It’s Not About Stretching, It’s About Savasana

Welcome to the latest interview post from the True Nature Tribe. If you’re new here, head back and check out the earlier True Nature Tribe blog posts for some background on the project. Throughout this project we photograph and interview yogis about yoga in nature. Todays photo story and interview is of Chelsea Herman!

“It’s Not About Stretching, It’s About Savasana”

Chelsea never thought she needed yoga. Growing up a ballerina she was already flexible and yoga is, as we all know, just stretching. However, as a practitioner of Pilates and Barre, she couldn’t help but continue to hear about yoga. So eventually Chelsea, like many, learned in her first yoga class that it’s actually not just about stretching. She now sees yoga as a full body work-out connecting the mental and physical. Not to mention the moments on your mat when you get to be present, something she recognizes you don’t get in a lot other areas of life.

Her first yoga class was a community yoga class in the park. She remembers it being a beautiful and thinking it was a beautiful practice. She brought her mom with her to that first class perhaps foreshadowing her desire to share yoga with others.

“Yoga has helped me to build strength in ways I didn’t think were possible and realize potential I didn’t know was there. Yoga has helped me feel a sense of balance, calm, and peace through the restoration that happens in the practice.”

Just a short time after discovering yoga, Chelsea was hooked and became a regular at the studio bringing friends along and sharing her discovery with as many people as possible. In her own words, she was hooked. She had even found a new community that she didn’t expect to find, a group of people practicing together and learning from one another. Soon she was studying to be a yoga teacher so that she could better share her passion with others in an educated way. She loves the continuous practice and that there is always something new.

Chelsea will tell you, “You have to try it. You have to try it because I didn’t think I needed it. I thought I knew what it was all about and there was a ton I didn’t know until I actually went to a class.” As a result of her practice, Chelsea notices physical effects, changes in her body. She has gotten stronger in areas she hadn’t used before, she’s not as tight as she use to be in some areas, and is more open in general. One way to yogis really notice the impact of a daily practice is to pay attention to when they miss a few days. Chelsea says that when she misses even one days she doesn’t feel as rested at night. In addition, she notices her mind racing, at least more than usual. This adds to her motivation to make it a daily practice because seeing the benefits helps her know that she’s doing something right.

“We’re busy with people pulling us in all different directions,” so it makes sense that Chelsea is drawn to the calming aspect of yoga. Still I was surprised to hear her favorite aspect of yoga is the time in savasana at the end of class, which she notices that everyone seems to love.

“You are racing from the time you wake up in the morning. Whether it’s just in your thoughts, or with your family, your friends, or in your job. So to have some time when it is literally just about you and your practice and you can just rest in that, it’s pretty important I think.”

Yoga helps her put things in perspective and look at the world a little differently. Being able to see life from this angle helps her prioritize her day with simple yet valuable things like alone time or meditation. Once you have something like that, you realize that you want it more. Things we learn on our mats translate into life and vice versa.

As a Christian, yoga gives Chelsea another way to be connected to God. It’s place she can be quiet and pray. It adds another moment in her day that allows her to focus on her connection to her own spirit and to a higher power. The mind-body connection aspect of yoga allows us to be in tune with our own body, looking inward, as well as have a connection with others, looking outward. Even just saying Namaste at the end of class is a reminder to Chelsea to look at other people from a place of respect, honoring the light/spirit in others from a place of connection with her own light/spirit. Regarding savasana, her favorite aspect of her yoga practice, she mentions that for her it can be a time of meditation and prayer appreciating the opportunity to “thank God for this healthy body He’s given me & reflect on all I have.”

Thanks for tuning in! Be sure to visit our website for more information on what we are doing with the True Nature Tribe project about yoga in nature. You’ll see glimpses of the stories ahead and well as ways to get involved. We would be honored if you would support our project in whatever way you are able. We’ve created a Postcard Pack that is available for purchase. 100% of the profits will be donated to land conservation.