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

I knew very little about it and I was curious to know what yoga was

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

body originally, spirit more recently — I love the peacefulness

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since I was pregnant with my daughter, now in her 40s! — she’s much better at yoga than I

How frequently do you practice yoga?

2-3 times per week

For you, what are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

I love my yoga class for the direction and encouragement

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

not really, but the gentler the better

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

getting the posture and holding it — but I still have trouble blocking out distractions

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

less body pain, greater flexibility

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

a friend recently told me about walking meditation and we do it together

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I walk a lot and love my water aerobics classes

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

absolutely! — mostly stretches at my kitchen counter, but I’ve been known to strike a tree pose almost anywhere

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

easy one — I choose outdoors, even if it’s not a beautiful day — but circumstances mostly keep me indoors

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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

for me, most definitely the body initially, I was trying to repair damage I had done from running to my back and knees — but the calming aspect came as an added bonus

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

it’s probably more in balance now – there has been a lot of change in my life in past two years, I have changed countries and jobs and it’s been a positive but not stress free change and yoga gives me space to release the physical and mental stress of the transition and focus on the joy of the change

How long have you been practicing yoga?

on and off twenty years, it is like an old friend that comes back into my life whenever I need it

How frequently do you practice yoga?

at the moment I am on a roll of about two to three times a week as I am trying to wrestle my body back from the jagged teeth of menopause — regular yoga is helping me feel back in control of a body that often does not feel like my own just now and often feels out of my control

For you, what are the benefits of classes at a studio or with a group vs practicing yoga at home?

I am inherently lazy so I prefer a class as I will challenge myself more if I am in a structured class but sometimes on a sat morning there is nothing nicer than having a coffee, lighting a candle, rolling out the mat and having a quiet stretch

You’re a psychology professor — is there much of a connection between your professional and scholarly interests and your yoga practice?

there isn’t a direct link between my academic research and my yoga practice in that I don’t research it as a topic but I am generally interested in well-being and human behaviour so there are parallels

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

all of it was hard, I am inflexible, have rubbish balance and a very, very busy mind but I like a challenge and I like the feeling of seeing the change in these as you practice, I still find the busy mind the hardest

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

greater flexibility and less pain, it keeps me well enough to run which I love but as I get older also the feeling of calm

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

I need to be outside and need regular fixes of the sea — I find it so restorative being outside so I like to swim outdoors or run — that’s my meditation

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

yes, as above, I swim and I run – which all makes me sound fitter than I am – both I do slowly

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch?

in the office, I sit at the computer a lot so I will often stretch out my back after long time seated

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

always, always, always outdoors and even better if near water

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

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

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

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

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

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

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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

ha! I was 11 years old when I first began to dabble in yoga because I wanted to be cool like my older sister who was trying out Kareen Zebroff’s yoga on T.V. — in my early 20’s I was more serious and was equally interested in all aspects (body, mind, spirit), although to start I mostly focused on the body

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

for sure these elements are more in balance now … (and when they are out of balance, they are all out of balance together!)

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

if you included my dabbling in yoga, I have been practicing yoga for 50 years — for me, yoga is like brushing your teeth and for sure I practice some form of yoga every day

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

20 years (not including the dabbling)

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I have practiced many styles but what calls to me most are the slower, more gentle approaches to asana and pranayama (breathing) so that the practice becomes a moving meditation

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

my greatest challenge in yoga (and life) has always been to learn not to try so hard — like many, I began the practice of yoga wanting to “rock the poses” and look amazing — with time and practice and steady, mindful breathing, I slowly began to learn not to push, or force, or strive but instead relax and soften and open and become less concerned with how I looked and more receptive to what the body (and life) was trying to show me — I think this was one of my reasons for wanting to teach — they say we should teach what we most want to learn — I wanted to feel more connected . . . with myself, with others and with the earth

From your experience sharing yoga with children, can you generalize about what comes easiest for young people and what is more challenging?

kids are such natural yogis — they are like little gurus — they have so much to teach us about being in the body and in the moment — of course, “every body’s different” and some kids are easily discouraged or distracted — sharing ways to focus energy, calm energy, release energy can be very powerful (and fun) and kids tend to latch onto this quite quickly — I always tell kids that being “good” at yoga doesn’t mean touching your toes or perfect balance, it means being good at listening to your body, listening to your feelings, listening to your heart

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

oh wow! I think the benefits are endless — yoga helped me through my teens and through my pregnancies and the births of my babies — it has helped me with confidence and patience and a stronger back and calmer mind — I “played” yoga with my children and that yoga became our lifeline through the storms of teens — (later, through university and professional careers, two of my daughters taught yoga and another shared yoga with children and other teachers in her school) — yoga helps to improve my health and my sleep and my relationships and truly touches every aspect of my life in a powerful and profound way — I believe yoga is a gift we give ourselves

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

yes, I practice pranayama, (breathing practice) meditation, (in different forms, walking, sitting, body scans, sound etc.) mantra and yoga nidra

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

absolutely, I often balance or practice a hip stretch while brushing my teeth, I’ve been known to squat while watching TV or sit in hero’s pose if I’m digesting a large meal, or tuck into tortoise pose during ads, and sometimes I will swing my legs up the wall while chatting with my sister on the phone

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

as much as I love to connect with nature, if I am leading the class, I would choose the indoor space in order to better build and contain the energy

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

Polynesia!

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

[editor’s note: congratulations to Annette Wardell for winning a national competition to become The Face of Vegan Happy Clothing]

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

I was initially attracted to yoga as a means of calming both body and mind during rehearsal periods and before performances — the pranayama is a wonderful way of anchoring the diaphragm, so essential to healthy and sustained singing

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

now all yogic elements are equally important — mind, body and spirit are inextricably linked through regular self practise — as a long time vegan, one of the core yogic teachings or yamas, Ahimsa, has become one of the most treasured elements of my daily life and of my yoga practise

How long have you been practicing yoga?

I’ve been practising yoga in one form or another for about ten years

How frequently do you practice now?

I try to practise every day now, although with a hectic performing career this isn’t always easy — I take a travel yoga mat with me everywhere I go, so that even in far flung hotel rooms practise is always possible

How does yoga affect your life as a professional opera singer?

yoga has enhanced my life as an opera singer immeasurably — it has strengthened my balance and core, my breath control has improved-hugely important for opera singers, and connecting to my calming breath has banished any lingering nerves forever!

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa is my go to, but I have been known to glow my way through an Ashtanga class or two

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

as someone with a super active mind, blocking out distractions and calming my inner voice has always been challenging for me — I’m hyper mobile, so the physical challenges of yoga feel relatively easy compared to the mental ones

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

the benefits of regular yoga practise have been incredible — better quality sleep, stronger core and balance, lower blood pressure, stronger muscles and and a much calmer, relaxed outlook

For you, what are the benefits of classes at a studio or with a group vs practicing yoga at home?

I love the social aspect of group classes, and having an expert on hand to realign, check postures and lead is great — but due to the nature of my job, solitary practise has become the norm, and I treasure the peace and tranquility which comes with it

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

I meditate regularly using the Breethe app, and as an opera singer I have a set of fabulous breathing exercises which I use before singing practise and as stand alone exercises

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

I’m always moving into random yoga poses at home — wheel pose during TV adverts, tree pose when I’m waiting for the kettle to boil, and a strange variation of warrior while I brush my teeth

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

I’d much rather take a class outdoors surrounded by nature — there’s something about connecting to the elements that is ultimately spiritual and incredibly freeing — any distractions seem much easier to ignore when they are part of a bigger natural soundscape

—interview © Marshal Zeringue