108: The story of how yoga saved us (with my lifelong yoga teacher Kelly Brookbank)
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Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Moments Podcast. I am here with someone very special in my life. Someone who has been a part of my life for, I think, 10 years now? Yeah. 10 years. Her name is Kelly. She's been my yoga teacher. She's been basically a mother to me for the past 10 years. She taught me to teach yoga. She taught me to...

find myself. She taught me pretty much everything I know and how to love myself and take care of myself and all of that. So this is Miss Kelly Brookbank.

You want to say hello? Hello. And I figured... No one knows people. No one knows people. I have wanted to have her on the podcast for quite some time now just because you guys have all heard me tell my story about yoga, how I found it, why I do it. And you've probably heard me talk about Kelly in Costa Rica 20 million thousand times. And now we get to put the voice to the name and she can tell you her side of everything and just talk about yoga and why you should do it and why...

It was life-changing for me and for her. And yeah, I guess to start us off, just tell me a few things about yourself and how you found yoga and why you do yoga. Well, I'm originally from North Carolina. And after graduate school, I began my career as a CPA, similar to Lissette. Oh my gosh, I totally, every single time. I forget that every time. Yeah, so I was working a lot.

A lot of hours, a lot of stress. And this was when yoga was not on every corner. There were actually only like

I think there was only one at the time, studio in Charlotte, North Carolina. I can't imagine how many there are now. It was Iyengar, which is uncommon. My teacher, my first teacher, was actually teaching in the basement of a Baptist church in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mary Lou Buck. But in any case, we didn't really have media like we have now either. One of my coworkers literally had one of those

magazines that would have concerts and goings on about hometowns. And there was like a little advertisement for yoga in the basement of the church. And so he said, I was his supervisor. So he said, do you want to go? I said, well,

If you sign this up and send it all, I'll go with you type thing. So I thought maybe he won't even do it, but he did. And so here we go. We find the church, the basement, which was kind of an ordeal to actually get there. And we're like going down and down and down. It was very cold. It was like winter time. And I remember my favorite part of the whole thing was the end, the

the shavasana. She gave us these blankets and I just felt like a little cocoon, like so warm and so relaxed. And that's what drew me in. Like I was young, but I was in my mid twenties, but I wasn't looking for it as a workout mechanism. Like a lot of people do now. I was literally very stressed at my job and I loved the way it made me feel.

So my coworker and I went for like a six-week session and then he decided he didn't want to go back so I told her, "Hey, I want to sign up again." And she said, "Oh, now that he's not coming with you, I'm going to put you in the intermediate class." So I used to joke that he was pulling me back.

But I stayed with it ever since that day. I started doing it regularly to help with the stress of my job. And then my teacher eventually got a studio. So I actually moved out of the basement. Yeah, she got a studio in Dilworth on East Boulevard. And I got to go help her kind of start that. And then I just got really interested in learning more about it.

So she was advertising for a teacher training. She wasn't leading it, but one of her teachers from Kripalu Center was coming down to Charlotte to teach it. So I just signed up for it. No idea. I just like...

was making good money. I wrote a check in full. I'm like, I want to do it. She's like, oh, okay. And I literally looked at it like continuing education. Learn more. And I was hooked. I eventually, as soon as I got finished, started teaching it. And then gradually I left accounting more and more and became full-time. Ended up here in Florida. Now you've been teaching for...

- Holy cow. - Yeah. - No, guys, Kelly is literally the most knowledgeable person when it comes to yoga I've ever met in my whole entire life, which is why I'm kind of sort of redoing some of my teacher training just to relearn everything because we'll get into it later. But I get nervous to teach now, which I don't want to, but yeah, that's so cool. I totally forget that you were a CPA and that you started in the basement doing yoga. Now we're here. - It was a secret, secret in the basement.

There's no telling how many studios are in Charlotte now. I mean, look how many are here. But back then, it just wasn't a thing. I'm so glad that it now is a thing. But I loved it when it wasn't cool. And I will love it till the end of time. So I'm committed. I'm full on committed. I also think a lot of people now just do yoga for like power yoga just for the workout and view it as something so different than what I grew

grew up seeing it as like i did it for my mind and it was never really about how it made my body feel now it's both because like the stretching is crazy it's so great um but yeah it's crazy now that most people are just doing it for fitness fitness takes away from it to me but well we joke there's eight limbs not just one like asana postures poses is one of eight limbs but if that's what gets people to the table so to speak then they're still going to get the benefits

they're just going to breathe in the rest of the benefits and eventually fall in love with it. I think all of it. A lot of people do. So, you know, whatever gets someone to come to it, it's their journey. Exactly. This is a great point. But,

But yeah, basically you guys know the situation of how I found yoga. I'm not going to get super into it because there's like a million thousand of these episodes that go over it. But when I was struggling. But now I'm here. I know. Now I'm like, I'm going to take it all the way from the top. I feel like I have this story just like locked in my brain like crazy.

When I was in eighth grade, it was, I found myself super, super anxious and depressed. But back then I didn't really understand mental health. Like we didn't talk about anxiety or depression. I didn't know what I was feeling. I just thought like I was sick, like insensitive.

internally dying for some reason. Because I never thought, you know, social anxiety could make my stomach hurt and make me not want to go to school or not want to get on the bus. And it was horrible. And I tried most things. I tried acupuncture. I tried going to the doctor, again, because I didn't think it was something in my mind. I thought it was something in my body. I've never really tried therapy. Not sure why, but I'm kind of glad I didn't at the time because maybe then I wouldn't have found yoga and Kelly. But

My mom said to me one day, like, why don't you come to yoga with me? And at that time, I was 13 years old. I thought yoga was just for hippies who go to music festivals and, like, I don't know. It just wasn't something that ever seemed like I would be interested in. And I listened to her, though, because at this point, I was just looking for anything, any way to feel better. And I went to one yoga class with her. I think it was at...

I don't remember, but it was like Bikram. It was where it was the 26 poses or something. And it was in a hot room. And I just immediately fell in love with

the way that it made me feel, like, in my mind. I went from, in just an hour-long class, feeling empty and, like, seeing all the darkness in the world, and then during the class, my teacher just filled the room with so much light and, like, such a bright energy and just made me have hope again, and I started seeing the world in color again, and...

Honestly after that first class I just kept going with my mom after that. I think I made her get me a membership. I ended up quitting All Star Cheerleading which I had been doing my whole entire life because I was determined that I was going to become a yoga teacher. And I was 13 so like this is not something that many people were doing at that age or I don't think really anyone at the time.

But I was determined and I was going to find somewhere and I had my mom help me and she's like, well, we can't afford it if you're still doing cheer. And it was like the easiest decision I ever made to quit cheer, the sport I grew up doing because of this newfound passion for yoga. And my mom called studio after studio. I think it was like at least seven different studios before somehow we ended up calling Kelly and we found Kelly and she was the first one to

to be willing to take me in. At 13, she took me through seven months of training and honestly one of the most asked questions was why did you say yes to me? What made you want to take me in, little baby me? Well, your mom is really good. She's convincing. So, you know, I think she and I just like really hit it off when she called to chat about it and ask the questions.

And we did already have a program going that a few young people were in, including Vivian.

Because we had started with Boca High, working there. And Vivian was doing yoga with me. So I remember giving her as a reference to your mom. So she would know that I was already working with some young people. And I think just that all tied together. Your mom felt confident in me. I felt like you had a really solid parent behind you. And that you were capable of doing it. And 100%, I was right. I don't know if you remember, but...

Now I do just separate teen or college kid programs for the most part. Back then you were just mixed in with my adults. Yeah, I was with like 25 year olds and 50 year olds. You, Vivian, and some others were in that training. And what was great is you were so confident to be so young. First of all, you paid attention.

and you listened and you didn't seem bored. And anytime I called on you, you could give an answer or you would pop right up and demonstrate. And it was actually so great for the older people in the room. It's like, look, she's not sweating this. So like, come on, step up to the table. You were very confident and a very amazing and

And you know, everything I presented to you, you could just handle it. And, you know, it was great. You were very, this is why it's so odd to me that you don't want to use your voice now. Because when you were young and you should have been perhaps shy with your words, you were very confident. Well, I think it just comes from like, I don't know, I guess when you're little, you have no fear.

And I guess I just didn't have that fear. Now, I always think back to that. Like you always say, I was at the top of my class back when I was getting certified and I was so young. And I slightly remember that, but why now am I just so nervous and shy? I need to like tap back into my...

inner child to get back to it, but grounded and centered. Yeah. Always. Quick little intermission. I'm telling you guys about something I'm so excited about. Masterclass has been really reminding me that I need to just chase my dreams. And if I want to see them become a reality, I have to just take the first step.

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Now I will say, I don't know if you remember this, the first time you got on the big stage at Yoga Fest, you told me, I feel like I'm going to vomit. I'm like, just breathe, you'll be fine. That's exactly what I'm supposed to do. Use everything I learned in yoga to just calm myself down. And by the way, you were fine. Yeah, I know. It's all just, it's just nerves. It's the same thing with anything. I think I just get, we all get nervous before something and then we do it and it's like it was nothing we needed to worry about in the first place.

This is why the tool of breath is helpful. It helps with that fight or flight energy that when the nerves come, it's not a fake thing. You know, your pulse goes up, you start sweating. There are variables that happen that make that feel worse than it is. And you take it back, back it up, get grounded with your breath, and then it becomes easier again. Yes. And I preach that so well. But for some reason, when it comes to me being in that moment, it's so much easier.

Easier said than done. You get in your head. Yeah, I get so in my head. But speaking of breath work and doing that, I've talked to my peeps about Ujjayi breathing before, but I feel like anyone who's listening to this episode would probably love to hear your description of how to do it, why you should do it, what it helps with. Because I remember when you first taught me this back in, maybe it was the first time I came to your class, I was like, wow, that was really awesome. I used it before every test, and at the time I was...

still cheering at high school so I get really nervous before big performances same way before I teach and I would do this like in the background and we'll be like what are you doing but it helps me like crazy and I still try to remember it every time I have those feelings again so just give them your my description yes well first of all it makes a

And that's what's weird for a lot of people because people think you're not supposed to make any noise. Yeah, and especially when I was younger. And I was doing this at 13, 14, 15. I was like fresh in high school, middle school. There was so much judgment there. And I always was a little bit embarrassed of yoga. I don't know why, but...

I guess it was just because, yes, things make noise. We do weird positions. I used to have some negative stigma. I think a lot of people love yoga more now, but at the time, I don't know, I always felt judged by other people. Of course. And I think that if you're scared to try it because of those reasons, don't be because it's so worth it. Because it's like medicine for the rest of your life. But Ujjayi breathing. Ujjayi translates as victorious breath.

And in English, we also call it ocean breathing. So I tell people it sounds like you have a seashell at your ear, but it's inside of you. So sit up nice and tall. The first thing I usually do is take a couple of sighs to just soften all the muscles for breath. So breathing in through your nose, sighing it out with sound. Do that again. Inhale, sigh it out. Ah.

Feel those muscles in the throat. Do it a third time. Inhaling, sigh out. Nice and long and light. And those same muscles now gently close the lips and keep them engaged as you now inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose. So it's like a little constriction but not tightness. It helps you press through.

the exhalation. You also pull your navel in to kind of empty all your air. Inhale filling it up, exhale emptying, lengthening the inhale, creating a little pause at the top, lengthening the exhale, creating a little pause at the bottom.

And it just helps soften you, ground you. It also turns on that sound which brings in NADA yoga, which is yoga of sound. And sound gives you some calming, healing qualities as well. And see we're both like much calmer and all we did was like take three breaths. - And now I'm gonna do the rest of the class.

But yeah, that's all you need. And sometimes when people aren't used to the deeper breaths, they get a little dizzy. Totally normal because we usually breathe shallowly. We're stressed. We're nervous. We're anxious. We're breathing shallow. And when we breathe deeply, we're putting a lot more oxygen through, which is great for the body. But that's why you sometimes get a little bit lightheaded, especially like in a hot room if you try breathing deeply.

Yeah, and I think that's such a good little way to tap into yoga if you've never done it just because it's easy, you can do it by yourself and it's just breathing. You don't have to worry about the poses and the practice. But another thing a lot of people wanted to know, and I think it would be cool to get what you would suggest.

is asking how to get into yoga. They're worried that they're not flexible, they're too young. These are real worries that people have and it makes them afraid to try yoga. How would you recommend them to get into it? Maybe if they have no studios near them or they have no resources really besides, you know, the vast internet. There's plenty of people who have started with, back in the day, we had VHS tapes. Now we've got everything on YouTube.

So you can pretty much, you know, search up and find something. I even have some YouTubes of myself doing yoga, which maybe we can share one of those. Um, so, um,

Um, just start like, it's like anything else. You, you don't know until you try, like, how do you ride a bike? You get on it and you try to ride it. So you just have to try something. So, um, people call me all the time and say, Hey, I want to talk to you about the yoga classes. I'm like, okay. You're like, should I come? And I'm like, yes. So just go. That's what it's about. Just starting. Um,

So I teach my classes in the Colony Hotel in Delray. Learning of our Florida girls. Anyone who wants to come. Every Saturday and Sunday, 9.30 on the weekends. Totally. Come check it out. I'm sure you could take a few friends with you to yoga. Definitely. Just hit her up if you want to go. But other than that, yeah, just...

Try some stuff online. Also, it helps you see the styles before you're actually in the room. It might give you a comfort level. I teach, I'm trained in Kripalu yoga, which most people haven't heard of, but I teach Vinyasa yoga, which is what you're trained in, which just means moving with your breath.

It can be very physical, very challenging, but it can be gentle or light. I call my classes all levels and I try to teach it so that a brand new person will enjoy themselves up to an advanced person will enjoy themselves. So when you first start, the key is to not compare yourself to your neighbor if you are in a room with others because some people have been doing it for a long while and you're not going to look like them.

in and we all have our strengths and weaknesses no matter who we are so yoga is not supposed to be competitive people make it that way people make it like oh the girl next to me did this i need to try it but we don't want to go to a point of strain or pushing i just want to move feel good yeah i think i was a phase in my yoga journey where i was just like trying to do everything and anything and i just lost so much of the form and the actual reason that i practiced yoga so i

I'm still working through that. A lot of people get into the show off of it once they figure out they can do things and they're kind of like showing what they can do. It's supposed to be whatever makes you feel good. So if I can't stand, I know you're big still into that. I see that. Awesome. Because some people lose that.

they age. Well I'm noticing now like there's certain times I'll go to class especially when I go to yoga joint there's it's just usually a super packed class of super fit people they're doing all the things that I used to be able to do when I was 15 or 16 and it hurts a little bit it stabs me in the heart I'm like oh and I'm like okay I could do that again if I just got back to my practice maybe not judge myself for just

growing up, I don't know. - But Tabby Joyce taught that practice and all is coming. So you're not gonna have it unless you practice. And if you practice, you'll get it. And it's about discipline, like long term. That's what you're looking to do. But as far as this stereotype of you have to be flexible to do yoga, it's silly. - It's the first thing that everyone says to me.

The silliest thing ever. I agree. So you do yoga to get more flexible, no matter what your starting point is. And long-term flexibility helps you in all other aspects of life, including if you're into other sports. If you're more flexible, you have less risk of injury in other things you do, even if it's hiking or something simple like that. You know, if your ankles are stronger, you're not going to turn an ankle when you're hiking.

Something like that. Just as basic as that. Or if you're working on your long breath work in yoga, if you're a swimmer, it's going to help your time. Swimming, triathletes, marathon runners, all these people use it as a tool to better themselves in their own sport. I need to start thinking about my breath work when I'm doing my half marathon training.

training. I don't know why I never connected the two. I definitely should have. But yeah, that's the first thing that people say to me. When I'm like, you should try yoga for this, this, and that. They go, well, I'm not flexible. Or how about, I can't touch my toes. That's why we go yoga. Well, you could touch your toes if you bent your knees to

Just a little. And then you're working on slowly straightening your legs. And maybe one day they'll get straight. Exactly. But that's not a goal. You're not going to, you know, there's no gold medal of yoga for, you know, being the most flexible. And by the way, it's about strength too. Yoga is flexibility and strength.

So the people that go to the gym and just work on weights, they're predominantly just strengthening. And if you really want to enhance your body and your posture and all sorts of other cool things, you want to strengthen and lengthen.

And by the way, yoga keeps you tall. You and your mom, you're tall. If you keep yoga going on throughout your life, you'll stay tall. And you won't hunch over and you won't become that person who leans over. We've all seen that. People who are older who can't stand up straight. Yeah, we don't want that. And with yoga, it keeps us tall. It keeps us going. I think it's just the best thing to do for your long-term sanity, health,

Of course. All around? I've heard everything over the years. Like, oh, you teach yoga, you must be able to put your leg behind your head. Well, guess what? No, I can't put my leg behind my head. Yeah, I feel like that's just a common thing to hear. But don't be afraid of it. Just try it. Just do it. And I think another important thing when it comes to first doing yoga, because I've heard this a lot, people say they went to a class and they hated the teacher or they hated the yoga. I personally think that you need to give yoga a few...

Different times because what you're feeling in yoga is going to change based on the teacher based on the people around you based on the flow that you're doing So don't give up on it just because you went to one class that scarred you like This is my analogy with that the word yoga is as generic as the word music I do yoga is the equivalent of saying I listen to music and

So we could be listening to hip-hop, we could be listening to Taylor Swift, we could be doing country, we could be doing classical. Yoga is just the same. There's that many styles and types and then there's the teacher and does the teacher play music? Is there music at all? Are there props used? What is happening in there? And you need to check it all out to kind of find the style you like. The same way you browse different channels when you're listening to music, you're

You're not that... Like, how magical is it to find the right channel the very first try? I must have got lucky. Highly unlikely. Well, we were meant to be. It was some sort of... Synchronicity is the word. Yeah.

That helped get you on the path that you're on now. And also, yoga is behind all these messages that you give. Most of the things that I've learned that I share with you guys, whether it's on the podcast or TikTok or Instagram, are things that I learned through yoga and lessons that I've been taught through practicing yoga, through my teachers, through Kelly, through...

Everything. Most of that came from yoga, which is why it's been so important for me to try to get back to it. I just avoid it for some reason. Like I get so distracted by life. So for anyone who's in that similar boat, like wants to do it, but just keeps kind of pushing it away. Why, why should, why is it so good?

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by the way, this is, we could get really deep here. We'll keep it high level. Philosophy of yoga tells you that that is exactly what happens. Your mind is made to trip you up. Your mind is made to tell you, no, Oh no, you need to sleep in today. Oh no, you've got something else to do. Oh no, don't do it. Because your mind is made to prevent you from doing something that betters you. And yoga ultimately leads you to be lighter on yourself and

And your mind, your obstacles get in your way. We call it your ego mind. Your clashes is the official word. So we have to fight that a little. And once you know this has happened to you, once you're on the mat and you're like, well, I was knocking myself around about this. Well, you're not special. That happens to everyone. Yeah. Even this morning. Once you get into it, you're like,

This is exactly why I came. Yeah. So that's why discipline is one of the words associated with it, that you have to, it's kind of like taking your vitamins in the morning. You have to tell yourself like, I'm doing this, I'm doing this and you make it happen. Yeah. Now, if there's a real reason not to go different story. Yeah. But your mind's going to give you all the fake ones. Oh, yeah. So I suggest, um,

a buddy system. Like if you meet someone else there or you tell someone else you're going with them, then you can't play. You have to go as easily as you can when going solo. Or like if you tell me I'm coming to meet you so that we can go to lunch after, like

It gives you a full reason to get there. No, even this morning, I was like, I really know that my body needs yoga. I know I need to go. I've also been doing this half marathon training, and I work out at 545, so I'm lifting weights and stuff, and I'm doing a little bit heavier workouts, but my body's just been hurting. I'm like, oh, I know exactly what I need. I need to go to yoga. I need to stretch my hips, open my heart, do all that jazz.

But it's a big thing I just keep avoiding. So then it all worked out. I went this morning. I had to force myself to get up out of bed and go. And I got in there. And I'm like, why have I not done this every single day of my life? It happens without fail every time I get on the mat. Well, and plus today we were doing yin. Oh, so great. Which is the counter to all that other stuff you were doing, which...

So vinyasa, it is more, maybe that's what your mind is telling you. You're already doing the hard work, so don't do hard yoga because you're doing the hard work at the gym and running. So be a little lighter on yourself with yoga so that yoga balances the hard stuff that you're doing. I mean, yoga can be a full and hard workout, as you know. Or it can be...

Gentle. Yeah, something that's restoring your muscles and your joints from the other activity. So can you tell them the difference between what you'll feel and what it's like going to a yin class versus going to, let's say, a heated vinyasa class?

Because, well, me, like, well, you explain it, but Yin is just a little gentle. So, Yin, we were doing today in an unheated environment. It's holding poses that are all on the ground, so you're not doing some crazy balance hold to basically get your body to relax, to open your joints and your connective tissues.

Because of the longer holds, a lot of people who are type A, who are like, "Go, go, go," don't like it. Because they're like, "This is boring. What do we do?" "I gotta get out of here. I need to go do something." It's the clashes again. It's the mind going, "What are you doing? Why are you sitting here? What's going on?" And so part of the process is to get into your breath, and the breath calms you down and lets you be there, and allows you to have that aha at the end, that beautiful shavasana.

Heated yoga is definitely going to be, usually by nature, more physical because you're sweating. So no matter what, you're moving, you're sweating, you're detoxifying. But the heat adds another element also for your thoughts. Like some people who don't like heated are like, oh my gosh, where's the door? I need to be close to the door.

And what if I need to run out to the bathroom? And you have a whole story with yourself. If you go to Eden, that's one class where you know you should bring your water. Definitely. Your towel. Whatever you need so that you don't feel like you need to run out of the room. Yeah. Because the people who like hot yoga don't want you opening and closing the door.

because it's bringing in a giant draft that's not needed for the practice. Every once in a while though, I'll do it. I'll do it. And I know that everyone around the door appreciates it too. The air comes in. Yeah.

Just totally different vibe, different feeling. But they're both right. It's kind of like I said, picking your music you're listening to today or like going to the restaurant and picking what you're eating. You don't have to eat the same thing every day. Sometimes I want tacos. Sometimes I want sushi. Yeah. For me, I love yin though too because that's where I think I do the most mental work when I'm forced to just sit and not move.

That's when all the thoughts I just like have been letting resonate and sit deep and store inside of me, that's when they come to the surface whether I like it or not. So that's when I have to feel them and I have to let them pass. And there's one expression you always said in teacher training, or maybe it wasn't in teacher training, it was just during class, let your thoughts be like a leaf in a river and let them flow by. Is that something like that? Yeah, or sometimes I say let them be like bubbles. And then you can pop them and make them go on or they can float on by.

Whatever it is, you're not attaching to it. You don't have to pick up the leaf. You know, it's going to pass you by. You don't have to like stop and stare. You can never stop your thoughts. What you can stop is how you attach to them. Or like back to my music analogy, you can't really silence your thoughts that you can learn how to volume down or mute them.

You know, they're still going to be there. And anytime you want to go back to the crazy, it's still there. But if you want to make sure you check out, take time for yourself, you're going to just mute them. Just detach. I love it. It's easier said than done. Of course. But just letting everyone know, if you think you're unique, that all this happens, you're not. It's what happens to everyone. So part of yoga is the tool that you need to help yourself with this.

And one thing I always said is why do we do yoga? Why do we do yoga? Do you remember the answer? I should remember the answer. But I know. To feel better. Oh, yeah. We do yoga to feel better. It doesn't have to be any more complicated than that. Yeah. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. A million times yes.

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how I found you and I did my teacher training. This was when I was 13. My first year that I met Kelly, she invited me to come to Costa Rica with her for, at the time, I was like, for what? For, to do yoga? I was so confused on what we were going there for and I guess tell them how this whole Costa Rica thing started and what it is.

Well, I had been going to Costa Rica since I lived in North Carolina back like 2003. That long. Two years. Yeah. Every year, going to a beautiful retreat center, Pura Vida. Shout out to them. They're one of my sponsors that help me with my event, Yoga Fest, year upon year. My good friend, Eduardo. So...

I decided to incorporate a student empowerment retreat. Now I call it my young leaders retreat. The name's changed a couple of times.

to utilize the tools of yoga, music, meditation. And those who are working on certification end up teaching some of the things to the group. We also do fun excursions together, waterfall, zip line, other things, as well as a community service project, which we've done everything from painting a mural. Remember that beautiful mural? To picking up trash, to planting trees, to...

making signs about how to keep the water clean, you know, and we donated school supplies down the road from Puravita, just all sorts of little projects just to teach people how to give back. That's the whole goal of my entire program is teaching you guys how to give back. And you're a great example of that because you give back with these messages. Erin, who we saw today, she gives back now that she's out of school with her job, giving to people her yoga tools every day as part of her job.

So sharing what you've learned so that you can be there for your peers. Because we're also back to your point of anxiety and depression. When those things happen, we can feel extremely isolated. Part of the concept of yoga is having a sangha, a community, where we have each other as a network and

And when you're having a bad day, I am here in the network for you to lean on and talk to and go to yoga with. That's exactly what Erin needed today. And Natalie came with her to be her support system to do it and to try to feel better.

all of you guys I hope you learned that how to give back how to stay there and be present for your peers I've also it's so cool to notice when we first go to Costa Rica sometimes most of the time we don't all know each other it's a group of people some people know each other some people don't and by the end of it on the last night we're all like

crying over how much we love each other. And it's just so beautiful to make that connection in such a beautiful place, doing incredible things for our mind and body and for the community. And you guys know how passionate I am about this trip to Costa Rica that I've done almost 10 years now. - Yeah. - Which is wild. I'm excited to go back this year. And if you guys want to apply, this is still an option, right? - Yeah. - Tell them how to do that. - We'll put a link to the app in the comments. - We'll put it in the description.

But that's why we're raising money right now. So we're going to be fundraising at Yoga Fest coming up November 18th and again in February on the 24th. Double the fun. Also, we're doing an event in Parkland for Yoga for MSD in January. All three events are fundraising to help with

the teacher training program that happens in the summer, as well as the retreat, which will happen mid-July in 2024. And we give some scholarships, or you can pay to go. And we all go and experience just what we're talking about. Other people in teacher training leading the group with pranayama, breath work, or the yoga, or sound baths. We're really into that right now. It's trending. They're so peaceful. And then we'll do the service projects.

And we'll just also really eat healthy food. I remember when you first started coming, it was all like macaroni and cheese and pizza. And now you're like, yeah, you eat all this really cool food. Guys, this food is insane. I think that anyone who's listening to this probably knows me well enough to know how much I've talked about this and how passionate I am about it. But you go in the morning at lunchtime and at dinner and there's this buffet of like homemade, incredible food. And

And I just, I think that's like still my favorite part of going. Breakfast? Yeah, time and time again. Eggs? The food. And the rice and beans. Oh my gosh. Costa Rica is just my favorite country and that's the end of that. But even more than that. I take full credit for that. Oh, you should because I would not have found that. Well, I mean, maybe I would have gone, but it never would have been the way that it is now. Now, I will say...

Just to clarify, Lexi came when she was 13, people out there in podcast land. But she had my friend Debbie as her roommate. She had a chaperone as her roommate at that age. So people who come when they're younger are usually with an adult chaperone. And as you get older, you room with one of your peers. But I remember...

Your mom was all about that trip. I don't know if your dad was as excited. Oh, I think he thought we were gonna like have you kidnapped out there But my dad was so anti yoga for the longest time and honestly I think that's something a lot of people face especially and this is I say this because it's something that a lot of people left in the comments or in the DMs They're worried that it's gonna ruin their religion or take away from their Christian. Yeah, whatever it may be and

And that was a big thing for my dad. He didn't really want me to practice yoga because he didn't know if that meant like I couldn't be Christian anymore because I was learning and whatever.

seeing more of what was out there and eventually you know we saw what it did for me in my mental health and kind of let that go but on a whole different note I have learned to just separate like my my religion and my relationship with God is its own thing and my practice with yoga is also its own thing and there's no reason that those two can't coexist so if that's the reason that's stopping you just view it as a physical practice and don't

Yoga is not a religion. Some people think that it is because there are chants and references to gods and goddesses that are from Hinduism, which is where yoga comes from. But yoga is just spiritual and spiritual.

Honestly, Hinduism doesn't define that for you. It's you define what is spirituality for you. So if it's God, if it's Jesus, or if it's Buddha, whatever it is, it's yours. It's personally yours. So once again, yoga is not supposed to be competitive, and it's not supposed to dictate your spiritual thoughts. It's supposed to help you elevate them to whatever you feel connected to while doing it because you get more in touch with yourself.

Which is your own gift from your higher power, from your God, from what you love. Yeah, and ultimately I think it's kind of cool. More recently when I go to yoga, I end up finding myself in prayer because I'm actually forced to...

I'm in one place and slow down. And I'm like, wait, this is a beautiful time for me to not only connect with myself, but also connect with God and, you know, pray for the people in my life and pray for my own sanity sometimes. And it's, it's been cool. So if that's something that's been stopping you, don't let that be something that stops you. Um,

But yeah, my dad was not fond of the idea. And now he loves it. Now, I still can't, the one thing I can do is teach my dad yoga. Every time I've ever taught, ever, I've gone to a point I can now teach if Lisette's in the room. I can teach if my mom's in the room. But me and my dad, if we make eye contact and I'm trying to even do yoga next to him, we just start laughing. So it's just funny to think about. Maybe you should try laughing yoga together. That would be so fun. Is it really? It is a big thing.

Laughing yoga. I need to do that. Take your dad to a laughing yoga workshop. See if you guys can enjoy yourselves. He would. We're just too silly goofy. He can't be serious. But he needs to do yoga. So he'll beg me to show him a couple hip openers or poses and he'll just start giggling and then it just goes downhill. But...

Yeah, it's crazy how far he's come and how far we've all come. Well, I think he's glad he let you go that first year. It's probably a little nerve-wracking. I would be scared, too, probably to send my 13-year-old. Absolutely. Especially since my mom was the one who talked to you the most. I'm sure you and him only had a few conversations. So my dad was probably like,

do we even know this lady? Where is she taking our daughter? But it all worked out. And I think I owe so much, if not so much, everything, every part of who I am now to that chapter of my life, which is why everybody, just go out and do it and try it and do yoga and come also to Yoga Fest. Tell them what Yoga Fest is. Yoga Fest is an annual event. It's been going on since 2011. It is in...

Fort Lauderdale on Riverwalk in Los Olos. And it's usually in February. This year we had a little hiccup with the park we've been in historically, the one where you've been on the stage several times. It's got some different stuff going on, so we got moved to another park in Fort Lauderdale. And so that's why we're doing it in November, November 18th.

And we scheduled once again to go back to February, which is why I have two days to ask me why that is. And hey, if it works out, we might stay with two a year. Who knows? But the reason I didn't want to not do it is because this is where the fundraising comes from.

This is what allows people like us and younger people who need to find yoga in themselves and the community. This is how they do that. Yeah. So we fundraise to help give the scholarships for yoga training or the trip to Costa Rica. And it doesn't have to be someone from Florida. We do accept applications from all around because it actually makes us more diverse. Yeah. Well, when we had two podcast listeners, Chloe and Leah, they both actually...

heard the first episode I did on talking about Costa Rica and they found Kelly and they applied. They came to Costa Rica and it was amazing. And now they're doing teacher training, right? They're doing it a little. They're trying to get it in before we get to Costa Rica. I understand it's very difficult during the school year. That's why I try to run something in the summer in June.

before we go and sometimes by the way you don't get it done as Lexi knows in one shot yeah so you did your 200 hour training but then your 500 hour training that you continued with me took me a while over like five years five six years a little bit at a time yeah and honestly I feel that's the best way to learn you get retention in but you know

We're always a student, so you shouldn't judge yourself for wanting to get back in the saddle, so to speak, learn it again, because we're always a student. We should always seek to do continuing education. I love taking workshops and classes, and I've been teaching for 25 years because all it does is it gives me more flexibility

you know, more of a different taste, something different on the menu. Or like, oh, I should have been, you know, and you evolve, you don't stay the same. So your teaching will evolve to whatever it is based on. And by the way, we don't have to be so literal. Like teaching yoga doesn't necessarily mean you get on a mat, you do down dog, you do this, you do that. Like you're teaching yoga through your words, by talking to people.

Okay, it's called darshan, or you're talking, satsang, you're talking to your people. It's like a community talk, and that is yoga. That's part of yoga. It's this community. It's this little family that we have. Look at that, guys. We're all doing yoga right now. Lessons. Sangha. Everyone's doing yoga by just talking. Yeah. Yeah, I'm definitely determined to get back to it, slowly but surely. But I think I have to take the pressure off of doing it all at once, because...

With everything that goes on, I just, so many things happening all the time. But, yeah. But don't let your clashes get you. I know, and I do it too often. I think so many of us do it too, so that makes me feel a little bit better. But I'm going to look at my little question thing. What else, what's on your mind about yoga, about this, about us, about anything that you would like the world to know?

Well, yoga means union. That's really what it translates to. So especially in these times of so much stress going on in our world, people feeling things. So we do yoga to feel better for ourselves, but it makes us stronger to support our sangha, to support our network, to support our friends, our peers for whatever they're going through, and to use these tools to

breath work, meditation to be stronger, to be easier on ourself, easier on the mat, easier on the earth, easier on each other. Teach us, exactly, compassion for one another. I've met some of the greatest people through practicing yoga and through not even necessarily just going to Costa Rica, but coming to class, and I've built so many connections, and I think...

That's a beautiful part of yoga that people forget about. It's not just about you. It's about everyone that you get to meet along the journey. So, yeah. It's a gift. It is. It's the greatest thing. And even just talking about it on this episode, again, just puts in my head, why have I lost the practice so much? We just lost the form of what you associated it to be.

So you have to shift your perspective to be like, okay, well this is what it is now and this is what I can make it be for me. Because we're not always in the same place. This is true. You know, I'm in a therapy session. It's perfect. I've got so many things in my mind, but I'm so proud of you, by the way. I'm so proud of you. I'm proud of that 13 year old who would get up and just teach whatever I asked her to do. And I'm just proud you've,

used your voice for this amazingly positive purpose. That's the goal. That's the forever goal. And I wouldn't be able to be doing this had I not been doing that when I was 13. So it all ties together. It was all part of some kind of bigger plan, which I just think is beautiful. And I'll keep navigating it. But all

All I know is that I wouldn't be doing it had I not met you back in my day. So I am forever grateful. And Kelly has a daughter, Leela, who, oh my gosh, when I met her, she was cute. Teeny. I think she was in her diapers. Yeah. I don't even think she was, she wasn't walking or talking yet. Now she's grown and she's, how old is she? 12? 13. 12. She's 12. Oh my gosh.

Oh, my God. And she's an amazing yoga teacher. Oh, she's incredible. Guys, she has been basically sitting through yoga classes since she was born. And she's sat through certifications and everything. And she is just a superhuman to me. And she's so mature, kind, and beautiful. And I could just talk about her for 10 million years.

But she's the best. She's a beautiful, beautiful old soul. She kind of reminds me of you at your age. More mature for your age and ready to take in all this information. Because I've taught a lot in schools, including the high schools. There's a lot of...

retention issues. I will say when I do go teach at the schools, usually the first thing that high schoolers ask for is to lay down. Hi guys. So unfortunately this podcast episode gets completely cut off because my voice recorder didn't capture any of the audio. So I'm going off of the video and using the audio off of that. It's very confusing, very technical difficulties.

So unfortunately, I don't know how much of this episode is lost, but pretty sure it was a decent chunk. So thank you so much for listening. I will work on these problems and make sure that they don't happen in the future. But yeah, I love you guys and I'll talk to you next Monday. Thanks for tuning in. Thanks for listening.