Tao Porchon-Lynch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tao Porchon-Lynch
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Porchon-Lynch in 2019
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| Born |
Täo Andrée Porchon
August 13, 1918 The English Channel
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| Died | February 21, 2020 (aged 101) |
| Nationality | French-Indian |
| Occupation | Yogi and competitive dancer |
| Known for | Oldest yoga teacher |
| Spouse(s) |
Bill Lynch
(m. 1962; |
Tao Porchon-Lynch (born Täo Andrée Porchon; August 13, 1918 – February 21, 2020) was an amazing American yoga master. She was also a talented dancer and author. Tao had a unique background, being of French and Indian descent. She found yoga when she was only eight years old in India.
Tao learned from many famous yoga teachers, including Sri Aurobindo and B. K. S. Iyengar. Even at 101 years old, she taught yoga classes every week in New York. She also led programs all over the world. Tao wrote two books, including her life story called Dancing Light. This book won several awards. Famous author Deepak Chopra praised her, saying she showed the true spirit of yoga. In 2019, India gave her a very special award called the Padma Shri for her great work in yoga.
Contents
Tao's Early Life
Tao Porchon was born on August 13, 1918. She was born on a ship in the middle of the English Channel. She arrived two months earlier than expected! Her father was from France, and her mother was from India. Sadly, her mother passed away when Tao was only seven months old. Her aunt and uncle then raised her.
Her uncle designed railroads. He often took Tao on trips around Asia. They traveled to places as far away as Singapore. Her family also owned vineyards in France. These were in the Rhône River Valley, a famous wine area.
Discovering Yoga
When Tao was eight, she saw something amazing. She was on a beach in Pondicherry, French India. A group of young people were doing yoga. They moved their bodies in incredible ways. This made Tao very interested in yoga. She told Guinness World Records that she wanted to do what they were doing.
Her aunt thought yoga was mostly for boys. But Tao decided to start practicing anyway. She did not become a professional yoga teacher until much later. When she was young, Tao met Mahatma Gandhi. He was a close friend of her uncle. She even marched with him twice. She also took part in protests with General Charles de Gaulle and Martin Luther King Jr..
Tao's Career Journey
Tao Porchon-Lynch had a very interesting career. She worked in fashion, movies, and then became a full-time yoga teacher.
Working in Entertainment
Early in her career, Tao worked in the fashion world. She was a successful model. She even won awards like "Best Legs in Europe." For a while, she worked for Lever Brothers. She traveled to many cities, including Paris, for modeling.
During World War II, Tao moved to London. She became a cabaret performer. A famous journalist, Quentin Reynolds, wrote that she made "dark London brighter." After the war, she moved to the United States. She became an actress for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. She appeared in movies like Show Boat (1951) and The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954). While acting, she often gave free yoga lessons to her co-stars. She was also in a 2017 TV documentary called If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast.
Becoming a Yoga Master
Later, Tao became very serious about yoga. She had learned from great teachers like Sri Aurobindo. In 1967, she stopped acting. She decided to become a full-time yoga teacher. Jack LaLanne was the first person to hire her. In 1976, she helped start the Yoga Teachers Alliance. This group is now called the Yoga Teachers Association.
Tao set up the Westchester Institute of Yoga in New York in 1982. Students from all over the world come to learn there. In 1995, she went to Israel for a "Yoga for Peace" conference. Tao was also one of B. K. S. Iyengar's first students from outside India.
World's Oldest Yoga Teacher
Tao Porchon-Lynch truly embraced her age. She kept teaching yoga for many years. She often said, "I'm going to teach yoga until I can't breathe anymore." In May 2012, she earned a Guinness World Records title. She became the world's oldest yoga teacher at 93 years old.
In 2013, she released a yoga DVD with Tara Stiles. It was called Yoga with Tao Porchon-Lynch. She also published a book about meditation. It was titled Reflections: The Yogic Journey of Life.
Other Interests and Achievements
Besides yoga, Tao Porchon-Lynch had many other interests. She loved competitive dancing and wine.
Competitive Dancing
Tao continued to be involved in competitive dancing. She especially loved ballroom tango. She won hundreds of first-place awards in dance competitions. Her youngest dance partners were Hayk Balasanyan, Vard Margaryan, and Anton Bilozorov.
Wine Enthusiast
In 1967, Tao helped start the American Wine Society (AWS) with her husband. When the society grew and split into different groups, she became Vice-President of the AWS in Southern New York in 1970. She often judged wine competitions. Later, she became the publisher and editor of The Beverage Communicator. This was a magazine about wine. She also organized yearly wine trips to France with her yoga students.
Awards and Recognition
In 2016, Tao Porchon-Lynch received a special award. It was the Women's Entrepreneurship Day Pioneer Award. She received it at the United Nations. This award recognized her achievements in the world of sports.
Tao's Personal Life
Tao grew up speaking French and Meiteilon. When she moved to North America, she found English difficult at first. But she practiced and learned it well. She was good friends with Hindi film actor Dev Anand. They were introduced by their mutual friend Kamini Kaushal.
Tao married Bill Lynch around 1962. Sadly, he passed away in 1982, and she became a widow. They did not have any children. In her free time, Tao enjoyed meditating. She was a pescatarian, meaning she ate fish but no other meat. Even in August 2014, she still drove her Smart car!
Images for kids
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Porchon-Lynch in 2019
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Pondicherry, where Tao first saw yoga being practised
See also
In Spanish: Tao Porchon-Lynch para niños
