Yoga Love – An interview with Bianca Maclachlan

Bianca

 

Today we meet Bianca, a yogini and dog lover I share a passion in wellness, nutrition, and of course yoga with. I have so much in common with this girl, even our taste in music. I love how she describes the transformation yoga has had on her life. We may start yoga for one reason, but it opens us up to so much more. Give yourself some uninterrupted time to read, cup of tea in hand and have a nose around her social media sites too. Enjoy!

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1.Tell us a little about yourself

I’m a yoga teacher, a health coach, mindfulness coach and a personal trainer, and a total wellness junkie. I run my own business called Vitality Health Coaching and I spend my days helping people improve their lives in whatever way that I can – using yoga, nutrition, meditation, lifestyle habits, fitness – and it is the most amazing experience! I love what I do, and I love spreading that love around.

I’m also vegan, a big greenie, and my dream is to be totally off-grid and self-sufficient! Luckily my husband shares the dream so we’re working on making that happen. I also love traveling, making smoothies, reading books, writing, and hanging out with my two adorable dogs (a pug and a lab).

 

2. Everyone who has ended up on a yoga mat raising their arms in their first sun salutation has a story of what led them there. What’s yours?

I started practicing yoga when I was about 20 (because I’d heard it was cool!), and loved it but then I started traveling and became more interested in partying so that fell to the wayside.

Then about four years ago (I was 31) I went through a break up and I had this realization that my life was heading nowhere. I was basically just drinking and partying, going to work, then coming home and drinking and partying some more. There was no direction at all. So I went on a massive detox, cleaned up my diet and my habits, and suddenly I could hear this little voice inside me saying “You need to get back to yoga”. So I did. And I’ve never stopped!

 

3. What keeps you returning to your yoga mat?

There are so many reasons. When I get on my mat I feel like time stops. It allows me to head inwards and connect to myself, and I feel that stillness in my body and my mind. It’s like the world stops turning for a moment! And it keeps me healthy, not just in the physical sense but also emotionally, mentally. I make better choices for myself; it helps keep me moving in the direction that I’m going in. And it makes me feel so amazing! That feeling at the end of a yoga session, you can’t match it.

 

4. How has your yoga practice filtered through to your everyday life?

Yoga has had a massive influence on my life. Since starting my practice four years ago I’ve quit drinking, quit smoking, left a local government job and started my own wellness business, become a yoga teacher, traveled to countries I never dreamed I’d go to. It’s helped me to see who I really am, and let go of everything I was holding onto that wasn’t supporting me. My relationship with myself and the people in my life has grown deeper and more real. It’s grown my confidence and I no longer worry about what other people think, or trying to fit in. I’m happy doing what makes me happy.

 

5. What is your favorite yoga pose, breathing practice or mantra?

I do pranayama every day, regardless of whether I’m doing a physical practice, and I love Anuloma Viloma. I feel completely balanced once I’m done. I also love the 1:1 breath with a pause at the top and the bottom. This breathing exercise calms my mind and I get so much clarity from it.

 

6. What advice do you have for those just starting out on their yoga journey?

Don’t put any expectations on yourself, don’t make any comparisons to yourself. Just go with it and notice what happens. Then keep going with it, and keep noticing. If you start bringing judgement into it then you’ll only stop whatever wants to happen from actually happening. Be gentle on yourself.

 

7. How has your yoga practice evolved over time?

It started as a weekly class that I’d go along to, which increased to four classes a week, then I found myself doing my 200RYT! I’ve developed a home practice, which alternates between asana, meditation and pranayama, and as part of my business I’m teaching seven weekly classes and a number of privates as well. So I guess you could say it evolved from something I would do occasionally, to a focal point of my existence.

These days I’m working on the progression of the meditation side of my practice which continues to go up and down, but I’ve placed more importance on this aspect of yoga. I have no doubt that it will continue to evolve as I do.

 

8. What are you loving right now? 

In no particular order dandelion root tea, Sia, Elizabeth Gilbert, essential oils, decluttering, connecting with more spiritual people in my town, making travel plans with my hubby and Russell Brand.

 

9. How do you nurture yourself?

By giving myself permission to step away from my phone/laptop and have some down time. This is a hard one for me, and probably any small business owner. Putting the technology away and reading a book or having a long bath is blissful to me. I also put 40 minutes aside every day for pranayama and meditation and I’m learning that this is invaluable. The busier I am, the more necessary that is.

 

10. What wisdom has your yoga practice revealed to you that you’d like to share with us?

That other people’s opinions really have nothing to do with you! Nor should they have any impact on your life. I never realized how much this affected me in the past until it stopped affecting me. The most important thing we can do with our lives is live them according to our own truth, our dharma – living in the way that is true to us. Make decisions based on your values and stop worrying about what other people or society dictates for you. As Wayne Dyer says, don’t die with your music still in you.

Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us!

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Bio

bianca - profileBianca MacLachlan is a Health Coach, Mindfulness Coach, Yoga Teacher and Personal Trainer.

She’s the founder of Vitality Health Coaching, and she believes that health encompasses all aspects of our being – body, mind and spirit – and that our happiness and vitality lies in nourishing this balance.

Bianca coaches women who are looking to find their balance, to move away from the struggle and towards bringing peace and ease into their lives.

She also runs regular indoor and outdoor yoga classes, teaching a soulful mix of pranayama (breath work), asana (movement) and meditation, and trains those looking to focus on every aspect on their health, not just their physical fitness.

If you’re interested in Health Coaching or Mindfulness Coaching, or to find out more about yoga and personal training options, email vitalityhealthcoaching@outlook.com.

Connect with Bianca on FacebookInstagram and Twitter

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