good Meditation podcast
- Lead Engineer, Lullabot
Previously, I was:
- Board Chair, onelove.yoga (yoga in schools)
- Prison Meditation Group Facilitator, Minnesota Department of Corrections
- Visiting Assistant Professor of Musicology, University of Iowa
My credentials include:
- PhD, Musicology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- RYT-500 Kripalu Yoga Teacher
- Eagle Scout
Whatever brought you here, I’m glad you came. Come to a class, try a meditation, or just say hello. There’s more in my full CV if you’re curious about the rest.
