Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
Everybody Else is a podcast about the invisible people who make life happen. What began as conversations with behind-the-scenes builders in the music industry has grown into a broader exploration of how people think, work, and carry responsibility across industries and across disciplines. Hosted by Wes Luttrell, the show centers on thoughtful dialogue with creatives, leaders, and operators whose work often goes unseen but shapes the world we live in. New episodes streaming every Tuesday.
speaker-0 (00:01.292)
This is the Everybody Else Podcast.
speaker-1 (00:10.39)
Most of the authors of the human story are unnamed. Invisible contributors to the greatest story ever written. So who are the invisible people writing our chapter today? Because behind every great city, industry, movement, and way of thinking are people who dedicate their entire lives to work that'll go virtually unnoticed. Work that builds on where we've been, shapes where we are, and points us towards where we're going.
There are those in the spotlight, and then there's everybody else.
speaker-0 (00:55.086)
It all started with my mom. She spent about six months begging me to come try this new exercise that she had started. So she went into yoga first with Nicole here locally. And yeah, and she just, loved it so much. And mom knows best. You know, here I am 22 years later.
But yeah, so about six months, she kind of begged me and prodded me. And finally I stepped into the studio. And of course I loved it right away. I loved the challenge. I loved the quietude. But yet the guidance that was there, because I had done some yoga on DVDs at home. So I'd had that experience.
But to actually be in a studio with an instructor, I was like, this is what we're supposed to be doing. So to have that true guidance was really great. And then, so I practiced consistently, four or five times a week. I get off work and I go directly to yoga.
speaker-1 (02:15.17)
Is it hot yogurt?
speaker-0 (02:16.398)
Yeah, it was hot. Yeah, hot yoga. The yoga studio in Newburgh and Michael Cooper was my instructor at the time and he saw whatever it was in me that I did not see at the time for me to become an instructor. So then it was his encouragement and poking and prodding and just talking me into
going to do my teacher training. So he kept mentioning it and yeah, just really kind of guided me in that direction. So six months after practicing consistently there, I signed up for a teacher training down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with Jimmy Barkan.
speaker-1 (03:04.216)
Tell me about going to teacher training with Jimmy Barkan. Ugh. Remember.
speaker-0 (03:08.27)
It was amazing. All of it. It was really, really great. He is such a warm spirit and a great guide, very grounded. And it was his inaugural teacher training, which was really cool to be a part of. That's interesting. Yeah, yeah. His very first time back in 2003. So.
speaker-1 (03:35.406)
Okay.
speaker-0 (03:36.942)
Yeah, getting to meet him and just, again, just the warmth that he had and his passion for teaching yoga itself, but then also for helping those of us there who wanted to become instructors to really find our voice and to understand the practice and its purpose, not only
the poses themselves, which was really important to him, that we had a clear idea of what they were supposed to be doing, how the shapes worked, and how they would play a role in the body. But the deeper side of it as well, getting more into what's happening internally with the breath and the calming of the mind.
and just becoming more focused. that was lovely.
speaker-1 (04:39.726)
How does a, like in that light, how does a teacher's voice come through in their classes? What is, if I'm teaching sort of the same class, what do you think makes it different versus something just like experience? I know that would have a factor, but what do you think it really means to have your own voice as a yoga teacher?
speaker-0 (05:03.118)
So for me, coming from my experience, so I think about how does this affect me? And what speaks to me? And that's when I go to create my flows or yes, even if I am teaching a class that's the same pattern of movements. What within those poses?
or even just the breath work, what is it that speaks to me? And can I help people to connect with themselves through some of the things that I'm either working through in the moment or have worked through previously? And how can I share that? So I think it's personal experience. It's how it has felt for me and my body or me more internally. And then how can I
Share that with others.
speaker-1 (06:04.014)
And that almost informs like the language you use, the pacing that you use, the music that you use, all of these things are sort of over time, they become your identity as a instructor. How much, when you're in the studio is pre-planned and how much is like improv off of what the energy is in the room or what people are giving you?
speaker-0 (06:16.139)
Absolutely.
speaker-0 (06:30.52)
I would say half and half. Yep, I come in with some idea of how I would like to see the class go. And then I watch the people come into the room and knowing personalities and then also just feeding off of the energy of the day, recognizing what people are carrying and seeing how I can adjust to either
amplify, help to lift up, or maybe to help bring the energy down a little bit if there needs to be a little bit more of a calming type of feeling in the class. So, yeah.
speaker-1 (07:11.042)
Hmm
Do you see it do the people in the room like in terms of who's on this like who signed up for the class also govern your or kind of influence your approach to the class itself? Absolutely. walk in you see who's there.
speaker-0 (07:25.742)
Yes, absolutely. And thank you for that because that is my hope. I want it to be authentic within the moment and the day. yes, and I believe that we share a collective energy. I didn't know what that meant until I actually was in my teacher training. at first when we went in, we're all excited, we're all gung-ho and really want to
in a way perform. And it's not so much for the fact of we're putting on a performance to receive applause, but we just, have so much excitement and we want to be able to show our teacher, like we're excited to be here and we want to give you our best, right? And so in the beginning, I think we all did that. We pushed and we really...
put forth all of our energy and effort and then you saw like midweek of the first week, people start to gas out. You know, because we're doing morning meditations, we're doing an asana practice, which is 90 minutes long. And then we would do a breakdown of poses. So we'd have posture clinics throughout the day. And then we'd have a second practice later on in the evening. So two practices, morning meditation and workshop.
all through the afternoon. And so by midweek, we were tanked, right? And Jimmy would give space, you know, it's okay if you need to rest, like take it easy, no problem. And by midweek, there were people full on taking naps in the middle of class. And it was interesting to feel like if the person beside you was the person who went to take a nap, you had to decide, okay, am I gonna hold strong in this moment? And I would keep going forward.
Or am I going to lay down and take a nap with them? Yeah. You know? So there is definitely that collective energy because you would feel the ripple when, you know, if there were more people who were down on the ground resting, you might choose to do the same or push forward and, you know, draw that energy in from the rest of the group to keep going. So yeah, I, you know, I think when people come in, I've
speaker-1 (09:35.244)
Yes.
speaker-0 (09:51.438)
Feed into that collective energy and again, try to recognize where can I create balance, right? Because finding the balance between being too low or too high, kind of finding that middle ground feels, think, the most comfortable place to be.
speaker-1 (09:58.648)
Yeah. Right.
speaker-1 (10:12.95)
It's interesting, I think about, I've never taught a yoga class, but I've been to several and to like, I think of last Friday, the room was pretty full, you were leading and the energy, like I thought about it, I'm like the energy in the room right now is so like,
not intense, but like everybody is really going for it today. Like I can sense that. don't have to, I don't even have to look around. I can just sense. And maybe it's cause I was between you and Nate, you know, I'm between the instructor and then like a veteran who I just really admire what he can do. to be in that room, I was thinking, man, this is like a,
speaker-0 (10:53.304)
same.
speaker-1 (10:59.554)
And I just, I put myself in your shoes and I just imagine that you're able to really sense like, here we go, like, all right, like this, it's almost like a, I don't know, almost like a public speaker or like a coach or somebody who can sense the audience, who can sense his team that like, that the individuals have become one thing that I am sort of like guiding through this journey.
speaker-0 (11:28.27)
It's pretty spectacular. it's amazing to me because I never thought that I would be in that position. So I am so grateful. I mean, I just, I feel really, really blessed to be able to do what I do. And yes, Friday is definitely a different energy. I mean, there's kind of an expectation and...
There definitely is, I think intensity is a good word for it. There's an intensity to that, yeah. And I think people come in excited and ready to ride that wave. So that's one that I do definitely try to keep the energy a little higher because I know that that is the expectation. And it's fun, it's so much fun. I love the opportunity to watch people
individualize the practice. So, you when I started, I was doing the Hot 26 or the Beakroom style, which was the same movements every class. Now, of course, you can, you still manipulate that to what your body can handle or needs in the moment. But for the most part, you're doing the same shapes every single time. so to guide something that is a little bit more
authentic or where people have a little bit more autonomy to really explore what their bodies are capable of as I'm cheerleading them on. It's pretty spectacular to watch that and to know that, my guidance, the class I put together, the music is helping to work people into that, you know, where they start to feel the flow.
and moving with breath and yeah, so I get to orchestrate that and it's a blessing.
speaker-1 (13:24.462)
Besides the type of practice or the rigidity that's sort of opened up into more of a, you know, like you said, an autonomized practice where people can kind of go as they go as they need to, what else would you say, did you say 22 years as a child? So what else has changed in terms of
speaker-0 (13:46.894)
teacher. Yes, 22 years.
speaker-1 (13:52.352)
Julie 22 years ago starting out teaching to today. What are some of the biggest? Wow differences in you as a teacher or even a practitioner of yoga
speaker-0 (14:03.386)
man, yeah. So much in all of it, really. You know, when I started, again, doing that set sequence, the nice thing about that is there's always a home base. There's a foundation, right? And so there was always that fall back on. If I didn't have something planned for the day, I always could come back to home and teach.
what I knew so well, because that's what we studied and we worked to be able to guide these specific poses. So I always had that home base. But then as I really did start to come into my own voice, and own pattern of movement.
just being able to go with the flow and feel what's right, what feels right in my body. And then being able to share that and watch and guide people through their own practice and their own bodies. So becoming more aware of what it feels like, what it looks like. I'm sure, you know, and over the years that you've been practicing, there've been times where it's like, that.
felt a little disjointed or that that's kind of awkward transition. And I know I have led that and I have also practiced that, you know, it's, it definitely it feels awkward in the body. learning how to blend things, smooth out transitions has definitely been a huge part of my growth in both my own practice and then how I guide people. And then just
Being more self-assured. just confident and comfortable, knowing that it's okay if I mess up. If I mix up my rights and my lefts, like, it's not the end of the class. Like, people are going to be okay with that. mean, everyone is pretty forgiving and there are plenty of practitioners who will help guide me back onto the right thing. If I miss something or...
speaker-0 (16:22.486)
you know, get on the wrong side. Yeah. So we work as that collective energy and I use the guidance of the class to help bring me back and I don't let it swallow me up. Like, it's okay. I'm okay.
speaker-1 (16:36.878)
It's funny, mean, it builds so much trust. It's such a good lesson that can be pulled from yoga into other areas of life. If you're a leader in an organization or a team, or is being human and not being perfect is actually a strength. Being vulnerable and messing up and making fun of yourself and saying, let's get back to it. I've heard you do that.
I think it just makes you more human, but it doesn't take away at all what we're still fully on board. It would almost make it maybe less, maybe it would take us out of the practice if you were like, got quiet and self-conscious about making an error. When really there's no error, you just, let's just go back. It's almost like a form of art or music or something. It's like, we can circle back around. Sometimes the imperfections actually make the record great. Sometimes those moments are what you'll...
keep you in the practice funny enough, you know? Yes. Like, yeah, we're back, we're here again, you know? Yeah.
speaker-0 (17:41.134)
I've always said, you know, a little bit of levity goes a long way because, specifically in yoga, because we can get ultra focused and really kind of serious about it, right? And so it is, it's fun to break that up with, it's okay to fall out. It's okay to say the wrong thing, you know, like that's natural life. Things aren't always gonna.
go perfectly or you're not going to always speak perfectly and that's all right. yeah, to find those imperfections and know that it's still good. could still create a quality experience even in the imperfections. And yes, that it can help to maybe draw, you know, it might be the right moment for someone to hear, wait a second, this is off, to help break that seriousness. So. Agreed. Yeah.
speaker-1 (18:37.902)
What is your role today at the yoga space?
speaker-0 (18:43.47)
Huge, huge blessing there. I get to manage the studio and it's so amazing. Yeah, Noelle and Nate, they're just phenomenal. I'm so, so grateful that they sought after me and basically talked me into coming to manage the studio. was a scary thing to think about leaving, you know, a secure job to go and start this new thing and to
to manage a yoga studio here in Evansville, Indiana. It's like, who gets to do that? And oh my goodness, to just see what it's become and how it's opening up, just really flourishing, it's a huge, huge blessing. And to go in every day and get to interact with people like yourself and your lovely wife and just all the people who come in there.
be able to share in their life experiences, like that people are open and vulnerable. I know that when I started my practice, there was a lot of internal work that needed to be done. Even though I started the practice more on a physical level, like I started for the exercise of it, it soon blossomed open to
there's some really deep internal work that needs to happen here, right? So like, I think there was no getting around that. Like the yoga brings it out. And that's what I love that makes this practice so much different than other things I've done is that it really, it breaks you open to find some of those deeper things that you need to pass through, to learn about ourselves, to feel and breathe through.
Excuse me. Yeah, I think that that part of it to me is just so amazing. then to know that of myself and that experience and be able to participate in that in other people's lives is powerful. It's so beautiful.
speaker-1 (21:00.654)
I do notice like you you do have a Not every teacher has this because it's not I don't think it's necessarily Maybe it's not everybody has this Personality or this temperament or maybe it's just a matter of like you said you've been through it yourself So you can relate but you have a you have a strong ability to welcome people into the yoga studio I mean like into the lobby like it because
People are coming in, like you said, maybe it's middle of the day. They're coming from a job, a meeting. They just got their kids out of the house. Everybody's coming from such a different place. And then once the practice is over and you exit the yoga studio, actually, the hot room, and I've just gone through this journey and you're the first person I interact with, you're holding a space of coming back into the world.
It really is a spiritual engagement of entering and exiting this, you know, this container of, I think after a while it really does become self-development. It becomes a matter of, as you were saying, I was thinking, you know, some people enter yoga for maybe working out reasons and then stick with the practice and all of sudden it becomes a spiritual thing. Just like some people go to church because they want to get to heaven.
And then after a while they think, wow, actually I got a lot of work to do right here on earth. And I think that that's the beauty of practice, calling it a practice is that, I mean, I think I started doing yoga like casually in college and that was 10 years ago. And so I just feel like just like this year or like the last six months is it really getting to like where...
this is part of who I am as I go to yoga because I trust me, I need this to stay aligned and oriented in my life. It's the workout for me. And alignment spiritually, it kind of like checks all those boxes and the community keeps me in line. Like it's got all the things that for someone like me, checks all the boxes, you know? You have a great ability to hold that space for that sort of
speaker-1 (23:26.327)
for people to go on that journey physically and spiritually.
speaker-0 (23:30.702)
First of all, thank you. Thank you so, much. It's so huge to me to be that person, to be able to be in that space and share my love for life and my compassion for humanness, right? Just that the imperfections, the challenges we face.
And then at the same time, like the beauty of everything that we get to experience while we're here. yeah, to be able to share in people's lives that way is just so powerful and so unexpected for my life. know, like if I look back pre-yoga, pre-becoming a teacher, like I never thought that that would be.
you know, something I would have the opportunity to do. And yeah, looking back and knowing my own struggles and what I've come through and even, you know, even now for myself, still evolving, you still learning and growing. And that's, I think I love that part of it too. It's, is a consistent growth mindset. And going back to Nate and Noel, like they really facilitate that well because that is who they are.
You know, they have that growth mindset and not only, you know, for the yoga studio, but beyond, like out into the community. And, know, and them putting that studio where they did was about that, the mindset for the community. How can we, you know, bring something that is of value to the community? And so for them to put that there, to ask me to come be a part of it.
And then working side by side with them, it's beautiful. It's just such a great experience. And then the community coming in, I love that we're there in Haney's Corner and just the eclectic community, the neighbors that come in from there that walk in, like sometimes that bird's eye view where I get to look out and I see people walking from all directions, carrying their mats, coming up to the studio.
speaker-0 (25:57.582)
And then yeah, know, people who travel in as well, it is. It's a wonderful space where we get to connect and drop all the stressors, or try to, right? It's not perfect, but we get to take pause in our day. It's like the speed bump in our day. Take a moment, take a pause, slow down, regroup, refocus, and then...
We come out of that experience and we have maybe a fresher outlook, right? A calmer presence about ourself to go back into the day. And so, yes, if I can help people to feel, and I've experienced this before. I mean, I've had it myself and I've had, I've watched practitioners come in and there's this nervousness or this anxiousness or, you know, or like you said, carrying the stress of life, the busyness of life.
speaker-1 (26:55.052)
I know sometimes I bring it in, I'm like, oof. How the hell am gonna make it? Like, what am I gonna, gotta figure this out? Or I'm like, I really got something on my mind. And I almost maybe didn't even come to class, because I didn't think I had time to get to class. You know what I mean?
speaker-0 (27:11.736)
So what a blessing it is for me to have you walk in, know that you're carrying that, and then you get to see a smile. And someone that says, welcome. I'm so glad you're here, right? And that's truth speaking. Like, I'm so glad you're here. Let's, yeah, let's move together. Let's breathe and process and then.
speaker-1 (27:17.794)
Yeah.
speaker-1 (27:30.444)
Come down on, let's bring it down.
speaker-0 (27:32.364)
Yes, yes, or like I said, or the opposite. let's it up. tomorrow, Friday, let's, yeah, let's hit it up a notch and then, you know, you'll be, I don't know, hopefully flying high when you walk out of there, you know. Walking on clouds.
speaker-1 (27:45.143)
Yes.
Tell me how does your understanding or your study of human anatomy inform your practice or your teaching? you talk a lot about, rope, sometimes you speak in Sanskrit, then we immediately go to scientific.
speaker-0 (28:08.558)
Yeah, I do like to blend all those things together. I like to get the mind thinking in a different way, you know. So then you're focused on what in the world did she just say? Right? What in the world does Ikipata Kuniyasana mean? Yeah, anatomy, just as we have different life experiences that lead us to how we behave.
or our mannerisms, right? We all have different bodies, you know, we're structured differently. having a grasp of that and how the shapes that we do affect each individual is important to me. Going back again, so the Hot 26, it's a wonderful pattern of movement and it's a great way, it's a great beginning practice to, you know,
just teach people how to move their bodies and find strength and balance and flexibility all kind of blended in. But then if we take it to the next level like pigeon pose, right? So we add in pigeon pose to get a little bit deeper into the hips. That's not something that's in the Hot 26 and it gets a whole different area of the hips and each person carries
their stress due to walking patterns, due to sleeping, or just areas of the body that are tighter than others, the way our frames are built. And so studying anatomy to know, to help to individualize a practice. mean, that's where it all began. It actually is a prescription for the individual.
But of course we have, you know, a group setting we have to teach to the general, But I like to know those individual patterns so that I can help. You if you had something specific that you were dealing with or something you were trying to, you know, find more strength in, then how could I work with your frame, with your body and your patterns of movement to make things feel better?
speaker-0 (30:33.198)
for you. And so to me, that's what the anatomy is, is learning how our bodies work, how our frames are so individualized so that I can help each person to find their best potential.
speaker-0 (30:59.712)
I think the best way to articulate that I can think of here is if we don't pay attention to that, things start to fall apart. Meaning, if I walk with my feet turned sideways consistently, over time, I'm gonna feel that in my knees, I'm gonna feel it in my hips.
my low back is going to change its structure. And it becomes a domino effect. paying attention to how we align things, how we structure, and the patterns of movement in our bodies, I think is important to keep ourselves healthy and upright for years to come.
And that's the idea is how can I maintain a healthy and comfortable frame? mean, the yoga in ways was built for being able to sit and quiet and meditate, right? To calm the mind, to be quiet, to meditate. And first we have to heal the body, to feel good in how we move, right?
And then other ways, it is about keeping health to the body so that we can continue to do good things for ourselves and those around us, right? I'm sure you've experienced like you wake up and you've got some type of knot in your upper back, whatever. And how much something so simple, something so small or an injury, know, how much that plays into the rest of you. know, so if we're...
If we're breaking down our alignment, if we're breaking down our posture because we're not paying attention to those things, then it really can not only break down our frame, but then as we start to feel less comfortable, it plays on our mind. So yeah, that's why it's so huge to me is alignment and feeling good in our bodies helps us to be
speaker-1 (33:12.674)
Yeah.
speaker-0 (33:25.44)
more at ease in our spirit and in our emotions.
speaker-1 (33:32.014)
It's the same thing that happens inside of an organization that if you think about an organization as a body, as a system, if it doesn't stay aligned, it slowly fragments into chaos and disorder. But if it stays aligned towards a shared vision and within the boundaries, or, you know, sort of within the guardrails of its values, it will most likely be a healthy organization for a long time.
speaker-0 (34:02.139)
Absolutely. Yeah, I love that. It is same principle.
speaker-1 (34:04.937)
Well, is a system. It's funny as you were talking about it too, I thought about Chloe and I's chiropractor has been, he's become like a family mentor to us for the last, how old's August? Five? So, six years, you know, when she was pregnant too. Or I guess, I guess maybe it was right after he was born. But I've been going to him for years. But the other day he said, we were talking about somebody who is older.
having knee pain and the doctors saying this and blah blah blah blah blah. And our chiropractor said the knee pain is associated with the fear of moving forward, especially in men. And I was like, Wow. cause Chloe looked at me, I'm like, we were just talking about like maybe this.
Maybe this person is getting towards the age of retirement, and maybe their life is orienting itself towards slowing down and towards a different way of life, but this person is sort of attached to their identity in the work that they've done their whole career. And these manifestations are these sort of, know, like surfacing of all these problems in the body. When he just said that I was like,
Like that is spot on.
speaker-0 (35:33.176)
Wow, yeah, I love that. It makes sense to me.
speaker-1 (35:36.11)
But it's interesting how it's like the body can signal what's going on in life, but then your life can produce things to come up in your body.
speaker-0 (35:48.622)
Yeah, manifestations within the muscles and your connective tissues, absolutely. And even into the organs, you know, deeper, yeah.
speaker-1 (35:54.36)
Yes.
speaker-1 (35:57.902)
How do you stay inspired and refreshed in terms of your knowledge about yoga and the practices? Do you read? Do you follow blogs? What are ways that you stay fresh?
speaker-0 (36:15.918)
All of the above, yes. I definitely read, and it's funny when you mention anatomy as we're doing our inaugural teacher training program right now. I had the opportunity to learn under Kristalyn, who is leading it, wonderful historian. She has such great knowledge and way of presenting the philosophy and the history of yoga. So I'm really learning a lot 22 years in, know, really learning a
speaker-1 (36:45.198)
You get a lot of context now of like where this stuff applies, you know?
speaker-0 (36:49.134)
was really great. So definitely learning through her and then Sarah, who is wonderful with anatomy. So my anatomy buddy and Gail as well, having a strong anatomy background. But yeah, was looking at it's like 90 % of my books are anatomy based because I just love it. otherwise, receiving, coming into practice.
And listening to other instructors and the way that they bring forth the practice and then how it connects with me coming back to myself. Recently, I've read a couple of books that really spoke to me. The Book of Joy, Finding Happiness in a Changing World. It's the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, their conversation and just,
learning to find the simple pleasures, the simple joys of life and like seeing things around us like, you know, a bird, the sky, the water, just the simple things that we can have gratitude for. And then also looking on the world and things around us and finding compassion, you know, for the struggle that people have.
And I say, you know, that's kind of been my life. My mom is a very compassionate and generous person. And so I take after her and my dad as well. And then, yeah, just how to find joy even whenever things are challenging. So that book has really spoken to me. And then another one, kind of like back to back, these two, The Untethered Soul.
And that one is about, you know, who are we beyond our story? You know, I am a mom, I'm a yoga instructor, I'm a woman, you my name is Julie. Like, who am I? The deeper layers. so that, yeah, just looking to see. And that's an evolution. I think, you know, being present.
speaker-0 (39:14.912)
each moment, each day, and evolving and kind of seeing how you grow. So those things are inspirations to me. And then for teaching, I even watching YouTube, other instructors who are putting stuff out there to, you know, to just help me stay fresh and inspired and say things in a different way.
connect with someone a little differently. mean, how many times have I been in class and I'm sure the instructor has said the same thing, you know, 100 times and then all of a sudden one day it clicks. And I know I've experienced the same as I've said something and someone's like, you said this today. And I'm like, yeah, I've said that about 500 times. I'm glad it clicked today, you know. But yes, it's fun to just to continue to be inspired not only by people outside of the practice, but then in the room.
You know, coming back to that, like, who is it who's showing up? What is the energy they're bringing? And then, you know, we have, there's a back and forth that's going on with me as the teacher and with you or, you know, everyone within the room and kind of feeding off of that as well.
speaker-1 (40:31.918)
When you think back to the last 22 years of your journey, tell me about your experience and how the evolution has occurred locally of the yoga community. You've seen not just locally a change, but I'm assuming 22 years ago, yoga wasn't as big as it is now. It wasn't such a mainstream thing.
And I still don't even feel like I'm, there's more people now that I know doing it, but I still, there's not that many people in my circle doing yoga. So it's still kind of not that mainstream, but I'm curious, like what's your local experience of the journey of yoga and also the evolution?
speaker-0 (41:17.812)
Well, it's funny, know, when Jimmy was in town, so great opportunity to have him, you know, here last weekend. Yeah, good to see my teacher after 22 years, pretty wild. But to have him here and he was talking about like in the late 80s, now of course I didn't start until 03, but how they didn't even have yoga mats. Like they, you know, practiced on carpet.
Thankfully, whenever I started, we did have carpet in the room, which was gross. Sweaty and stinky. But it's funny because there's, Nicole, she hears this, she will totally relate. There's a nostalgia to that smell.
speaker-1 (42:03.52)
Yeah, I bet.
speaker-0 (42:05.99)
So, but thankfully we did have mats, so we did kind of have our own space to sweat on. But yeah, like the towels and it was like, it was the old waffle style and I say old waffle style, there are plenty of people who still use those. But now it's like the grippy mats you have, know, something you can hold on to and it just changes your practice. But yeah, they were very simple, simple mats and we used, you know,
bath towels or beach towels, whatever, over your mat. And there weren't a lot of people doing it. But it's funny because from the time I started in 03, you know, like, I knew about yoga. I'd heard how good it can be for you. know, so 22 years later, it's still the same. The message is still out there.
You hear it all the time how good it is for you. But I think in our society, in the fast pace of life that we have, people have a hard time saying, wait a second, I'm going to stop here. I'm going to slow down for a moment. I think that that becomes a challenge because we are a go, go, go type of society. We feel like if we're taking pause, like we're being nonproductive.
speaker-1 (43:30.882)
Yeah.
speaker-0 (43:34.082)
those who do, you know, take the time to give themselves a chance to try it for a period of time. You know, you can't just come into one class. You've got to give it a few times. And then if you do find that pause, you can find like, okay, this is actually making me more productive. Right?
speaker-1 (43:53.082)
Yes, totally. Yes. It becomes part of your productivity, like, repertoire because you know I can go hard and take a break or slow down or check in or amp up. Like, I can tune in at this scheduled time with these other people who are gonna, we're all gonna go in together and do this. Yeah.
speaker-0 (44:19.982)
Absolutely. So, coming back to, yes, the yoga community, I do think it's definitely still in growth. And we are blessed in our area. I mean, it's a small town, right? And we have multiple facilities that are offering yoga now and all surviving or thriving, right? So there are definitely people still in, you know, I had
A person who was new last night came for their first yoga class last night. So there are always people still, you know, dropping in and that's, yeah, it's about getting the word out there. I think yoga is definitely a word of mouth type of practice. You know, when people start to see, look, you know, this really seems to be transforming maybe not only their physical body, right? Your physique.
but also like, wow, that person seems a lot calmer or a lot happier, you know? And I've even heard like families, like children will tell their mom, mom, you need to go to yoga.
speaker-1 (45:32.75)
Right?
speaker-0 (45:35.271)
So, yeah, so I think then when people see that, they're like, I want a piece of that. What is it? What are you doing? Yeah. You know?
speaker-1 (45:43.422)
That's it's really like as you said that I thought you know, grew up I grew up Catholic cradle Catholic and As I've I I went a good stretch in my 20s away from any interest in in my faith life But I'd always had faith and I operated on faith I did risky things without really thinking about like just moving places and like figuring out what to do with my life
But it's funny that I've become a lot more interested in my faith the last like five years. It's funny that my relationship with the practice of the Catholic faith and the community that I'm forming within it is analogous to the same with yoga. It's analogous in the way that
Like you just said, the results don't come after a few times. It's the practice, it's the depth that cultivates after years of continuing to show up. And it's new, it's constantly new because there's more to learn because it's about you. And it's about like, what's you today is different than a week ago or a month ago or a year ago or five years ago. But it's the...
But I don't think it's a coincidence that my faith life is getting deeper as my yoga practice is getting deeper. And that I feel more included or more, not included, but more, I wanna be more engaged with my yoga community and my church community and those who I work with, my actual like civic community as well. I think that the...
And me and Chloe have been talking about this. I'm like, really think the commitment to something like a practice, like yoga, consistently over years of time, all of a sudden it just starts spilling over into other areas of your life that you don't want to half-ass things. In your work, it just like certain things start surfacing that you're confronted with that I have to decide, like, am I really into this or am I not into this?
speaker-1 (48:03.406)
It could be relationships too, friendships, careers. I'm a perfect example of that, you know? Where you're like, I'm seeing the truth over and over and over and I'm seeking the truth. That it's all of sudden starting to surface in all of these categories of my life where I have the opportunity to choose depth or
Go with status quo, go with the flow, you know? Yeah. But I think that that was a digression. I'm not even sure where I was headed with it, but I just to say it. Yeah.
speaker-0 (48:44.81)
Well, I'll say this, that, you know, there's a balance, right? So sometimes we do go deep and sometimes we do need to just acquiesce. Sometimes we just go with the flow, right? There's a balance there. And I also believe that we are meant for connection, you know, to not be separated.
I think that's why. Right?
speaker-1 (49:18.851)
It's the theme of lately like you're probably like the It's probably six people in the last two weeks have like said this like don't go it alone. I will do it together Yeah, whether it's advice or there's just like this is what I think we should and it might be like a You know a post Social media digital like boom is that we're all like wait a second. There's some real great stuff about that
And there's also some real great stuff about deep relationships and connectivity that that stuff sort of isolates us away from. there's like a, those who are coming back to it are like, wow, this is actually really great to have friends and meaningful communities.
speaker-0 (49:55.17)
Yeah.
speaker-0 (50:05.322)
It really is. It really is. I mean, yes, we're meant for connection. And, you know, there are definitely things in this world, there, you know, religion, politics, you know, that can try to pull us apart. But if we look at each other as human beings living on this earth, trying to figure things out, you know,
Most of us, you know, walking the best path that we know how to walk. And those who aren't, they probably just don't know, you know? Probably just need help to be guided onto a path that's more healthy for them and maybe the people they interact with. But yeah, there are so many things that try to, or can try to pull us apart.
and separate us from one another. And so if we can find connections and yeah, connection to the divine, higher power, know, whatever you call it, whatever that is for you, center, that grounding, and then how you can share that with the people you're closest to, you know, your blood family, and then the other people that you interact with on a daily basis, friends.
the community, right? I mean, we can be such a light to one another and lift one another up. And I think that that's, what a beautiful thing. If we can do that and have that opportunity in our jobs or, you know, in yoga and our outside lives, like, yeah, it's a beautiful thing. So I, again, I'm grateful.
I have the opportunity and not that, you know, if I was in a different job, I would try to share that and whatever. But to be able to do it in the yoga space is pretty spectacular.