EP 26: Ash Smith | Healing The Heart Through Yoga And Community

Ash found her pathway to yoga about a decade ago, but it really became a passion when she was in college at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. She studied Communication Design and Advertising, and through her studies in school she also developed a deep appreciation and soon to be passion for the entirety of the 8 limbs of yoga. Ash discovered the importance of the practice when she was learning more about her ADHD in college, it was yoga and meditation that helped her through depression.

Soon after graduating, she decided to pursue a 200HR Yoga Teacher training at Yama Yoga in the Third Ward of Milwaukee. There she further explored her niches of interest, such as creative sequencing, her love of anatomy, hand balancing postures, and yoga philosophy. Upon graduation, she started teaching at multiple yoga studios around the city to further develop her voice as a teacher, and to continue learning through experience.

Eventually after one year of teaching professionally, she became employed at Ascent Wellness Program. There she learned how to take all that she had learned to the next step, and finally became able to apply yoga and meditation to help people who were healing through mental health recovery or substance abuse. Ash discovered a lot about herself as a teacher, and learned so much through all of her private clients that she was so thankful to be assigned to. Recently she left this position, and is now pursuing new and exciting endeavors more related to what she wants to build in the future.

Ash's Plugs:
https://instagram.com/ash_intuitiveyoga?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Transcript

ASH SMITH 0:00

Greetings everyone. Welcome back. Wonderful Sunday and a m moment here cause I get down with my friend, new friend, Ash Smith. Hey, welcome to the show. Thank you. Thanks for being here. Thank you. Yeah, we uh, so I mean originally we met through Tinder. Yeah. years of years ago, which is crazy. It was, I don't even remember, I don't even think we even had a conversation. I don't, maybe we had a small conversation on the app, but I think mostly like, yeah, we just like started following each other's social media. We're like, yep, yep, yep, yep. just, yeah. About how, yeah. I saw you were a younger teacher. Yeah, just car through the social media, saw some of your kind hop up and then we had the Slingshot Wallace event coming up, like, I want to do some more outreach and I'm looking to expand community, more like-minded, like hard individuals. I was like, what's up Are you interested in checking out this event we're doing? Would be Cause you're a yoga teacher and you're in well, wellness space and self-awareness and mindfulness. And also I, I propose that come to one and then it led to collaboration here. Yeah. So that was that just to contextualize our, uh, relationship and, and now we're getting to make more dope shit. So truly we are again. Yeah. And they showed me my first cold bath. That was very, very interesting. Yes. Ice bath. That's right. Yeah. I was like, y'all gotta stick with me cause it's gonna take me a little bit. Yeah, yeah. If you've never been in the ice, it's, it's jarring. It's incredibly jarring to put yourself in that situ. You're nervous system's. Like, what the fuck are you doing? Like, no, not getting in here. This is not a good idea. Uh, that's the whole point. Oak regulating in. Uh, bill you got in? So yeah, just for like three seconds. But we did that That was fun. I was talking about, uh, how you were the first person that I'd met for the ding, uh, that initial coming together over an ice bath and, and that's more of what I'm looking to like, introduce and how I connect with other people is like doing something novel and different, sends us together and then we got to eat cheese and honey snacks. And I had some wine. So true. That's quite the night. It's quite the I agree. Some Oracle. Cut. That's lovely. Hell yeah. So yeah. Welcome everyone. Um, start off, I would love for you to take us, or just let's, let's just start with you explaining, you know, what you're in, in the world, how you're into yoga and you study. Facilitate yogas within that space. And, and you're in sound healing too, so, you know, in your own words, if you wanna share with the listeners right now what you're doing, what your focuses are and, and what your interests and passions are truly. Yeah. So I have been teaching yoga, uh, for almost three years, about two and a half years. Um, it'll be three in August. Uh, but I've been practicing yoga I think about nine years now. So it's been a huge aspect of my life, uh, for quite a long time. Um, and these days I'm taking my practices more online. As of recently, um, after learning, I have a compromised immune system. And, um, you know, through the nature of my previous job, uh, just took me to a new place of wanting to expand my reach also to new people I've been teaching. Primarily here in the city. So all my demographic of people have been teaching all here in Milwaukee and I love it. But I wanna expand a little bit, um, eventually get into like the realm of like being able to host retreats, um, and gathering like other people together, kind of similar to like what we're doing right now. Gathering like-minded people to be able to collaborate. Cause I, I went to art school, um, even though I teach yoga now, so I'm really, really, really used to collaborating with people and coming together and being critiqued and also being able to be critiqued so I can be better, um, in whatever it is, you know? And I feel like it's good to have, um, multiple different perspectives rather than just one. Cuz plus I have ADHD and It can be helpful to work with other people and you can get really cool things too with that. And I think, um, so that's something I'm trying to work towards. Um, uh, yeah. And you know, the workshop coming up next weekend, lavage. Yeah. Facilitating some, a sound lab for us. Yeah. The Slingshot Wellness on the 28th. I'm gonna release this probably like a few days before the, the event on the team. You're interested. Check out at Slingshot Underscore Wellness on Instagram, and we'd love to have you there. Like you were saying, we're all about community for something positive and building energy and, and charging the battery that's what we fucking need right now. It's like lot's happening in the world. Lots of stress, lots of challenges and adversity to maneuver and community most. So if you mm-hmm. um, what was it that, you know sparked your curiosity and injured your pivot? I want to get into yoga. I want get into heal this with the world hips or experience. Like brought this to Yes. A lot. Yes. It's interesting. It's very interesting. So, um, I was nine years old when I was first exposed to supporting somebody who was going through a moment with like, suicidal thoughts. So nine years old. And then this was a consistent, uh, theme throughout my life in, you know, middle school. I had a friend that was very dealing with extreme, extreme thoughts. Not that I wasn't myself, it's just that these were huge moments of impact. And then also then in high school, Another friend and then in college, another friend. And so it felt like it was like, it's like I, it's ridiculous. It's almost like universe has just always been like kind of directing me in this path of, um, finding alternative wellness as a whole, uh, but specifically focusing on yoga and meditation to be a great tool for healing. And eventually, you know, I had gotten my yoga teacher certification after I graduated art school back in 2019. And I was certified shortly after by 2020, um, in August. Um, or I was, or sorry, I was starting my certification August of 2020. Um, and so then, Yeah. I found myself working in mental health recovery as a yoga instructor, uh, which I thought was very, very different and new. It's something I never ever thought would be something that I could do. I was writing medical notes and it was all based off of recovery plans for clients, um, based off like what they need. So sometimes I'd be going to their homes, sometimes they'd be meeting at the location downtown. But moral the story, I felt like, um, there was always something that was drawing me towards healing some sort of mental, physical, emotional, um, through yoga meditation. So it's always been like this theme, just kind of like always been present in my life. And the other things too, um, mental health recovery has always been important to me my whole life, but, I love my parents, but there was a lot course that time where they were not very helpful with that. So I had to figure it out a lot by myself, mostly guys. I love'em. I love'em, I love you guys. But I love you guys, but like, honestly, um, it's made me, uh, more accountable for my own healing and yoga and meditation has been really helpful for that. Hell yeah. Yeah. You got the breath, you got themselves reflection. I like, dunno a ton about yoga philosophy or anything like that. I know there's been seeds that have been planted and things that I'll, uh, that I've applied in my life. Yeah. My yoga practice is pretty minimal. I've practiced at yoga power. Nice. And yeah, just to like connect to the Audi and, and to like present with body and what you're experience and to do that with other people, that's so powerful. So it's. Massively impactful in my life, especially being someone that really likes to hit the gas pedal. Yeah. And I feel that the hot yoga class, they go hard. They're not, they're not straight up, they're strenuous. They fucking, they're not my nervousness. In a good way. Yes. Yeah. One class for me a week and it's one hot yoga a week and it's just, it's insane how much it can just help get rid of physical and emotional baggage. Yeah. And weight. You're moving energy when you're, period. You're working it out it's getting squeezed outta you in a especially straight up. I've only done, uh, I've done the infrared panels. That's what I'm doing now. And that was, that was a new thing. That's definitely like a strenuous body versus the super hot yoga six. And that's the only Right. I practice at yoga six around here. I practice at Yoga six in Carlsbad, California. That was cool. No, they're everywhere. Oh yeah, they are. Um, big chain. Um, but I haven't practiced at any other yos in those. Modalities of hot yoga award and I haven't really taken their stein, uh, practices like, uh, yoga, Gaia, Gaia is a streaming platform too. Yeah. Gaia's, great bunch of great practices there. And some, and speaking of meditation, what does that, what does that look like in practicing that? And then how is that elaborated? Because like we all kind of know like basically what meditation, okay, you sit still and you be present and you extricate focal point, like breathe, like feeling the, the ailing into my belt out to the wrath. What does your practice look like and and what are some of the, anything you feel called as sharing about more about this practice? Totally. Yeah. I think, oh gosh, yeah. That's actually a really good question because honestly, something I learned from that last job that I, um, learned so much from, um, I, like, it's insane how much I learned from it through experience. Is that, um, Was pushing forward the idea that meditation does not always have to look the same way, especially because the age range of people I were, I was like teaching and working with privately ranged from like six years old all the way up to 75 and everyone in, in between. Um, and I specialize mostly with my sound meditation. So if you guys are not familiar, sound bass, uh, meditation, singing bowls, all under the same kind of topic. Um, it's using an instrument, um, that's played with a tool called the Mallet, but the mallet can be, um, different materials. Um, Different weights that can essentially alter the sound. Um, and um, I play three bowls essentially. They all have different vibrations and uh, if you believe in the chakra system they align with that can help align your chakras, all that. Um, and um, but also bring you to the present moment. It's, there's actually really cool science behind ensembles if you're exposed. Right. I wish I knew some so I could dive into it more. Yeah, I mean everything is vibrating and everything is frequency, so it only makes sense. And I mean, if you would just like, were to purely like have the experience of like listening to different packs you in terms of just what you're experiencing felt sense there it is. You know, there's your, your proof experientially straight. Yeah, continue on if you have more to say. Yeah. Speaking of the only 10 minutes of being in the same room with sound bowls has been proven to bring people to meditative. I think I told you guys that that one night we hung out, um, which I think is fascinating. Purely that's why I sell based off of that, what I would do with my clients who did want sound bowls. Not everyone, but really it was like 99% of everyone did Um, I would start with 10 minutes specifically based off of that science, uh, which I would, you know, document medical notes and, and then, you know, would go into whatever yoga session if they wanted one. Not all my clients did. Cause I work with older individuals too, who didn't really enjoy moving a lot. So, and then at the end would, um, also do another 10 minute sound bath. So, you know, essentially using like, um, you know, these modalities to, I was a lot of downregulating for the nervous system. Even most people do. Yes. And I need, I need both because I like, I like the up regul like, up and down cuz of the hot yoga obviously do too. Yeah, absolutely. Expending the energy seems to just like considering how crazy the mug gets, that's been so incredibly impactful health. Just where I'm act Audi and you know, it doesn't need to be strenuous walking and that meditation into play too. If I'm walking and I'm being present with my experience, crownings and dropping out of the head body incredibly beneficial. It doesn't have to be our walking meditation. Yeah. In other modalities. And I don't really know how to define meditation exactly like when I power of present, how presence go an individual. Um, but yeah, most people. Dill and do is not to think and that's not what we're doing here. Truly, the thoughts won't stop. You know, they don't stop. That's just how the mind and the brain works. They just keep firing and there's little electronically firing, neuron popping off. So they just kind continuously happen and it's picking something for self to focus on. So dampen and Irving, letting the flo, the thoughts come and go cause that's what you, they bloat down the stream, like stick in the river, like a vent load outta your visual feel is exactly thoughts and thought forms on the topic. But yeah, I'm just, physical practices have been helpful for me. Get into that state as walking. Getting a vigorous exercise and whether it's weightlifting or a hot yoga class like that for a run. Right. I agree. I was gonna say, yeah, the hot yoga is meditative for me too. Yeah. Beautiful. Honestly, like well said too, like I feel like yeah, so many people just assume that Yeah, meditation, you have to be like sitting like, like, you know, like the usual, like a lot of our youth clients, like when I sit them down to do like sound healing, they will automatically go to that and they'll be like the whole like, you know, the whole cute, like depiction. Yeah. Oh yeah. This is, this is a, I don't use a lot of neidra, but, um, this one, I, I mean I do use this in some postures. I don't, a lot of, a lot of teachers really do use these to their extent. You know, there's like, there's like, I think there's one right here too, like can align with like chakras and stuff, um, which I think is really beautiful. Speaking of which, um, I, I think m. Shout out Mika. I think she, um, does a lot of Nero work in her practices. No shit about that. It's beautiful. It's very beautiful. Um, hand forms, yeah. Energy. You know, it's like, it's like a lot of energy flows through the hands, so it makes sense, you know? Yeah. It's pretty fascinating. Just, uh, yeah, like on the topic of modulating and noticing how like, very simple things can, can change how you feel. Like if I were to just sit here and smile and smile, that's, that's my nervous system is recognized, something's good is happening. Like, there it's so nuanced and, and you can, all these little tiny things to feel better, all these little tricks, you know, affirmations and, and help that recalibration process and actively shape your mood instead of just being like, oh, I feel this when I'm gonna continually let this happen. And then, right. Obviously the fifth practices. Uh, and activating the body and meditating as well. These all just different, like modulating your, you're, you're actively at work or it's putting yourself in a better spot in terms of how you feel mentally and emotionally. And that's some, a lot of people don't recognize they can do that and to consciously recognize that, right? Cuz you are like, oh, I have so much more control over how I feel ton there in terms of ways we hack our health and just, and just where we're at in terms of. Truly. Yeah. I feel like it's amazing. As I get older and older, I realize the power of meditation really it's all about like rewiring the brain, like what you're just essentially describing. Um, you know, cause we obviously we're all human. There's things that I've have had bad habits and I've used like meditation and yoga and eating healthy and, um, yeah. Just like my, you know, move in practice in journal with goes past yoga to weight weightlifting, I feel like, you know, all these things you can put in place to essentially like, like the thought pattern, wanted to go one way. Well instead of doing that, I'm gonna do something like healthy. And you can like, eventually with practice, like change that automatic to do something technically whatever, labeled as bad. Whatever not, yeah. Depending on everyone's perspective that's different. But yeah, it is a good thing cause it's like you recognize something's off and it's an invitation to self-reflect mm-hmm. and be like, what's going on here? And it's invitation. Your body to do something about what you're experiencing, right? That's what's beautiful about quote unquote negative energy poll. It's like, it's really just a thing that's happening. It's not good or bad. Um, and what you do with it, that's a great perspective to look at and, you know, shift the direction and I possibly can. And just, you know, with my thoughts circulating around this topic of shifting energy, is there any like major challenges in your life that stick out to you where yoga or breath work? And I know it's like a lot of times like, oh, I did yoga and now this is all solved. But Right. your like, real life experience, you can share with the listeners that like tie this all together and like, hey, like I. Yoga, meditation, or let go of something, whatever it may be. Yeah, I, I would say, um, oh God, I used to be such a people pleaser and such a fucking doormat. So I'd say like yoga and meditation helped me find my voice and my confidence and my sense of self more than I ever have. Cuz I was suppressed for like 19 years of my life. Sorry. Bagging on you guys again, but they didn't really allow me to like, explore my bisexuality. So I didn't have a chance to like explore that until I moved to Milwaukee. And um, honestly like when you think about it, like when you're suppressing a huge part of who you are for that long, like it's gonna, it's gonna, it's gonna need some activation of energy work and things of that sort. Yeah. Period. Absolutely. Which, yeah, that's for sure, that's for sure Um, but, uh, yeah, so I'd say like it helped me feel more confident with exploring myself and just, um, yeah, in a lot of ways through mental, emotional, physical appearance, you know, being able to express that I am like bisexual. I feel like I didn't, for the longest time, I always looked like a, just a basic white girl Um, so I feel, I feel like it's taken a while for me to figure out, you know, um, all of that. So I would say yoga meditation helped me. Along the way, it was like a, um, kind of like helping me just feel more comfortable with doing that. Yeah. Help move energy so I could, I could um That's great. Do that. The yoga community is so supportive and not that I'm like super intertwined with it, but I just imagine with the level of self-awareness that most practitioners have in these communities have, they're just way more like, oh, who are you? And we love you for who you are. Like, we're not gonna shun you out because like, in this way, different, most people are whatever it may be. So I imagine that was so supportive and like, uh, traversing that that like Yeah, cuz that's, that's really tough to be like kind of rejected for who you are and kind of what that teaches you. Like Yes. From people that, um, that are like your guides, your guides and your men original mentors parents. That's really. Pill to swallow. And that really creates like, you're, the way you are is not okay. That's what that's saying. Not that that's the exact words that we're used. And I imagine essentially. Exactly. You're not wrong. Yeah. Love you guys though. this is like, this is no judgment. No. Yeah, no. We're working through it. They know they we're, we're working through as a family. Beautiful. Accountability. We're all doing our It's on the record. It's on the record. Yeah. For real. Yeah. No, it's been a journey. And we'll also keep in mind, I I, I'm an only child, um, not by choice. My parents wanted to have more kids, but they, um, I was a C-section and I didn't wanna turn around and something. Were you really? That's really interesting. I came out the belly with another, no way. Oh, wow. I don't even know what I was just saying, but C-sections. Yeah. Oh, that's really fascinating. Yeah. I didn't wanna turn around. I'm very stubborn and so it makes sense, Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I wish I would've natural, but I don't think, like, I was in some trouble though. I'm pretty sure I was upside down and sister was crushing me, so Oh no. Oh no. But I failed and came out. I'm the older brother. There you go. Shout out to my You're amazing Um, yeah. That's really cool though that like you really found yourself as Susan and the communities that came with them and, yeah. Isn't that beautiful? How much agent, like when you recognize how much agency and like how you look at yourself and you start to make the mo like relook at yourself in. A lot more self-acceptance through the supportive com exponentials. And obviously it's just like, there's infa, so it keeps going. I just wanted to recognize that and you can, uh, creating that for yourself. It's huge. Thank you. Yeah, it's, it, yeah, it's kind of, it's very mind blowing. I mean, I don't talk about that a lot, so anytime I do, I'm kind of, I'm sitting here, I'm just like, damn. Yoga has been like, I, I know it's always been helpful for me, but when I sit and think about it, I'm like, wow. Yeah, that really has been like the shit big for real Yeah. It's just pretty humbling. Yeah, cuz like, I mean, you'll rejected to subject yourself. Cause like if the love me the most, why should I love me? No, it's how that shit fucking started drugs and alcohol in a way that doesn. I mean, there's so many different, we get away from that, like Yeah. With yourself. Cause you're not gonna feel comfortable with Love yourself. I mean, yeah. For me, that's manifested in addiction, you know, all sorts of unhealthy habits and my best to get away from, not truly with myself from just from programming alone. Right. You know, like it was for Get Planted or Michael, which are, they're doing their best. Um, and, and like society and media and all these that can be a really slippery slope if you don't, um, catch it and, and, and use that awareness to recognize that like, oh, I can't just, like, I gotta own my shit. I figure something out. I start doing yoga, I gotta, yep. That supports me. Self-love, and I'm on your journey as well with yoga and practices and what you share. It's like, you know, you're sharing these principles with people. Thank you. Yeah, it right back at you. I, it's really, really awesome. I'm, uh, just throw it right back at you. Really glad that, um, yeah, we're here talking about this. It's really nice to talk about these things. It's interesting how like, uh, you know, like being in a city and even though I, we live in this city, Milwaukee, like, it's kind of like, I feel like there's like little pockets of people, uh, in this wellness community that, um, want to have more community, but like, I don't know, for some reason, like, there's not enough like spots. So I'm really excited to see like where things go in the future this summer too. Um, it's really exciting. So, speaking of which, if you guys, let's get the, wanna hang out, hang out. You don't find us. We're here. So you gotta follow through on your end. If you're seeing this true, you can you, I don't know what you do if you do cool shit all Absolutely. Together at five. Yeah. It's really nice. Absolutely. What is like your greatest and ingrain destiny with all of this? Mm. Where do you see this all going for yourself? What is like your, the biggest dream you could ever with yoga? What does that look like? Is it entrepreneurship? Is it a center? You online teaching, you got team working with you? What is those? What what do you foresee? Oh, that's a really good question. I'm really glad you asked that cuz I like to talk about it cause I'm all about planting seeds. Yeah. Yep. Period. Um, so it's kind of like shifted a little bit. I always knew I wanted to own my own business cause my parents are bit business owners like most of my life. They own, own, own business together. Um, so it's always had a huge impact on me. But I know for a fact I wanna start like a uh, a. A wellness center, um, where I have like essentially a built reputation, hopefully through Instagram, eventually someday down the road. And ideally thinking somewhere out west. Not exactly sure location wise. You gonna leave us? Come on. Ah, I decide link. I like warm weather. We gonna have, we get multiple, become, uh, bold as soon as you're. Oh, but I love it but I wanna like have a bunch of, you know, like this, where we have like people that, you know, have amazing modalities that they wanna share for the purpose of like helping people feel better about themselves and just helping people feel validated and also like, uh, in control of their reality, which essentially is kind of what we've been talking about, taking control of our reality cause we feel like we don't. Um, and, um, so essentially also would like to host retreats through that, you know, that brand, whatever that'll be someday. Um, that wellness center just also, just a matter of having like a collective of people. Um, it's like a biggest thing that I've been really inspired by. Cause I feel like, like I said before, when people come together, There's so much more opportunities for creation and collaboration through teamwork just helps so much. And also I just, there's so many teachers that I admire that I would just also love to like give them a space and I would wanna provide that. Cause I also just know, like I wanna be a business owner and I, after going to art school, like I think there's a lot of, um, creative directing that they kind of like really implemented into the education, which I feel like has still had a huge impact on me. And also I was background in sales and advertising and design. Perfect. We got it. Um, it's coming together. Yeah. Got all the skills need. Yoga, businesswoman, Shit. You gotta project trades these days if you wanna make it in your perspective field. True, true. You gotta have, gotta have a lot of different skills. All the fucking shit I've had to learn, like being a photographer, uh, just skating with other. Social media, customer service. Yep. Marketing and promotion and like, yeah. It's just a lot of different balls to juggle. That's, wait, what did you, what did you study for you? Oh, it was a major was uh, communication design. Minor is advertising. Yeah. Yeah. Art. I figured be like, oh, I was a painter. ceramic. I did, I was, I did paint though. Yeah. A lot of ADHD be like, so That's cool. What school was it? Uh, Mayette actually. Nice. Yeah. Dad sick. I don't know anything about their program. My uncle not who was a swat sniper detective and it was officer and, whoa, back in the day he went to art school at Maya, but it was called something else back then. Yeah. That was just something that came to mind about mine. I've had some friends that have gone and that's cool. It's, we have a lot of like crossovers in terms our journey wellness and those. Play together and, and work together. So Beau, that's something that's gonna be helpful, having those creative skills, being able to leverage those when you do build a business. And then just for basic pro solving, like always Yeah. Creativity's, just like always being able to back to and like approach, like cause always a way, always a way. You just got powers of your Mazda of the puzzle gather and that, that creative practice is, it's probably fun to explore your practice as a yoga practice. Well like exactly. Bring different flows and the different sequences and shapes. And, and with your practice right now, what, what are you most having fun with? I see you're doing the arm balances and, and yeah. Tap into that, that shit's bad ass. Thank you The strength and, and the mobility and the balance. Back to presence. One thing that Yes. present true. Yeah. It makes me also, it's really beautiful. It's like such a balance of like, me just like having fun as an inner, like my inner child, just like coming out. But also like, yeah, like my, like intelligence from anatomy and just like the dedication of like nine years to, to yoga, like has come now to this point. Cause I remember, oh my god, I remember the first time I was learning how to do a headstand in a yoga class. Back, back, back, back, back. Years ago, in freshman year of college. I was just like, what is this? And then I just got, became obsessed. Obsessed with it. Um, yeah. And now I'm like my favorite. I go to the gym and people look at me like, like an animal in the zoo. And I'm like, yeah, whatever. I have fun though. So, yeah, it's, I love it. I love yoga and I love being able to like, I think it's really fun to like put your body in different shapes too. Cause I, when you think about it too, like, you know, obviously there's a lot going on. Um, it feels good on the outer edge, but like internally too, you know, there's a lot of good things that are going on in here. A lot of like detoxing, a lot of like, kind of resetting your skeletal system too. Putting that back into alignment. That's pretty sick. That feels good. Yeah. There's times like in my hot yoga class that I go to every Wednesday at seven 30, um, Louise's class y'all. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And um, yeah, it's just, I can like, I get into a pose and I'm like, oh, there goes my spine Yeah. And it feels really, really, really nice. You know? It's just feels good. I love, uh, I'm into, I'm into handstand. Mm-hmm. like ever since I was a little kid, I was fascinated by standing and walking. Of a family friend Jim Gable, who he was just the coolest. He was the old stoner and he played piano and he, like, he was a carpenter and he was just super creative and he loved playing with us how to do hand selects. Ah, so cool. Yeah. And then as of recent, uh, the handstand back in this and beautiful thing about the hand selects creating balance in life cuz it's not that you ever find balance, you're doing micro adjustments with your body, uh, implementing it with your mind and always creating that balance Life every day's, not that you like find a point of balance. It's like always gotta like remind to create that balance into situation, work with health, with whatever. And that was just another. I agree. That's a really, that's a really good perspective. And I think there's a real, there's a lot of like really beautiful like, um, I guess, um, just, uh, concepts you can take from like practicing like, like looking at the practice in that way where you like kind of zoom in and you like look at it where it's just like, wow. It's like very, it's a very, like, it seems minuscule but it means so much more. But um, yeah, cuz even in my hot yoga class, like it's so, oh my God, it's so nice when I go and I'm in a room full of people, like, I think there's like 30 people that can fit into the room, but you know, everybody, how rare is that, that you're in a room full of people, like in minimal clothing? It's very hot and no one is like, really, everyone's focused on their own shit. Like, no one's like wandering eyes. Everybody is like just focusing on breathing and just getting in through that hour. And honestly I think that's really beautiful because. Um, yeah. Um, you know, I'm not gonna lie, like I go to the gym and I work out, I, I don't like going to the gym as much as I enjoy my hot yoga classes because I end up feeling uncomfortable and like, preyed on. And it's just like, it's so beautiful to be able to like, um, do that hot yoga class and feel like I'm like, okay. There's like, there's hope in the world. there's hope in the world. Cause it could be scary sometimes. Like some people don't, don't realize like, um, I don't know if you believe in like, energy and how like directed energy can feel, but like there'd be like, it could be creepy out there. That planet of fitness downtown, not gonna lie. It could be creepy So, um, yeah, I think that's a beautiful thing about hot yoga and just yoga in general. How much it could bring people together and just kind of see just ourselves and just look at ourselves and just be with self while still being in a room full of people. That's pretty sick. Yeah. Powerful. Yeah. Back to just the presence and, and don't really like yoga, especially a hot yoga practice. There really isn't. Any other choice but to be present, yes, you're gonna be led closer and close present as the practice goes on because it becomes progressively more challenging. You're sweating fucking balls. You're uncomfortable in that way, and you're really exerted. And then you bring in the balances and you really just have to focus all your energy on what you're doing about how many people could benefit for practice, where they drop out of their mind bra, the disharmony is in the body, and and feeling into your body and being present with your body. And then how that kind of like realigns your thoughts to higher thinking and quiets the mind truly at the same time. And then one other thing about movement. What's, what's like the most fun way? Well, you got into the hand like that, but one of the main mistakes I've recognized myself making my movement practice not doing as I possibly can that are like purely fond that. At vigorous or it's ice hockey or ultimate frizz or, um, I don't know, hiking up a mountain or playing tennis, like playing games. That's one thing I want to instead are just pure. Yeah. And cuz like I've been so rigid with in my weight lift and yoga is fun. It's not like pure like, you know, childlike play expression in the can be. I imagine with the right perspective and exploring the, the hand that, but outside of the handbag there any other ways that are you get in movement, pure, fun for you? Yeah, dance for sure. I love hula hooping. Hooping, yeah. Great. Yeah, I have in that space, in my, my apartment, I have a, basically just a yoga room. Um, Besides my bedroom upstairs, and I can just use that for movement, whether it's yoga, like dance, um, which is really, really, really, really helpful for, um, yeah, me and my, my energy. That can be a little bit, um, and needing some expending, especially towards the end of the night. I'm like, okay, I'm gonna whole hoop for a little bit. Just kind of helps me down regulate to just kind of get a little bit of, um, that extra anxiety from the day out. Yeah. And it's creative and yeah. And yeah, that dancing and playing music and things like that, brain in so many different ways, not such a great way to like modulate how you potentially, if you can really feel into dancing, just have fun with it. Be silly and let go of that, you know, judgment of yourself. Maybe if you're like, oh, like how do I look? Blah, blah, blah. Right? There's so many grown adults out there that are overly worried about how they're being perceived by people that don't know, and they're. Just simply wiggling their body and moving and it seems to me it was dancing that one of impactful ass letting that go and like surrendering to like how epic it can feel to just move, have fun. Yeah. And not judge yourself. Process of doing truly. And there's even in times in my yoga practice when I'm teaching people where I will kind of use like those like concepts from my own dance practice where I'll tell people to like kind of close their eyes in a specific pose to help them focus less on what they look like. Cause I feel like I can like see body language tense up when they're like, oh, this is like a new movement. I might like look a little weird. Like especially spinal rolls. Like that's when you're articulating through the spine and you basically like, uh, uh, draw the shoulders up towards the ceiling. And then there's like a sense of like waving through the spine as you take your hips back towards your ankles. But essentially like people, like sometimes the first time in the pose, like feel a little awkward. So yeah, I tell'em to close their eyes and honestly, yeah, just, it can be hard sometimes to like, let go of that, um, that sense of like judgment on yourself. Yeah, totally. So yeah, it's so, so true. But once people get through that, I'd say yoga helped me feel more comfortable with dance actually too. Cause I used to be, I was just a little anxious, anxious gal for a long time. And yeah, yoga kind of like really allowed me to feel comfortable with myself more. And dancing. Yeah. So dancing came after the yoga, but if you, if you take the time to practice it, it gets more and more easy and the more uh, you learn, the more graceful you become with time. Cuz naturally I'm a klutz. So it's, it's possible. Um, that's a great way to boost the confidence. It is step into your fullness and, and your authenticity. And that seems to be like half the battle for me if I can just truly express what I'm alive, what is alive within me, and, and be okay with that and, and like give permission to let other people rest themselves as well. Like that's the, what the world needs most, I feel. Right. Things that the world needs most is like, let's just put down the fucking, uh, illusion that, right? Like we're all like normal. Super. Yeah. We, like, we forget that, that we're, we're all so incredibly strange. And that's what makes us beautiful. And like we all just kind of like most of us, and I find myself doing this out in public too, we kind of just all operate on the surface. And, um, one thing that comes to mind with all that being said is importance of finding communities. And where it's say now there is no judgment. You can learn to let your own walls of judgment down. And that's what I've been experiencing a lot over the past. I like, I start to recognize like, oh, the only judgment I'm self. And now that I've found people I can be around, judge me, it's time to let that shit go and recognize that and do my best to just like yeah. Peel back those lay It's so freeing. Cause yeah. Judgment. like the opposite of love. It creates separation and there's so much freedom to be found when you can just slowly let those layers melt away. And that's such a challenge for everyone. There's so many people that don't feel accepted and bad, right? And if you feel like that in a relationship, it's time to let that relationship, this is true. Take some action. And, and there's people out there that will love you for who you are and, and what you, but not judge you for yours. We're all fucking human and we'll have them. So yeah. Sorry, tangent. Um, what yoga brings to the table and to self-awareness. Solved and reckon all in the human. We're all figuring it out. We're all going through the same thing. Truly. We are all, we are all figuring it out. I feel that as fuck. Yeah. I feel like we always forget that shit too. Like we're all, we're all just, yeah. We. human. Yeah. Doing the human thing. we're doing the human thing, that's for sure. Yeah. One thing that really is like a burden on an individual, at least from my direct experience, is like allowing the perfectionist to kind of like over my persona and how I act and, and how much judgment that comes with that. How unrealistic of expectations come with that and, and how much of a weight that is to care and recognizing, uh, the perfectionist It's just from a place of insurity. I mean, I've exploded myself. I started to kind of lose my train of thought about where I was gonna go with that. Yeah, that sense of insecurity. Insecurity also is another, you know, I think what you were talking about before, like, um, you know, huge barrier, like, and yeah, I feel like it's just very interesting living in this society. Uh, sorry, I thought I was gonna sneeze for a second, but, um, where I feel like. There's so much money that's made off of keeping people feeling insecure or like below a certain level, or specifically like not giving people the resources to like succeed, um, on purpose. Like, you know, I think it's just, it's very interesting that we live in a world like that and I feel like, you know, the more, that's why, like, going back to what you said before, it's really important we do things like this when we develop community with people with actually positive mindsets that want to help people evolve. Because, you know, when we, I think we forget, like we're constantly evolving. Every day we wake up, like we have the choice to like be better and our brains are constantly trying to like, wanna be the best I could possibly be. The fact that we only use 10% of our brains, I think. Is that correct? I don't think that's true. No, it's not true. I've tried to do some studies on that one. Okay. I was actually reading about this in a book like John, he was talking about another scientist about. Adage that we only sent of our brain, which we do. Cuz if we were using all parts of our brain, essentially we'd have a seizure. Right? Right. It'd be overwhelming. Like, what the fuck? Yeah, this is not working. We could feel too much just, there's no point of using the whole brain. Right? Reality wouldn't make sense. Overwhelming. We'd know too much. We know too much all the secrets of life are just suddenly like, okay, I cannot do this shit too much. story if it were easy to figure out, like with a pill, that's what everybody wants, right? They want the silver, they want the cure-all solution. And unfortunately it just doesn't work like that. Shortcuts. And it's, it's always a journey and that's what makes it beautiful. Accepting that, uh, allow yourself just kind of like shin and give yourself some. And do it with humility and Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Not linear for sure. Absolutely. And that's, that's the beautiful part, you know, like, I feel like a huge thing, even though like, I not gonna lie, I struggle a lot and I go through like a highs and lows. Obviously it's a sensitive, empathetic individual, kind of comes with my profession. Um, uh, but I think it's even the times where I do lose that sense of connection to universe, oneness, everybody describes it different. There's nothing, I'm not like particular on that descriptor, but, um, I feel like this, like the coming back and finding it and like how that feels is always worth like that disconnected feeling, even though it sucks, right? It's very uncomfortable. I'm just recently getting out of something like that. I'm kind of coming back to life. This podcast is really helpful. Uh, so yeah, absolutely. I I am in the same, incredibly stupid. Pathetic and like so many sensitive in so ways. Mm-hmm. and the ups and downs can be like quite drastic sometimes. Yeah. And I can, I mean, I can right start to beat myself up, but I, you know, help And then obviously the flow and that life and beautiful is, is just all really a learning optimal. You're the magic, the same magic in life and, and yeah, that's where the practice is. Kai and the connect out of any practice, all the practices connecting with others, and that's why I love doing this cause. I get to practice being, and I get to practice building connections with other people and expression, I have a lot of, uh, gunk and stories built up. Um, me being someone that expressed themselves effectively, I suppress and repressed who I was just through early age. So I became stunted in a lot of ways and I, yeah, I just wasn't connected at all because it was a perpetual state of dissection and Um, but yeah, I can, I can definitely really, and I feel, yeah, we all experience. And, and yeah, coming back to is always the best feeling and it always happens. That's this bag. truly, truly, but well said, Well said. Yeah. I can't, I can't agree more. I think, you know, the, how would we know, you know, light without the dark. Like that's a big thing too as I get older is like really embracing my, the shadow. Cuz you know, with being a yoga teacher, it's always like, oh, it's all like rainbows. Like no it's not. No, it's absolutely not. It like really, really makes me look at myself a lot. And I think that's important though. Like, not everything is supposed to feel good and how we, like I said, karma, balance, ying and yang. Um, there's no way to know one without the other. Exactly. I life meaning. Yeah. Yeah. There's a lot of meaning to be derived from. Suffering. And one of the late and great paulk, who is one of my mentors, and Hugh talks about the pain teacher. That's such a like, okay, the pain is happening, you're like, fuck the pain. But at the same time, it's like, oh, it's, this is here to show me something. It's like my first curriculum here. This is how I, this is how I evolve, right? Myself and my consciousness. Come a more aware individual. It's showing up through nature, nature's inly, intelligent, and you have an opportunity there to active, participate in life, not be the victim and active part, hate, whatever this, that, that helps you. Yeah. Um, yeah, and, and like, I don't. That's hard to have that perspective. I know what you're saying. I say, I say that a lot actually. I always preface with like, it could come off as ignorant, but Please. Like whenever, cause I'll say this to like people that I know might be struggling cuz I, something I have learned through my struggling Exactly. Essentially what you just said. But I, I'll say to people, um, um, even though like the suffering is painful right now, um, there is, once you work, once this is like the ex or the expiration of this pain is over and you can derive like the actual concept that was being presented to you, that's when you can like, take it and go forth. But it's not saying that everything isn't painful leading up to that point. Cause like ev everybody goes through different traumas, been through trauma myself. It's how I learned it through, you know, things that I, uh, were not in my control that happened to me. And you know, like, so even prefacing with that, you know, it's something that I truly didn't wanna happen to me. And, um, I can still see now why, um, and like what it was teaching me, but yeah, like always keeping that in mind. It sounds naive, but coming from, you know, someone who has been through some pretty deep shit, um, it can, yeah, it can definitely help you. It can, I can help build a sense of, um, uh, trust and like knowing at some point because I, you know, sometimes some suffering just feels like it's like never ending and I've been there or every day you wake up and you're like, um, yeah, no, I'm a feels right. I'm gonna go back to bed. Yeah. I don't wanna have this experience truly. But yeah, it's, it's, you know, that's a whole part of life though is like, you know, really going through things that really see it make us see ourselves in a different way. And I think, you know, really dark shit that has happened to me has helped me be a better person. It's helped me be more empathetic. It's helped me be more myself, which for a long time I didn't know how to do, unfortunately. Um, Yeah. So I think it's beautiful at the same time, even if it's painful. Ooh, gross. But yeah, it's true though. I guess that's life Yeah. Yeah. That's a beautiful choice to make for yourself to, um, go against the grain of that natural sense, like this is terrible, to, uh, empowering yourself through, uh, an make me stronger happening. What is happening? Life is happening to me. And, and of course like there's, there's levels to the game spot where it's very easy for me to this at the same time. That's just like the nature of reality we do have and we get to make a choice of and how is this thing going to serve me versus like, I'm, this fucking sucks and I right my life and I hate, and and that's good to express that too, if you feel in the moment, but right in the end, definit. A choice perspective, in my opinion, is like, how are we gonna move forward with this? I can, I can handle it for me. Uh, would you say that, um, your sensitivity to some of your superpowers? Yeah. Now I can say that for the longest time I was like, why do I, why can I not walk into a room and feel like I can socialize? But now, like my, like, I didn't realize like a lot of my social anxiety was probably coming from the fact that I am so sensitive to picking up my energy. Um, even a little bit of a medium, I can't see spirits, but I can feel energy of the room, whether there's people present or not present. Um, uh, E Energy, you can just pick up on energy. But, um, yeah, no, it's, it's very, uh, very fascinating now, looking back at how I used to, I used to see like how I, that would like, impact me, but yeah. But now thank God I like there, you know, don't get me wrong. If I get overwhelmed, like there's times where I'm just like, I gotta separate myself, you know, I gotta go home sometimes, you know, even like, uh, I love, I'm a very social individual, but yeah, I live alone, so I'm both an extrovert and an introvert. So I totally recharge alone. And like, it's really nice to like be with my sense of self, um, because I have a lot of shit I have to process and it just, it helps me work through it. Um, I feel like if I don't have any other external, uh, opinions in the room around me, and I've learned this through time and like I all love, um, for everyone I've ever lived with, but, uh, you know, it's just, I've learned through experience I need. Um, time to be with my own thoughts and my own opinions in order to be ready to come back to socialize again. Sometimes that's that balance, which is in your hands to become recognize your own needs and implement strategies so that you don't fucking spiral. Cause I experience same thing, right? Socializing and social events and, and I fall on the spectrum of being so, like, that's where I find my comfort. And sometimes I can let the comfort ate my life too much to the point of where like, I'm not really going to socialize at all. And I'm, I'm much better in small groups settings too. And I'm very, very sensitive. Like, I, I hate going to loud environments and trying to talk to people. Yes. Not about it. Me too. It's so irritating. And I'm like kind of deaf, so I'm always just like, what'd you say? Like, what'd you say? Shop is like buzzing too much. I don't even know what I'm like, I can't focus. It's, it's, it's wild. Direct my energy in a way that feels good and distant and be overwhelming, but at the same time, yeah, that sensitivity is also be harnessed for, you know, sharing your gifts or whatever it may be, and have like, we're all built divvy, right? So let's, uh, experience, learn how to understand yourself and know what you need, provide yourself with what you need so you can, you can flourish and you can nourish food in the ways that you need to right back at you. Yeah. It's, it's something we learned through experience, right? For sure. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. That awareness, that both awareness and then implementing tactics and concepts through action. Yeah. We all have that power all so vast and mysterious that's really, Journey to be on. So with all that being said, this was wonderful. Yeah, I agree. Incredible conversation. Thanks for sharing all your insights and your story and pieces. Some great fuel on the fire for me and with it for my energy, my energetics as a whole. And I, uh, a lot of people will get value from this. I just thank you for Pierre. Thank you for having me. Yeah. Can you air plugs for everyone, social media? Oh, sure. I'm coming up how people can get in touch with you and. Sure, that'd be great. Um, yep. So I'm sure um, bill will tag my Instagram, uh, but it's uh, Ash underscore intuitive yoga and, um, looking, inserting a YouTube soon. So, um, well if you follow me, you'll see updates through my story, through posts, things of that sort. Don't I have a current website the moment, but that will probably be changing soon cuz I am switching from one job to doing privates for the most part. I'm gonna be starting to offer, um, some yoga classes on some platforms to yoga studios. Um, so you'll see some updates with that soon. Um, so looking forward to giving you guys some updates when you can learn from me and also the workshop next weekend. Um, on Saturday. Yes, Saturday. Next Saturday. Yes. You want to come connect face to face and get weird and explore some of your practices, uh, you know, um, maybe get a little pattern intro. It's very positive, It'll be completely unconventional to what you're normally experiencing. And that's fucking great because, uh, we could all use some more variety in our different novel experience. Next Saturday, 12 to two 30, check out at Slingshot underscore Well into that. You'll see there, it's the most recent post, I believe. It's, it's, you'll see information at. Uh, thank you guys all so much for being here, listening, tuning in. If you the show, I would love to, you know, uh, hit the dm, say, what's up. Definitely, like we said before, very interested. Even if you're not local, say hello. Absolutely. And with that being said, bye