A R I A D N E / / K A P S A L I
My Yoga Story: Elena Brower
You know you get these random rushes of intense bravery? When you do something that you’d normally procrastinate on for days, if not months? Well, it was in one of those occasions that I contacted the wonderful, incredibly amazing yoga teacher and a true inspiration to me, Elena Brower. I could not quite believe it when Elena responded to my interview request, along with beautiful and encouraging words about my blog. I was amazed by how touching and real even 2 lines of email communication can be. My love and respect for this human increased when Elena asked me to provide a shorter version of my interview series, explaining that she is full to the bream with commitments but that she would like to be able to contribute! I practice with Elena on yogaglo.com (and so should you, really), but these short emails we exchanged inspired me even more. This was someone how clearly takes great care of how she spends her time and energy and responds to life with honesty, compassion and huge generosity.
I am so incredibly honoured to share Elena’s brief shots of wisdom and a glimpse into her yoga journey!
What does yoga mean to you? Define it in 5 sweet words.
Strength. Listening. Learning. Pausing. Refining.
What have been the most powerful a-ha moments/sparks of inspiration + wisdom that you’ve experienced through yoga?
All the little daily understandings that come from doing less work in the postures to yield more endurance.
How did you transform these into life lessons off the mat?
HA! Reread that last answer and take out “in the postures” and we’re in!
What have been the biggest challenges in your practice on + off the mat?
Pardon my redundancy, but learning how to work less and listen more is both the biggest challenge and the best result.
What helped you overcome them?
Finding great teachers who’ve taught me how to slow down and be fortified by accuracy, fortitude and vision.
What advice would you give to someone wanting to be a yogi?
Take as many classes as you can, with a few different teachers, to get an idea of what’s possible.
And finally, what is your favourite yoga asana and why?
Padmasana. My own private container for my meditation practice.
:: ABOUT ELENA BROWER ::
Teaching yoga and meditation since 1999, Elena is known internationally for her resonant, relevant voice. She’s co-created Art of Attention, a beloved yoga workbook, now translated into 5 languages, along with a deck of visually profound Healing Cards to inspire daily practice. Devoted to meditation as our most healing habit, she’s created potent online coursework and has produced a film called On Meditation, sharing intimate portraits of meditation from the vantage point of both teachers and practitioners.
Practice yoga with Elena on Yogaglo.com.
Image credit: (1) Amir Magal, (2) Elena Brower.
