After graduating from a special Peace Corps training program at the State University of New York, Susan Nelson-Kluk once had a plan to move to Zaire, teach and do her small part to aid the African country.
But before she left, fears of culture shock and missing her boyfriend, a UC Davis student, convinced her to stay in the United States.
Nelson-Kluk, a grape program manager at Foundation Plant Materials Service, and that boyfriend - now husband Michael Kluk - sometimes talk of doing volunteer service after they retire. Altogether, however, the Yuba City native says she's happy she returned to Northern California after college.
She and her husband, a Sacramento attorney, have two daughters, Sonya, 18, and Amanda, 16.
Nelson-Kluk has worked at the materials service since 1977.
She studied grape virus elimination techniques as part of her plant physiology master's research here. Now Nelson-Kluk manages a grape quarantine program that allows wineries to import valuable varieties without the fear of bringing in exotic pests and pathogens.
About 10 years ago stress at work caused her to return to a relaxation technique she practiced in college - yoga.
"I turned back to it as a way to re-center my life," Nelson-Kluk said. "It was my solution to a mid-life crisis."
In recent years she's attended intensive, month-long yoga training courses at an ashram in Quebec and brought back her knowledge to campus.
Each Friday at noon Nelson-Kluk teaches a hatha yoga course through UC Davis' Health Awareness Program. New students, she said, are accepted the first Friday of each month. To find out more, go to hr.ucdavis.edu/ehealth/yoga.htm.
What separates yogis from the rest of us?
People who are yogis use different methods for staying healthy. Swami Vishnu-devananda (who founded the Sivananda Yoga Organization) condensed the principles down to five points: proper exercise, proper relaxation, proper breathing, proper diet - a whole foods vegetarian one - and positive thinking and meditation.
There is an excellent web page at www.sivananda.org.
Do you have a favorite yoga position or stance?
The wheel. If you have both feet down and both hands down and your back arched with the stomach up, that's the Wheel. It's a backwards bending asana that is a counter position to hunching over your desk all day.
Why have you stayed at UC Davis?
I like working with the grape industry people and helping improve viticulture in the United States and around the world. I also like the fact that the methods we use can improve quality and increase production without harming the environment.
What's always on or inside your desk?
Lots of different kinds of herbal tea to use for a healthy break.
What's been your greatest professional success?
There's a guideline in yoga: to do your duty and let go of expectations so when good or bad things happen they don't disrupt one's peace of mind quite as much. Claiming success sort of undermines this effort to break the link between action and outcome.
I would rather say that I have enjoyed helping to plan and build the National Grapevine Importation and Clean Stock Facility, and I am grateful for every student who walks into the Health Awareness yoga class.
What's the next challenge you'll be undertaking?
I plan to start teaching meditation and pranayama in the Friday yoga class. Pranyama is a technique for achieving mental focus using breath control. Asanas and pranayama are both good preparation for meditiation.
Read any good books lately?
The Sivananda Companion to Yoga. It's a great summary of the practice.