This is such an awesome chat. i literally laughed out loud at the 'Yoga for fit is the gateway drug', its soooo completely true. I know so many people who got into it as an exercise and then found Pratyahara or another more engaging, inner facing, spiritual part of it and were just hooked. I think, its how it ends up becoming less of a workout and more of a way of life. :)
I also totally agree with the points you ladies are making on these different styles. I first was drawn to Yin yoga, as my former training was in qigong and I loved the connective tissue component to Yin yoga. How its less about the muscles and the stretching as it is about your deeper tissues and really sinking into those shapes, feeling them out fully and becoming them, really. As I study further to teach (focusing on Hatha and partially Iyengar) I'm learning that people can find rigidity in ANYTHING. Even Vinyasa, and its flowing nature, that allowing, the flow, comes I believe from the space you cultivate, the mind, and the breath, more than it does from the actual movements. You guys are spot on with exploring the creativity and expanding outward from the practice, I agree that is so important! That's what I really enjoyed most about this interview, how you both described what that process was really like for you. I think every yogi who really delves into the practice goes through that, and you both described it so nicely from your own experience.
Your space is beautiful, and I really LOVE your off-grid idea. I can imagine that a retreat like that would be super healing and connecting. Also, I ordered a yoga trapeze last week and I am super stoked to hang in the thing.
Also this - "I love the energizing feeling of all that blood rushing in and around your brain. It feels so healing and relazing, as well as being so energizing. I catch myself full of thought sometimes, and I release it because for an inversion you really need that discipline, that single pointed focus." Spot on. If my brain is cluttered, inversions are really tough. I save them for near the end of a session for that very reason.
Thanks for the awesome read. As always, I look forward to more yoga chat! :) <3
Wow, thanks for that amazing comment. We love your contributions to Natural Medicine and can't wait to interview you about your own process!