I am so excited to share this podcast with you. ⭐️ Meet the amazing TARA STILES!⭐️
Tara Stiles is the co-founder of Strala Yoga, best-selling author, and well-being expert. Tara revolutionized yoga for millions, transforming a practice so often seen as dogmatic, and guru-based, into an everyday movement that supports ease and well-being.
Strala Yoga is practiced in more than 100 countries, thousands of Guides lead Strala classes around the globe, and Tara shares yoga with thousands of people on the Strala Yoga app. She has been profiled by The New York Times, Times of India, The Times (UK), and featured in most major national and international magazines.
Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage bodywork and beyond. Follow us @nativeyoga, and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com. All right, let’s begin.
Well, yeah, I’m so excited to have Tara Stiles joining me today on the podcast. Tara, thank you so much. How are you?
Tara Stiles
I’m doing good. Thanks so much for having me. I’m excited to chat with you too. Thank you.
Todd McLaughlin
So for those of you that listened to the podcast with Yulady Saluti, she spoke so highly of Tara, that it got me excited to reach out to you Tara and get a chance to speak with you. So thank you for being so gracious in accepting my invitation. I know you have a busy schedule. Are you in New York City currently?
Tara Stiles
Oh, I’m not actually I just got back from Singapore yesterday. But we’re in Illinois. We got this place in Illinois a couple of years ago to be close to family and kind of support everyone here. So we’ll be going to New York in the fall for Daisy’s school. But we’ve been here for a couple of years, kind of based out of hometown America. So that’s been really pretty sweet. Actually.
Todd McLaughlin
Wonderful. Not in Chicago? It sounds more like in a rural setting.
Tara Stiles
Yeah, you got it because you know America. A lot of friends in Europe are like, Oh, Illinois, Chicago. But yeah, we’re pretty far south. So the weather is actually a little bit warmer here than in Chicago. But yeah, all my family’s here. They’re farmers and hanging around the place. So it’s been nice to catch up with everybody and just be together.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s so cool. Is that the town that you grew up in?
Tara Stiles
I didn’t. I grew up a little bit closer to Chicago, but everybody is from here. So my parents got a place down here a few years ago. So everybody’s kind of in the same location. So it’s nice to just be around for sure.
Todd McLaughlin
I hear you, that’s cool. And especially having farm life is pretty amazing. Do they have like a big farm? Are they more like cottage farmers? Do they have chickens and veggies? Are they more of like big time farmers?
Tara Stiles
I mean, I don’t know how big time but kind of all of it. My aunts and all my relatives have gardens and things like that. So come summertime and late fall, you’ve got everything and they can at all for the winter.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s awesome!
Tara Stiles
Yeah, they do the veggies for the personal consuming. And then they do corn and wheat and things like that. I remember a few years ago asking my cousin who’s a few years older than me, she does a lot of the big kind of combining and stuff, and we get to ride along. But I asked her where the corn goes, you know, after reading Michael Pollan’s book and all of these kinds of things. I know there’s a lot of the problems with America, but they found a way to sell their corn for hard plastics and windshields. So I thought that was kind of cool. Just everybody’s trying to do better.
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah, I hear you, that’s amazing. Are you an organic gardener? Or a do you have time for a garden? Or do you just get to benefit from your family’s efforts?
Tara Stiles
To be honest, I would love to. But you know, we’re not here in the summers all the time. I’d love to actually do a greenhouse. I’ve seen that you can kind of buy these pop up greenhouses. They’re becoming more easy and economical and fun. You kind of pop that up in your yard now and just buy these things for a few 100 bucks. And maybe I’ll pop one of those up at some point. You know, see if I can get that going.
Todd McLaughlin
Very cool. What was it like over, you said, Singapore?
Tara Stiles
Yeah, Singapore.
Todd McLaughlin
How was Singapore?
Tara Stiles
Yeah, it was great. This festival called Glow Festival brought me out for about a week and I got to lead classes there, which was really fun. And I’ve been to Singapore a few times. So first of all, it was really fun just to catch up with old friends and new friends and just be back in person with people you know, I’m just one of the millions that are so grateful to just be together with people and and do yoga and they have a great festival and I got to kind of feel like that studio affect again. It was a couple of classes a day and there was other teachers
and other experiences and lots of people. So it was just really nice to hang around and practice and just talk with people and hug people and things like that.
Todd McLaughlin
That sounds really cool. Was it structured sort of like a Yoga Journal type conference where you have a couple of teachers were teaching in different rooms at the same time, or was it one room and then you would take turns teaching with the other teachers?
Tara Stiles
Yeah, it was just one big room and they did this cool thing. It was inside. And they had these large kind of interactive screens that were like almost like a jungle. So they did this really neat tech thing. And at first, I thought everybody would be overwhelmed seeing these screens, but the room was really humongous. So kind of in the distance, you’d see an elephant kind of walking by and things like that. So it was pretty unique and, and fun to just hang around and be together with people for sure.
Todd McLaughlin
Cool. When you had a chance to teach, what type of class did you teach? Did you do like a Vinyasa flow, or what is on the forefront of your specialty these days?
Tara Stiles
Sure, I guess that I’ve always loved to lead. It was a really cool opportunity to have so many different time different time slots, you know, it’s kind of like a regular studio. And they wanted a variety of classes. So some a bit more energetic, some more gentle, some kind of in between. And everything that I love to lead is based in easygoing movement, breath, body connection, this kind of
almost East Asian influence in the yoga, but it doesn’t need to come across that way so much. But really, the idea of moving well comes from Tai Chi and shiatsu and things like that. But everybody usually says, Oh, that yoga class felt really nice. Or I didn’t know I could do something so challenging without forcing myself or It felt nice to move from my center and harmony. So I usually don’t, especially in just an open class, say, okay, now we’re going to be doing tai chi and shiatsu and learning all of these things. I just think that’s, you know, kind of too much located in the mind. So we just move and breathe and, and feel good. In that way.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s really cool. What is your timeline in terms of how long have you been practicing? And how long have you been teaching?
Tara Stiles
Oh, gosh, well, I think like a lot of people’s yoga story, I got really lucky, finding yoga was in my ballet program growing up. So I was thinking I was going to be a contemporary dancer. That was my whole life’s dream. And my ballet teacher brought yoga into our program, I guess I was 17 or 18. And instantly, just like everybody else, felt like this is amazing. And, and then my second thought was, why don’t all my friends do this? Why, you know, I felt like my family, had these values had these philosophical ideas about life. But we weren’t doing this physical practice that I felt could just kind of crack everything open and really guide life. So I just wanted to learn more and share this kind of movement all at the same time. So that kind of just kicked me off and learning more about it. And then at first kind of casually sharing what I was learning with people. And then more and more things led me to doing that with more of my time. So yeah, it’s the beginning of my life, my teenage life
years ago.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s amazing. Can you give me a timeline view of an order of different modalities that you then started to pursue and study?
Tara Stiles
Sure, yeah. Yoga was the first big practice for sure. And then I got to New York pretty shortly after to dance and do other things. But I was always kind of asking people, Hey, do you do yoga? Where do you do yoga, if you don’t do yoga, let’s do a little bit together….. this kind of a thing. And I think because New York has everything I was starting to find shiatsu places, and some ayurvedic practitioners, and all of these kind of, you know, modalities one by one. And I think like a lot of people who have started to learn one and then learn the others, you wonder, okay, are these connected? How are they connected? They don’t appear to be in isolation from each other. How can we, or how can I live in more harmony with myself and not just practice to be more knowledgeable about these modalities, but to integrate them actually in my life and to feel better and live a good life of purpose? And how can I start to communicate that in a sensible way to other people if that starts to make sense to me?
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About Melissa Influenced in my early yoga days by concepts of Iyengar and Ashtanga lineages, Vipassana meditation, and the study of structural bodywork, my yoga practice was cemented through a dedication to the Ashtanga system which since 2003, has taken me on journeys around the world to study with senior teachers. I am forever grateful to my teachers Victoria Laws, Annie Pace, R. Sharath Jois, Ruth Harting, Lee Joseph, Christopher Beaver, Dawn Eagle Woman, and the teachings of S.N. Goenka among others for some of most my profound learning journeys. I consider my path as a mother to my daughter and puppy dog to be my greatest teacher, and greatest gift, yet. I aspire to meet my students where they are in the support of healing and growth. I am in the process of obtaining my E-500 RYT status to reflect my years of study and teaching since my initial certification with Yoga Alliance in 2011. I look forward to seeing you on the mat!
Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. I’m really pleased to bring to the channel today, Melissa Friedman. Melissa is a mom. She is an Ashtanga yoga teacher. She also teaches yoga therapeutics. She is an artist, and she is a naturalist. And you can find her on Instagram @nectarofthebee. Which she also has another Instagram handle called @themedicinebeads, where she showcases her artwork, which can also be found on Etsy. If you have any questions reach out to her. And so I’m so happy that you are here. Thank you so much for your support. Your feedback is so motivational to me, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. So, on that note, let’s just go ahead and get started here. I’m so excited to have Melissa Friedman here today. And Melissa, you’re joining us from Telluride Telluride, Colorado. Is that correct?
Melissa Friedman
Yes.
Todd McLaughlin
Well, thank you so much for joining me. I have been watching you post about teaching primary series in Colorado. And so I’m really excited to ask you questions about yoga and all of those great things. I also just want to make mention that people can find we can find you on Instagram, and you have a handle called at @nectarofthebee and also at @themedicinebeads. And so I’m curious if you can first explain what the @nectarofthebee site is?
Melissa Friedman
So that’s my paintings. I’m a painter. And yeah, it’s so I had a little yoga studio a few years ago that I actually turned into a little art gallery at one point. And the art gallery was called Nectar Arts. So my name Melissa means honeybee and I’ve always had an affinity to honeybees. So a lot of the names of my things have centered around bees and nectar and so @nectarofthebees is my Instagram for my for my paintings for my artwork.
Todd McLaughlin
Cool. Did you own a yoga studio in Telluride?
Melissa Friedman
Yep, it was just a tiny little space. And I originally had opened it to do yoga therapy and just one on one work with people. And then I had other teachers using it and teaching really small classes for a while.
Todd McLaughlin
What time frame was that during?
Melissa Friedman
Um, gosh, that’s a good question.
Todd McLaughlin
It’s it’s 2023 right now. I’m kidding.
Melissa Friedman
I’m trying to think…. so it was a space I had for body work. I was a body worker for a long time I had a studio and this little space opened up right next to it in the same building. And I just kind of jumped on it and because I needed a place to do my yoga therapy and I had a space for it, but it wasn’t quite big enough. So I want to say it’s 2012. Yeah, something that too until I went on maternity leave in 2019 In so yeah.
Todd McLaughlin
And so I’m curious what came first bodywork or yoga practice?
Melissa Friedman
Um. bodywork came first. I mean I had started exploring yoga before that for sure. I probably got into meditation first when I was just like 14 years old or something like that. And so I started exploring Yoga I would say in college for a little bit. And then I think the bodywork, my interest in bodywork kind of led me into a deeper interest in yoga and just the body in general. So, yeah, I became a body worker before a yoga teacher before I was like crazy passionate about yoga. Yeah.
Todd McLaughlin
Where did you grow up?
Melissa Friedman
I grew up outside of Boston.
Todd McLaughlin
How did you find yourself landing in Telluride?
Melissa Friedman
Um, my sister, I have two older sisters, and one of my sisters moved here first. And I came to visit her and just fell in love with this area.
Todd McLaughlin
So that’s cool.
Where did you go to bodywork school.
Melissa Friedman
I went to a school called Pacific College of Bodywork and Awareness. It was in Kauai.
Have heard of that?
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah.
Melissa Friedman
The founder, Lee Joseph. He passed away a couple of years ago, a few years ago now. But he was just an amazing human being. And that was kind of where my journey started with it. And it just, you know, evolved from there
Todd McLaughlin
Was that in Hanalei, Kauai?
Melissa Friedman
His school at the time? I’m not sure if it stayed there after years after I left. It was. Have you been to Hawaii?
Todd McLaughlin
I have not been to Kauai. I’ve always wanted to go to Kauai because it’s a pretty epic surf destination.
Melissa Friedman
It was kind of in between towns. So I don’t know technically where it was. It was like in between Kappa and this the other small town. I can’t think of what it’s called right now. But it was just like it was built down a long winding road. And he had this beautiful property. And so the school was a separate building on his property.
Todd McLaughlin
Had you known that you wanted to get licensed as a massage therapist or certified and then consciously went to Kauai to study there or were you just hanging out on Kauai and realized this is what you wanted to do?
Melissa Friedman
Actually, I was living here and started looking into massage schools and I had heard about Kauai and that I had to go there. I asked around and another therapist here said oh my goodness, you’ve got to check out my teacher that I studied with and I looked at several schools and the second I had a phone conversation with Lee Joseph I just knew that he was my teacher.
Todd McLaughlin
Were the fundamentals in Swedish massage or was was he trained in everything and blended everything into the training?
Melissa Friedman
I would say that the fundamentals were more Rolfing based structural bodywork and he also part of the program was hypnotherapy. So a lot of what we did was very psychosomatic centered. You know, getting into the body and finding what was stored there emotionally and really getting to the root of why we get stuck.
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Originally from Montreal, Quebec, and currently living in Vero Beach, Florida. Veronique studied theatre at Russell Sage College and discovered yoga as a way to calm her mind and feel good. With over 500 hours of training as a RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance), she is inspired off the mat to create unique and creative yoga classes. Classes are tailored based on the setting, students, and inspirational themes. Her goal is to empower and inspire her students to shine their light. She offers precise alignment cues, as well as modifications for students who are healing an injury or expressing beginner to advanced levels of practice. When guiding, she uses descriptive words and tune in to when to be silent, so that each student can simply breathe.
Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. I’m so excited to introduce to you Veronique Ory. She has a website yogawithveronique.com. She has an Instagram @VeronicaOry. All of those links are in the description below. She has a brand new book Shine On and Off the Mat, which we speak about during this podcast. Also, she has a virtual program called Coming Home. And she’s offering a yoga retreat in June down in Costa Rica. That sounds amazing. So I really enjoyed speaking with Veronique. She’s so nice. I loved it. I can’t wait for you to hear it. Let’s begin.
I’m so happy to have Veronique Ory here today. How are you?
Veronique Ory
I’m so well. How are you, Todd?
Todd McLaughlin
I’m doing really well. Thank you so much for joining me today on our podcast. I really appreciate it.
Veronique Ory
Thank you for having me.
Todd McLaughlin
I can hear some birds in the background. I can see you and I can see your house behind you…. but what are you looking at?
Veronique Ory
Yes, I’m facing this beautiful preserve. There’s a giant oak tree right in front of me that is protecting me with a beautiful orchid that’s in bloom attached to the side of it. And there’s amazing Cardinals and mockingbirds and all the Florida wildlife that emerges from the trees from time to time. Squirrels and bunnies and sometimes bobcats and armadillos.
Todd McLaughlin
Yes. That’s cool. And I noticed your dog came up to you since we’ve been chatting. Is that your dog?
Veronique Ory
Yes, my Yogi pet Bowery. He likes to sit with me when I am in baddha konasana, butterfly pose. He thinks that is the perfect place to sit on my meditation cushion with me.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s great. You would have to pay someone to assist you like that normally, but it sounds like you have a full time personal assistant.
Veronique Ory
Yeah, yeah, we have a fine exchange going on.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. I was really excited to see that you’re located in Vero Beach, Florida. We’re not far away from each other. There’s so much building and development going on around here that the wildlife is getting pushed out. To hear beautiful bird sounds like that I’d maybe think you are in Costa Rica or down in the Amazon or something. To hear that you’re right here in Florida and there’s so many birds in the background reminds me of how much natural beauty there is here in Florida. You’re originally from Canada, is that correct?
Veronique Ory
Yes, Montreal in Quebec.
Todd McLaughlin
How did you make your way to Florida?
Veronique Ory
Oh, my so many different cities along the way. I was
In a theatre company called Athena theatre and was very much immersed in the arts, which then led me to New York City for nine years. When I was in the world of immersion and a vibrant and energetic feeling that was so alive with all the different languages and feeling so just lit up by culture and all that there is to explore I also was confronted with a lot of anxiety. And as I found yoga and was getting older and really was craving the house with the yard and a bit of sunshine boost. I’ve landed in Florida four years ago, just really wanting that upgrade and quality of life. I really feel that Vero Beach is just so peaceful. It’s such a quaint little beach town and I really love it here.
Todd McLaughlin
I love Vero! My son and I will go up there and go surfing. The waves are often a little bit better up there. Depending upon which angle the swell it can vary greatly in relation to here in Palm Beach County. I love taking a road trip to Vero. It always feels a little bit more like Old Florida to me when I go there.
Veronique Ory
Hmm, cool. Yeah, it’s, it’s a little tucked away. And it’s a little bit far from the major airports. So it isn’t so congested, like the major cities on the east coast of Florida in particular, I’ve noticed though people have started to fly down. The snowbirds are definitely here in full effect. This year I’ve been definitely feeling the difference for sure.
Todd McLaughlin
Big time. I mean, the weather here right now is so amazing. Like lately, the skies have been like crystal clear blue. And it’s like in the high 70s. It’s been absolutely amazing. So I agree the traffic is just so much more intense right now because of it.
Veronique Ory
Yeah. Yeah, there’s definitely a trend of wanting to embrace more sunshine. It definitely affects the way that you just stand and breathe and walk around. Yeah, I was marveling yesterday walking Bowery, like, there isn’t a single cloud in the sky. Am I living in a reality?
Todd McLaughlin
Was the weather absolutely amazing yesterday or what? I was like, Oh my gosh, I had that kind of moment, like, so nice. I agree. I agree. When did yoga come into the picture?
Veronique Ory
2012 is when it really landed. I had sort of nibbles over the years and I really came into it in 2012. At the sort of wake of Hurricane Sandy in New York City where all the subways closed down and we were just holed up in our apartment just waiting for the sign that it was safe to move around. And the yoga studio called the Yoga Room in Astoria and Queens opened up and my roommate Matt at the time said, “Do you want to go to this class?” And it was just sort of like this off handed…. Do you want to do this? And he probably could have said anything. And I would have been like, Yeah, let’s go. And it was one of those everything in life coming together kind of moments. That class rocked me to my core, it was so beautifully done. And one of those moments, you know, for anyone who’s landed into this sphere, it’s like you show up and you’re like, how did this teacher know exactly what I needed to hear at this precise moment, and I just signed up for a 30 day unlimited pass on the spot. And I just thought I want to feel like this all of my days. And I’ve been really into that rhythm ever since.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. What type of practice was it?
Veronique Ory
It was a Vinyasa style class for the first 60 minutes and then the ending 30 minutes was restorative. And so we were just snuggled up with bolsters and blankets and just steeping in all of the movement that we moved through.
Todd McLaughlin
Very cool. Did you have like an emotional experience? Sometimes a lot of people will talk about the first time they go into Savasana after their first yoga class….. that they’ll have like a coming home experience and or feel their senses in a way that they’ve never felt? Can you explain a little bit more what you remember of that first practice?
Veronique Ory
Absolutely, I felt so much during that time because I was operating at such a high functioning, stress building rhythm. And I very much attribute myself lovingly as Type A, OCD and high achieving. I wanted to do all of the things and check off all of the tasks. And I think because I had been operating at that pace for so long, it wasn’t until I slowed down that I was able to objectively see how very much that this lifestyle isn’t healthy or sustainable in the long term at all. And I realized how much of those emotions I was storing in my body. And so much of what I’d call happiness, or my level of contentment was like so much in relationship to validation outside of myself, being in the entertainment industry. If I would receive praise in one moment I would be feeling jubilation. Then someone could give me shade and I would be wrecked. This could happen in like a 15 minute window where like I’m so ecstatic one moment, and then like bawling on the floor, in my kitchen like a puddle the next moment. And I think, you know, depending on any industry one is in, there could be that tendency you know. Like you’re seeking a raise, or you’re seeking a kind word from your boss, or whatever it is. And it’s like, when we’re constantly reaching for something outside of ourselves, we are really giving our light and our magic away. And also just like, playing with that area of where our own control habits reside. It’s really, really toxic, ultimately, in terms of finding that sense of peacefulness, and remembering what it is to actually be in this deep contentment. That is devoid of the exterior, which is, you know, so much easier said than done. But, you know, it was some of the things that started to kind of plant the seed in those regards of moving through these emotions. Unlocking so much stress and anxiety and also like, really noticing where the triggers show up. The triggers are like very at the surface when you’re living in an urban environment in particular, because you’re just like, wrestled, and sort of jostled, and with so much different energy all of the time that if you’re an empath, or you know, in tune with other people’s emotions even a little bit, you know, as human beings, we’re sponges, we tend to like pick up on the energy that we surround ourselves with. And so to be in that frequency for an extended period of time, the yoga practice was just like, so soothing. And it was just this amazing breath of fresh air. I could feel a resonant connection to the breath. I don’t know that I was breathing with any kind of awareness until then. And the breath part was actually also one of the main components that really awakened a lot of my personal yoga practice as well.
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I am proud to present to you this episode called Helping Yoga Teachers become successful Yoga Professionals with Barbara Courtille. Barbara has been practicing Yoga for 25 years. It is her longest and greatest love. Barbara said, “Making Yoga my professional career is the best thing I have done.” If you know that this is the life you want to create for yourself, she can help you to make it happen. Check out this episode to hear tips that Barbara shares to help yogis level up.
Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast, I’m so happy to have you here. Today, I have the chance to bring Barbara Courtille onto the show. Barbara is located in Sydney, Australia. She was kind enough to coordinate her schedule so the times could work where we could be on the other side of the world and join up here for a conversation. Please check her out at Barbaracourtile.com. Also on our Instagram page, @Barbara_courtille_yoga. And on that note, why wait any longer? Let’s get to it.
I’m so excited to have Barbara Courtille here today with me, Barbara, how are things going for you?
Barbara Courtille
Great, I’m really happy to be talking to you on the other side of the world, Todd, thanks for having me.
Todd McLaughlin
I know, I love the fact that we can communicate like this through a platform like zoom, and the spoken word of the podcast and that it’s really an easy way to actually go about communicating. I love it. It’s kind of amazing, isn’t it?
Barbara Courtille
Yeah. And I’m a big fan of podcasts. I listen to yours amongst many others, as my learning and keeping motivated and just finding out what people are thinking all around the world and connecting to other yoga teachers who are you know, my favorite people, basically?
Todd McLaughlin
I hear you! Can you give me a little bit of your background and relation to how you first fell in love with yoga?
Barbara Courtille
Yeah, I started back in the 80s. In the late 80s. When I was you know, in my early 20. I had a boyfriend who was a yogi. And I was more of an artsy kid. You know, I was into art. I always wanted to be an artist. And I did that for many years. But his thing was yoga and meditation. He traveled to India and he used to do Iyengar yoga and headstands and kriyas and all sorts of weird stuff to me back then. Yeah. And he’s the one who took me to my first yoga class, which was an Iyengar class. And that was not actually a great experience. Because my first class I was expected to do handstands and all sorts of things that my body was not happy to do. So I can remember the teacher who was an older woman, well, older, probably younger than me now, but at the time, she seemed to kind of shame me. You know, in the Iyengar way that they do. She would just say “get up, you can do this.” So it wasn’t a great experience, that first yoga class. So it’s kind of a miracle that I’m still doing yoga all these years later. And it’s basically my whole life.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s amazing. Was that in Sydney? You’re living in Sydney currently? Where did you grow up?
Barbara Courtille
My early years, I grew up in Paris till I was 10. And then I came to Sydney. So I’ve lived in Sydney, most of my life.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. Was that first class in Sydney?
Was that first practice session that you had with your boyfriend and Iyengar teacher in Australia, or was that somewhere else?
Barbara Courtille
No, totally in Sydney. Yes.
Todd McLaughlin
Gotcha. And then from there, if you were not enamored, and you walked away from that sounds like maybe you saying, “What in the world was that?” What then was your next step? Or how long was it before you had another yoga practice experience?
Barbara Courtille
I think after that I did some meditation. And that didn’t gel with me as well. It was very strict Buddhist meditation. So I didn’t have a great start to yoga, but for some reason, I think I ended up in some what were then called Hatha classes. Back then you used to do them like in church halls or at you know, the community center or whatever it was available. It wasn’t like the fancy yoga studios like your studio. There was none of that stuff back then. And it was very much in people’s lounge rooms and all that. So I think I probably found some much more mellow, lovely kind of teachers that weren’t gonna ask me to do anything nasty like turn upside down. It took me many years before I could do a proper handstand with all the proper, you know, structure that you need for that.
Yeah.
Todd McLaughlin
Do you have a teacher that you can say that you credit your learning to or from? Or have you just learned from a whole bunch of different teachers along the way?
Barbara Courtille
I’ve learned from a whole bunch of teachers along the way. Yeah, I’ve never been a lineage kind of teacher either. I’ve explored different lineages. I think it’s just in my nature to try different things and find my own way.
So I’ve done a lot of Hatha Yoga, then I went back to the Iyengar yoga, believe it or not. Then I was into Jivamukti Yoga for a long time. And then I was more into vinyasa. Then I was into Yin. I was also doing sound healing. So I’ve done all this stuff, restorative yoga, and I just keep going and changing and learning as much as I can and incorporating what what resonates with me.
Todd McLaughlin
Wonderful. What does a practice session look like for you today?
Barbara Courtille
So this morning, I did some yoga in bed.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice.
Barbara Courtille
And then I got up and did a bit of asana practice, very simple. Plugging into the body noticing where our whole tension, which for me is generally in the upper body, so I do a lot of work on the upper body, opening the chest, opening the heart, I work a lot on the chakra system and the energy body. So I do some meditation to tune in some chanting to feel where the energy is flowing, where it might be stagnant, where it might be overflowing. And it’s from that observation that then direct my practice. So it will look different every day. But there are some things that tend to always be there, like the throat chakra is a bit of a weakness for me. I just had a little bit of manuka honey and did a bit of throat exercises before talking to you because it’s always a little bit weak. That part for me, yeah, the upper body, a lot of upper body, I’m quite strong in my lower body. I’m quite grounded, as by nature spend a lot of time in nature. I like to meditate in nature every day, if I can. If the weather’s good, so I’m lucky I live near some nature, Bush, we call it here in Australia. And so I’ll go and find a rock and I’ll do a bit of meditation. And that’s, that’s really my most nurturing practice meditation.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. I noticed that you have a couple pictures or pictures of you practicing on a rock is that the rock that you’re talking about?
Barbara Courtille
That rock is called Swamis rock. It’s not where I live, but it’s where I go on retreat. So two or three or four times a year, if I’m lucky, I’ll go to the ashram which is not far from where I live. Maybe an hour away in nature. And that’s a particular rock where a swami here in Australia has been practicing for many, many years. So it’s got a lot of great energy.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. Do I noticed that you are a yoga coach and mentor, when did that role come into play for you?
Barbara Courtille
I think it probably came into play fully when COVID came along. And when a lot of teachers suddenly had to become or realize that they were business owners, and that they had to find their own community, their own tribe and take charge of their own business or their own passion. Yeah, without relying on studios, or whatever they were relying on before that time. So that’s when a lot of yoga teachers, as you know, you know, kind of had a little bit of a pivot into becoming more business minded because they had to. Yes. So there was a lot of demand when COVID came along, when everyone was having, you know,
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah, that was pretty intense. Very intense. Wasn’t it? Amazing that now we can like talk like it’s past tense?
Barbara Courtille
Yeah, no, it’s great.
It’s really great to find wisdom. We survived on a lot of different levels.
Todd McLaughlin
I agree.
Barbara Courtille
I actually think yoga teachers did exceptionally well if we can put them all in a group because obviously, we’re all different within that group. And as a tribe, I think they, from what I’ve observed, did really well in terms of like pivoting and changing, keeping their spirits up and keeping the spirits of all the people around them up? You know, it was It wasn’t an easy task. So congratulations to all the yoga teachers out there.
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Bibi Lorenzetti is an inspiration to the Ashtanga Yoga community! During this podcast I had the pleasure of speaking with Bibi about her experience with mother hood and how her yoga practice is evolving because of it. Bibi is honest and real about the challenges and the joy that comes with parenting. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Hello, I’m so happy you are here today. I have the pleasure of bringing Bibi Lorenzetti to the podcast. And Bibi is an Ashtanga Yoga teacher. She’s also a doula. And she has a website called bibilorenzetti.com. She also has her yoga studio website, which is https://www.newburghyogashala.com. And I’m going to put her Instagram link in the description as well check her out, I found her via Instagram, because I was super inspired by her post. And this conversation is so fun. She’s got a lot of great insights. The focus during this conversation is centered around motherhood and what it’s like to practice Ashtanga Yoga. Also to have a yoga practice before getting pregnant, having a child and after having a child. She offers a lot of great insight. So I’m so excited that I had this opportunity. And I’m also really happy that you are here. Alright, let’s begin.
Todd McLaughlin
I’m so excited to have the chance to talk with Bibi Lorenzetti. Bibi, thank you so much for joining me today. How are you doing?
Bibi Lorenzetti
I’m good. Thank you, Todd, for having me on the podcast. I’m happy to speak with you.
Todd McLaughlin
Oh, well, thank you so much. I know you have a busy life. So to carve out some time to do something like this, I realize is a very generous offer. So thank you. And can you help me since it’s my first time getting a chance to meet you and speak with you? Can you tell me where your first yoga class was?
Bibi Lorenzetti
My first yoga class. Yeah. I want to say Yoga to the People in New York City.
Todd McLaughlin
Cool. I’ve heard about that. I’ve never been but I’ve heard it was like a donation based yoga classes?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yes. That recently had a whole scandal around it. But yes, that’s the core of it. Is that? Yes.
Todd McLaughlin
I didn’t know about the whole scandal part. But maybe maybe we’ll slide past that. Because there’s scandal everywhere. And I think the world is a better place if we stay on a positive track. Yeah. But I’m so curious. You’ve totally piqued my interest. Was it like a financial scandal or like a sex scandal?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Little both.
Todd McLaughlin
Okay. All right. That’s all we need to know. But I heard that they were like, really busy classes. It was a real happening.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah. Yeah. It was the same way. It started in St. Mark’s and I actually did my first teacher training there in 2008. And then, they just it spread like wildfire. They had…. I don’t even know how many in the city in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and then Queens. Then just across the country.
Todd McLaughlin
Wow.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah. It was donation based. Only cash in a box. And there were celebrities in there. It was like a mix of everybody. But yeah, so that’s where I started.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. Do you remember what year that was?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Probably 2005.
Todd McLaughlin
Cool. And what was the feeling you had on your first class?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Well, it was a very distinct feeling of coming home. I still remember where I was in the room. I was on the right side next to this brick wall that had a belly bar on it where we would hang the mats after practice. And it was like the second row back. And the teacher was very young, Actually the teacher had this really nice kind of like dance music/melancholic, non vocal music. And I just remember being just like, taken into another dimension and really feeling myself in my body. Even though there was the music even though there were a million people in the class, even though the yoga there wasn’t yoga like Ashtanga Yoga. It definitely did the thing of bringing me home inside myself. After that day, I think I went like three or four times a day.
Todd McLaughlin
Wow.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah. Because I was a waitress in the evening in a study theater. So anytime I had free, I was there because you know, it was donation based, so you could pay $1 and do yoga.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. Yeah, so it was that feeling of coming home. Home to myself, not like in the studio just like inside myself.
Todd McLaughlin
I understand what you mean. Did you say you were studying theater? Had you had any other connection to any sort of mind body practices like dance? Were you an athlete as a child? What was your history with movement art?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yes, I was a gymnast. For many years, I stopped when I was fourteen, I think no, maybe 12. Because I was doing a tick tock on the high beam and one of my hands slipped, and I hit my head. And my vertebras in my cervical spine went out. And I had really intense headaches anytime I went upside down after that. So I had a physical therapist telling me that I should stop inverting. And so that was it. When I really picked it up, it was yoga. Many years, you know, I waS 20 years old.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. Had you been able to rehab the injury so that when you went into yoga, did the memory of this injury return?
Did that cause you to be cautious when you approached yoga practice?
Bibi Lorenzetti
I wish I could say yes to that, because I didn’t. Then it kicked me in the butt years later, when I was in Mysore and I learned the second series headstands. I think like the third year that I was doing them, something went out and I was in my car. My neck just went out and I couldn’t move. It was like this feeling of being paralyzed. Because when your neck, you know, when you have like a subluxation of your cervical spine, it’s fairly intense. So I was in a lot of pain that trip. And then I always managed to kind of work around it with chiropractic work. But now that I’ve had a child, I think the very long labor and having a peanut ball during my epidural time, really didn’t do a favor to my hip alignment. And so my neck has just been constantly going out of place ever since I’ve had my child.
Todd McLaughlin
I understand, not from the having a kid part obviously, but but from learning and practicing the headstands. Doing the second series and having major neck problems and going to a chiropractor and the chiropractor asking me well, what are you doing? Are you doing any sort of head standing and I was like, Oh my gosh, if I tell her what I’m actually doing, she’s going to think I’m insane. And then she said, you know, look, just stay off of that for a while. And I remember that was like an earth shattering moment for me because I thought, you know, but how is this going to look and what does this mean? And but lo and behold, I stopped doing them and my neck got better. So I’m with you.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yes. Good point. Good point. It’s real. Oh my gosh, it’s still real.
Todd McLaughlin
I had come up against it a couple times today already. How about you?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah, I can’t say I don’t come up with it every day.
I hear you. Yeah.
Todd McLaughlin
Can you help me fill in the picture of the transition from your first class? Yoga for the People to Mysore? I don’t know what year that was. Do you remember what year that was?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah, that’s 2011.
Todd McLaughlin
What was the progression and/or transition from that first experience to going to Mysore?
Bibi Lorenzetti
So after Yoga to the People I left the United States for a little while. And then I came back. And I did the yoga teacher training at Yoga to the People. And then I started working there. And then I had an unfortunate situation with the owner, and I walked away. I didn’t react to his request the way he wanted me to. So I was the next day kicked out of the studio in a very not yogic or even human way. And I was very kind of shattered, because that was like my life. I was teaching there, you know, I was managing the studios, I was teaching maybe like three or four classes a day. It was just my whole life. And so I started looking for a place to go practice.
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I am happy to share this discussion I had with Tai Chi & Qi Gong teacher, Sufi Rubia. Rubia teaches a unique form of Tai Chi and we have the chance to share idea about the connections between the ancient practice of Qi Gong and Yoga. During this conversation she shares how she infuses Tai Chi movement into her daily living.
Hello, welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. Today I have a special guest named Sifu Rubia. And she is a Tai Chi & Qi Gong instructor. She also practices yoga. She’s based out of California. I recommend that you check out her website, taichiwellnwess.online. Check out her courses. She has Tai Chi courses, which are amazing, she gave me an opportunity to take her Tai Chi Fundamentals course of which I was able to participate and I enjoy immensely. Tai Chi is an incredible art form. I really think it goes well with yoga. She is also offering for those of you that would like to try a free course with her. There’s a promo code FREEQI. That’s for her course called Short QiGong Course. On that note, let’s go ahead and get started. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. I’m so delighted to have Sifu Rubia here with me today. Rubia, how are you doing?
Sifu Rubia
Hi, good. Good morning, or it’s afternoon for you. I’m well Todd, how are you?
Todd McLaughlin
I’m doing really well. I’m so excited to have a chance to speak with you. And I feel like I you said you just finished teaching a class. Is that true? Yeah, private class, private class. And you are a Tai Chi and Qi Gong practitioner and teacher?
Sifu Rubia
Correct.
Todd McLaughlin
Wonderful. Can you help me understand the difference between Tai Chi and Chi Gong?
Sifu Rubia
Oh, well, Tai Chi is the martial expression of your Qigong practice, essentially. So Chi Gong is, for your Yogi listeners, is the equivalent to prana and Gong simply means to work, to cultivate, to toil. So a chi gong practice is just that. So you’re working on your lifeforce, your vital energy, through specific movements. There are many different system. Qigong systems out there that target different things. And so that’s the cultivation of your of your prana. And then the Tai Chi is the martial expression of that cultivation. And that’s a simple way to understand the difference between the two.
Todd McLaughlin
When you say martial expression, meaning the actual physical movements.
Sifu Rubia
Yeah, correct. So Tai Chi is also known as the Grand Ultimate for martial artists. And usually a typical path to your Tai Chi is a kung fu practice. So people evolve into their Tai Chi, but every Tai Chi movement has a martial expression to it. I don’t typically teach martial expressions just because the venue actually requires, often times, requires me to, to teach it more as a meditation, which it also is, so I teach it primarily as a moving meditation.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. Can you give me some insight into how you got started? And what your first introduction to Tai Chi was?
Sifu Rubia
Sure, sure. The first Tai Chi class I went to I literally went and walked out?
Todd McLaughlin
Have you felt weirded out by that first? Like, what was it like that? Sorry? What was it that that made you want to walk out like you were frustrated, or you thought it was weird or….
Sifu Rubia
All of that. It was a combination of a few things. And I remember the feeling very vividly. And by then I’d already had maybe a five year yoga practice. So I was familiar with mind body movement. But the Tai Chi just brought it to another level of being really, really present and uncomfortable. And I just, it was uncomfortable. And your ego gets in the way. And you know, like, there are layers to spiritual practice and your spiritual evolution. And that’s where I was at that moment in time. Struggling with with that part of myself, so yeah, I walked out of class. 15 years later, here we are, yes.
Todd McLaughlin
Can I ask you where that was?
Sifu Rubia
Where was it? I think it was here in California. So I’m not from here. I’m from Canada. And from the East Coast, and the I was visiting or traveling here in California. And the person I was with was actually a teacher. And he brought me to class. And that’s how that started. And then it took me a couple of years after that before taking another class. Just because the experience was…. I was just so weirded out that I never even considered going back. And then the second time, I can’t even say that it’s stuck, but it wasn’t as uncomfortable. And then the third time is when it stuck.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. What do you think about the third time that made it stick? What was it that caused you to feel that way?
Sifu Rubia
So I don’t know. I think I was in a much different place. I was, you know, a little more seasoned. I transcended my ego a little bit more and I was a little more open and receptive to the practice. So I guess that’s what made the difference. And I see that in people who show up to class. You always have to meet as a teacher, you know, you have to meet people where they are. It has to come from within. The first time I was not forced into a situation. But it wasn’t something I was willingly going into, I think that’s part of the breakdown that happened. So by the third time it was a willingness from me. So I have to answer that question. That’s really the difference.
Todd McLaughlin
What do you think intrigued you about it when you had that switch to where you were going from being pulled into class versus let me seek it out? You already had a yoga practice? So it sounds like you had cultivated a passion for movement and mind body awareness? What was it about tai chi that caused you to want to try it again? Was it that initial kind of pushback that you felt from being uncomfortable in that really focused space? Or do you think there was something about watching the movement and watching people practice that you that got you intrigued you? Can you put your finger on that?
Sifu Rubia
I love how you put that…. it’s actually the latter. So to really observe people doing tai chi, just watching them it’s meditative. So I think yes, that was definitely the pull back. Yeah. In that space. Yeah, I love that you brought that up.
Todd McLaughlin
Oh, that’s cool. Well, it’s funny, because the first time I saw Tai Chi was on a video. And I remember I was with a group of people. And I had a massage teacher that was really into tai chi, and he put the video on and I think, because the reaction of the other people in the room, they started to giggle and laugh a little bit, kind of like, what is this? What is this person doing? Because the person was moving so slow. And so I feel like my first impression got formed by the reaction of the others around me. I was intrigued. I thought, well, that looks really interesting? But I remember that everyone else is wanting to make fun so it didn’t let me form my own first initial experience. Then my second chance getting to come across Tai Chi, was in Thailand. I was studying Thai massage and my Thai massage teacher would go and teach Tai Chi. Really early in the morning in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I remember going to a big soccer field. And more than 100 people would show up to practice. And I was blown away by the energy. I thought it looked so easy, but then to try to actually follow was another story. I remember people saying, Wow, that guy, he’s a real Tai Chi master. Like he really knows what he’s doing. And so I’d sit back and just kind of watch him and but I still didn’t have that eye yet for being able to detect who the master at the art was.
Can you? When you watch people practice? Is there something that you pick up on? When you watch their practice that gives you that indication? Obviously, you study it, and you teach it. So you have some understanding of these nuances. But can you clue me in a little bit as to what you look for?
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I’m so happy to bring Saskia Bolscher on to the podcast today. Please check Saskia out on her website, which is yogawithsaskia.co.uk. Also you can find her on Instagram @yogawithSaskia_ and also on TikTok, same handle @yogawithSaskia, no underscore.
I found Saskia through Instagram and I am really inspired by her posts. I find her message to be really motivating. I’m just going to read her intro on the homepage of her website. She writes “I’m Saskia, a curvy yoga teacher who’s passionate about making yoga accessible to anyone, regardless of ability, size or background. As someone who has continually experienced being the largest person in yoga classes, and teacher training courses. I know how difficult it can be to step into a studio class. But believe me, yoga is not just for flexible and thin people. I strongly believe that yoga is for everyone. And so I will make you feel welcome in my classes. I encourage modifying poses and the use of props to make poses work for your body, not the other way around. Yoga is for you.”
So on that note, let’s bring Saskia on the channel.
I’m so happy to have Saskia here with me today and Saskia. You’re joining me from London in England. Is that correct?
Saskia Bolscher
Yes, that’s correct. Thank you for having me.
TM
Of course, I saw you on Instagram and I love your message. So I really am excited for or thankful for you to take some time out of your day to speak with me. When we were getting connected, I realized that I only put in my timezone and then when it was taking us a second to actually connect I thought, “Oh no, maybe I wasn’t clear about what time we were supposed to meet.” So I’m so glad that it worked out. What time is it over there?
SB
Actually, it is 6:45pm in the evening.
TM
Oh, that’s not so bad. It’s 1:45pm here. Perfect. That’s pretty reasonable. All right, cool. Thank you so much. And I’m curious if you can just get us started in the direction of what you’re passionate about? In your your teaching?
SB
Yes. Thank you very much for asking Todd. I have been a yoga teacher for almost four years now. And I have practiced yoga for much, much longer than that. I’ve always been sort of in a bigger body, I’ve always been curvy. And so I’ve always found that I’ve had to adapt my practice a little bit to fit my body. And I’ve always been quite conscious that I’ve often been, you know, the biggest person in a yoga class in my yoga teacher training. And for a long time, I felt that as a yoga teacher, I wasn’t good enough. Because I thought you know, you have to be thin, right? Because you see all these other yoga teachers, they’re all thin and flexible. And I was like, oh, you know, if I’m really want to make it then that needs to be my goal. But along the way, I’ve sort of come to realize that it’s good to have representation of different ranges of bodies. So I’ve actually twisted that around and sort of made it my goal to show that anyone can do yoga. And if you’re in a bigger body, you can absolutely do yoga. You may have to adapt along the way and use props. But I’m all for it. And I show that in the classes that I teach, and I show that on Instagram on TikTok. I make videos to show people how they can make yoga work for their body rather than the other way around.
TM
That’s cool. What type of response are you receiving?
SB
Very positive. Yeah, actually, only almost only positive. Yeah. People are very grateful to see how they can adapt poses by using a block or a bolster, or strap or whatnot. And also, I’m getting lots of messages from people similar to me or, you know, yogi’s, in a similar size body, saying, Oh, it’s so nice to see someone else who’s also bigger, who’s practicing yoga, who is a teacher. I’ve had a student in the studio, where I teach locally come up to me and say, you know, I’m so amazed, and I’m inspired. And now I’m gonna take a teacher training, because I know now that I, you know, I can also do it. So yeah, it’s been really, really cool.
TM
That is cool. How did you first get involved in yoga?
SB
Oh, that’s a good question. I get this question a lot. And I don’t really have a good answer to it. I think in I started going to yoga classes at the gym, I think like a lot of people and I think it’s a long time ago, and I just I enjoyed it. I mean, I enjoy moving my body. I enjoy different types of exercise like dance and, and other things. I was never into sports really. So yoga worked very well. I’m fairly flexible. Not super, super flexible. But enough. So to that, yoga felt good. Yeah. I just kept kept going. And over time, I got more and more into it. I started practicing more, took it a bit more seriously, went on some retreats, etc, etc.
TM
Cool. What style did you gravitate toward? You mentioned the gym, but do you remember the teacher that you had at that time? Or maybe there was multiple teachers? But was there a specific style or arrangement of postures that stuck out in your mind? Or sticks out?
SB
It was hatha yoga at first. And I vividly remember practicing with ujjai breath, you know, in those first few classes, and I thought it was really cool. And it really added to the practice. And I hope as well that, you know, when I teach people in my classes that they are experiencing the same. But yeah, mostly Hatha Yoga. I experimented with different styles, going to different teachers, different styles of classes. I’ve tried Kundalini. I’ve tried Bikram but wasn’t a fan. It’s a tough one for various reasons. We won’t go into that. Yeah, vinyasa, ashtanga. All different styles. And then further along the line, I discovered yin yoga and this is one of my one of my favorite styles now. It is really cool to practice and to teach.
TM
That’s how I found you. I thought, let me go into hashtag yin on Instagram and you popped up!
SB
Oh, cool.
TM
Yeah, I know, right? Sometimes when I do hashtags, I wonder like, “what the heck am I doing?” I mean, does this even do anything? It does, actually. It’s kind of fun to explore hashtags. It is such a great cataloguing system. You do a great job with your videos. I like the one that you did the most recent on Instagram that you we’re just kind of showing how to use a block to be able to get your spine straight. I’m curious, you’ve had a chance to practice in multiple styles and try different classes out and have gravitated toward yin. Is there a specific prop or modification that is your favorite? Something that you go to every single time that you like?
SB
Yeah. So definitely when sitting in meditation, as you’ve seen in my latest IG Reel or TikTok video, I always set up either on blocks or on a bolster because it just allows you to sit, you know, up straight, and more comfortably. It doesn’t take any effort. And you can actually be in the pose with ease as we’re meant to be, right? Yeah. So yeah. Sthira Sukham Asanam. Yeah, stable and comfortable. But I think the main thing for me in making yoga work for my for my body and for other people who are in a bigger body is to make space for the body. So like in a child’s pose, taking the knees wide. Taking the feet a little bit wider, so that there’s space for the belly to go in between the legs. In twists, you know…. you can’t sometimes twist that far. So maybe like opening arms to help facilitate the twist. Things like that. That’s the main thing I would say. I always use props in all of my practices. If in a forward fold, if the floor feels far away, you know, put a block underneath.
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Ross is a 20+ year veteran of Ashtanga Yoga, and is an authorized teacher who learned directly under the teachings of Saraswati Jois in Mysore, India. When he is not traveling internationally for workshops, he welcomes the opportunity to help all levels of dedicated yoga practitioners. He makes annual trips to India to continue his studies and has assisted Saraswati on multiple occasions. Ross seeks to preserve the traditional Ashtanga method by maintaining a daily practice, and has extensive knowledge in the areas of pranayama, philosophy (yoga sutras), and certainly asana.
Today I bring to you a special guest, Ross Stambaugh. His website is http://www.ashtangahub.com. You gotta go check him out on Instagram. He does a great job on his IG page. It’s at @Ashtanga.Yoga.Ross. I also want to give a shout out to Waleah Norton at Red Earth Yoga Center in Oklahoma, check her out as well at http://www.redearthyogacenter.com. She introduced me to Ross and both of them had a chance to practice in India together and she got me so pumped to speak with him. And she said you gotta bring this guy on your podcast. He’s great! I had a really nice conversation with him. I hope that you enjoy this. So on that note. Let me go ahead and push play for you here.
I’m so excited to have the opportunity to speak today with Ross Stambaugh. Ross, how are you doing?
Ross Stambaugh
Fantastic. Thanks for asking.
TM
I’m so happy that you’re here. I received rave reviews from our mutual friend Waleah who owns Red Earth Yoga Center in Oklahoma. She mentioned that you have visited her there. Is that true? You went and taught some yoga workshops there?
RS
Actually, I taught my first official Ashtanga Yoga workshop with there. I met her in Mysore, India. And it’s kind of a funny story. She posted a picture of her standing in front of her apartment, and I knew exactly where it was. So I knocked on her door. And she answers, “Who is it?” And I said, Hey, you know, my name is Ross. We’ve talked to each other on, you know, I think at the time was on Facebook. She kind of looks out and she didn’t want to open the door. So she’s like, how do you know who I am? And then I said, Well, I put things together and I figured I would just come by and say hello. Yes. So but eventually, over the course of the next two months, we became fast friends. And she invited me to her studio and we we did a lot of yoga.
TM
That’s awesome. I know she’s a really great person. So I appreciate the introduction. Thank you Waleah.
Ross, I noticed that your website is ashtangahub.com. So anyone listening I’ll put the links in the description below. So it’s gonna be really easy to find Ross and also you’re on Instagram. Your handle is @Ashtanga.yoga.Ross, which will also be down below. And I love your Instagram posts. Since I’ve gotten a chance to follow you. You do a great job with your posts. It seems like you’re having fun doing it, which is an art form in and of itself. And then in the process of going to your website and learning about you. You are an ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher and you’ve studied in Mysore with Saraswati Jois, is that correct?
RS
That’s right. That’s right. Yeah, um, about I think 2014 I took my first trip to Mysore and I’m a school teacher. So I had the summers off, and that’s when Saraswati Jois the daughter of Pattabhi Jois teachers out of her shala. I went there a couple of times for a couple of years. Several years actually, and just fell in love with the city. Fell in love with the temples. Fell in love with philosophy and of course, of course yoga.
TM
Righ! Mysore is an amazing city. What are some of the favorite things to do when there? Apart from the yoga?
RS
Yeah, I think, I think everyone, if they want to have a quintessential Indian experience, you have to get on a scooter. And you have to get lost in the city. And you have to try to navigate your way around the cows and the people in the temples and just get immersed in a culture that’s so very different from our Western eyes and ears and senses and everything.
TM
Nice. I agree. I did. No, actually, I did not rent a motorbike in India. I was a little timid of that. I’ve rented motorbikes in Thailand and in Indonesia. But when I was in India, I really just stuck with the rickshaw. And so that’s a bold move to get on a motorbike there. I applaud that courage.
RS
Oh, thanks. Yeah.
TM
Have you ever had any close encounters there?
Waleah and I had a few. Yeah, she jumped on the bike. And, of course, she was holding her camera up, and I was waving and a bus I came like within a whisker of each other. Oh, yeah I did. My last trip. I was with my mom. And it was the last day and I was running her around Mysore. And I slipped on some gravel, and I busted up my elbow. Long story short, I’m in the emergency room in there, and in front of us. I don’t know what happened. Or there’s a group of people there waiting. And like India, you know, money talks sometimes. And and I’m like, wow, I have a I have a flight to catch in like three hours. They won’t let me on the airplane. Because I needed to get some stitches. And so in my pocket, I had all my rupees left. So I had, I don’t know, maybe $20 and rupees. And I take it on my pocket. And I kind of wave it to the, to the nurse up there. And with that they they waved me in and I got the stitches. And I think I think it was maybe $40 or $60 US dollars in the end. Right and then out the door and I got on my flight.
TM
Yeah, amazing. That journey from Bangalore to Mysore is incredible. What city were you flying out of?
RS
I was flying out of Bangalore. So it’s a four hour drive from Mysore to Bangalore. So we have to jump in a taxi and then get that taxi to the airport.
TM
That’s an amazing trip, isn’t it? I remember the first time my wife and I went to Mysore in 2004. And when we got to Bangalore and walked out the doors and there was it seemed like at least 100 people all wanting to help us out. And that was our first like overwhelming, like, oh my gosh, what are we doing unique experience. That is amazing.
RS
You’re right. That’s what makes it so fun to go there.
TM
I’m really curious, how did how did it evolve that you were able to invite your mom and your mom being willing to say yes to go to India? How did that happen?
RS
Well, I would spend time there. So like I said I was school teaching and I had a few months off. And my mom just recently retired. And she’s always been, you know, a very quiet mom. But she’s always had a little adventure side to her. And she said, “Well, you know, can I come and see what you do you?” You talked about yoga, you practice yoga, you’re always talking, you know, you’re always doing yoga. Can I come and see what you do? And I said, Yeah, sure. So she jumped on an airplane and she hung out with me for almost three weeks. It was a great experience.
TM
That’s so cool. What a great opportunity. Yeah, that’s amazing. When was last time you were in India, have you been there since 2019 or 2020?
RS
No, my last trip was 2018 at the end of the summer. And then of course COVID started to build. So I’ve missed out the last two seasons. Yeah, three seasons almost. And so but I’m hoping to return this coming July.
TM
Cool. Yeah. Nice. And I noticed that you said you’re a school teacher but you you teach art to the school kids.
RS
Yeah. I’m a middle school art teacher. I’ve been doing that for 22 years. Because this is 23rd.
TM
Wow, that’s really cool. Have you been an artist your whole life? Is that something that you were involved in when you were in middle school age and then progressed to wanting to go to school for it and now teach?
RS
Yeah, it was sort of the only thing I could get out of school with, I would, you know, I would take all the classes and in Junior High and in high school, and of course, college, I was a fine arts major for two years. I focused on like, traditional painting. I didn’t really have the aptitude for it, you know, I was okay. But I wasn’t. I was in a group of people that were better than okay. You know, they were they were really driven. And I noticed right away, I simply didn’t have that level of talent. But both my parents were teachers, and my sister’s a teacher, and all my cousins are teachers. So it just felt like, a thing to do. I enjoyed traveling, and I recognize that a teacher’s schedule would allow me to do that. So yeah, I’ve been a teacher. And I’ve been really enjoying it.
TM
That’s cool. You know, on that note, I have a daughter who’s in fourth grade. And as I was studying up and getting ready for this opportunity to speak with you, I heard her in the background. She had a substitute teacher, and she said, “All he did was look at his phone all day, he didn’t teach us anything.” And I gotta crack up. When I was in school, we didn’t have cell phones back in the old days, and, and I just thought, I just kind of cracked me up to think about a substitute, just like staring at his or her phone for the whole session. “All right, kids, just do what you want.” I’m guessing, though, that you take a really proactive role in the education process, can you share a story or two about what it’s like being a teacher and working with middle school aged kids?
RS
Ah, well, you have to be proactive, or else they’ll just eat you alive. They you know, I have such a spectrum of abilities and such a spectrum of maturity. And you have to be able to figure out how to engage each and every one. And, you know, sometimes there’s success, and often times, there’s trial and error, and we certainly fall in to the error of things. So I think that’s a great kind of segue into yoga, you know, recognizing when the external circumstances are not in your control, and you have to rely on a little bit of faith, and rely on a little bit of skill and a little bit of, of the unknown to get through the day. And hopefully, you have something left to give to children. To give to people that are not oftentimes willing to accept the struggle of learning.
TM
Right?
RS
Whenever we grow, especially in yoga, whenever we grow, we have to be okay with the struggle, which is certainly hard. Hard to do. Yes.
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Welcome to Native yoga Toddcast. I am so happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage, bodywork and beyond. Follow us on IG @nativeyoga and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com. All right, let’s begin. Hello, I’m happy you are here. Thanks for joining in. Today I have a special guest, Sandy Chason. She is the founder of Ladybug Yoga, which is a kid’s yoga program. She’s going to be offering a kid’s yoga teacher training here at Native Yoga Center on Sunday, January 30, 2022 from 12 to 6pm, Eastern Standard Time. We’re also going to be offering the teacher training via livestream. So for those of you that are local, you can come in and for those of you that are living abroad, you can join in via your computer and participate in the training and get certified in Ladybug Yoga. If you’re interested, visit our website nativeyogacenter.com. You’ll see the links where you can sign up. Also check out Sandy at her kids yoga teacher training website, which is called www.theladybugyoga.com. You can also find her on Instagram @Ladybugyoga, on Facebook @Ladybugyoga. All those links will be posted in the show notes below. I hope you enjoy this conversation. She got me really inspired and I can’t wait to take the training myself. I think that the more children get exposed to breathing, practicing yoga and cultivate the ability to come out of their shell and have a safe space to be creative and express emotion, feelings and thoughts the world will be a happier place. I usually find that hanging out with children I end up feeling better because they impart a little bit of wisdom, selflessness, joy and good vibes. So anyhow I hope you enjoy this conversation. Let’s begin! I’m so pleased to have Sandy Chasen here with me today. Sandy, how are you doing?
Sandy Chasen
Good. Thank you for having me, Todd.
Todd McLaughlin
Oh, you’re welcome. I’m really excited to have this conversation with you because you are a kids yoga teacher. You offer kids yoga teacher training through your program Ladybug Yoga. But before we go into some of those details, can you give me an idea of how you first got interested in yoga yourself?
Sandy Chasen
Yes, definitely. So I’ll tell you a bit about me. I’m originally from South Africa. And as a young child, we moved to Canada and immigrated to Toronto. And my mom became very alternative and holistic and she was a yogi. And this is way back in the early 80s. And anytime I could go with her to get on a yoga mat to go to the yoga classes, I jumped and I just fell in love from the beginning.
Todd McLaughlin
Oh, that’s really cool. How old were you then?
Sandy Chasen
I was seven.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. You have a clear memory of your first yoga class with your mom?
Sandy Chasen
I do. I do. Her teacher that we went to, his name was Axel Malone. He’s a real traditional yoga teacher guru. And it was just the whole experience every time. He was just amazing. I was in awe every time I could get there.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s awesome. Where was that?
Sandy Chasen
This was in Toronto.
Todd McLaughlin
Gotcha. Gotcha. At what age did you move from South Africa?
Sandy Chasen
I was three three.
Todd McLaughlin
Do you have any memories of South Africa? I couldn’t tell you a memory from my threes.
Sandy Chasen
No, either can I. But when I go back and visit there are the later year memories. So I still have family there.
Todd McLaughlin
And around the Cape Town area or the Johannesburg area?
Sandy Chasen
Yeah, Johannesburg and Cape Town. Have you been?
Todd McLaughlin
I’ve been to Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi, but I didn’t get a chance to go down to South Africa. I’ve always wanted to go to South Africa, because it’s like, a legendary surf destination. And so, yeah, I, you know, I’ve always wanted to go, I still want to go. But, I haven’t had the chance yet to make it down there.
Sandy Chasen
Definitely on the bucket list.
Todd McLaughlin
Right? That’s cool.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah. And you have to go on a safari.
Todd McLaughlin
Oh, man, it’d be so great. I agree. And did you, after you started practicing yoga continue yoga throughout your teenage years and your 20s? Did you keep your yoga going? Or did was it like, come and go for you?
Sandy Chasen
Um, no, I kept it going. It was come and go though. It was whenever, you know, I could go with my mom. And you know, I wasn’t busy. But it was steady. I just loved it!
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. And then I guess fast forward at some point. I saw that you established Ladybug yoga in 2009. What was the journey to go from practicing yoga to wanting to create a program that was specific for children in yoga?
Sandy Chasen
So also while I was growing up, I was a babysitter. I was a camp counselor. I was a gymnastics coach. So kids were always my passion. And back in Toronto, I took my early childhood education, and I practiced as an early childhood educator for a few years. And I really felt something was missing. So when I moved down to Florida, 20 years ago, right away, I said that’s it, I’m going to get certified in yoga. So I got on a plane and flew to Costa Rica and got my RYT there, and then came back and got certified in kids yoga. And I’ve been teaching adults and children ever since for the past 20 years.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah. And then it was when my first daughter, Maya was born, the light bulb went off. And that was my aha moment when I combined the education and yoga together. And I created Ladybug yoga.
Todd McLaughlin
Wow.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah, so I made a children’s yoga program, and I teach practical tools to the children. And they just thrive off of it. It’s been amazing.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s really cool. I have a ton of questions, because I’m curious how you merged the educational aspects in terms of, you know, like you said, teaching in school, and with teaching kids yoga. What are some of the fundamental principles that you follow in teaching children’s yoga and whast you have learned form your childhood education practice and study?
Sandy Chasen
So basically, my creativity and program planning and the curriculum in every Ladybug yoga class…. we always begin with a breathing exercise, we go into yoga poses, then we go into games that incorporate the poses. We go into relaxation, and then close the class. So it’s a beautiful flow. And every aspect of yoga we do. The breathing is directed toward the kids ability level. So it’s always fun and exciting and presented in easy ways that they grasp it. It’s a very easy concept for them to use the poses and we have a blast with it, you know, and then the games, all our fun games, all incorporate the poses. So it teaches them all the tools and techniques in a fun way that relates to them. So they get it right away. They use it in the relaxation. We take them on a journey. So it’s a guided relaxation. We use crystals, which the kids love, and it’s just beautiful, and they just love and thrive off of it. And we constantly, you know, discuss in class, you know that these are amazing life skill tools and that they’re not coming just for a dance class where it’s fun, and then they go their way. We are instilling these tools in them at this young age so they know when there are times when they’re feeling stressed at home, anxious, overwhelmed. When they’re fighting with siblings or when they have tests at school. They can use these tools to help them. They can incorporate these tools that we’re instilling in their mind during those times at home and at school and throughout their lives.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. Do you feel like as a yoga teacher you’re often reminding students, whether it’s children or adults, that what you’re learning here on the yoga mat, is something that you’re going to apply later on?
Sandy Chasen
Yeah. Especially the breath, because we all forget to breathe.
Todd McLaughlin
Good point. I hear that! So that’s cool that you still are actively teaching adult classes and children’s classes?
Sandy Chasen
I do adult private classes and group privates, because adults, you know, I have a passion for that as well. And then, of course, the kids are a great passion as well for me.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. Is there something that you use when you teach children that you find you also try to incorporate in with the adults that might not be your traditional thing that we do with adults?
Sandy Chasen
Yeah, just to have fun. 🙂 Adults can get so serious.
Todd McLaughlin
Like, do you actually incorporate some gameplay, so to speak in the adult class?
Sandy Chasen
Definitely, you know, we laugh throughout and when I feel that tension I just get them to just release it and to go back to their child like sense.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. I noticed that you use teachable, which is a platform that you’re able to create digital content that people can learn what you’re teaching. Have you had good success and results with moving in that digital arena?
Sandy Chasen
Yeah, it’s been amazing! And it’s given access to students all around the world. I’ve had students in India, like all over the world who have done my training online as well as which is wonderful. For those that do the in person teacher training, I offer the teachable at half price. So that they have lifetime access to go and refresh, it’s all live and they see it and they grasp it. So a lot of people after graduating, they can enjoy to get that to help them, to keep watching it over again. So they can become more confident in teaching.
Todd McLaughlin
I really like your whole website and your online information and the way you lay it out. It feels like you’ve done a really great job. Is this something that you’ve had a lot of help with? Are you naturally gifted in marketing? Do you do your video production for your course yourself? Was that something that came really easy? Or is it something that you’ve been working at forever?
Sandy Chasen
You know, I’m very creative, and it’s just so natural to me, that part. But the technical parts, no. I’m very hands on, you know, in everything. So online, I was sitting, you know, with the lady who did it, and we did it together, like step by step, even, you know, with my company, and when I have teachers go into the school and teach the yoga classes, you know, I connect with them before class. I connect with the teacher. I speak to them after class, I want to be involved, even though sometimes I’m not physically there. I want to know all the details and the outcomes and so I’m very hands on and for me naturally the creativity and the inspiration does come naturally.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s inspirational. You said that when your daughter, Maya was born. How old is she now?
Sandy Chasen
So Maya’s 12 and almost a half. And I have a younger daughter, Jada, my baby who’s actually turning nine on Sunday. I taught the night before they were both, you know, both of them popped out. 🙂 So they were born natural Yogi’s as well. And they can even teach Ladybug yoga classes at this point. Nice. Yeah, so she’s a Halloween baby? Yes, she is. And actually, I have the most special story to share with you about my baby Jada, please, who in preschool. This was in pre K. She saw there was a child who was upset and you know, something was bothering her and the teachers couldn’t get her to come and join the class and to feel better. And Jada went over and sat with that child and told her did a three sigh breath with her. And the child just shifted, and Jada was the one to bring her back to a place of happiness and back with the class.
Todd McLaughlin
Wow! That totally gives me chills because the thought of a child reaching out to a peer at that age with something to refocus the mind to, like you said to shift, and be able to be receptive to communication, or if they were shutting down and just really frustrated. That’s, that’s amazing. That’s like, kind of what we hope for, right!?!
Sandy Chasen
It’s amazing with these children. They’re so open, you know, and receptive. They haven’t shut or closed yet. As the older you get you can get into your own way. So that’s why it’s special to instill yoga at such a young age.
Todd McLaughlin
Wow, that’s really cool. Well, I mean, that actually feeds into my next question. So you might have already answered it, but what are some lessons that you’ve learned from teaching children? I find that when I branch out of my comfort zone, and I attempt to share yoga with someone who I thought it would be more challenging to do that with. I find instead of me teaching them something they teach me something. What is something that you’ve learned over the years with working with children?
Sandy Chasen
So I find that what we’re doing is encouraging these children to build their self esteem and to let them shine as bright as they can. And there’s so many times in their lives, especially at a young age, you know, they’ve been told no, and no and no, and it can crush them. So we in our class, I find the most beautiful approach is we support them, of who they are as individuals and let them shine as bright as they can to just build them up. And by doing that, you just see them grow and shine, and it’s really beautiful.
Todd McLaughlin
Wow. Yeah! So right there. That’s some inspiration right there. If you can see kids go from, like you said, shutting down and or shy and then turn around. That is pretty amazing.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah.
Todd McLaughlin
Cool. You know, I guess, I’m thinking along the lines of there’s probably yoga teachers that are curious about teaching kids yoga. I remember the first time I thought, well, I teach yoga, so teaching kids yoga is just going to be a piece of cake. I can do it. And then we got a group together. And I quickly realized that I wished I’d had a few tricks up my sleeve. I definitely realized that making it more playful was going to be critical. But I also found that I probably could have benefited from from having a few creative ideas in place prior. What qualities or skills do you think a yoga teacher should have to be good at teaching children yoga?
Sandy Chasen
So the ladybug yoga children’s teacher training that I created, I’ve opened it up to not only yoga teachers, but school teachers, therapists, parents, grandparents, nannies. So I’ve put together the most easy to adapt, and creative program. During the training and by the end of the training, people can see it’s so simple and practical and clear for them that anyone by the end of the training feels ready and inspired to go and impact the lives of children in whichever way, whether it’s doing a yoga class, going into the school and throughout the school day, teaching their kids, parents at home, therapist within their session. So yeah, it’s very inspiring, the program that I’ve put together and easy for anyone and everyone to adapt into it. Easy for them to get it.
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah, that makes sense. Because I would imagine that there’s a lot of parents and grandparents out there that actually practice yoga already. They haven’t pursued the career path of teaching yoga. But see that they’re around children and would want to share what they already know. So it makes perfect sense, that a grandparent would be excited to, learn tricks and tools to have another way to interact with either their children or grandchildren.
Sandy Chasen
Yes, in a way that the kids can, you know, connect to and use.
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah, that’s amazing. I recently started to do a little research into what people are doing with yoga and elder care. Investigating what they are doing within senior facilities, or elder living facilities. One of the principles that became obvious was that if someone is having hard time with their their abilities either cognitive and/or physical. If they’re attempting to do something, and we’re attempting to show them something, and they aren’t doing it the way that we think they should be doing it, that they might begin to shut down. They will feel less inclined to open up in and express themselves through the postures or through the practice. One of the solutions to that problem given in the book Creative Care by Anne Basting, is an idea that is used in improvisational theater training. The idea is to always say yes, and add to what they say. For example if someone says, is this how I do it? You would affirm…. Yes, and you could also do it like this. It remids me of this saying, once a man is twice a child. We come in a baby, we take care of ourselves, and potentially, at the end, we’re gonna need to be taken care of again, the same way we were as a kid. I am now seeing that there probably are a lot of similarities between child care and elder care?
Sandy Chasen
Yes, that is true.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. What have you noticed with grandparents and working with children in terms of the yoga world and what have you observed?
Sandy Chasen
Oh, they get so excited when they come to do the training. Because, you know, now they have something to connect with their grandkids to do as well as you know, enjoy. You know, the benefits of yoga, which they are involved in as Yogi’s. And they just can’t wait to go and share with their grandkids and when their grandkids come over, they have fun things to do. And it’s amazing. It’s a bond, a very special bonding moment, you know, like, I’ll never forget the bonding I have with my mom, you know, as together when we you know, as Yogi’s together, it’s very special.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s a good point. My mom got me into yoga as well.
Sandy Chasen
Oh, amazing. At what age?
Todd McLaughlin
I practiced when I was 19. But when I was in my early 20s she was practicing Hatha yoga, and she was taking a local yoga class. And she was like, you gotta come try this. And I was like, sure! That was it. I was hooked after the first session.
Sandy Chasen
Wow. That’s beautiful.
Todd McLaughlin
My mom’s still practicing today. And I practiced with her this morning.
Sandy Chasen
That’s a special bond.
Todd McLaughlin
Yes. It’s amazing. I agree. I am curious… What have you noticed with the pandemic? In terms of, I know this is a big question, but we’ve had a little bit of time to kind of go through this whole thing and kind of start to come out the other side, and where we can reflect and look back. So I’m just curious, what what have you witnessed? Probably your kids were all in school and then had to go over to the virtual, I don’t know if you homeschool your kids already, or if they are in public school or private school, or if they went to the virtual but what did you observe in terms of like your own practice of teaching people to be with kids and be teaching yoga, but then being needing to be six feet apart and all that stuff that’s come with the pandemic? What’s happened for you?
Sandy Chasen
Right? So it was an amazing experience. Because like I said, I’m always thinking creatively and you know, my mind’s always going and when everything shut down in March, then when they were talking about schools coming back online in August, I’m like okay, this is an opportunity for Ladybug yoga to get back on its feet because I’ve went from 60 to zero. It was scary.
Todd McLaughlin
I agree, it was scary.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah. And I actually created a pod. So I rented space at a hotel. And I hired school teacher. And I became a pod, which was where parents droppped the kids, you know, there were so many working parents that didn’t know what they were going to do with their children, when schools were going online, as well as the parents that felt overwhelmed, to be sitting with them at a computer all day long, you know, so parents would drop the kids early in the morning, and we would have them till the afternoon and the kids, you know, would come with their laptop. And with online, I had teachers helping them throughout their children’s online virtual school. And then we would go and do yoga. And we would do active activities, you know, because it was very hard on the kids. I mean, they were amazing. The way they adapted so quickly, to transitioning to sit online, it was very sad in a way because they were sitting from like, 8:45am in the morning, through 2pm on the computer. Which is so hard for children. So we incorporated the yoga, the breathing for them to move and to get their minds relaxed, you know, and energy release, and to be clear for them to continue on in the day. So we continued that for I think it was about six weeks until the schools went back in person. And then actually, Ladybug yoga transitioned into a camp. So yeah, so anytime there was no school, we would, you know, we would turn into a camp, which it actually then built into, because schools weren’t having us back on campus yet, because of COVID. And then it turned into a summer camp, which the kids just had a blast. And it’s just amazing. You know, every day they would do yoga, and I would incorporate different specialties like karate, art, dance, music drama, we would go swimming, and that was there for them. And then coming back into the fall this year, schools have welcomed us back into doing yoga classes on the premises. So we’re back doing you know, what we used to do, as well as I’m continuing with this amazing camp that I’ve, you know, developed that anytime like, Thanksgiving breaks coming up. So we’ll have camp for those days, you know, winter break will be camp and then go back into another summer camp. Ladybug yoga is just expanding.
Todd McLaughlin
Where do you have a facility and or brick and mortar location? Where were you holding the camp at?
Sandy Chasen
So the camp we were at actually the Renaissance Hotel in Boca. But then that changed and we ended up with summer camp building all the way through till summer camp. But then, now that they’re back in full action, they were too busy to keep hosting us there. So I rent space at this Charter School in Boca Raton, which is wonderful because we have access to the host school. Were the only ones on the premises when I host the camp.
Todd McLaughlin
Wonderful. I am curious…..which charter school are you with?
Sandy Chasen
It’s called an Olympus Academy.
Todd McLaughlin
Okay, I was just curious. That’s great. That way you don’t have to have the challenge of holding down like a five year lease on a place.
Sandy Chasen
Exactly. And I’ve always you know, all the programs, the yoga classes, I’ve been in all the schools, all the facilities, I go in, you know, rent space there and then even the teacher training you know, I come to you guys. So I come for your whole community, you know, to come and share the Ladybug yoga tools with you guys. So it’s wonderful.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s really cool. I love the idea! I’ve always been thinking about you know how to create a camp like setting during the summer because as you’re familiar in South Florida, we have such a busy winter season because so many folks are in from out of town and then often in summer people are traveling, on vacation, the snowbirds go back up north. And you know, we kind of feel that like, Whoa, boy, it’s summer, how are we going to get through it? You know, and then, right, you’re thinking like, it’d be so cool to have a kids, yoga camp in the summer. So I’m so excited to hear some of your ideas about how you’re doing it. Yeah, it’s my pleasure to share. I liked the idea, too, that he said, It sounds like you mentioned that you would bring and then like specialists, like, whether it was martial arts or maybe yeah, dance or so you then kind of outsource to different skill sets to build the excitement of the experience?
Sandy Chasen
Exactly. So every day they’ll do yoga. Every morning, we always start with yoga. And then yeah, in the afternoon, we’ll include a different specialists to come?
Todd McLaughlin
How do you, if you have a child that is having a hard time adapting to what’s going on. Like maybe they get dropped off at camp? And there could be any number of different things that would make them either not want to be there? Or having a difficult time? Do you have a couple of skills or things that you do? That you help the childre to transition into the group? Like perhaps some are having a very difficult situation? Do you ever have children that just don’t want to be there?
Sandy Chasen
I’m actually thinking back to summer camp, because, you know, a lot of the kids had such anxieties, because they were home confined for so long, that they weren’t around other kids, they weren’t out of their home environment that, you know, they have a lot of anxiety from it, coming back into adapting back into the community. So we did have a handful of children who had a lot of anxiety. And, you know, I don’t know if it’s just natural for me to just, you know, support them. And so they feel the love and care and support and that they can be safe. So, you know, they would stay close to me or close to another counselor of mine to just support them, and assist them until they are ready to, you know, leave the nest, just by saying, you know, to talk to other friends more and to start veering on their own around the camp. Yeah, it was actually a big percentage of children struggled with what they went through.
Todd McLaughlin
Did you notice a shift in their receptivity relatively quickly? Like within a day or within a week? What were some of the observations you had?
Sandy Chasen
I would say, each day, you would see them flourishing more, it would take I would say about three days, till they were like shining and felt comfortable. And feel like, oh my gosh, I’m a kid again. You know, like, this is great. Having fun and doing like things with other children.
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah. That’s a good point, I remember my wife and I, well my son is 15 and my daughter’s eight, and when all this was going down, it was, you know, like, when we were in home, we were just like, let’s just try to create as positive environment as much as possible. Even though maybe her and I were stressing out because we were like, “what in the world is going on right now?” On so many levels, but then, you know, we are attempting to try to be solid for them and not have them freak out. But clearly, the parents are freaking out as well. And then obviously, children are feeding off of that. So I just think that’s amazing that you were prepared and ready for utilizing the skills of yoga when all this happened. Like it sounds like you really thought, “let’s think creatively, think outside the box, look for a solution to the problem.” And you really were able to utilize what you already know and love. So it’s like you were really ready for all of this.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah. And then all the kids to that do yoga. Their consciousness is all about caring and sharing and being kind. You know, we, every class, we talk about positivity and how we treat others. And so it’s also amazing to see in action, the kids that already are comfortable and familiar with what we are doing and set the stage for he new kids that come on, you know, come into the camp or the program. They’re amazingly full of support and just so kind and caring to the children and provide whatever needs they may have.
Todd McLaughlin
I hear you! That makes me think, what age range are you focusing on?
Sandy Chasen
So we teach from three and up through elementary, so it’s preschool through elementary school to fifth grade.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s great. So that’s like ages three to ten. That sound right, three to 10? It makes sense that you would specialize into that particular age group. We had someone that was teaching Mommy and Me classes where you have infants coming in with the moms. Yeah, totally cool to watch. So cute, but then I start thinking about, like, from my teenager’s perspective. There is such a different approcah within each of these age groups. When I think of saying, “come on teenagers, let’s go do yoga,” like all of a sudden, something changed, where it’s like, yoga is not so cool. 🙂 Teenagers start to think, if my mom or dad or into yoga, I’m definitely not doing it. 🙂 Like no way.
Sandy Chasen
Well do you want to know the secret with the older kids? You teach more of it, an adult class, like a cool class for them. But the secret is to always challenge them. The minute you challenge the older kids, they thrive off of that, like, they just love that. That’s what gets them.
Todd McLaughlin
Yep. Whereas with the 3 to 10 age group, how is that different? Are you not necessarily thinking how can I challenge them? What is your main focus when working with this age group?
Sandy Chasen
Okay, so with the younger children, so I say preschool up to, you can get away with definitely first grade, sometimes second grade, you’re always painting a picture for them. So it’s all about the storytelling, painting the picture as you’re going through the Yoga, you know, whereas then from that point from third grade and up, it then starts, you’re still like painting the picture. But at the same time, you start challenging. So when they’re in a pose, instead of sharing a story or visualization, you’re telling them okay, hold for the count to 10, or hold for 20. At camp the kids loved it you know, throughout the six weeks of camp, with breathing, we continuously every week, got further and further holding our breath. Up to where at the end of camp at six weeks, I was counting to 100. Of course, I counted fast, but they didn’t realize it. You know, so they’d love that challenge.
Todd McLaughlin
Do you ever take apprentices? I mean, obviously, you got people working for you. But it’s something where this is purely selfish from my behalf, yet, could I try come down one day and actually see how you do what you do?
Sandy Chasen
Yes, I would love for you to, you know, we had in the summer CIC’s, that volunteer, you know, and I’m always open to others who want to come and see it in action and help them be a part of this.
Todd McLaughlin
Okay, that’s cool. That’d be great. I feel like I always learned so much when I actually get a chance to see a program that someone else is running, like in that environment, because it can be overwhelming. You know, when you first a new program, it’s like, what do I do? Where do I start?
Sandy Chasen
Yes, I’d love you to come see it in action. And as well, that’s why I love on teachable, you know, that it’s online, and it’s all visual, it’s all there in person. It’s my girls are there with a bunch of other friends. You see it in action. So that also helps.
Todd McLaughlin
Nice. When Tam and I lived in San Diego, and we had a yoga studio out there and we got involved in the Ashtanga yoga community and right before, I want to say this is in around about 2008-2009, someone had gotten together a really great yoga program where they were allowing yoga teachers to go into the public school system and start teaching yoga. And I guess at one point, some of the teachers were using, you know, down dog and up dog, Then there are poses that are called say Hanuman Asana, which is dedicated to Hanuman, who’s a character out of a story in India called the Ramayana. Therefore there were people that were of religious persuasion that had their buttons pushed because schools are meant to be kept secular. They were fearing the children were being introduced to Hindu culture and/or different religious ideas. And so a lawsuit ensued, and it created a whole bunch of drama and made fairly big headlines. So my question is, how do you navigate the world of respecting different philosophies and/or religious ideas and teach yoga to children?
Sandy Chasen
So that’s a great question. Because I make it very clear in the training, that we do not incorporate any religious teachings. We teach practical tools for everyday life. We do not chant, we do not, you know, we don’t Om, the music is instrumental, the only thing we will include is namaste, if we’re in a Jewish school or Catholic school that doesn’t even want that to be put in. Then we end by saying peace. And we never say put your hands together in prayer position, we always say put your hands together to your heart center. Yeah, so our program has no religious faith associated. Because, yes, dealing with children and parents. You know, they have been weary especially, you know, we’re going on so many years, where now yoga is becoming more mainstream. But in the beginning, it was still very like, oh, yeah, God, you know, yeah, my kid. No, thank you. But it, you know, that’s why I make it very clear in my training that we leave the religion out. And we’re teaching the basic practical tools for their everyday lives.
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah, I think that’s great. That makes perfect perfect sense. But I really like that you even brought attention to the languaging. Around, bring your hands together at heart center versus your hands into prayer position, because I’ve never really thought of that. But you’re right, that implies prayer, which could push a button. Yeah. Interesting. Any other things that you’ve noticed around that? I’m just curious? What else do we do in yoga that we assume is okay but maybe is not?
Sandy Chasen
We have in our section, you will learn hand poses, which are mudras, that we only call them hand poses? You know, so yeah. So we leave out, you know, that aspect as well as all our poses are named after animals or things or, you know, we don’t use the sanskrit names at all.
Todd McLaughlin
Gotcha. That’s really cool. In terms of, with children, and this is in the realm of alignment, and I know that alignment is just a great just topic of discussion alone. But for example, we have certain methods of yoga that are really interested in trying to set up good alignment for good reasons that will be healthy, and we won’t maybe try poses that are too advanced for us, like, we got to build a good foundation. And then there’s like really specific details like, you know, put your heels on the same line and turn this foot at this anglel. And when you reach your arm above your head, turn your palm this direction, and what role does alignment play in the process of teaching children yoga?
Sandy Chasen
So that’s another great question. You’re asking all these amazing questions. I love that. Because I’m very particular as well with, you know, what is involved in my classes and with the kids class, you know, because we’re truly building their self esteem up. So they can shine and grow. We do not, you know, correct them. If they’re not perfectly aligned. If you see that there, they could injure themselves, how they’re doing the pose. Yeah, then we will jump in and correct them. Yeah. But however creatively, they’re doing the pose that we’re you know, all in, we just say what a great job they’re doing. We inspire them, we build their self esteem. So that’s when we, you know, we’ll jump in, if we see they can injure themselves. And, you know, in a class, you have all different levels. So you may have, you know, the gymnasts and the dancers, and then you have a child who can’t even get into a half lotus. So the teacher needs to be very aware of each child’s limitation. But we want to challenge them. So with the gymnasts and the dancers will get them to go into a full lotus at the same time a child who can even cross their legs with the knees down, we will get them to go in that cross leg where they’re comfortable, you know, and we will tell both of them what a great job they’re doing at their level.
Todd McLaughlin
Yes. Nice. That makes. Yeah, that makes sense. I was just visualizing the juggling act that is going on, in a sense, like you said, with the different range of ability levels are present.
Sandy Chasen
It becomes more natural as you go on with your practice of teaching.
Todd McLaughlin
Yes. Nice.
Sandy Chasen
And it’s important that you’re challenging at each level so that kids can in one second, if they lose their attention, if you’re not continuously moving, flowing, challenging them making that exciting, you’ve lost them, and then that’s a recipe for disaster because then they misbehave and you know. So yeah, it’s beautiful. It’s like a beautiful flow of class. And it goes really fast. Because it’s so much fun.
Todd McLaughlin
I bet. What are the typical durations of sessions that you’ll hold with kids say, from the 3 to 10 year group? Are you like a 15 minute class? 30 minute?
Sandy Chasen
Throughout the training, you’ll see I’ve divided it into three groups. So preschool is 30 minutes. So the younger kids, their attention span is 30 minutes. In which that class goes by in a second. Then you have like, the elementary school age, I would say 45 minutes or an hour. You know, really, even though it’s an hour class, you’re only teaching about 45 minutes. By the time they take their shoes and socks off. And you you know, we always do an introductory icebreaker question. For the kids that are shy, you know, it’s beautiful, that they get to share. And that breaks the ice for class. Everyone’s on the same form together and go so those are the three categories 30, 45 or an hour.
Todd McLaughlin
Yeah, that makes that makes perfect sense. That’s really cool. When you’re working with kids, and you’re, you have all that going on at the same time. As far as being a trainer like you’re, you’re attempting to train other people how to do this? Is that hard or easy for you?
Sandy Chasen
I love it. I thrive. You know. It’s just like the kids how it’s natural. You know, how inspired they get throughout a class. It’s the same with my training, like my students. They’re sponges and sucking it in and they’re so inspired and excited. And I love that. Kids are a passion of mine. That’s lots of fun.
Todd McLaughlin
I’m excited. You lead by example. Obviously you’re getting in there and saying, “this is how you do it.” Follow me.
Sandy Chasen
Yeah, definitely. You guys become my kid. During the training.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s cool. You told me a really great story that was amazing with the way that Maya interacted with that child.
Sandy Chasen
Oh Jada. Jada is my youngest. Maya is my oldest..
Todd McLaughlin
Can you share any other really cute moments? Something that you’ve seen that just melted your heart?
Sandy Chasen
Yeah, I love seeing, you know, the sigh breath is our go to breath. You do three sigh breaths. I’ve taught the girls, I’ve instilled it, no matter where you are, what’s going on? You know, you take those three breaths and everything shifts. And my girls. I mean, any time they’re sad, anxious or stressed. They’re, you know, just overwhelmed or they are fighting with each other. Or they’re tired or so cranky. They do their three breaths. And I’m telling you it’s instant. And they feel it and they’re like, ah, like, Yes, I feel better now. You know, and their minds more clear their bodies calmer and so that I love seeing. It never gets old and I think it’s so important.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s really cool. And you said that you’ve already watched your daughter’s teach a kids yoga class? They kind of grabbed the reigns and gone ahead with it.
Sandy Chasen
It’s amazing! Yeah. And especially when they were younger, they used to set up their dolls and they would do a Ladybug yoga class for their dolls. And now it’s like they can teach the other kids and they’ve memorized the whole curriculum. They were there for the online training, they were my models in the manual, as well, as, you know, in the live version.
Todd McLaughlin
That’s really cool. I, you know, when, when my son was young, we took him to India with us, and he would come and practice alongside with us, yet it was early in the morning, so he probably was like, just wanting to sleep anyway. And so we’d bring a yoga mat, a little blanket, and he would just come in and sleep and crash out. We would bring some coloring books. He could relax or choose to practice yoga if he liked.There was a lot of cats and dogs that were, interestingly enough, just kind of mulling around, and when you would go into down dog and the cats would crawl up on you. And it was quite an interesting experience. I feel like, you know, he got fully immersed in that type of thing. It was really amazing. I might have more questions, but I know I have at least one more for you and it’s one that I get from parents often. And it’s it’s how can I inspire my child to practice yoga? They say “I really want my kid to do yoga.” What is some advice that you would give parents that are wanting their children to practice?
Sandy Chasen
They should take the Ladybug yoga teacher training! They learn and then go home and bring it to their children. The training works because that’s their language training. You know, this curriculum is the kids language. And once they bring in the fun and excitement, you know it, they’ll be hooked in an instant.
Todd McLaughlin
Awesome. Good answer. I personally am really excited to take the training with you. I can’t wait. I can’t wait for your visit. Is there anything you would like to close with? Any thoughts, feelings? Anything that comes to mind that you could share with us to help close our conversation today?
Sandy Chasen
Well, I’m just excited to come and share, you know, this beautiful program with you guys to keep sharing it with and to the kids, because that’s been my dream of, you know, just inspiring every child around the world to teach them these tools to help them throughout their lives. So I really appreciate doing this today, as well as hosting me and, you know, getting my dream to become a reality.
Todd McLaughlin
Awesome, Sandy. Well, I really appreciate you taking time. I was looking forward to this. Thank you so much.
Sandy Chasen
I appreciate it.
Todd McLaughlin
I’ll be seeing you soon.
Sandy Chasen
Okay, sounds good.
Todd McLaughlin
Take care.
Sandy Chasen
Bye, Todd.
Todd McLaughlin
Well, there you have it. I hope you enjoyed our discussion today. Remember, if you would like to participate in the kids yoga teacher training with Sandy, with the Ladybug yoga program. Go ahead and visit our website nativeyogacenter.com. On the homepage, there’s a link at the bottom that you’ll easily find. And that’s about it my friends. If you have any questions, reach out to me info@nativeyogacenter.com Thanks again and talk to you see you soon. Native Yoga Toddcast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you liked this show, let me know, if there’s room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve. And if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info@Nativeyogacenter.com. You can find us at nativeyogacenter.com. And hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends, rate it and review and join us next time!
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