Mind, body, spirit — did one element or another first draw you to yoga? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

body — I was a model and after a few hours of wearing heels on a job, my lower back and my feet would ache — my posture would collapse — a client complained to my agency and my booker suggested I do yoga or ballet to strengthen my core and relax my low back — I went with yoga

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

all three are fed by my practice — the balance shifts depending on what’s going on in my life, but body, mind and spirit are so intertwined that they all affect each other

How long have you been practicing yoga?

consistently? for more than 20 years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

at least 5 days a week

What are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

the community at a studio is by far the biggest benefit — energy is everything — synching your movements and breath with a room full of like minded people is very powerful — you support each other

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

no — I love to mix it up

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

nothing was easy when I started! I’ve always been very strong but very inflexible, which made every pose feel like I was doing it with resistance bands — I was always ‘fighting’ my inflexibility which made everything so much harder

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

less stress and the ability to observe my thoughts, instead of being unconsciously driven by them

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I practice Transcendental Meditation twice a day — I try to set aside time for a breathwork session at least once a week (wish it was more) and I try to get in a holotropic breathwork session at least once a month — I recently started journaling every day and it really helps to settle my mind

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

yes — I do pilates and I run — I also love to surf

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

I try to start each day with a handstand against the wall — I just kick up — it’s a great way to start the day — I feel so accomplished — I really want to develop a strong handstand practice in the middle of the room and consistency is the only way I’ll get there

You have a choice: take part in a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

the indoor space! — to me, sweat and sunscreen don’t mix so I’m not a fan of outdoor yoga — a beautiful, quiet indoor space is much more my style

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I don’t remember why, but I was fascinated by yoga long before I stepped onto the mat for the first time — in the end, I did it to find peace within and lower my stress and anxiety levels

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

they are all more in balance now — I’m learning about who I am at my core and in my heart — that’s the most important thing for me

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you practice now?

I started practicing about 7 years ago — now I do it every morning — it’s such a beautiful way to wake up my body and mind

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

just 1-1/2 years — that voice inside me told me that I should go for it – so I did!

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I switch between vinyasa and yin — they complete each other perfectly

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I’ve never been flexible (I could barely reach down to my knees when I started) — so the biggest challenge for me was to accept that I would never be the most flexible person in the room

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

this is a tough one — I think the biggest challenges for beginners is the mind – especially when it comes to not comparing yourself with others — the easiest might actually be the physical aspect – managing and getting used to the poses

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

it’s definitely the spiritual aspect — yoga has taught (and still is teaching) me who I am and what my purpose in life is — this has led to less anxiety and stress, and more self love and acceptance

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

meditation and hiking — I’m born and raised in the north of Norway, so I’ve grown up being out in nature — it’s my other passion in life besides yoga

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I run and do strength training twice a week

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

oh yes! — I love stretching while watching TV — tree pose is also something I do quite often when I talk to people without even recognizing it myself

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

outdoors — no question about it!

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your spiritual nature?

the physical

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

it is an ebb and flow between these balances, that why I practice daily

How long have you practiced yoga?

17 years

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

1 year

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Anusara

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

settling the mind is the most challenging and getting into poses was easiest

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

everyone is different but I think the general theme is getting the mind in alignment

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

forward fold, downward dog

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

proprioception and learning how to move my body from the inside and knowing what muscles need strength and length to get me into a pose

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

walking meditation

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I hike 5 miles a day at 8200 ft

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which poses and where?

yes, handstands, splits and forward folds

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

outdoors

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your spiritual nature?

I was first drawn into yoga for the physical benefits like many — I was recovering from bunion surgery and it was one of the only things I could do to work my muscles and stretch a little bit — I got hooked! — the mental + emotional benefits came later, and now that’s why I practice

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

my practice looks completely different now than it did 9 years ago — my daily practice looks more like seated pranayama + meditation, plus 15-30 minutes of movement I like to call ‘daily maintenance’ — without a doubt, the tools and techniques I’ve learned feed my mind and soul (as well as body!), but these techniques take time to learn and refine — everyone has their own personal recipe

How long have you been practicing yoga? How frequently do you practice now?

I’ve been practicing yoga since 2015, and teaching since 2017 — it’s rare that a day goes by that I don’t practice (or at least sit and do some breathing techniques for 10 minutes)

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

two years — I knew as soon as I started practicing that I was going to teach it — I knew it in my bones — there was no question

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

while I started out teaching a more vigorous ‘flow’ style class (this was what I learned from my first teachers and in my first YTT), my style has evolved to include many modalities including hatha, kundalini, and Katonah Yoga — in 2020 I started deep-diving in Katonah Yoga and now it continues to inform every facet of my life, my practice and my teaching — I also teach Yin yoga, where you can find threads of Vipassana meditation and Five Element theory infused into my classes

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

the postures came easily, as I was naturally flexible — the strength aspect – as well as cultivating boundaries – was a little more challenging for me — I had a lot of resistance to pranayama at the beginning as well, but once I started to stick with it and found recipes that worked for me, it became my favorite part of the practice

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

from my experience as a teacher, I’d say generally getting the form + alignment correct in the postures (learning how to fold from one’s own joint spaces instead of trying to mimic what others are doing) as well as developing a strong breath are the two things that take time, repetition, and patience

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

the greatest benefits of yoga for me have been greater peace of mind, insanely reduced stress levels, and better lung capacity — I’ve also watched my body change in ways I could have never fathomed – but that is not why I practice!

Yoga is a universal practice. But as a world traveler, have you found a noticeable difference in yoga practice elsewhere?

honestly, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in yoga practiced elsewhere — I’ve taught and practiced in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Malaysia, Bali, India and USA – certainly, cultural differences can influence the style (for example, a lot of Ashtanga and more meditation-focused styles in India) but in general, those who are interested in yoga are typically already open-minded enough to be willing to explore any style or modality

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I do pranayama (breathing techniques) every day in the morning before I do my movement practice — I also walk my dog which is my daily dose of mindful walking — I have also done three different Vipassana meditation (10 day silent) courses which greatly influence the way I think and perceive the world now

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

all the time! — when I’m on the couch, I often throw my legs up the wall or in the air and grab a foot — or if I’m out for a walk or bike ride, I’ll stretch often!

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

honestly, this is a tough question! — so long as there is a hard, sturdy floor without gaps in it, I’d pick an outdoor space any day over an indoor one — but what’s not to love about a well-curated, open indoor space? — the only place I would not practice (or recommend practicing on) is the beach — sand is overrated, and not a good surface to practice on!

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I initially came to yoga through the theatre (there’s a fascinating history here!) — the focus for me at first was on body and breath, relaxation — fun fact: the first time I tried a long meditation practice in my yoga teacher training I don’t think I had ever sat still that long — I ran around and made lots of noise immediately after

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

definitely a balanced mix of all three — mind, body, and spirit — my practice has helped my relationship with myself in a holistic sense

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since 2009 — so just about 14 years now

How frequently do you practice now?

daily, although my practice doesn’t look the same each day

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

five years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

when I first started, I preferred Vinyasa and Ashtanga — I now welcome a mix of styles and am currently exploring Kundalini

When you first took up yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I’ve always been a bit naturally flexible, so a lot of the postures came easily for me — focus on settling my mind and the breath work came a bit later

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

I hesitate to generalize or assume what any of my students’ experiences might be, whether they are beginners or seasoned practitioners — we are all different and dynamic people

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

yoga has benefitted me in so many ways — less pain and anxiety — more joy and peace

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

yes! — I love walking meditations, creative movement, butoh dance, body-scan meditations, forest bathing, and embodiment practices

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

I love to do tree pose when I’m waiting in a particularly long line

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

ooo tough choice — outdoors overlooking the ocean! — I find nature incredibly beautiful and healing

—interview © Marshal Zeringue