Interview by Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga finder

We’re so happy to welcome back the incredible SUP yoga teacher Rosie Markwick to our Summersalt for the 2 weeks of SUP yoga retreats in summer 2020. Besides the exciting classes on paddleboards, Rosie offers so much more – her deep knowledge of the practice, the inward journey and finding your own true voice. Enjoy this wonderful interview and come and meet Rosie this summer on our beautiful island!

Why and when did you decide to become a yoga teacher?

For a long time I didn’t think I would embark on a yoga teacher training, I loved the practice personally and I loved being a part of the yoga community where I lived but I sort of had this idea that it was something I wanted to ‘keep for myself’. As a psychologist and a natural ‘giver’ in lots of parts of my life I think I had this belief that yoga was going to be the one thing I would hold as a ‘me’ thing. Of course things change and I believe that most people, after they have been practicing for a while, crave a deepening of the vast study of yoga. A yoga teacher training is a great way to do this. I had also been called on in my work to teach morning classes to my colleagues and so in some ways the role of the teacher chose me as opposed to the other way round.

At a transitional time in my own life I found myself in Bali early 2016 where I embarked on an intense and deeply transformational personal development course (that happened to also be a yoga teacher training  ) and before I knew what was happening I had cultivated a deep knowing that I wanted to share some of what I had experienced with others. Roll on a really magical few years, a lot more trainings and countless humans met, taught and practiced with. I couldn’t have made a better non-decision decision I think! I will always think of myself as student first and teacher second and believe that this practice is meant to be shared. It seems funny that I would have once thought that teaching yoga would be anything other than a hugely rewarding and energetically giving experience. Now I believe it is me time, you time and us time!

What do you enjoy most about teaching yoga?

I love seeing the moment, or moments, when students realize how good it can feel to be really in your own body. For many of us we are lead to believe it’s not a place where joy, peace, love etc. can all be found and our default is to distract ourselves, allow our thoughts to take us somewhere else or even assume there is something wrong with us. Yoga, bodywork, getting outside, physical adventures are all incredible tools to explore what it is like to really be in your body. And the journey to embodiment really is a beautiful one to witness.

Potentially even more so though, I love the chats! Sounds odd perhaps, but teaching yoga means I get to have all these incredible interactions with incredible humans all day every day. Sometimes the chats are long, deep, sometimes quick, sometimes light, and at times they are heavy. And I love them all! Little moments of honest connection is probably what I enjoy most about teaching yoga.

Name your personal favorite benefits of yoga?

1. Refined Intuition. Yoga really helps me find a greater trust in my physical body and enables me to really listen and tune into my energetic body. Typically it is our thoughts that get in the way of our intuition (sure there is a quote in there somewhere?!) and so by honing these other parts of ourselves, just like we learn and feed the mind, we are able to drop more easily into that intuitive, deeply wise space that exists within all of us already.
2. Stronger core, stronger power center! I am a bit of a pelvic stability / core geek, I believe it is central for injury healing and prevention as well as improved posture, digestion and balance (to name just a few). In my own yoga practice I have seen big changes to my overall physical strength and have been able to heal old injuries through finding and maintaining a deeper connection to the core. And to take things off the mat and board, it was when working with the core in my own yoga and SUP practice that I began to notice shifts in my ability to live more fully in my power centre as well. Win win!
3. Authentic Living. My yoga practice gently challenges me to ‘meet’ myself. To get to know more about my body, find my edges, my resistance, to notice where I hold limits about what I can and can’t do to find my comfort zone and learn what I like am out of it. This regular check-in inspires me to get real, to get comfortable with my strengths and my vulnerabilities and keeps me on track in the pursuit of living a life authentic to me.

Do you have any advice for new yoga students and why they should not be afraid to start practicing?

Just start! There is nothing like the beginning and it is a place to be inspired within and not afraid of. If you need a more personal motivation – when I first began practicing, years of running meant that I couldn’t sit with my legs crossed as the teacher kept asking for, let alone touch my toes! The early yoga practice I think is fast and slow, all at once.

But I assure you before you know it the body will open a little, and even sooner than that you will notice how you can step away from the ‘you’ of your mind and find a little space between the thoughts. Find a teacher that you resonate with and that you trust and makes it feel like being with a good friend and most of all always hold true this simple truth; Yoga is for every single body.

Why do you think participating in a yoga retreat is a good experience?

Well firstly I think there are the more obvious reasons; you get to be somewhere most likely very beautiful, you get to have exciting, interesting experiences in that beautiful place and those experiences will make you feel really good!

On a practical level, retreats are a great way to deepen your yoga practice, the transformation that can be achieved through practicing up to twice a day everyday are huge. Even just a week on retreat has the potential to really up level your practice. So it is great if you are looking to depend your knowledge in this space.

Space I think is also a word that comes up a lot when I think about retreats. We give ourselves this space that might not normally be experienced in our day to day. Even with a schedule of yoga classes, adventurous activities, outdoor pursuits and all the other great things you get to fill your day with, a retreat really offers a (week-long) moment of space. Space out of our everyday lives to check in, take stock, figure out where we are at, perhaps become inspired again as to where we really want to go. Like a little roadside pit stop! And to continue the metaphor…

Think of it like this; on a yoga retreat the vehicle might be yoga, but the fuel is the environment, the steering wheel the sunshine, the windows are salty ocean swims and the seat-belts are the new friends and big chats. And the road is, well still the road. Only here you get to remember that it is your road, and there is a beautiful chance to pause and look at the map. All in a week!

Balance between healthy, “yogi” living and enjoying, indulging in life’s pleasures is often questioned by many. How do you think it’s best to reach that balance?

This is a really interesting one! And something that is certainly a continuity learning each day for me. But I think this is exactly how we should think of this concept. Balance to me is a choice, and one that can be made moment to moment. It is not something we acquire and then try to maintain.

Adding the wellness world here makes it extra interesting because so often we are told that the more exercise, the more green juice, the more yoga the better. And to a degree this is true. Having said that, this shouldn’t be at the risk of balance. In fact too much energy into our wellness routines can lead to injury and over stress on the body, not to mention the mental stress that can incur then when we miss a session of a tightly held routine. Too little, yes of course we won’t see development but too much and we run risk of overdoing it. What was once a positive intention becoming detrimental.

One of my favorite mantras to live by is… ‘follow your delight’. This derives from a concept called The Joy Current and this idea that one of the surefire ways for living happily and healthily is to find and follow what brings us deep, true, honest joy. Much easier said than done arguably and a practice in its own right. Complement this with the choice piece I mentioned above and these make my personal tools for reaching and continually choosing to be in balance. When I am truthful about what brings me joy I acknowledge that it is a beautiful mix of wellness, exercise, paddling, yoga, discipline as well as freedom, indulgence, rest and banana bread! And so in following all of these things I make a choice each day to be in balance.
To finish up this quote sums this idea of balance, choice and joy up perfectly;

‘If we do not push ourselves enough we do not grow, but if we push ourselves too much we regress. What is enough will change depending on where we are and what we are doing. In that sense, the present moment is always some kind of beginning.’ (Sakyong Mipham)

The post Our teacher Rosie: yoga practice gently challenges me to ‘meet’ myself appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

We’re very thrilled that our SUP yoga teacher Caroline Graham-Wood is coming back for the 2020 yoga season! he brings her energy to the mat and the SUP board and shares this incredible experience (and her balance!) with you passionately.

Why and when did you decide to become a yoga teacher? And then started specializing in SUP yoga?

I never planned to become a yoga teacher. I was in Mexico working as a fire hoola hooper with a couple of friends who performed various circus acrobatics. I was practising yoga when given the opportunity to teach some classes, I never looked back. I found yoga a wonderful experience for myself and love guiding yogis of different abilities through their practice, helping them learn, develop and expand their practice.

I started specialising in SUP when I was living on a cenote and a friend came with some boards and we played around on them. I saw another teacher giving a SUP yoga class one day and I thought, wow this is my dream, I want to do this.

When I extended my own practice to include SUP yoga I couldn’t believe how fantastic and different this form of yoga could be. You are in such wonderful surroundings. I remember my first class, paddling across the crystal clear lagoon in Tulum, totally peaceful, and was like hey this is my job!

What do you enjoy most about teaching SUP yoga?

Being outside in nature brings a different perspective to the practice. Being able to reference the elements that surround you in a SUP yoga class and teach the student to truely connect to nature and their surroundings. Often water is used as a reference in yoga teaching, to be fluid and let the breath flow like the ocean, in a SUP class these phrases are tangible and even more powerful.

I enjoy the fun and playful nature of the class, how it can be most peoples first time not only on a Sup board but also practicing.

Savasana is also so sweet it is a joy to give people that experience of melting away on their board with the water gently lapping against the board.

I love the sense of freedom and space. Being on the SUP board helps you challenge your balance.

Do you have any advice for SUP yoga beginners and why they should not be afraid to try it?

Have fun, fall in, laugh. Once you relax and gain awareness of being on water you will find you are totally supported by your board and will forget you are on a SUP, until you fall in again!

Name the top 3-4 benefits of yoga (regular or/and SUP) to you personally.

The space you create in your body and your mind.

Core strength and balance you build up

The connection to nature and to focus on compassion and taking a positive frame of mind to the outside world.

What changes do you notice in students after some time practising SUP yoga?

Confidence, balance, strength, childlike re-connection, happiness, greater connection with the earth, elements, respect for the earth.

Why do you think participating in a SUP yoga retreat is a good experience?

Outside, sunshine, water, elements, fun, playful, strength, fitness, outside, challenge, over fear. It challenges what you learnt from land yoga, makes you understand the asanas and muscles groups more obviously as you have to get the correct alignment.

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Interview by Jade McSorley

There is one person who makes these important decisions and proves significant in establishing that perfect yogic balance between restoration and exploration, and that is the Host. After staying at Summersalt Yoga on Vis Island, one of Croatia’s beautiful islands, we chatted with Founder and the perfect hostess, Milda Urban, who manages the retreat along with her partner, Mario Tomasovic. We discovered her ethos on running her own yoga retreat, her views on sustainability not only within the healthy meals she cooks herself but also in her mindful regard to the community around her.

Tell us about Summersalt Yoga on Vis Island, How did it begin? What are your hopes from guests when they attend one of your retreats?

I’ve started Summersalt Yoga right before the wave of retreats had taken over the world. I wanted to put together three of my passions – travel, the Mediterranean and my new found passion of yoga. Living in Croatia, I had a perfect spot for all that, especially on the peaceful island of Vis that’s so beautiful; it offers so much to discover and at the same time is a perfect setting for a serene holiday, self-reflection and of course, yoga. That’s my hope for all of the guests – for them to experience both the balance and wholeness of the yoga and meditation practice, as well as to awaken the explorers within them.

Why Croatia as a destination? What is so special about Vis, in particular?

I’ve been living in Croatia for years now, so it was only natural to choose it as a starting ground. It is also an up and coming travel destination for people from all over the world and we love to show them around! Vis is special because of its laid-back vibe, serenity, unbelievably beautiful nature and views, and just that little something that you can’t put your finger on. It is also one of the less busy islands here, which we absolutely love!

What is your ethos on sustainability and do you think it can be achieved within luxury travel?

I have been personally interested and invested in exploring sustainable business for years now. I think it is possible to achieve it in luxury travel if you educate yourself, and inform and educate your customers. It is a process and we are walking this path – there are always areas to improve, but we are aiming to be respectful to our environment, to our community and how we do things: from basics such as the food, using local ingredients and hiring local partners to worldwide giving back projects. Giving back is so natural to me and within our business and, I think, in this day and age all businesses should find their ways to contribute.

As well as the yoga and SUP sessions, food is always a key part for guests. What do you usually cater for your yogis, and do you maintain your sustainable efforts when it comes to the cuisine?

First and most importantly, we try to use as much local produce as possible. Secondly, we are the opposite of the “all-inclusive” style establishments with limitless options and over-flowing quantities that are to be tossed away. We provide healthy and balanced meals and try to keep our waste to a minimum. All our meals are vegetarian or vegan, we offer a few dish options and combinations for breakfasts and dinners (smoothies, porridges, fruit, salads, main veggie meals and some sides). We try to always keep it fresh, interesting, healthy and inspiring!

You offer an Artist in Residency program. Tell us a little more about this program and how you hope this will enhance Summersalt Yoga?

We’ve had artists stay with us already before we officially named it “Artist in residency” and we found that both their contribution to the group and the workshops they offered, as well as the art they’ve created, has definitely left an impact on our guests and us. Art workshops complement yoga and meditation classes with another angle of mindfulness, creativity and freedom of expression. For example, painting a person taps into their inner-selves and can result in an experience of emotions, reaching creativity levels they thought they’ve lost or never had! We’ve done water color, life drawing classes, as well as sound-scaping workshop, which were very unique! The artists also leave some of their work for us – we use the paintings and photographs both as art to inspire our guests, as well as part of our marketing materials (e.g. using a watercolour to create postcards etc).This year we are also going to use the watercolour paintings in an online auction and raise money for our B1G1 business project.

As part of your Giving Back initiative, you are part of the B1G1 business for good community. What are the goals of B1G1 and how does Summersalt Yoga support these projects?

B1G1 is a social enterprise and non-profit organization with a mission to create a world full of giving. How it works is that each enterprise chooses the issues and causes closest to them and can directly contribute to their improvement. Our current focus is on women empowerment and environmental issues. With our contributions we help to provide business training to women in communities in need in Africa. Other projects include providing water, hygiene kits for girls, as well as social worker support.

Lastly, what has been your most rewarding feedback offered by past guest(s) about their stay with Summersalt Yoga retreats?

Getting positive feedback in general is one of the best rewards we can get! Some of the more common ones are from guests who say that after the week they been enabled to make a long-needed change in their lives or they have been inspired to shift their perspective on something they’ve been stuck on for a long time. But any positive experience is important – even if it is a simple beautiful, relaxing and long-needed holiday!

The post An interview with the Summersalt yoga founder Milda Urban appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

Friends, I’m so happy to introduce another wonderful lady to our “The Madame Guru” series. We’ve met Erin last year and her sweetness (she’s Canadian after all!), stories and experiences have inspired the whole group.

Erin is a yoga teacher, a busy woman and also – someone who is open and vocal about her chronic migraines with a hope that sharing her experience can help others.

This is a really good one, guys, so dig in!

We can’t create change without acknowledging something in the first place – and while we can’t necessarily overcome something like an illness, we can certainly talk about it openly and use it to support others.

Erin, what’s your background and what do you do?

I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is pretty much the farthest that you can get on the Canadian east coast. It’s a city of about 300,000 people – so quite small by global standards. I love that it has a historic feel in comparison to much of North America, as we still have the original citadel, some cobblestone streets and walkways, and building facades from the original 1700s town.

My educational background is in marketing – I have a BComm and MBA that both focused on marketing. I currently work in media planning, specializing in digital and social media. It can be very busy, but I love getting to learn about all the different industries in which my clients are involved.

You’re also a yoga teacher – could you tell more how and why did you get into yoga?

That’s actually kind of interesting – I grew up playing a lot of sports (ice hockey, soccer/football, volleyball) and spent a lot of time at the gym, so for many years I actually felt that yoga was not for me, and I wanted nothing to do with it. I had tried a couple of classes and really didn’t enjoy them. I didn’t know at that point that there were different styles of yoga, and how much the teacher and their influence and personality can bring to the class and experience. I was going through a lot of stress at the end of university and my doctor insisted I swap out one gym session a week. My gym had a yoga/pilates fusion class, which I mainly picked because it was included in my membership, and after giving it a real chance, I discovered how much I enjoyed the challenge and how different it was than anything else athletic I had done in the past.

I sort of fell into teaching – I had just returned from spending a year in Ireland and my gym was looking for instructors. I was about to start grad school, so I felt it was a great time to take the training and something fun for me to do on the side.

What’s rewarding to you about doing yoga and teaching it to others? What do you learn from it?

I think what I love the most is the connection that I’m able to make with the people that come to class – finding out about their lives, and what they personally get out of yoga. I also love that I’m constantly learning through my classes – whether it’s a better way to communicate, how yoga can help people navigate through various difficult periods in life or advancing my own practice through tips from fellow instructors. I love that it’s a never-ending journey – the more you learn, the more you realize you have to learn.

You are open about the fact that you suffer from chronic migraines – could you tell a little more about what that is and how does it affect people?

There’s a common misconception that migraines are a bad headache. A lot of people not involved in the neurological community will actually use the terms headache and migraine interchangeably – and this is simply not the case. A migraine is a neurological disease that encompasses many symptoms, the most common of which is an often-excruciating headache. Symptoms can be different for everyone, but they can commonly include: visual auras (disturbances such as holes in vision, the appearance of sparkles, blurring, and many other variations), dizziness or vertigo, nausea, depression & anxiety, sensitivity in the senses (light, smells, sounds, even touch), tingling or numbness in the body, sudden fatigue (or the opposite, a manic or hyper feeling) and food cravings.

For me personally, I often get what are called ‘silent migraines.’ In other words, these are migraines without the headache pain, but generally with some type of aura and dizziness. In advance of an attack, I will usually go through ups and downs of fatigue and mania, and really intense cravings. When I’m at the height of a migraine, I will often find myself struggling to remember words, and can become severely depressed or anxious.

For those who are chronic, like me, migraine cycles can go for days or even months at a time. While some people are able to take leave from work, most aren’t able to do so. This means that while trying to manage crippling symptoms, they are also trying to, not just function, but excel at jobs or school or parenthood (or whatever else they are choosing to do).

Why did you decide to talk openly about the illness and what it does (which I think is an amazing thing to do) when there is still quite a taboo about talking about almost any illness in general?

I’ve had migraines my whole life, but up until about 3 ½ years ago, they were episodic. That means I only had a couple of episodes per year, I had figured out what my triggers were, it was easy to manage, and I didn’t think much about it. When I suddenly turned chronic, meaning I was dealing with it every single day, it became very overwhelming. I didn’t know anyone else that also had chronic migraines or even any other similar chronic illnesses. I felt extremely isolated and alone, all while trying to understand what was happening to me. I made the decision that if I couldn’t find others talking about it, I would be the one to do so. We can’t just wish for change, we have to make it happen ourselves – and I hoped that by being one of those individuals with a voice, I could help make things easier for someone else going through a similar situation.

How do you cope? And as it has not just physical, but also mental effects – what tools do you use to stay as balanced as possible and live your best life?

Yoga and meditation are both things that I use to cope. Being able to center yourself and breathe deeply are great ways to just bring a sense of calm when you’re feeling really sick and everything is a bit overwhelming.

I also try to take as much rest as I need, and more and more I’m learning the boundaries that I need to set with people. My weeks are extremely busy, so I sometimes find that by the time the weekend comes, I am worn out. And it’s ok if I need that time to rest and have quiet time. The people that truly care about my wellbeing understand that, and won’t be upset that I don’t necessarily want to be social all the time.

I’m a big believer in Western and Eastern/Holistic medicine working hand in hand. So while I do have prescription medications and receive injections regularly, I’m also on a three-week cycle each with massage therapy, chiropractic treatments and acupuncture. I also take a number of supplements (magnesium, sodium/potassium and B12) to help keep my body as healthy as possible. While supplements should vary depending on individual needs, these three do tend to be quite commonly taken by migraine sufferers.

I also find it’s really helpful to find someone that understands what you’re going through. I’m lucky in that one of my coworkers and best friends is also a chronic migraine sufferer. While she and I actually get very different symptoms, we can completely understand what the other is going through in a way that nobody else can. We’re able to empathize and really support each other when one of us is going through a particularly tough time. Having a chronic illness can often be very isolating, so sometimes that can be one of the most important things for your mental wellbeing – knowing that you aren’t alone and that there’s always someone there to listen.

How does yoga fit into this picture?

Yoga has been an amazing support for me, both when I’ve been feeling particularly unwell, and when I’ve been healthy! In my personal practice, it’s my me-time, when I’m able to reflect or focus on goals, or sometimes just find a place of calm where I’m fully connected with my breath. I think this is what helps the most when I’m in the midst of a migraine cycle. Being able to have that space where it’s just the (gentle) movement and the breath – often that’s the one time that I’m able to feel a sense of grounding and a decrease to the mental symptoms.

Has there been any feedback from your students, followers about your shared experiences? What kind?

Not a huge amount from my students – I think the big thing is that they see I’m “normal” – that I have bad days where I struggle with things, and that I’m not always doing everything perfectly. What has been incredible is connecting with yogis and others with various illnesses via social media. I’ve gotten great feedback from them, and I love building that network of people that are going through something similar.

Women today are reaching new milestones in their professional lives, in the way they are treated and perceived, but sometimes there is an idea that we need to have a strong façade and health issues does not “fit” in that picture. What’s your take on that?

I completely agree, and it’s something that I still struggle with on many days. The longer that I live with chronic health issues, the more I subscribe to the idea that true strength comes from being able to acknowledge our weaknesses. We can’t create change without acknowledging something in the first place – and while we can’t necessarily overcome something like an illness, we can certainly talk about it openly and use it to support others. While sometimes it can be really hard to truthfully talk about what’s happening in my own life, for fear of being judged, I know that it’s really important for me to walk the talk. Being open has allowed me to connect with so many people – both yogis and individuals dealing with their own chronic illnesses. The more that people start feeling comfortable with being open, and start sharing their own stories of overcoming challenges, be it health issues or something else, the more we will tear down that image of women having to be constantly strong and perfect.

What would be your tips for anyone suffering from the similar condition to yours? Do you have any insights that helped you and could help others?

I think the two best pieces of advice I could give are to be patient with yourself, no matter what condition or illness you’re going through, and to make sure you have supportive people around you. The patience is something I’m constantly working on, but I have learned over time that bad days or months happen, and stressing yourself over how long it will take to improve isn’t going to make it happen any faster. Find what self-care options make you feel like the best version of yourself, and focus on the little victories every day.

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Interview by Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga retreat founder

Dimitra, who we have met at our retreat in Portugal, is a gentle, beautiful soul, a true and genuine artist, who just by her presence makes everyone somehow at ease or sometimes puts in a contemplative state.

She has started as a painter, installation artist, a filmmaker, but time and her path have brought Dimitra to sound which she uses to keep experimenting with and growing as an artist.

Dimitra has held a soundscaping workshop at the retreat, which got everyone extremely excited about the medium, she has also made a composition from the retreat that you can listen to at the end of the interview!

Dimitra, you are a Greek artist working in Amsterdam. What’s your background?

Ι am coming from Thessaloniki, a beautiful city in the north of Greece. Currently, I work and live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, constantly exploring the city and involving in multidisciplinary art projects.  Having recently graduated from a visual Fine Arts department, I am more interested in investigating the sound art field.  The core of my works at the moment is a continuing reflection and research on how sound and performance art, can act as an open, dynamic process.

 When did you realize that you wanted to become an artist and what were your first steps? How did your path look like? 

We have all been little artists and still are! If one is really interested and passionate about a subject in their lives, it is still a form of art. Since I remember myself, I was drawn into visual arts, music, and literature, while painting a lot as well. My first studies were in Graphic design and have worked as a graphic designer in my city, I was missing the economic stability. Since I am coming from an environment than doing other things than dealing with art is more important, I tried it out for some time, starting studying as a pharmacist and work as one as well. While having learned a lot from a more conventional profession and environment, I never stopped painting and have this need to travel and explore. And so I did, quitted a standard life to go travel and study Fine Arts in the Netherlands. For me, choosing to deal with the arts more professionally, in terms of learning more about the field, was dealing with myself and reality. It has to do with the means that one feels and interacts with the world. I truly enjoy learning and applying new skills all the time, and being in the arts, can potentially incorporate everything that one could be interested in.

Can you tell me more about your art?

I have always been painting, but while in the academy, I had the feeling that painting, as a framed object and product, couldn’t answer all my questions. After experimenting with non-narrative film and performance painting, I began thinking of compositional possibilities of sound, time, space, and the body. Visual arts and my interest in noise art started to compound, and begin to wonder about how sound might function differently depending on the social situation. For now, I am focusing more on an interdisciplinary format with live performance, instant compositions, and happenings with sound as a central element. I am into situations that engage with ideas from both ‘visual art’ and ‘sound art’, and require exploration between the aural and the visual experience. Where there is a synthesis between the aesthetics and narratives of both. I prefer the sound as a medium, because of how we process and use it to read the world both physically and culturally, of how this can be activated. For me, it is sounds and their arrangements that mode our societies.

We did a workshop about soundscaping at our retreat in Portugal retreat –what drew you into this interesting artistic expression and what does it bring to the person experimenting with it?

We did a workshop about soundscaping and aural perception, which made me really happy sharing it with you! We literally zoomed in on our aural environment, and with the help of audio recorders, we worked on our active listening and documenting our immediate surroundings.  We concentrated on walking, movement, and the relationship between the listening and the moving body through time, space, and place. In the end, everyone described the acoustic conditions and the sonic events that each experienced, discussed space, and how differently we tend to engage with it.  A soundscape is an auditory landscape that is simultaneously a physical environment and a way of perceiving it. Our culture doesn’t appreciate the emotional importance of hearing since we are mainly oriented toward visual communications, and this is why I am interested in investigating the field and share it with others. Active listening helps to focus and calm the mind; it purifies the consciousness through developing awareness of sound. Sometimes, a different reality is being revealed when a sound is being amplified, we understand something that we would otherwise miss and instantly making stronger connections between our listening bodies, our memories ad surroundings. Maybe it really brings to personal space for discovery and questioning the self in space and time.

What are the art project or projects you are most proud of and what are you looking forward to in the future?

Projects that I am proud of our projects that emerged from collaborations. Some of them are based on my ongoing project, “Multirealities”. It presents a live sound composition of the mixing of multiple soundscapes, situations, people and places as well as with the amplified sound of my heartbeat, through a heart detector device. All the performances can be heard and progress, as ‘real –time-heartbeat sound’ is being amplified and gradually mixed and synchronized with the other soundscapes, slowly creating a real-time track. You can imagine for example a violin player performing in Amsterdam, a person singing situated in Greece, and my actual heartbeat performance happening in an exhibition space in another city, all coming together through Skype, internet connections, and being mixed on the spot. It feels like a synchronized instant live composition.

Through this practice, I became increasingly interested in the dimensions of aesthetic listening, as well as on the aspects of immateriality, physicality, and disappearance of the present, the body. No matter how the electronic media had involved in the field, a performer’s primal instrument remains his physical, emotional, and mental tools. It comes also as an attempt to research how the listener can adopt a different form of attention as the work is removed from the objective physical dialogue between remote places and the mixing space where a combination of audio situations of elements being presented. I am definitely looking forward to developing more this concept in the future, as well as participating in different collaborations and organize more workshops. At the moment, I am applying for artist residencies mainly in Europe, it is a creative way to travel, meet people, and build new connections.

You are a Greek girl living in Amsterdam. How do these places differ, do you miss home?

The main difference between Greece and the Netherlands for me is the weather! The two places have lots of cultural differences as well.  Amsterdam is a European city that has a lot to offer, especially if one is interested in the cultural sector. What I really like is the openness of people and the multicultural vibe in the city, you can meet people from all over the world working and living together. In addition, I found it easier to travel to other countries when based in Amsterdam. I do miss home, the landscape, the sun, nature, the people, mainly the people; since people are making the places at the end. Frequently, I am using the sounds of Greece in my performances and installations. It is different for an artist as to the choices one has. The art scene in Greece, although interesting and growing at the moment, misses the international influence and funding opportunities for artists. Even so, the field that I work in, sound art, it’s not that developed in my country whilst in Amsterdam, there are already festivals and venues that support it. I feel content thinking of both places as home.

Listen do Dimitra’s soundscape composition from our Girls yoga&surf retreat in Portugal

The post Artist Dimitra Kousteridou – if one is really passionate about a subject in their lives, it is still a form of art appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt yoga founder

Martina is one of these women who radiate confidence. She knows what she wants and she goes for it – her positive energy was felt straight away when she has joined us on our Vis island for a week of yoga and so needed relaxation.

The Austrian raised and based in Vienna has a background in political science, with a focus on international relations and international humanitarian law which she uses in her work as a humanitarian for an Austrian NGO. She’s responsible for most of the South Asia programs of the organization – Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and partly Pakistan. Talk about inspiring!

How long have you been doing this work?

I have been working for the NGO for more than 10 years now. More specifically, I work in the international humanitarian- and development sector now for almost 4 years. After spending 1 ½ year living and working in the Philippines, I returned to our Vienna office to work as a program manager in our international department within the Asia programs.

How and why did you get to this career? Was it planned or did it just happen?

In fact, most of it rather happened since I am not a big planner when it comes to my life. However  – as the saying goes – nothing just happens out of the blue.. you always play an active part, even if it is not consciously or specifically planned out as such..

In 2004 I started to work for my organization in the office for asylum and migration issues in Vienna. Somehow I always felt drawn to this kind of work and find it hard to imagine working in any other sector or enter the corporate world just for the sake of making money. However, during and also after my time at University I worked as a waitress or related job in some restaurant and event businesses. I also worked at the University of Vienna to assist my professor at the time in International Relations Studies.

Also the work I am doing right now somehow rather happened. After some years as an executive assistant to the CEOs of my organization, I was offered to go to the Philippines to join our team in the implementation of the humanitarian aid program in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan (which hit the Philippines in November 2013).

I decided to face the challenge and finally left Vienna in the beginning of 2014 and for me – being 42 at the time – it was quite a change to my life and quite a jump at the deep end as well.  But I can definitely say: no regrets for having taken this step.

It sounds very interesting, but what does your job entail? I know it takes a lot of traveling! 

Currently, I am responsible for most of the South Asia programs of my organization; mainly in Nepal, but also India, Bangladesh and partly Pakistan. Although I am based in Austria, the work also includes frequent traveling. My recent travels have mainly been to Nepal, but also briefly to Thailand, Myanmar, and India.

My everyday work entails mainly management at program and project levels. More specifically, this means planning, financial- and content monitoring, working with local partner organizations when going on project visits, planning and facilitation of planning workshops with my Asian partners and colleagues, communication about the contents of our programs, looking for funds, etc.

What are the most rewarding parts of the job and what are the difficult ones?

For me, the most rewarding parts of the job are in fact connected to traveling. I consider myself quite lucky to get to see all these places, meet wonderful people, and make new experiences in the countries we work in.
Going to sometimes quite remote project areas and actually meeting the people we work for can be very rewarding and a bit challenging at the same time. It often means leaving your personal comfort zone and sometimes seeing things that are not only beautiful and nice. What sometimes can be hard about traveling is the fact that you are responsible, on duty, and representing your organization at all times. But still, within this scheme, I find spaces to relax and enjoy.

Quite honestly I would say that for me the normal office work is harder; to stick to a 9-5 schedule and get things done off my desk is certainly a necessity but if it was only for that part I would like my job probably a lot less..

What projects are you most proud of?

That’s a hard one.. I am always very critical about my own work. I and I might be quite a good example of the notorious impostor syndrome… But just as an example, I remember that it made me very happy back in the Philippines when we actually realized that even small things like reconstructing basic houses or some livelihood assets (livestock, agriculture, etc.) made a big difference to people who had lost everything during a disaster and empowered them to get on with their lives even after we had left.

What have you learned about working in various countries and cultures?

There are many new experiences related to traveling and living in countries that are quite different from what you are normally used to. It also changes you in ways you have maybe not anticipated. Sometimes that can make it a bit challenging to get back into everyday life in Austria/Europe.

Thinking about it I would say that the most basic lesson is: people around the world have the same wants. Besides basic needs like sufficient food and a safe shelter people want to live a decent life, have a safe and peaceful place to call their home, and experience the love of relationships, family and friends. There is not much more to that, wherever you go.

I’m curious, have you faced some difficulties during your career just because you were a woman and how did you overcome them?

In our international work, we are mainly in cooperation with local NGO partners. Maybe it is because I am representing an organization from Europe – but in that context, I never really faced any severe difficulties and have always been met with appreciation and respect. In the Philippines, I was in fact impressed by a number of very strong women who were leading some of the local and national NGOs we worked with.

Of course, the South Asia context is rather male-dominated – but again I did not face major problems as a foreigner and representing a European NGO. I am aware that this might have been in some ways different if I were a local woman.

What does it take to work in a social organization? Is it different from the corporate world? What would your advice for someone who’’s interested in getting into that line of work be?

The main things I usually hear from people who are part of the corporate world are some remarks about my work following some higher “purpose” or “meaning” – which they might feel is missing in their work. (This is usually paired with expressions of pity when they learn about common levels of NGO salaries…)
For part of our work, this might be true, as it is for all social services or any work that aims at improving lives for less fortunate people. Serving some “purpose” can make the work more rewarding for many people. However, this can also be tricky, since it can make it more challenging for some people to find their necessary work-life balance. (This might be one of the reasons why aid workers and any other professionals in the social sector are known to be specifically prone to burn out..)

My advice would be to first of all look at yourself as a professional – as you would do in any other job – and enjoy the rewards and experience that come along with this kind of work.

It is definitely rewarding work, but how do you balance it with your personal life?

Having said all this, this is probably the toughest thing for me. The more responsibility comes with the work the harder you can let go.

When I was living and working in Asia, the separation between personal and work life became even less distinct, which was a bit difficult and also good at the same time. This also had to do with being new to a foreign place and finding and defining your life there.

How do you unwind? Do you still do yoga?

I am still trying to include yoga in my everyday life, but that has been a bit of a challenge and I only started recently. I still enjoy yoga very much whenever I am doing it – although I find it easier to have guided practice in a group rather than practice by myself.

During work travel there can be those small and very rewarding moments, just to pass a misty rice field in the early morning or suddenly getting a close look at the peaks of the Himalayas while traveling on long road trips. Also, unwinding and relaxing in the evenings with your travel companions is a nice way of stress relief during travels.

During my work life in Austria, I try to get away every now and then and take a break. Croatia by the way is still my favorite destination when it comes to unwinding..

The post The Madame Guru: Martina Maetzl – humanitarian work is rewarding and challenging at the same time appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

Interview by Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

One of our favourite (if not THE favourite) parts of yoga retreats is meeting and connecting with wonderful souls from all over the world. Each of them has their story to tell, their journey to share. This June we’ve hosted an amazing young photographer Izzy Dempsey from Nova Scotia who has not only given us the gift of her amazing art, but also her insights into life, the world, and travel.

I’m so happy to share this interview and incredible photography with you, don’t forget – earth without art is just EH!

Tell a little bit about yourself and of course – how did you get into photography?

As I’ve been meeting people along the road during my travels, people often look a little perplexed when I say I’m from Nova Scotia, Canada. The typical response is “so, is that around Vancouver or Toronto?” – nope. It’s a little province right on the East Coast, on a peninsula! With nature and the ocean at my fingertips, I’m thankful for the roots it has given me. I find now whenever I travel for long periods, by the end of it, if I’ve been without the ocean for a while – I start to crave it. It feels almost necessary for my survival now.

My interest in photography sparked at the early age of 11, when I chanced upon an old film camera next to a garbage bin. From then on, I was fascinated by capturing moments and stories and using it to communicate with the world around me. I started pursuing it professionally after I shot my first wedding at 15, and although there has been the ups and downs with creating a business that feels representative of who I am and the art I want to produce, I’ve never questioned it as my life long career.

What is the most important thing for you in your craft? 

The most important thing for me in my craft would be capturing stories and emotions, that in return can be interpreted to the viewer to speak to them in a way that makes them feel connected. The moment and emotion it draws out is what inspires me to lift the camera to my eye, and then the composition and details come afterward.

For example, while on the island of Vis at the retreat – the scenery we were surrounded with on a daily basis was in fact breathtaking, but my eye was caught more by the smiles and relationships building within the guests or the moments of peace and serenity that some would be experiencing within themselves.

What inspires you to do your work? 

At the moment, I would say experiencing life, exploring new corners and nooks and crannies of the world, and above all – people. While I travel, one of my favourite things to do is to just walk the streets, plug in my headphones to cut out distractions of noise, and just enjoy how the light hits their faces, how people use their body language and expression to communicate with one another, or how they express themselves through their appearance.

On the flip side, in order to be inspired by this, I find it’s crucial for me to have moments of solitude and stillness to recharge. The early mornings when I wake up and everyone is still asleep, I listen to the bird chirps and the voice inside my head. These moments to myself allow for the inspiration of people and activity to be reflected and appreciated.

How would you describe your style?  

Visually speaking, I would say my style is “raw”. Although not intentional, very rarely are my images super bright and “clean” so to speak. I don’t do a whole lot of retouching, I like to keep things less how they are, as I don’t like to alter what is being seen with the eye. I think that is the beauty of photography, to capture something real that you can look back on. In a world that is so instant, edited, and altered, I feel passionate about keeping it as is. I just aim to capture transparency, whether that is through someones story, or a place I visit. I try and see beyond what meets the eye, and convey it using light to draw out a feeling you get from it.

You obviously love to travel – what places did you like most and why, how do you capture them in your work and what’s next on your list?

As cliche as it sounds, but places off the beaten path. Perhaps it has to do with growing up in NS and the rural landscape I’m used to, as well as the lack of people, but I try my best to avoid the tourist spots. Despite how beautiful popular places can be, I find it can be difficult to see the realness to it when it’s full of visitors just sifting through. Sometimes I like this as a challenge though, to get past the surface and find the culture and story of these places. Also, I look for this out of respect. If I’m in a place that some call home, I want to try and learn about what makes it home to them.

For instance, when I was in Dubrovnik, I almost instantly gave up and left it, quick to dismiss it through its crowded streets of tourists of overshot locations, I then took some back alleys and wandered for a bit. I ended up meeting this man, while in search of space and true character to be revealed. I was glancing back down behind me, and I stopped to take a photo at the top of the stairs.

“Best street in the city, yeah?” said an older man with a salty beard and kind eyes, reminding me of my father.

I’m sure he’s seen it being captured millions of times by now.

We began to chat or tried to in the midst of the language barrier. He insisted I sit on his bench. He was selling cold drinks and an assortment of small souvenirs. He asked me what I wanted, and offered me it for free. I continued then to sit by him, drinking an ice tea, learning more about him as tourists passed by – eying his mini-fridge while the hot sun beamed down.

He is only one of the 700 who lived in the old town of Dubrovnik today. The rest is now filled with rental apartments, hotels, etc. He has been selling his items and drinks to tourists for 7 years during the summertime but been living there for over 50 years.

I took plenty of photos that compositionally and visually may be appealing in this city, but this encounter was just another reminder of how much human connection and photographs of people mean to me. He completely changed my impression of the city, showing me there is still something true beneath the exploitation of the city caused by the mass amount of cruise ships.

Next up? Good question! Being back in Europe has reminded me of just how accessible everything is. I think currently what’s in the works is a move for me. I’m so thankful for my community and home in NS, but I think I need a change of pace and environment in the near future. I’m mesmerized by the German language, so I hope to take language classes in Berlin and be rooted there for while doing freelancing, but then take travels during this time to other countries within Europe. As a photographer and artist, I think this is really important to feel this freedom and inspiration for new places.

What is your proudest achievement so far?

I think my proudest achievement so far is redefining what success means to me. After my dad past way almost two years ago, a lot of my perspectives on life and the values I wanted to take forward with me stood out, so since then, it’s been a bit of a journey with my art as I shift it to have it correlate with who I am, and how I can contribute and communicate with the world through photography that feels honest to me.

It’s hard when photography is such a saturated market, and from starting so young, I find people often evaluate your profession and success by how much money you’re earning or shoots your booking, or perhaps this was an evaluation of myself feeling like I need to prove myself and my work. This resulted in taking on any shoot that came my way, for that would mean I’m actively engaged in my business, and “doing it”. When I would shoot 15 weddings in summer at the age of 18, I felt like I had the approval of others to be taken seriously, but I lost the passion and connection with my art. Success to me is no longer about how much, instead it’s learning to say no when needed and staying true to my values and how this can connect to the work I produce. It’s about providing the client with something that goes beyond just a photo and is also about the experience.

For anyone looking to embark on their own journey as an artist or just as anything else – what would you say to encourage and inspire?

Prioritize it, and yourself! I know from my experience, it’s so easy to just say “I would like to go there, do this, see that…  maybe someday.” – always questioning the effort and money involved. Honestly though, if it’s something you desire, and have a spark in you to do – just commit to it, and the rest will fall into place one way or another. After committing to staying put in Halifax this past year, I am also a strong believer that roots and stillness are important for growth, but if you’re open to the world, I think traveling can teach you some of the most fundamental and life-changing things.

My dad would always say on the way to the airport as we would go through the list to see if we had everything – “Do you have your passport? A bit of money?” – and with the response being yes, then he would say, “that’s all you need then.”

Second, follow your gut and your own needs. Solo traveling can be hard, but it is also freeing. You are in charge of yourself. This can be a blessing and a curse, depending on if you listen to yourself or not. There have been times that I’ve caught myself following the crowd when really it wasn’t what I needed or actually desired at that moment. For instance, accommodation – everyone says travel in hostels when you’re on your own, you’ll meet lots of people, etc etc. I did that and did love it at times, but I also knew that I get cranky and need time to myself as well, so I did a mixture and booked myself my own Airbnb room here and there as well. Or when you are traveling, people will often throw out a thousand different thoughts and ideas on what you “have” to see or do. Obviously, at no fault of them, some of the best places I’ve been are from recommendations, and I’ve passed on my own, but it’s important to take these comments with a grain of salt. What’s good for them, might not be what’s good for you. Create a trip to suit your own needs, learn from what you do but didn’t like, and don’t get too hooked on social media and the thousand blog posts saying “top ten MUST do’s”. Read it as you CAN do.

What’s next for you? What are you looking for to achieve?

As I mentioned, I think a move is on the horizon. I’ve been scared to fully leave the security and comfort of home, and what I feel like I’ve worked so hard (especially in the past year) to get, that being: a photography business representative of who I am and community. During this trip though, I have learned that it wasn’t something to achieve, but to add to the shaping of who I am. Now I can apply this experience elsewhere.

Something I am looking to “achieve” is balanced, and a life that is more about living, and less about having to do this or that in order to feel accomplished and fulfilled. I’m not someone that will say just live in the moment purely, I think goals are important and help to encourage us to continue the cycle forward and cultivate growth, but it’s also easy to become a slave to this, particularly when you run your own business.

That was one of the main reasons I did this trip, to just be, to recharge, get inspired, and drop judgment on myself. When I’ve gotten a rush of inspiration, I’ve put my head into my art and business, and plugged away happily, but when I’ve been uninterested and uninspired, I’ve taken time to just read or write, or sit with my flatmates in Berlin with no aim in mind to do anything. Sadly enough, this is rare for me back home. I can’t remember the last time I would just read a book for the sake of wanting to, or not feel the need to have an activity or purpose to be with others when I knew there was always work I could be doing.

I’m in this bizarre transitional period, as I realize it’s not just a temporary move I will be making – but my time in Halifax has come to an end with no reason to come back in sight. I’m not going away for any purpose besides following my gut in what I need to feel fulfilled. Halifax will always be a wonderful place to come back to visit, but as for now, I’m starting a new chapter. As my dad and I would always say every morning before he left for work, “to infinity and beyond”.

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Why and when did you decide to become a yoga teacher?

I came to yoga from a dance background, and had been a dance teacher for a while. I was first drawn in for the physical benefits of gaining more strength and flexibility, but when I realised how much calm it brought into my life, I knew this was something I wanted to share. As I had been teaching movement for a long time, I knew I would love teaching yoga, so I went to India to complete my 200 hour teacher training in vinyasa and ashtanga yoga.

What do you enjoy most about teaching yoga?

I love that I’m able to encourage my students to explore not only what their bodies can do, but how they can be the best versions of themselves. It is not about teaching people how to make perfect shapes with their bodies, but how they can do things that make them feel good, both on and off the yoga mat.

Name the top 3-4 benefits of yoga to you personally?

One of the main benefits for me has been how it has shaped my mindset. I’ve always been a positive person, but yoga constantly reminds me that happiness is our true nature, and it always guides me towards that state of mind. It has also brought such a feeling of calm into my life.

Living in a busy city like London can be stressful and yoga reminds you to be present and live in the now, rather than the past or the future. I’ve also always had a big passion for self-development, and yoga continues to teach me things about myself, and reminds me to always be open to personal growth.

I’ve realised that all the benefits I’ve mentioned so far are mental benefits, but there are plenty of obvious physical benefits! One of the main ones for me is that I’ve built a lot of strength through yoga. Yoga has the power to help you build strength in such a graceful way, and it can make you feel so light, and as if you are floating. What once took so much effort eventually becomes more effortless with practice, and that is such an amazing feeling!

Do you have any advice for new yoga students and why they should not be afraid to start practicing?

Yoga is for everybody! The young, the old, the flexible, the inflexible. The most common excuse people give me is that they are not flexible enough to do yoga. But this is in fact the reason to start! If someone is dirty we tell them to take a bath, so if you’re inflexible you should do yoga, it’s pretty much the same thing

What changes do you notice students after some time practicing yoga?

The obvious changes are increased flexibility and strength. But the more exciting ones that I often see are people being in a better mood, feeling less stressed, having more love for themselves and their bodies. Basically people seem to be happier after they do yoga. If this isn’t a good enough reason to start, I don’t know what is!

Why do you think participating in a yoga retreat is a good experience?

I’ve been on a yoga retreat myself and it is the perfect way to give yourself some time to recharge and reset the mind and the body. Imagine how much you need a week of mindfully moving the body, eating delicious healthy food, and being surrounded by amazing people. You come back home with a refreshed attitude, and a feeling for what’s really important in your life.

The post Our teacher Sabi: yoga constantly reminds me that happiness is our true nature appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

The incredibly talented artist and photographer Maya Kolega is a ray of sunshine and we were so lucky to have her taking photos and leading Yoga Life drawing classes at Summersalt Yoga this summer!

We’re chatting to this always smiling and happy soul about her photography, illustrations, and passion for travel!

What’s your background and when and how did you get into art and photography?

I grew up in Port Lincoln, South Australia. When I was young I would often look and admire the work of my father when he was working as a photographer in the 1980s. My Dad taught me how to work using film photography and ever since I haven’t looked back. I went on to University and completed a Bachelor of Visual Arts specializing in Photography. I have always worked closely with illustration also often combining the two.

What is the most important thing for you in your craft?

The entire process and the joy I get from the moment I release the shutter to then seeing the final print in an exhibition being enjoyed by others.

What inspires you to do your work?  

I enjoy creating, I have a passion for all things related to art and I feel lucky to be able to live my life doing something I love. I am always striving for the next step, sometimes it takes to travel, a residency, or meeting new people to get there.

Who do you love photographing the most?

I love photographing people who have a story to tell or people who without speaking to you just know have experienced great things in life.

How would you describe your style?  

I am always interested in composition. When I am looking through the viewfinder, the composition is always what draws me to pull the trigger.

Can you describe your drawing style, focus, inspiration?

I like to use illustrations to create things I cannot with a camera. Often because of this my illustrations are surreal like depictions of the world.

You do life drawing classes – why did you decide to start them and what do they give to you as a teacher?

I am interested in the process of healing through art creation and the rewarding feeling you have when looking at a finished art piece. My classes are not necessarily about perfecting a drawing, I have created these classes to open up new doors for people they didn’t know existed, the chance to explore something new and create something that they didn’t expect they could.

What is your most proud achievement so far?

My most proud achievement was getting through 7 months of solo travel around Europe in 2016. By the end of the trip, I had been an Artist in Residence in Croatia as well as exhibiting twice whilst there and also completed a 6-week intensive residency in Spain. I came back to Australia with many new bodies of work and inspiration.

You obviously love to travel – what places did you like most and why, how do you capture them in your work and what’s next on your list?

I enjoy spending the majority of my travels in smaller places that are less touched by tourists. I love to get to know the locals and their day-to-day routine which usually involves staying in each place for longer periods of time. During the phase of getting to know the true lifestyle of a place, I work to capture this in either photography or illustration creating work that tells a story. I want to travel to America next, I have been there before but I am interested to go back alone and get to know the way of living there… I see so much on social media and in the news about America and I am interested to go there to make my own decision about the people and culture.

For anyone looking to embark on their own journey as an artist or just as anything else – what would you say to encourage and inspire?

Do what you enjoy doing. If we are following a path to success in happiness it will eventually be a path of success in all areas. Also part of being an artist is rejection- overcome this rejection and keep striving to achieve because eventually if you continue to be passionate about what you are doing then you will find success.

What’s next for you? What are you looking to achieve? 

I am interested in traveling a little more this year and hopefully completing another residency in America. This year I also hope to finish an ongoing project of mine called “LOCALS” and turning it into a book as well as an exhibition. I am also looking into studying Art Therapy.

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By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

From the corporate world to running her own yoga business – Caitlan Carver, a beautiful Canadian has some great yoga, business, and life insights to share and I am thrilled to interview her for our “The Madame Guru” project.

I have met Caitlan a few years ago when she and her mom Danah visited us at our Balance yoga retreats. Caitlan was going through a transition and career and life change at the moment and I am so happy to see that everything she has worked for since then has come to life.

You are busy in the yoga world! What exactly do you do?

I am the founder of a company called, “Lift: The Yoga Revolution”

Lift the Yoga Revolution is a movement that influences yoga culture both on the mat & off the mat. How do you act when you leave the yoga studio? Do you want more peace & fulfillment outside of the studio? We got the yoga tools to break open your energy to a higher, lighter lifestyle. Our yoga retreats & camps immerse you in the yoga culture atmosphere & allow you to find your tribe. By creating a yogi family environment, we elevate personal revelations of heart-opening & connection to union.

How and when did you decide to start “Lift”? What was the main push to go there?

It is my greatest passion to share the traditional culture of yoga. Although yoga has become very popular by bringing people onto the mat in the studio, I wanted to share the beautiful awakening that yoga can bring when you immerse yourself into its philosophy in your daily life.

By incorporating Patan’jalis yoga sutras, Ayurveda (yoga sister science & nutrition), spiritual coaching, and yoga asanas, I am able to share the true nature of yoga in sacred havens around the world with people who are truly interested in yoga immersion as a lifestyle choice.

Yoga culture encompasses your mind, body & intellect. It shows you how to make who you are more refined. It’s a life long commitment to your actions, the way you teach, the way you interact with others, it’s about self-reflection and the journey towards your own revolution. You can’t reach the highest peak of yoga without practicing all aspects of yoga. It’s your overall development as a person.

Do you have a full-time job as well?

I do not work at my corporate job anymore. I used to be a communication manager for the international trade of Canadian barley. I left my job this time last year to pursue my dreams of being a full-time yoga entrepreneur and to start a yoga culture retreat company that revolutionizes the way yoga retreats are created and experienced.

What obstacles did you encounter while setting up your business and now – developing them? 

I found that my biggest challenge was getting comfortable in the unknown. Things are never stable, they are always changing, and it keeps you on your toes. It can also be lonely. I’m used to being in a room with a communications department where we brainstorm, go for lunch, have meetings, etc. and being an entrepreneur means starting on a vision that you alone believe in. So you need to have a thick skin and an indestructible belief in what you’re doing.

I have a background in public relations and marketing so promoting myself came fairly naturally—I think this is why I became fairly successful transitioning into a yoga career full time right away. I promoted my teaching everywhere possible. I moved to Toronto last year and the opportunities in the industry have been massive. I think the key is to stay open to creative possibilities—and to constantly say that out loud.

My mentors Gabby Bernstein (whom I have trained with) and Jordan Bach remind me to stay focused on keeping my faith in the flow of the Universe, which guides me to the next actions I need to take. In this way, I have never had to hustle, but I have been able to flow and be patient with the comings and goings of clients, job opportunities, teaching auditions, retreat opportunities etc. Because the losses have set me back on track to be where my heart is calling me to be. And because of this faith, i have gained massive wins.

The big word here is, patience. When you start acting on your dreams, you will not be successful overnight. It will take years to get to where your truly want to be—and even then there will be more growth necessary. So don’t give up. Even when you’re thinking of quitting. The important thing is that you’re doing what you’re passionate about. That is your Dharma (your life’s purpose) and if you commit 100%, have faith that you will have everything you need to carry it out.

Patience & consistency have been my biggest challenge and learning curve. As a consultant, things will never be stable completely, so you need to learn to ride the wave 24/7. Think of it as fun. Because it’s always moving, changing, and flowing in infinite ways and possibilities.

Yoga is still more a “female” business, so what was the role of the women you encountered on your path – were they supportive, where some of them a challenge?

I have not met anyone in the yoga industry that has made me feel like I am in competition—mainly because my dreams are different from many other yoga teachers. I would say My biggest obstacle and challenge has been in the yoga studio. Where there is a certain level of demand for fitness and entertainment from teachers. That’s just not my gig. I aim to share inspiration from the culture and tradition of yoga, not just give an hour fitness workout. That’s not the true roots of yoga. So I struggle with this because there’s a difference between just earning a paycheck and doing what you love. You have to choose from.

My choice is to serve through yoga. Not to take away from it—abundance should be a by-product of doing what you love.

From my own experience, I know that starting your own business can be scary, what scared you the most? How did you deal with that? Was there a moment when you wanted to quit?

Starting your own business is always scary, OF COURSE! You’re headed into unknown territory to learn, grow, progress as a person—but also to inspire others. And there is a price that comes with that. But I would rather depend on my own vision than depend on someone else’s vision.

This is the fire element in me. You need a bit of fiery energy to start a company and be driven to begin and to keep striving on your journey. Even when things go wrong, your fire energy is what will get you back up to keep going. I have never felt quitting—but at the end of the day, I am so much happier than I was at my corporate job. I’ve never been happier actually. So it would take a lot for me to give any of it up.

If you have worked all day, and you come home feeling more energized than when you left the house—you have found what you love to do and a lot of people don’t ever find that. They settle for mid-paying jobs, that keep them safe, comfortable, and in some ways miserable. But they would rather have a job that is 9-5 than have the burden of getting to know and standing up for what they believe in, and what they really think. I feel that there is so much pressure to do what your parents want, or what your peers think is the right, reliable choice. And those who leave things like that behind are seen as crazy. But those are the percentage of people that change the world and put a kink in the Universe.

My greatest advice is to think with your heart. Because whether we like it or not, life is an emotional experience. If the answer to your purpose resonates in your heart, you’ve found your calling. And that is a VERY rare and beautiful moment. But you have got to take the time to reflect on what it is that makes your heart tick a bit faster.

Which experiences in your life were important or crucial to you to start this business? 

My experience in PR, events management, and marketing all helped me to become what I am now. So whatever you’re doing now, trust that it’s part of a bigger picture. It’s going to give you the tools to move forward into a bigger career, a bigger vision that is waiting for you down the line.

Was age at all on your mind when starting this? In today’s world, it sometimes seems that if you didn’t get something going at the age of 22 you’re too late. Did you have that feeling?

I have felt a bit of pressure to get what I want by the age of 30. So on my 30th birthday, it was a big deal for me to head onto a path that I felt was authentic. Not necessarily something that was going to make me heap s of money by age 30, but just that I had my head in the entrepreneurial game by then and having an intense focus on my life goal. I have always known I was going to be an entrepreneur, but it took me a while to understand what that journey was going to look like. I had practiced yoga for 12 years but didn’t ever think it would be my purpose to teach it globally. So if you don’t know where you’re going, keep the faith. The answers will present themselves in time.

What are your plans for the future?

I am starting a new yoga culture retreat company next year in 2017. The name of the company is Aurora Yoga Retreats. We have five retreats lined up for next year and I am overly excited to share the new website launching early next year.

The post The Madame Guru: Caitlan Carver – if you don’t know where you’re going, keep the faith appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.