By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

Have you ever heard about the concept or theory of Atomic Living? Neither did I until a couple of months ago when I listened to a podcast with the guest Kiran Ghandi. Hearing this amazing feminist talk (google her) I felt as if my chakras have opened and the whole world of opportunity and minimized anxiety was in the center of it.

I will not re-type what Ms. Ghandi was talking on that podcast or her TedX talk, because you can go ahead and listen to yourself. In this post I just want to share my interpretation of the theory – there’s a chance it’s not totally the same as Ms. Ghandi initially has described it, but in my opinion, the theories become practice more often if we make them our own

I am in the very early stages of implementing Atomic Living into my life and am still figuring some kinks out, but I already feel like it’s working. Every time I stress about this or that I just remind myself of “atomic living” and the anxiety eases down, even if just a little.

To shortly describe the actual Atomic Living theory it goes something like this: when you are faced with a choice of doing something serendipitous and doing something quotidian, you must always choose the former, assuming it feels right to do so. This means that if you suddenly have the chance to go to an awesome play through your initial plan was to stay in and watch Netflix you should go to the play in spite of the fact that you may have been looking forward to the binge-watching of OITNB. Why? Because the play has so much more potential to create incredible experiences or even opportunities than a night on the couch.

To me, this is so true and so right, it makes the most sense and I have expanded on it a little, taking a little wider look and focusing on long-term goals or more precisely the need to focus on them less.

Losing long-term goals

In life most of us, especially those living in the Western part of the world, but so much of time, energy, and effort into what’s coming next. What’s “waiting” for us in the future and what is our vision of where in that future we want to land. 5-year plan. 10-year plan. 20-year plan. Goals line up one after another with often very specific steps and actions of achieving them. The same goals in time often end up feeling very anticlimactic, because the GOAL set so long has become just a sentence in the notebook, just something we followed almost blindly without taking note of changing surroundings, circumstances, times, feeling, and ourselves. We end up feeling that the energy, the hard efforts to achieve those goals were not worth the end result. Because everything has changed.

Here comes the idea of Atomic Living. If we were more aware, open, and mindful of what was going on around us and with us, if we had followed our gut feeling and what felt right “right here, right now” instead of blindly following about the “5-year plan” we would have opened ourselves the whole new world of opportunity and positive experiences. The same goes for worrying “what will happen in those few years” – something we have very little or mostly no control over.

These positive experiences and opportunities form our daily lives, create motivation and inspiration (and simultaneously – success or achievement, if that’s important to you), but most importantly – make up our life the way we want to live it now. The life that feels good and right. Now. Not in 10 years. Not in 15.

Do what feels good now

The most simplistic example could be a guy who focuses so much on hitting his goal to be a partner in the firm in 5 years that he misses everything else life has to offer. From great relationships, great days, trips, to other personal and professional fulfillment opportunities. His life consists of being buried in work, worrying about competition, and sleeping over the weekends to regain the spent energy. He doesn’t re-evaluate his goal or stops to reflect. However, when he arrives at the milestone of becoming a partner he just doesn’t feel content with it, because during these years he ended up resenting the work, the office, and the reason he got to this line of work in the first place. Or not even that. Maybe he just realized he didn’t notice how his interests shifted and he doesn’t want to be the lawyer, banker, or sales manager anymore.

Probably his work did make him happy initially, at that point in his life, which is great. But his focus on where he SHOULD be in NEXT 5 years got him constricted. If he was also was open to the world around him, he would’ve met up with friends more (and this way met his life partner, got new ideas for opening business OR just had an amazing time and less stress), he wouldn’t have lost touch with his college band and still jammed in the local pubs (and because of that got invited to play in the amateur band festival which would lead to new connections, new friendships and in the end trip around the world).  Or maybe not. It’s not the point. The point is if he would have chosen to live the way it felt good and right that moment if he didn’t deny himself those chances, because of something in the future, which may or may not arrive, he would have stayed open for incredible things, experiences and opportunities. This way he wouldn’t have let something that’s not even real (so, the future) hold him back from things he wanted to do in the present.

And that’s what Atomic Living means to me. Living in the moment, doing what makes me happy, and gives me fulfillment now, because only this way I am taking in all things awesome that the present throws at me and losing what disturbs me the most  – anxiety over something that’s neither certain nor clear.  Do you want to try?

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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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By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

When Tessa came to Vis this past summer and joined one of our retreats literally everyone fell in love with her within seconds. Her incredible energy, inspiring stories, never fading smile and instant friendship are just impossible to resist!

Besides being an amazing human being, Tessa is a women empowerment champion, a women entrepreneur coach, founder of multiple projects dedicated to women and their businesses, and an avid advocate of equality. As an addition to the awesomeness factor, here’s a fun fact – her family has roots in the beautiful Komiza village on our lovely island!

We’re beyond thrilled to share this “The Madame Guru” interview with Tessa Petrich – enjoy!

Tessa, what is your background, what do you do at the moment, and of course – what is your connection to Vis and Croatia?

I started working in tech as a sophomore in college and moved out to Silicon Valley soon after graduation.  There I worked at early-stage companies (I was the second employee at Zimride, which everyone now knows at Lyft), my team rebuilt AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), and most recently I oversaw the teams that did big health tech data integrations at Rally Health.  The longer I stayed in tech, the more I realized I missed the organizing and person to person work I’d so enjoyed throughout college.  I wanted to return to the mentality that had driven me before: see a problem in your community? Fix it.  So that’s what I’m now doing. I coach entrepreneurs, managers, and people just looking to grow (mostly women), Katherine Daiss and I developed a training program to prepare women to respond to sexual harassment and I run a weekly newsletter Ruby Anaya about rad events for women in NYC, LA and SF (www.ladylist.us).

As for my Croatian connection? All I can say is KOMIZA! KOMIZA! KOMIZA! My great-grandparents and their kids (though my grandpa, the youngest, was born in the US) came to America at the beginning of the 20th century.  They moved to San Pedro, where I grew up going to events at the Dalmatian American Club and celebrating our Komiza at the yearly dinner and dancing the kolo. I’ve now been lucky enough to spend almost a month in Croatia (mostly in Vis, but exploring the rest of the great country) and I feel so grateful to get to claim it as part of me!

Could you expand a little on how all your women empowerment work came to be?

Growing up I didn’t think much about sexism. I consider myself “Tessa” first and a woman second. I kick myself for this now but I rolled my eyes at feminism, it seemed so passe, so unnecessary.  When I began working in higher-level roles in tech and having women report to me or I worked as their mentor, I suddenly starting hearing more explicit stories and visually seeing more problems. A lack of representation in the C suite, fundamental issues in hiring procedures or workplace activities, explicit sexual harassment. It was frustrating to watch and really raised my awareness of the systemic cultural and institutional barriers holding women back in the workplace, or any minority for that part, and especially women of color.  Over the last five years, I’ve really grown into the feminist and organizer I am today.  There is too much at stake – there is too much stacked against so many women entering into these fields that have been historically dominated by males, particularly white cis-gendered males.  And a toothless nod to diversity & inclusion initiatives is simply not enough to change it.

So, what am I working on now?  In addition to my work coaching incredible, inspiring women, I work on a few other projects:

– Lady List is basically an email I send out weekly (founded with my friend Ruby Anaya) of rad events for women in LA, SF, and New York.  It started because I kept hearing about awesome events for women and also observed a deep desire for connection, support, and shared badassery amongst my peers.  Why not create what I wanted? A listing of all the cool things to do in a given week. It’s turned to into a platform where I also just get to write a note to a bunch of friends with things that I think matter: stories that are important to amplify (like work by Natasha Alford about activist and organizer Tamika Mallory) or a holiday gift guide focused on purchasing primarily from businesses run by women of color.

– The Practice Your Lines workshop grew out of a specific experience I had (told in far more detail in this essay (https://medium.com/@tessapetrich/frozen-c7b8f40cf826 ), where I was unable to respond to a pretty minor incident of sexual harassment.  After conversations with lots of friends to define the need, Katherine Daiss and I started the workshops.  In them, we focus on three things: creating a safe space for women to talk about experiences with sexual harassment, reviewing a framework we devised to prepare responses at the moment, and, most importantly, practicing using that framework (practicing your lines!) in role-play scenarios over and over and over again.  The response has been tremendous and we’re now working to develop that workshop for a mixed-gender audience.

– Finally, I’m exploring a fund focused on investing in women-led businesses because women have so little access to capital even they are amazing at building and running companies.  In Venture, women received 7% of funding in 2016 and 2.6% last year! In a small business, women receive only 16% of conventional small business loans. THAT IS NOT OKAY! I also believe that community (for both practical and emotional purposes) is primary to a successful venture – that’s why I’m thinking about it as an incubator, rather than simply an investment fund.

Why do you think this work is important and how far do you think we still need to go on the path towards equality?

Well…if that’s not the hardest question.  I learn every day more and more about how important this work is. It’s important because black and brown men are still being killed by our police, because rape culture is pervasive because Hollywood has had a reckoning but I don’t understand why Silicon Valley’s stopped so quickly, because women get 2.6% of all venture capital funding in the US, because 493 million women still can’t read and because we have not reckoned with the racism in our country. It’s all related, and we all have to address the parts we can, but we can’t ever stop being aware of how this all feeds into the bigger mission of living in an equitable world.

During your path personally, have you ever encountered issues just because you are a woman? How did you deal with that?

Of course, I have.  It’s funny though, how many things I look back on now on so many things that happened when I was younger – that I thought happened just because I was me — I didn’t connect that they happened to my gender. So then, I didn’t deal because I didn’t even know.  But now? I’m quick to call things out when I can, to speak up, to be an ally and an accomplice.  But, I’ll admit I still don’t know how to respond when I’m getting catcalled on the street. I wrote this essay, describing my confusion a year and a half ago and I still don’t have the answer. https://medium.com/@tessapetrich/yesterday-hilary-clinton-was-named-the-first-female-major-party-presidential-nominee-in-our-206122d511af

What would you say to a girl or woman who is insecure and afraid to take the steps towards their dreams and goals?

You are not the only one! Talk to friends, say the dreams out loud. Form a small group/small circle with 2-4 other women and commit to meeting weekly for 2 or 3 months to talk. It will change your life. It changed mine. Email me if you want more advice on how to do this!  

How do you unwind? Is yoga important to you?

Reading has always been my escape, my adventure, my salve. I think there is no better way to truly explore and inhabit the inner workings of another human than by immersing yourself in a well-written novel. Non-fiction too! A Little History of Economics and Delusions of Gender have been two books really holding my attention recently.

Exercise is also super important for me to stay mentally healthy.  I try to practice yoga a couple of times a month and have recently joined a communal meditation group at the co-working space I work out of.

If anything in here resonates, email me! Let’s talk about it: hello@tessapetrich.com

The post The Madame Guru: Tessa Petrich – there is too much at stake for women appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

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.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

Did you know that more that 90% of our communication is nonverbal and is done by our facial expressions, body language? It’s fascinating to say the least.  But it also makes you think – am I communicating/expressing myself right then? Does my body language say the same as my words or am I sending mixed signals or am completely misunderstood?

Body language also communicates not only the message but your own feelings about yourself, your confidence, it gives signals to the listener should they trust you, take you seriously or feel superior, dismiss you and your ideas.

Women are still learning

Women still have quite a hard time sometimes to match their verbal message to their stance and body language. We want to be perceived authoritative, taken seriously, be heard and included in the conversation and decision making, unfortunately, our bodies often say otherwise.

Many of that is the result of social conditioning and upbringing – girls have to be small, nice, quiet, sit “politely” and do not make too much noise or take up too much space. It is hard to break out of these habits and norms, but once you do – the outcome is just incredible.

A lot of this may seem taken out of the man’s playbook, however, it is actually from a playbook of general human psychology and animal kingdom as well (yep, that’s right).

Try implementing these tips and tricks and see how does the reception of you and your ideas change.

Claim your territory, take up space

Stop trying to fit into the corner, fold yourself or keep your arms closed and feet under the chair. Lean back, spread and plant your feet, do not be afraid to gesticulate, lean over the table when talking.  Do not cross your arms – remember that open arms show open mind and welcome position and closed arms tell everyone you are not interested, disengaged or stubborn. If it’s hard to kick this habit try holding something in your hands, e.g. coffee cup.

When animals try to claim their space and territory they try to make themselves bigger, showing to others that they are serious and mean business. It shows that you are not diminishing yourself and neither should anyone else. Just look how widely spread most men sit and how tiny women make themselves. See the difference in confidence too?

Point the feet where you want to go.

If your feet are inward or towards the nearest exit it means your direction is also inwards and not to the people you’re talking to.

Steepling. What now?

It may sometimes feel unnatural, especially for women, but pressing the fingertips of both hands into each other (that’s steepling) is a universal sign of confidence. Do that during the meetings or important conversations to send a signal.

Do not fidget (bite nails, twirl hair, touch your face, shake foot) – it shows that you lack confidence and gives the other side advantage or feeling of superiority and takes away your power. It also takes away attention from what you’re saying.

Strong handshake and eye contact

This one is familiar to everyone – dead fish handshake is not only gross, but also tells the other person that you do not feel confident. Same goes for eye contact – if you’re shying away from looking someone in the eye you sure do not take yourself seriously, even seem less trustworthy. We obviously do not suggest crushing someone’s hand or giving the death stare – find the middle ground and stay there.

Stop the nodding

No, the assuring nod does not tell the other person or people that you are confident, have strong opinions and can contribute something unique. It tells that even though you seem friendly, but you are easily impressed, agreeable and possibly – pushover. But you’re not, right? So stop the nodding!

Smile naturally

Eek, that’s a touchy one – we, women, are told to smile so much it evokes stress and combat mode. However, natural smile coming from the heart does not mean we’re trying to be dumb dolls, but are relaxed and confident in our position and ourselves. The serious frown we sometimes take as a mask and armor simply backfires on many occasions and ends up looking like disengagement or worse – comic.

Mirror, mirror

One of the techniques suggested when negotiating or talking at high stakes meetings is to subtly mirror the other person’s body movements and posture. No, you do not have to become a mime, but you can try out this theory by trying to channel their position and so register as their friend and not someone unfamiliar or foreign.

The post Women’s body language – how to signal confidence, authority and valuable ideas appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

Check our June and July book club recommendations if you still haven’t and share your book recommendations in the comments below!

We also invite everyone to share their favorite books in the comments and social media with the hashtag #summersaltbookclub.

August – girl power month!

Revolution from Within: A Book of Self-Esteem by Gloria Steinem

The iconic feminist’s book is a great starter read for anyone who’s looking to learn more about women’s issues, have some insights into the history of that, and well – learn about feminism. It is not a dry or a preachy read as some might expect, so if that’s what’s holding you back from picking up this book – do not worry.

“Steinem’s book unfolds like a flower: it offers literature, art, nature, meditation, and connectedness as ways of finding and exploring the self. Her message is that it is our very selves that we need to trust, despite educational and societal pressures that may denigrate the female experience. Her focus is women, but she is clear that what she has to say is for men, too, and she is neither strident nor dismissive”, – GraceAnne A. DeCandido, “School Library Journal”

Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés

The book has become somewhat of a bible to women looking for freedom and to connect with their inner selves.

An incredibly inspiring, entertaining and educational read is still relevant (if not more than ever) and is a must have in every woman’s library.

“Within every woman there is a wild and natural creature, a powerful force, filled with good instincts, passionate creativity, and ageless knowing. Her name is Wild Woman, but she is an endangered species. Though the gifts of wildish nature come to us at birth, society’s attempt to ‘civilize’ us into rigid roles has plundered this treasure, and muffled deep, life-giving messages of our own souls. Without Wild Woman, we become overdomesticated, fearful, uncreative, trapped.”, – Amazon.

The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck: How to Stop Spending Time You Don’t Have with People You Don’t Like Doing Things You Don’t Want to Do (A No F*cks Given Guide) by Sarah Knight

Do not feel put off by the name (if these things annoy you), this book is a good wakeup call and a reminder of how we are so often at fault by creating our own stress and anxiety (about looks, work, family and all that jazz.

Light-hearted, fun and no-bullshit read will definitely help those who are feeling like they just can’t take it NO MO!

“Are you stressed out, overbooked, and underwhelmed by life? Fed up with pleasing everyone else before you please yourself? It’s time to stop giving a f*ck.

This brilliant, hilarious, and practical parody of Marie Kondo’s bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up explains how to rid yourself of unwanted obligations, shame, and guilt–and give your f*cks instead to people and things that make you happy”, – Amazon.

Bad Girls Throughout History: 100 Remarkable Women Who Changed the World by Ann Shen

A coffee table book with a message, captivating content and beautiful illustrations. It covers 100 inspiring women who have done incredible things in their lives and remained – well, badass! A perfect gift for a friend or yourself.

“The 100 revolutionary women highlighted in this gorgeously illustrated book were bad in the best sense of the word: they challenged the status quo and changed the rules for all who followed. From pirates to artists, warriors, daredevils, scientists, activists, and spies, the accomplishments of these incredible women vary as much as the eras and places in which they effected change. Featuring bold watercolor portraits and illuminating essays by Ann Shen, Bad Girls Throughout History is a distinctive, gift-worthy tribute”, – Amazon.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

If you do not think that Amy Poehler is the most amazing woman out there we can’t be friends. The autobiographic book offers a look at Amy’s career, life and also inspires all of us to stay true to ourselves, no matter how quirky, weird or outrageous anyone else might say we are. It is not necessary to say, but we will anyway – the book is laugh out loud hilarious too!

“Yes Please delivers what it should: life lessons and vicarious thrills…the book is largely a portrait of confidence. Reading it, some of it rubs off on us”, – New Yorker

The post Summersalt Yoga Summer Book Club – August 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”.

The post Artist Izzy Dempsey: my proudest achievement so far is redefining what success means to me appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.

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.

By Milda Urban, Summersalt Yoga founder

Olga is a part of our yogi family. We have spent 3 wonderful retreats together the last being our New Moon yoga retreat in Thailand and every time we’re so happy to continue where we left off.

This beauty has the biggest smile and a calming presence, she’s a successful career woman and now – a boss lady in Brussels, where she’s moved from Russia 10 years ago.

I’m so very happy to share my interview with Olga and I am sure you will find yourself inspired and maybe left with a little different outlook on female leadership at the end of the piece.

I have known you for a while now, but I am actually not sure what is it exactly that you do (shame on me!)?

I work at a Belgian insurance company which is part of a multinational financial services firm. I joined the company as Business Analyst, changed roles a few times, and as of March this year, I’m the company’s Chief Customer Servicing Officer covering Sales & Services, Claims, and IT.

Everybody who knows you know you work a lot!! You found out great news about being promoted, that is of course adding more to your plate. What motivates you? 

I think I like working in general as it gives me a sense of purpose I guess.

Our company is quite small; we are around 150 employees. But we are ambitious which makes it an extremely interesting environment because you can do as much as you are ready to take on. If you’re willing to go the extra mile, you can learn a lot quite quickly.

There are also a lot of extremely talented and motivated people in our teams. Many of them are quite young so it’s a mix of work and fun. And as you take more responsibilities, it’s rewarding to watch team members grow. And of course, I’m always thinking that I don’t want to let them down which is an extra motivation.

It has probably been a long way there. What did you learn? What has helped you move forward and what was difficult?

I don’t actually feel that I’m “there” yet. I guess I feel grateful for the opportunities I have been given to prove myself.

I think I’m getting better at trusting my judgment but it’s also important to keep the right balance because as you are shifting from working very much hands-on, you are no longer the expert on the matter so you have to trust your teams as well even if you are still challenging them from time to time.

It was not so easy for me to find the right level of delegation so that I could let other people grow but without “abdicating” completely.

And then it’s always about reminding yourself that you’re working with people who might have different passions, different things that drive them, different priorities in their lives, different ways of coping with stress or changes, etc. This is probably the most difficult thing – to bring all these individuals together and create a common goal in which everyone can recognize something that speaks to them. I do not always succeed in doing that but when it happens, it’s pure magic and it makes you forget all the fatigue, frustration, and “I-am-no-good” moments.

As a team leader, what kind of role do you take on, and is it different from roles men take?

I believe female leadership in general is often a bit more participative and inclusive. And personally, I never saw leadership as some kind of power display. Not that it is the case for all the male leaders, of course.

For me, it’s more about creating opportunities for discussions to generate enough elements to make an educated choice. And then actually making a decision and taking the responsibility for it.

I’m not an extrovert but I find that I do spend a lot of time talking to people. At first, it was frustrating, because I thought I was wasting my time but I’m gradually coming to terms with the fact that these conversations have a lot of value.

You are obviously very talented and capable – how do you feel at a workplace as a woman (now and at the beginning of your career)? Do you have any tips for other women on how to behave in difficult situations, how to find your footing without compromising your integrity, values, and beliefs?

Even though, when it comes to their careers, women do have to make choices that men do not necessarily have to make – like having kids – I did not have any specific situation at work that was difficult because I was a woman.

I do believe though that the way women perceive themselves is different. It’s a big generalization, but I feel there is more self-doubt and perhaps less entitlement. I caught myself more than once opening a conversation with “I’m sorry” when I actually did not have anything to apologize for.

But it gets better. And having other women, especially those who can inspire you and give you advice in your day-to-day work is a huge help. I see a lot of value in having a mentor. Not just someone assigned to you, because it’s company policy, but someone who you would want to have as a mentor. And if you have a person who makes you say “I want to be like her one day”, don’t hesitate! Just go and talk to her.

How do you balance your personal and work life?

Well, it’s almost 10 PM and I’m typing this from my office so obviously, I’m not that good at it. I’m just super lucky to have a loving and understanding husband. He is my rock and basically my life support too as he takes care of almost everything when I go on my working binge.

Since my family is back in Russia, we don’t see each other very often so my working schedule does not impact them too much. When we see each other, I always try to create special moments: trips, surprises.

It’s more difficult for my friends to accept the fact that most of the time I cannot be there for them. I almost never have the time to just hang, and most likely I won’t be able to help out babysitting. Having a drink is something I need to schedule a week in advance. I’m really grateful for the fact that my friends have not abandoned me altogether yet!

How do you unwind? You’ve been to our retreats 3 times; how does this incorporate into your life?

When I went on the first retreat, I did not know what to expect. And I actually discovered that it was more than just doing some exercise. It was taking some time for myself, getting back to a more natural rhythm, meeting amazing people.

And when I was leaving, I was telling myself: “I need more of this in my life.” Which is why I keep coming back.

I do a little bit of yoga at home when I’m not too exhausted. I go to a yoga studio in Brussels from time to time. And I also go to a regular gym at least once a week, and I walk a lot.

What’s next for you?  

I honestly do not know. This new challenge at work is a big one. So I’ll probably focus on this for now.

I have some more traveling planned this year, and hopefully next year we’ll meet again at one of the retreats!

The post The Madame Guru: Olga Smirnova – find someone who can inspire and give advice appeared first on Summersalt Yoga Retreats.