Today I want to introduce you to Anne a new Mama and life coach living in London, who like myself is finding her yoga practice is changing as she adapts to motherhood. I love learning how Anne’s yoga practice has evolved as her motivation and needs have changed. Sometimes we have to try different classes and styles of yoga before we find one that is right for us. Anne shares the insights she has gained along the yoga path.
– Tell us a little about yourself
I’m an anglified Dane living in suburban London. I’ve been here for the past 6.5 years, totalling a staggering 8.5 years in the UK! I met the love of my life the day I sat foot at my London office {though we didn’t start dating until 8 months later!}, and together we welcomed our baby girl into the world in October last year. I started out on a very traditional path studying law a university, followed by corporate jobs in London. I moved around in jobs quite a bit, always seeking validation in promotions and pay raises. Ultimately I realised my constant chase for validation was about me not being fulfilled, and I’ve since trained and become certified, first as a health and subsequently, a life coach. At the moment, I’m chilling out at home on maternity leave with my babe while building my coaching business .
– 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?
Exact 5 years ago this January just gone I fell while out running on a cold, dark evening. As a result my ribs got badly bruised and I was advised to stay away from running for a while. A colleague had been raving about this ‘bikram yoga’ and after a few weeks of inactivity I craved moving my body. I went along to a class and was instantly hooked. For a number of months I almost fanatically attended as many bikram classes as I could. It was a strange combination of feeling mostly horrid during class – dizzy, nauseous, out of breath, shaky – and absolutely high & cleansed afterwards. The latter had me coming back for more.
I became curious about the history, ‘theory’ and culture of yoga – especially bikram yoga, and the more I read, the more uncomfortable I become about Bikram (the founder himself), the rigidity of the copyright of what’s essentially just a series of bodily movements and the cult-like behaviour of Bikram teachers. I know many who are able to separate ‘the Bikram from the yoga’ – however for me this wasn’t possible and I began seeking out other forms of yoga. I had noticed a yoga studio right across from my work offices and it was here I raised my arms in my first sun salutation, in a class called ‘more than a hot power hour’ in the middle of the afternoon and surrounded by what turned out to be experienced teachers and {very} flexible dancers. Yet, here I felt supported, at home, at ease with where ever I was in my practice. So my ‘yoga story’ is one of more coincidence and random circumstances, but has brought so much other than just yoga along with it.
– What keeps you returning to your yoga mat?
The connection I get to my body and spirit! For me, yoga gives me the opportunity and space to truly feel what’s going on with my body and mind. I’m encouraged to listen to and honour it. In my yoga practice I am able to let go, surrender and release what is weighing heavy on my shoulders. Plus it is here I’m able to fully, deeply appreciate and be grateful for my physical body, something I’ve struggled with in the past.
– How has your yoga practice filtered through to your everyday life?
Yoga kick-started a bigger ‘healthy living’ overhaul in my life. Within 6 months I gave up smoking, got more aware of how and what I ate, how my body reacted to movement, food, rest, work. For a while I had a keen interesting in the philosophy behind yoga, but since I’m both a learning-junkie and very independent, I struggle to live by ‘one’ philosophy alone, and prefer to dip in and out of many different approaches to life and personal growth, and combine what I learn into something which suits my unique spirit and life. I always return to yoga though, to re-connect with myself and this is where it all started.
– What is your favorite yoga pose, breathing practice or mantra?
I love working on anything hip opening. I’m a stiff runner so if a teacher guides us into pigeon pose I’m one happy girl. But my favourite pose is shavasana. Everything goes quiet – both inside and around me. It’s here I’m given time to feel and listen to my body and mind, what they need.
– What advice do you have for those just starting out on their yoga journey?
Be open! Don’t worry about knowing anything about yoga or not being able to do the poses. A good yoga studio, a good yoga teacher is all about the journey of you and different postures, not about the posture itself. In fact the best, most encouraging, inspiring and helpful conversations and moments in yoga has come from all the things I couldn’t/can’t do or struggled/struggle with.
– How has your yoga practice evolved over time?
I’m definitely a modern day yoga ‘stereotype’! Coming to yoga for purely exercise/fitness reasons, doing mostly sweaty vinyasa classes, but over the years I’ve found I prefer the more slow styles with an inwards focus {yin yoga is great for this!}, and styles of yoga which are strong & slow so I’m allowed to hang out in the postures and feel how my body and mind reacts to them. I also do much less ‘class-based’ yoga and instead have a home practice of sorts – either completely on my own or I find an online ‘class’. However, this is not by choice and only because I no longer have a great yoga studio near me! Also, I stress much less about ‘how well’ I do the postures, having been lucky enough to practice under teachers who encourage building the right strength and technique along with just enjoying where you are at your practice.
– What are you loving right now?
I recently became a mama, so I’m grateful if I just get 5 minutes on a yoga mat a few times a week to stretch the body out, and find myself in the foggy landscape of new mamahood.
– How do you nurture yourself?
This too has changed with mamahood! Nurture these days is about finding a few minutes to myself each day. Letting the kitchen be a mess, allow the washing to build up and instead sit quietly for 5 minutes in meditation while the baby is asleep. It’s about remembering to get kisses and cuddles from my baby daddy when all our attention is mostly on the baby. It’s about eating foods that sustain my strength and energy, about reading a good book, getting fresh air into my lungs daily, have soulful conversation with my girlfriends. It’s about gratitude – writing down a few things each day I’m grateful for. Nurturing myself will look different each day, and is anchored in a bigger goal/aspiration/principle of ‘what feels good’. Over time I’ve learnt that I’m only able to know what truly feels good for me if I have a deep, soulful connection to myself, so on a day-to-day basis this is what’s most important to maintain – a deep connection to myself.
– What wisdom has your yoga practice revealed to you that you’d like to share with us?
It’s all about enjoying the journey, not rushing towards the end-goal. This applies to yoga and to life!
A huge thank you to Anne for sharing her passion for yoga with us and generously giving the time to this interview in the early days of mamahood!
Bio
Anne is a Certified Holistic Health & Life Coach. She supports women create the life they love; women who struggle with feeling fulfilled and disconnected in their lives and want to nourish themselves with healthy {natural} foods, conscious lifestyle practices, and a bit of hippy-ish woo woo magic {i.e. spirituality}. She partners with women to uncover and transform the limiting beliefs and patterns of body + soul + mind so that they can move forward and craft the life the love.
You can find out more about Anne and connect with her over on her website.
