Yancy Scot Schwartz | The Skateboarding Yogi: Music, Dharma Yoga & Mental Clarity

Yancy Scot Schwartz is a versatile and accomplished individual known for his dynamic interests and talents. Raised in Queens, New York, Yancy is an avid skateboarder, a dedicated yoga practitioner, and a passionate musician. He has transitioned from a retail career in a skate shop to becoming a highly respected yoga teacher, instructing at multiple studios in Los Angeles. Yancy's deep commitment to the practice of yoga is influenced by his study with iconic mentors such as Dharma Mittra, whose teachings have significantly shaped his approach to yoga as a holistic lifestyle. His multifaceted interests also encompass music, through which he expresses his creativity and finds solace.

Visit Yancy here: https://www.yancyscotschwartz.com/

Key Takeaways:

• Yancy Scot Schwartz integrates skateboarding, yoga, and music as interconnected expressions of his creative and spiritual journey.
• A profound transformation occurred in Yancy's life when he met Dharma Mittra, leading him to view yoga as essential spiritual hygiene.
• Yancy emphasizes the importance of rooting yoga practice in authentic teachings, with his own practices influenced deeply by a combination of asana, pranayama, and mantra.
• Music serves as a vital form of companionship for Yancy, particularly during difficult times, offering a soulful dialogue and creative exploration.
• Psychic development is a significant aspect of Yancy's practice, providing mental clarity and deeper insights, rooted in the teachings of spiritual masters and traditional yogic principles.

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Thank you Bryce Allyn for the show tunes. Check out Bryce’s website: bryceallynband.comand sign up on his newsletter to stay in touch. Listen here to his original music from his bands Boxelder, B-Liminal and Bryce Allyn Band on Spotify.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Yancy Scot Schwartz's Journey Through Music, Skateboarding, and Yoga
• 8:00 Yancy's Extreme Injuries and Self-Rescue Stories
• 10:01 Unlocking Flexibility and Strength Through Diverse Yoga Practices
• 14:13 From Skateboarding to Yoga: A Journey of Purpose
• 22:52 Balancing Yoga Teaching, Personal Practice, and Physical Well-Being
• 29:36 Balancing Performance and Privacy in Skating and Teaching
• 35:39 Finding Solace and Connection Through Music and Guitar
• 39:48 Unexpected Connections in the Yoga Community
• 42:29 The Intersection of Psychic Development, Yoga, and Art
• 49:22 Yoga and Surfing as Essential Yet Challenging Practices
• 52:03 Skateboarding Mishap Leads to Life-Changing Realization

Transcript

Todd McLaughlin: 0:33

Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. So happy you are here. My goal with this channel is to bring inspirational speakers to the mic in the field of yoga, massage, bodywork and beyond. Follow us at @nativeyoga and check us out at nativeyogacenter.com. All right, let's begin. Welcome to Native Yoga Toddcast. My name is Todd McLaughlin today. My special guest is Yancy Scot Schwartz. Get ready to meet an inspirational and motivational individual. I think because he is a very talented yogi and yoga teacher. He is a very talented skater, skateboarder, and he's a musician, and you can check some of his style and approach on his Instagram page and give him a little bit of love and let him know that you appreciate this conversation also. Thank you. Andrew Jones, for the introduction. All of your help is much appreciated and helping me find amazing guests. And I really want to thank you the listener for tuning in and for sharing, liking, subscribing and letting your friends know about this show. Thank you. Yancy man, it was so great to meet you. I hope you listener, enjoy and learn as much as I did, and let's go ahead and get started. I'm really honored to have this opportunity to bring Yancy Scot Schwartz onto the podcast today. Yancy, thank you so much for joining me. I really appreciate this opportunity.

Yancy Scot Schwartz: 2:13

Thanks for having me. I appreciate being host of being a guest.

Todd McLaughlin: 2:18

That's cool, man. I want to thank Andrew Jones for introducing us, and when I got a chance to read through and look through some of your media, I got me really excited, because I noticed that you're an avid yoga practitioner with with some pretty amazing skills. And you skate, and you skate and do some pretty cool tricks, and you're a musician, which is amazing. I love what you put on Instagram. So I love all these avenues. So I was like, Oh my gosh, this is really cool. I get to meet somebody else that's passionate about all these, these three main things. Can you tell me what came first? Music, skateboarding or yoga?

Unknown: 3:06

Well, obviously, I guess maybe probably, if I really think about it, music, because I was like music at a young age, but I never knew how to play an instrument, never had any lessons or anything like that. I think my older brother, I got a guitar, but nobody had money for lessons or anything like that. He's he was good with the ear, but so I was just like listening to rock and roll, and he introduced me to music. He's older. Had some older brothers, but then I picked up skateboarding. So that's what I really like. At a young age. I picked up skateboarding, and I went with that, but that was always fueled by music, like the whole skateboard culture and the music thing very go hand in hand. So, and then, so, then it became skateboarding, then yoga, amazing after a while, you know, the skateboarding takes a toll and and I lived in New York, so, you know, there's winters. And once I found yoga, I'm like, Okay, I have something to do in the winter time, and then have something to do all the time, but mainly in the winter time. So I focus on yoga because it's hard to skate outdoors in New York in the winter, especially when you get older and then, and then later, I was always given some instruments, so I picked up the guitar and I really like, that became like, that's probably like, now, like, probably what I do the most, because It's most accessible. Like, like, I am going to Florida. Yeah, I have the guitar in my bed. I have guitars everywhere, nice. I wake up I'm playing. Or as soon as I have guitar, I have like, two guitars. And every I got two guitars in my bedroom, I got an electric acoustic, two electrics in my. Living Room amps, yeah, guitar. So to answer your question, in short, I guess music was like the first thing I was, you know, but skateboarding, actively doing yoga, and then music actively doing

Todd McLaughlin: 5:17

Nice, nice. That's cool, man. Did you grow up in New York City, or did you migrate into the city for the culture, for the What were you chasing in that experience? No, I just grew up there. You grew up there, nice in the city. I had no

Unknown: 5:33

choice. I didn't know anything different. Yeah, I grew up in Queens, New York, a 17 story building, five of them, all the same, like in a big complex park across the street, like basketball courts, like a regular like Park and public schools and whatever. And is, I don't know, man, and then, so it's easy to get around. So we found, like the Brooklyn banks or Manhattan and the skate shops and and just we met people from all over the boroughs, and that's like me and my friends, like in my little area. So we go, we have, like, little sections. And then when I got older, I moved to Manhattan, then to Brooklyn and and then I was like, going out west, back and forth. But, yeah, grew up, born and raised

Todd McLaughlin: 6:20

in New York. Nice. What? What year were you born? 74 nice. I'm 73 cool. Man, we're close. Yeah, ah. I mean, let me just think in terms of music, Black Flag and skateboarding. Like, I feel like all we would do is put on the tape, some cassette tape at that point. Usually any type of heavier sounding music would give us inspiration, and then, and then, kind of, you know, taking some hard falls all the time on a skateboard, and I feel like the music really, really fit the whole experience. Can you tell me a little bit about what genres really inspired you throughout your childhood when you were really excited about skateboarding,

Unknown: 7:07

for sure? Well, the wonderful thing about skateboarding was such an alternative culture in New York and so think about it like, where did you grow

Todd McLaughlin: 7:18

up? Like in Florida, in Yeah, what part of Florida I'm gonna grew up in a small town called Jupiter. Jupiter, Florida. It's Laura, yeah, Zion, right from Yeah, that's the first thing I was gonna say after you have to know Zion. I don't know

Unknown: 7:37

Zion, right? But with skateboarding, as you know, the culture is, like, very alternative. So you got a lot of alternative music, so a lot of punk rock and rock and roll, and like, mainly punk rock, like, you know, bad rings Fugazi, like Black Flag misfits, the whole thing. But growing up in New York City, mixed with the culture was hip hop. So I started off, like a lot of punk rock and rock and roll, because my older brother like rock and roll and then punk rock, but then the kids I was with, like the older kids, like the rock and roll and the younger kids I grew up skating with, they introduced me to hip hop. So I was like, okay, punk rock, hip hop and so, like, it was a perfect that can be, like, all punk rock and wild aggression, and then I can do, like, call smooth style with the hip hop. So it's like a mix. I went through my little phases, you know, like growing up, it was like, rock and roll punk rock, like, I really didn't know, and then a little bit of hip hop, you know, and then I was, like, heavy into the hip hop. And then, and then, now, it's like a combo of both, like, and as I got Oh, and then after the hip hop, I went, like, I got older, I went very rock and roll to the skateboard, Baker 2g came out. We're all like, Greco and Ali blue, Lala tight pants, tight clothes, like, steal some girls pants or whatever. And like, just go crazy and jump down there, reckless, like, just crazy, like, just, like, not a care in the world, like, no consequences. And now I'm like,

Todd McLaughlin: 9:13

middle of the road, I understand. I mean, I don't. I Are you still skating now? Are you still in skate? Yeah, you're still going for

Unknown: 9:22

it. That's fine. I'm more with the skating now. I'm more particular, and I keep it kind of mellow kind of but there's still that fire where I'm like, okay, like, okay, okay. Like, I don't care what happens. So I still have that in less I can die or break my arm or break something, and I just have those moments, but not, not as often as I used to when I was younger. Yeah, I when I was younger, I had like, I could care.

Todd McLaughlin: 9:59

Have you? Suffered any serious injury? Oh, my goodness, yeah, I'm thinking, There's no way you can charge it like that and not have some serious, serious injury. Well, do you want the list? Do I want the list? I'll take a portion of the list. Give me some of the heavy hitters for sure.

Unknown: 10:18

First, one, broken left ankle. Two, broken left wrists just cast. Never had to get surgery. Two dislocated right elbows and the second one, I had to get surgery. And then broken right foot and a bunch of broken ribs knocked out my broke my teeth fell on my face. Yes, that's about it. The broken ribs was, like, the last one was, like, that was like, pretty recent, like, maybe a couple of, like, a year ago. Oh yeah. Two broken left wrists, broken left ankle, broken right foot, two dislocated elbows. Surgery on this arm. Bunch of broken ribs, broken teeth, dislocated middle finger, oh my gosh. I pulled that one back myself. I was like, ah, pulled out the second one back myself.

Todd McLaughlin: 11:15

Oh my gosh. Well, I'm super curious. Then, I mean, from looking at the photos that I saw of you practicing, you have some, I'm guessing. I mean, I know it's not fair to say to someone who practices yoga that you have natural flexibility, but it looks like maybe on some of the back bending positions, that maybe you're predisposed toward having some pretty flexible back bends have. Was that your experience your whole life, or was it until you walked into a yoga room? Or were you extremely tight when you went into yoga and then unlocked a whole bunch of potential through the practice? I'm sure it's probably a combination of both, but I'm curious like what, what it was like for you when you started practicing yoga, and what, what opened up for you?

Unknown: 12:00

Well, I was a little bit flexible, not too flexible. So it was like something that unlocked with practice. Yeah, took, took a while. So I guess when I was younger, I used to watch, like, kung fu movies, and so I used to copy that. Is it loud?

Todd McLaughlin: 12:26

No, uh, I can hear it a little bit. It's minimal, though. Let's let's see if it does make a difference. If the window closes better, let's try it. Let's see,

Unknown: 12:36

yeah, I think I closed the window. There's, like, some construction going on. So I was watching kung fu movies, so I was always mimicking the Kung Fu like movies, like, whatever they're doing. So I guess, I guess that's what gave me a little bit of an edge. I never took any kung fu lessons, or never had money, never took any lessons of anything in my life. So that maybe gave me an edge and skateboarding, because I was always like, trying stuff, and I was always kind of stretching, but I didn't even know what I was doing, because I'd skate so much my legs would cramp up. So I was like, Okay, I guess I should stretch. I don't know, but my back wasn't as flexible. It was okay. Not like, not like, anything to write home about. So I guess, like, yeah, just took a while to unlock. And just constant, practice, practice, practice, and then, now I'm at a place I guess I had some, a lot of great teachers and like, seeing the people around me that can do these kind of things, I'm like, okay, like, this is the next, is the progression, like, I just practice practice, and then little by little, like, things unlock. Like, so I don't, I never be nice to try to get a couple poses, like after class or something like that. But not like, just to practice them. Not like, wasn't like, if that happens or not, like, yeah, yeah, just through the constant practice. Like, I started, like, my first yoga was, like, ashram yoga, so there's no flexibility, there's like, should shoulder stand, a couple mantras. Like, I started with such an on this yoga so natural vim of the eye movement and the avana mantra, I think. And I don't even know, I didn't even know what a difference of yoga was. Took a power class. I thought it was stupid. Like, this is not what I'm used to. Like, my first yoga was like ashram yoga, and then playing Eminem and expressive breathing, like, Haha, like, let it out. I'm like, What is this? And the poses are hard. I'm like, dumb, yeah, I didn't, I didn't know there's difference of yoga. Like, I hear, ya, I hear, but then, but then, like, I started doing, like, the power yoga. I got past all that kind of stuff, figured out a couple of the poses. Like, so. On citations. And then I found Bikram yoga. And then I was like, Okay, well, this helped my back open up, because, like, it was good spine stuff. And so then I did a Bikram and a power class, so they get open. So Bikram was a warm up, and then a power class, and then I found, like, rocket and Ashtanga. And then I was like, Okay, this is, like, these have all these advanced things. And this is very, keeps me on my toes, like, keeps me sharp, like, I'm interested in this. This is, like, what they're not offering in these other classes, and, but there's something missing, like, so it's like, a lot of strength, and like, Ashtanga and rocket, and it's power classes, and then that Bikram for the flexibility, but it's not quite all there. And then I found Dharma yoga. And I'm like, Okay, this got it all. So like, with the combination between Ashtanga, rocket and dharma, I got the strength, and then with Dharma, the flexibility, and, like, all these like kind of thing. So, like, just with constant practice, like and like, with all the repetitions, without fail, like it just practice practice, like the it opened up more and more and more and more.

Todd McLaughlin: 16:12

That's cool, man. What At what point did you start teaching yoga?

Unknown: 16:18

Um, I did my training in like 2008 or nine, my my 200 hour, whatever. And I was working at a skate shop and and I actually the training. It's funny story about the training. So, you know, I told you the story where I did the the power class. So the first class I ever took was, like, I was on a skateboard tour in Dominican Republic. We're filming for some video, and I don't know, they just took me to Dominican Republic, and they had a yoga on the roof. So I was like, Okay, let me do the yoga at the roof at the hotel. And it's a from yoga. I was like, Oh, this is pretty cool. Chill. Like, shoulder stand. Do some chance. I don't know what we're doing. Like, super chill. Then I started dating this girl when I went back to New York, and she took me to the yoga class. Was power yoga, and I was like, playing Eminem. I love Eminem, but, like, just wasn't I just didn't understand it. I get it, trying to put a modern twist on it, like a Brian cast like a modern twist. And so, yeah, very turn off. And then the girl, I ended up dating that girl, and she became a yoga teacher for that place. So she showed me the sun salutation. So I'm like, okay, so then, so I kept going to that yoga place where she was teaching at, and the owner of the studio tapped me on the shoulder. Was like, how would you like to do teacher training for free? That was about 2008 so I was like, I'm a skateboarder. So if you're going to tell me something for free, I'm greedy. I was greed at the time. I'll take anything for free. I felt skateboard mentality, free boards, free shoes, free, like Yes, and I was working at the skate shop, so I did the training. And then shortly after the training, I was still working at the skate shop. I'd be subbing to class here or there, filling in if someone didn't show up, and then the owner, I talked to the owner, like the owner, it's like, coming to teach classes you teach. And I was like, let's get you more classes. I'm like, okay, so then I transitioned from the skate shop in like, about 2008 so, like, full time teaching this company, it's yoga studio.

Todd McLaughlin: 18:37

Nice, very cool. Did you right away. Feel like this was something that you would want to do for a long time. Did you feel pulled to continue teaching? Was it something you fell in love with right away? Did it take a little time for you to to want

Unknown: 18:54

I thought like I didn't really think about it too much. I thought I thought like, Hey, this is a very important to me in my life, in my like, spiritual practice and, like, just helping me with my life. And I'm just like, and I got offered to teach it more. And so I was like, let me share what helps me with others. So I really didn't think about it much. I'm like, Okay, this seemed more purposeful than, like, selling sneakers at a skate shop, which I love. Like the skate shop had a ramp. I just the boss would leave, we just skate the ramp all day. Yeah, but, but, you know, like it just felt a little bit more purposeful. Skating is great, but, like, it's still, at the end of the day, it's retail, yeah, like, Okay, this felt more more meaningful. So I was like, Okay, this is cool, amazing.

Todd McLaughlin: 19:50

Can you tell me what your connection is with Dharma in relation to having a solid teacher? And to in in terms of what it's like to have a teacher that you respect and appreciate.

Unknown: 20:06

Okay, well, so when I was teaching at this one studio, the other teachers, they they took me to dharma. And these teachers are amazing. And before, like, I even went to dharma, I think I was in Seattle, I was at a yoga studio, and I saw a poster of some sun salutation seed look very vintagey. I'm like, This guy, this the first time on the poster with the big Lotus. And it's, like, all I was like, this is just, like, a vintage yoga thing. This is cool. Like, I didn't even know that that was a real person. And then I got that little book at a bookstore, the 908 poses. I'm like, looking at these poses. I'm like, how, how do you get into this? Like, how is it possible? Yeah, I had no idea. I was, like, so awestruck and dumbfounded. And I thought the person was dead. I didn't know this person was alive. I didn't know this was like, I thought, this is some old Yogi that had passed from the 70s, whatever. I didn't know. Then I went back to New York, Long story short, and then I took this girl's class, and I got so charged, so spiritually, charged, like, so charged and so, like, like, juiced up, and then I didn't know what it was about. And I think I went back to the west coast. So this is back and forth, and I came back to New York, and they took me to dharma. And I'm like, and I was already doing Ashtanga and rocket yoga, and I'm like, This is it? This is the missing piece. And I saw Dharma, I met him, and I was like, This is it. And so they're short, short after, like, we're supposed to do 500 hours together, me and some other friends. And they backed out. I ended up doing it. I was like, This is it. And then they asked me to teach at the center, like, shortly after, but like, I just when I found dharma. I was like, This guy's the real deal. And I can Something smells fishy. I can tell like, I'm like, he's not perfect, but this seems like as close that I can get to the real deal as possible. And I'm like, okay, great, perfect. And he's super chill. He's like, a he's like, a grandpa. He's like, super chill. But he can do all this amazing stuff, and got a lot of wealth of knowledge. I'm like, This is it? This is the missing piece that I'm not getting from Ashtanga and rocket yoga. Something like, okay,

Todd McLaughlin: 22:32

at that point, at that point, did you recognize that that was the person that you had seen on the poster in Seattle?

Unknown: 22:39

Yeah. Like, it's really alive. I couldn't believe it. I was like, No way. Like, this is this guy's for real. Like, that's not like a dead person, or, like, I hear you something like that.

Todd McLaughlin: 22:54

I hear you. I love the storyline about him having a little cable connected to his camera to be able to get into the pose and bite on whatever it was that would set the timer for the shot to happen, and just the idea of exacto knifing all those little pictures and the amount of work and time and energy, and then, let alone to be able to do all of those poses right, like, Like like the one person to physically be able to manipulate like that. The body is pretty impressive, pretty amazing. That's so cool that you had a chance to be in New York and to study like that on such a close level.

Unknown: 23:36

Yeah, he, I learned so much from him. I just copy him and watch them. And then, like, being at the center and teaching there and and just watching the other practitioners. So then I was like, watching him and watching all the other practitioners, and then every pose that was in the book, I was like, oh, that's how you get into it. That's how you accomplish that. So I learned so much just by being around the other Dharma yogis and having great mentors and just watching dharma. I'm like, okay, great. So like, opened up a whole different world for me, like, in terms of not just like Asana. Why? Now, since I did my training, I have a steady sadhana, like morning practices, like the same thing in the training. So the training is the life of a yogi, or, yeah, the life of a yogi, Loa, life of a yogi. So it doesn't only just teach you, like, awesome. And so it teaches you pranayama and like, how to like, you know, like the other stuff that they don't really teach you in other training. So, like how to be like this is what you have to do. Like, this is how to be a yogi, not like, how to do the poses or whatever. Like that, like, that's. I like the cherry on top, like a little extra, but it's like that other stuff like this, let's eat this is, these are the pranayama. These are the these are some mantras. These are like, this is, you know, like, that's cool.

Todd McLaughlin: 25:16

That's cool, man. Well, I noticed on your website you have, you're teaching, I don't know if it's current, but it looks like you're teaching at two different studios. Is that correct? That's correct. And it looks like you have a pretty solid teaching schedule. Like, like you're teaching a lot. How many classes a day are you teaching currently?

Unknown: 25:35

Wow, yeah. I mean, let's see, I teach anywhere from three, two classes a day, yeah, uh, read two classes a day. That's about it, three, so Max, like, sometimes four, but like, and I teach uh three to two classes a day. Mainly, it's like two or three. Uh, mainly, like, two, like, let's see, Mondays, 930 12, and then four So, three Tuesdays, two Wednesdays, private, I have a private and then, and then 12, four and then 730 So, four, four on Wednesdays, and then Thursdays another two. So that's 11, and then Fridays is three. So that's like maybe, like 1414, classes, and then another private, like 15 on Saturday, and then I have another private in between. So that's like probably 16 classes a week.

Todd McLaughlin: 26:40

Yeah, man, that's solid. That's solid. I can I can attest that takes, you know, it takes fortitude. And I mean, if you when we love what we do, is it really all that hard, but at the same time, like physically. So I'd love to ask you, like, physically, how do you manage your body? And this the feeling of moving your body all day, every day, and aches and pains that exist in in reality. Can you tell me how you manage all that?

Unknown: 27:13

Okay, so,

Todd McLaughlin: 27:16

yeah,

Unknown: 27:18

all right. Well, the vegan diet helps. And then one of my mentors, and who knows this guy? You might know him, Yoshio,

Todd McLaughlin: 27:28

somebody just told me about him. The last person that I got a chance to interview told me about Yoshio. I feel like it was, was um, Alfonsina. Alfonsina, yes, yeah, right, yeah. I just got a chance to meet her, and she mentioned you, you said, Yoshio, correct, yo. She was

Unknown: 27:45

one of my mentors. Like, physicality. Like, more than physicality, but so, like, when we're doing training, this guy used to walk around with the watermelon every Monday, and so, like, so on every Monday. And I was like, Why do you fast on Mondays. Give a day, so we fast on Monday so that helps fast on Mondays. And then with the repetition of like, like, let's say the rocket sequence, or dharma yoga, your body just gets used to being open. And then I have another regimen in the morning, like, more like calisthenics, like a regimen in the morning that I do like without fail, like five days a week, and so that helps like for strengthening stuff and like. And so, yeah, it's not bad. And then I I have a My discernment where, where I need to like, depending on how deep I want to go. But so like, every Tuesdays and Fridays, we do, like, secondary series poses, like rocket and so I'm always doing, like, drawbacks and grabbing my ankles, full chakras and a full wheel, super Scorpion in front of and it's a heated room, so it's warm. So if it's not like, warm, I'm not going to do it. And it's a great system of yoga, where you get warmed up and you're ready for all that stuff. And then I do Dharma in the morning, my shoulders get open. So I guess it in terms I'm like, so used to it, and with diet, so used to it. And with my diet, it's like, fine. My body's just kind of, you saw, like, all these like, kind of postures, and then I know, like, when it's time to go deep, and when it's not time to go deep, so like, I can go, you know, like I there's like, not in an egotistical way, but in a way that's like, okay, I can do all this stuff. Do I need to do all this stuff right now? No, it's not the right time, not the right place. Like, okay. It's not right, okay, if I have the students that have that kind of range of motion, okay, it's the time so my body, it's like riding a bike. It turns on. And it needs to turn on. You know, that's, that's, that's all I can say. It's like, probably, like, riding a bike. Like, once you do it, it's in your body, yeah, and you do it, you like, do the train, like the warm, warm ups to, like, always, to keep your range. But then it's like, there's times where it can be like, like, I practice primary on the weekends, like on Saturdays, and there's no heat in my apartment, or nothing like that. But I do my drop backs back then it's but, and I just do a scorpion. And that's nothing, cuz my body's like, easy. I'll do a handstand, pinch of scorpion. Like, nothing, Tuesdays, Thursdays, I'll grab my ankles and do super scorpions. Like, okay, I'm already do stuff. I'm warmed up like, this is what I have to do, but then the rest of the days,

Todd McLaughlin: 30:50

yeah, yeah, that's cool, man. I appreciate you breaking it down like that. It's interesting to hear how you know your body well enough to win. It's important when you can do it. I also appreciate, like you said, if you're in a situation where it's not appropriate, do you feel like when you say, maybe not appropriate? Because sometimes, if you have a lot of talent and skill physically, and you demonstrate that in front of folks that haven't seen it before, that sometimes it almost it, it almost like pulls their energy a little bit to where they they're like, Oh, that's cool that you can do that. Man. Well, how do you do that? And I wish I could do that. And, and sometimes it's not worth showing that if you know you're gonna get all that attention, or is that kind of what you're alluding to, a little bit like just being aware of how attention moves around and and being

Unknown: 31:38

I, I'll do okay, for example, as teaching wise, I'll read the room, and I'm not going to do a whole class where there's a lot of stuff that's like, there's just no point. I might do one little thing just to get their interest sparked, and then maybe something that's attainable, or maybe something to just get their their attention sparked, but everything else, like, I'll just keep them out. Like, not mellow, but like, I'll challenge the student. I won't, like, show them the

Todd McLaughlin: 32:17

whole blast them

Unknown: 32:20

do it? No, not at all as a student, if I'm in a room full of people that they're not the asana practice isn't my just, you know, that kind of basic, like, you know, which is not, there's nothing wrong. Like, that's fine, yeah, and let's say the teacher knows I've had been in situations. Oh, wow, Yancy there, like, let me do all this kind of stuff. Like I won't do it because it's not there's no point. Like I'm not in the collective consciousness. Is like the group, I'm not trying to get attention, and I usually do my practice at home anyway, is what I have to do. So anytime I take a class like I'll just listen to the teacher and do I've gone to classes where I didn't I can do handstands and do all this stuff. Nothing. Never want. Not one inversion, nothing. I hear you. There's no point in doing that, even if the teacher has given me the opportunity to do that, like I don't need to

Todd McLaughlin: 33:24

do that. You know, it's so interesting, because then thinking of you as a skater and being able to execute, potentially execute real critical moves, but also you could just choose to roll down the sidewalk. Do you take a similar approach in the way that you demonstrate your skill when you're out. Because when you're out in public, it's unique to like, when you're vibing off of people watching you, you know, like when you know you have an audience, you you'll tend to my detriment. I would try to perform more, you know, like, but if you're by yourself and you know no one's watching you. It's so different in terms of, like, what do I actually want to achieve here? So I'm curious, um, is it similar? Do you kind of have a similar philosophy in relation to when you're working in, when you're on a board,

Unknown: 34:54

when I'm skating? Yeah, I used to go for broke. Like, I don't care who's watching or whatever, or I, like, I have my quiet moments where I just work on things, because maybe I'm like, I don't know, like, you know you're a teenager, or you're like, whatever you got going on, or older and broadband breakups and whatever, and you're just so I'm like, Ah, like, or Just working on stuff, trying to just let your whatever energy out, and to get that angst out, whatever it is you're going through nowadays, I just do my skating like maintenance, just to stay sharp. And I cannot stand it when there's people watching you. Uh, so it's not a performance thing. I just start trying to, like, when people are watching, I kind of get my get a little bit nervous, or just like, like, super self conscious, as before I wanted attention. I'm like, Yeah, people, I'm gonna go crazy, like, and then I'll go for broke anyways. Now people are watching. Like, sure, because I already want to go for broke anyway, not have some eyes on me. Like, perfect, perfect combo. Now I like less eyes on me. And I like to do, like, maintenance, and then when it's time for me to, like, have that fire, like, yes, and then when it's that's the time, I want people around me that are like, very similar, or will give me some energy, not just random people or like some crowd. I cannot stand skate parks and crowds at the skate park out here, I cannot stand it. So it's like just the right group of people to get me sparked up to execute those moves, and then, and then the rest of the time is just like, just like, just keeping it like, the right, it's the right people around awesome, like a park, at the skate park, or wherever, at the spot, the right people around that helps, you know, the energy, but not the eyes on me, like a bunch of people, like, I not like it to have to be The right people.

Todd McLaughlin: 37:02

That's cool, man. So interesting to hear the MindScape that that gets involved in this. So then, in relation to music. Now, obviously you can play music inside, and nobody has to hear anything that you do. I saw I like the posts that you do on Instagram. And I feel like when you when you play and you record it and you put it out there. It's very soulful. And I feel like you're genuinely singing and playing from from your heart, like I don't get the feeling that you're like, dude, I'm gonna do this to, like, show everybody how cool I am. You're like, singing because, like, you got, you got some sort of inspiration that came through. Can you talk a little bit about what your music playing and motivation and where your inspiration, what usually will spark you to want to write or play?

Unknown: 37:54

Oh, wow. So Well, a music motivation. I'm very fortunate where I was giving guitars for free. I hadn't always had a guitar, so I'm like, okay, great. And then, you know, being in a relationship, living I was married at one point, ex wife left me. I was lonely. I didn't know what to do, so I had yoga, but I couldn't be going doing yoga all the time, a lot, and so then I found music. I started playing guitar. I started learning, teaching myself and songs that I like. I want to learn them. And the only reason why I play music and guitar, a relationship to it is company. When I play music, especially the guitar, it's like a feedback. Someone's talking to me, not so much like a language, like, it's just like, it's like sending like, a sound back to me, and I just feel it, and it's like, it's a conversation. So I'm never lonely when I'm playing music. So I was lonely. I was like, I didn't know what to do. I can't be doing yoga, like, all day long, and I can't be skateboarding all day long. That's like acting. So it's like a conversation. I'm not lonely, and music or playing guitar art, for me, is very similar skating, because there's a rhythm and you have to practice. It's so similar to skateboarding. The only difference is, is when you mess up, it does not hurt. Yeah, that's the beauty about it, and it's more accessible. So I have my guitars with me all the time, and the kind of music I play is just like, What inspires me to write? I'll be playing some whatever, and I'm I figure out a little riff, and then I'm like, Okay, I like this. I'll just keep playing that, and I'll figure out some words. Or sometimes I'll hear like a phrase or a word or something will pop up in my head. I'm like, I'll write the music around that, and I'll just keep writing whatever to make a song. I know the structure of a song, so I'll just keep writing that. Or if I want to a song inspires me someone else's song, like, sometimes I'll just cover it my own way. I'll play that while the song really touches it moves me, like I feel it, like I feel this person's music. You can get inside like, kind of like reading a book, get into someone's head the music or their emotions, that the music can really feel this person's emotions. I feel where they're coming from, like, It's deep. So I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna learn this. So that's I play. I like rock and roll, like, I like heavy stuff, like, what's that I grew up on? So, like, okay, cool. Nice. The kind of music I play, I'll either write something or learn something that I like

Todd McLaughlin: 41:00

that's cool. Yancy, that's amazing. Thank you for sharing all that. I really enjoy hearing like that process what goes on. I when I was looking at your website, I noticed that you put some attention on psychic development and and I've never gotten a chance to take the psychic development class with Dharma Mitra, but I've known after having a chance. Now I've been, I feel, I'll say, lucky enough, or I'm very grateful to having met Andrew. He's been introducing me to more and more of the Dharma community and such an incredible, incredible group of people. And because there's been, because Dharma pointed folks in the direction of being receptive and paying attention to things that maybe we don't just hear with our ears or read with our eyes or that type of thing, that there's the potential for that sort of communication. So I saw your website, I emailed with you, and I we, we set the date, so we figured out that we would be here today, and I got all that, we got all that figured out. And then I came in to take class, and a woman who comes regularly brought her daughter in, and she lives in LA and so I said, she's like, Do you have a Do you have any studios you recommend out in Los Angeles? And I said, Oh, man, let me think about that. I was like, let me just kind of rack my brain for a moment. And I was like, first thought I went to was Yoga works in Santa Monica. But I'm like, that's way too old school, because that's a whole nother thing. I don't even know if that's there now. So I'm like, I don't know if I really, I don't really even know. And she goes, I go, Why have you not found a teacher that you really groove with? And she goes, Yeah, I did actually. I found a really good teacher, and and then, but he went to a move to a different studio, and I go, and not because I'm always like, who can I interview? I want to find someone cool that I can talk to and bring on the podcast. So I go, Well, who wasn't she? Goes, Oh, this guy named Yancy. And I kind of had this moment where I went, what, like my head did, like a full 360 was like, Are you kidding me? I said I just got done setting up to do an interview with Yancey, and she goes, Oh yeah, he's amazing, but he went to a different, different studio, and I and I just like, I had a little moment where I was like, Is this a coincidence? Like, what are the chances that the day after you and I have email conversation that someone comes in from LA and and mentions your name, there's a hundreds of yoga teachers in in LA, right? Like, have to be there has to be hundreds. Wouldn't you say that maybe 1000s?

Unknown: 43:40

La, what's the criteria? Like, artist, actor, yoga, teacher, surfers, theater, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, server, like, that's like, that's like, that's like, the criteria, like,

Todd McLaughlin: 43:55

I know, man, it was, it was cool. So I guess I'd like to it felt like a little bit of some sort of connection that came out of the blue. So I'm curious, um, can you Is that something you can talk about? Are you able to explain a little bit more what your what you how would you define telepathy and or psychic?

Unknown: 44:21

I got you. No, thank you. Alright, so I, you know, dharma was in I was taking second development classes, like even before I did Dharma training with all these Dharma yogis. And okay, so I was doing psychic development, and it was great. It wasn't like the first thing I gravitated it's like, more so Asana, like, I was like, This is great, but the psychic zone was really interesting. I never thought that I'd be teaching it, or, like, doing it so much like I said when I got divorced, I was very traumatizing. It's just like, there's a lot. So I was like, I need something. I got invited to the Dharma yoga conference, and we did psychic development. I really studied Dharma, and I really paid attention, and it's in our manuals and and I was like, This is it. I need to just be doing psychic development to help me out to get through this tough time. And so then I'm just doing it with faith, just doing it, just doing it, just doing it like. And I do it like as taught and whatever, and even like last month, when I was like, studying Dharma and like. And then to put it in a nutshell. And then after studying it, and, like, making my own assessments of it and all this kind of stuff, I was really, you know, like, what do you call those Kiana yogis, Yogi of knowledge? I was, like, really studying and really, like, trying to figure this out. And so I'm like, Okay, I stayed inside this yoga sutras, sutra 243, particularly with austerity. Mantra pranayama. Wanted achieve the psychic abilities the CDs like those yoga there's so many, right? So I just practiced that. So to break it down, in a nutshell, we do our physical practice, right so the body's nice and strong and healthy. That's like, what we do. And then like, psychic developments, specifically, specific mantras, ancient mantras, and pranayama, just specific and dharma changes about like, like, the order of things, like, but I just do it like I was showed in the beginning. Body strong mantras for the mind, Pranayamas for the mind. So you get the body out of the way, get the mind nice and clear, and the mind's nice and clear and you have a blank space, like, create or have the right thoughts, the right words, the right actions. So that's, that's what it is. And things can manifest or happen, I suppose you know. So it works. I taught it to private clients, and they're like, Wow, good stuff. Myself. Works. Cool. Okay, yeah, but usually, if the body has to be strong, so it's not in afflicting the mind. And then the mind, you know what mantra, man, mind, cross reverse, to go beyond, to protect the mind. The pranayama, like raises your energy, helps clear your mind as well, and then the mind is clear make things happen, or get, like, some kind of vision, or like, some exact way of doing things, or like, if something pops up, or whatever, you know exactly how to do it. So it's how it's worked for me and it's worked for others. So nice, yeah, it's a nice combination. It's not just, like, I always look at psychic development or the pranayama and the mantra stuff, like, as opposed to Asana. Like, like, Asana is like a movie preview, and then, like, you go to the movies and you see the preview, or wherever you see the trailer, but you never go to the movie. So, like, that's why I look at psychic development. So, so that's like, and it works. There's so many different cities and stuff like that. So, you know, I can't say, like, if it activates the city telepathy or whatever like that, but it's there. You know, it's there. But all I can say is, like, with constant practice of this, it helped me out through a rough patch of my life and seeing some stuff, and it happens. Tricky part, though, is you've got to be careful what you think you get what you want, but the outcome might be a little bit different. It's always got to be for the greater good. Yeah, it's looking for stuff for yourself. You could get what you want. It's like, careful what you wish for. You might actually get it. And you're like, Yay, and then, then not so much, yay. Like, later, just like, Oh no, but, but it,

Todd McLaughlin: 49:40

it works. That's cool. Man, I appreciate you.

Unknown: 49:44

I like looking at it like super 243, it's just like specific mantra and pranayama, like an achieve like the city, the Yoga With austerities, Asana, Mantra, pranayama. So that's like part of it.

Todd McLaughlin: 49:57

Very cool. That's awesome. Yancey, man, I'm so grateful to get a chance to hear some of your thought processes and how you, you know, are blending these different art forms together. A lot of times I look at yoga like it's an art form, and then music and skateboarding, I see is art as well. Maybe someone looks at skateboarding says, That's sport, that's not art. But it seems like to me like it's all a reflection of an artistic endeavor. And, yeah, do like sport, right? We can. We can look at yoga like it's sport. I mean, maybe if we look at the way yoga is marketed,

Unknown: 50:40

you look at yoga. The art, yeah, I do hygiene

Todd McLaughlin: 50:47

as hygiene, just hygiene,

Unknown: 50:51

mental, physical, spiritual hygiene, yeah, I just look at it as hygiene. And then like, oh, no, I have, according to my karmas or whatever, that's why I have to do what I have to do, yeah? I'm like, Oh, let me just get her done. I have to do all this stuff because I can and whatever, like, you perform, yeah, guys, but I guess what I have to do, like, not for everybody has to go grab their ankle, yeah, yeah, yeah. Not everybody has to put the feet here, back here. Like, this is what I have to do. I look at it as hygiene.

Todd McLaughlin: 51:25

That's cool, man. I'm gonna start. I'm gonna put that into my practice tomorrow or today.

Unknown: 51:31

I look at it like brushing my teeth, Yeah, or like washing my clothes or doing the laundry. And then some days you have those days, it's like you want to floss and do all that extra stuff. I just get her done. Because Dharma always says, do it because it has to be done. I'm like, I have to do this, but that's a good point. Do it because it has to be done. Like words ringing like, I'm like, do I want to do this? No, do it has, because it has to be done. Yeah, man, that's not pleasant. Like, oh my God, then I'll just for a full and you draw back sometimes, like, Ah,

Todd McLaughlin: 52:16

that's a good that's a good point. Yeah, I know. Like, um, I was teaching my I was taking my daughter out into the surf the other day, and we had a decent swell from Hurricane Erin, and she wants to learn. So the first part of the session, she was like, Oh, Dad, this is so much fun. I could stay out of here all day. So of course, I couldn't help but be happier to hear her say that. And then a couple sets rolled through. We got tossed around board, hit us in the head, all that stuff, and she popped up, and she was like, Dad, this sucks. I hate this. I'm not going anywhere. I'm just stuck in the same spot and and ah. And I couldn't help but just laugh and be like, I know, I don't know how to tell you, but surfing isn't always fun most of the time, most of the time, it's a real drag. You're just getting beat up in the inside. You don't even make it out there. So, I mean, I think you're right looking at yoga in a similar way. I mean, a lot of us kind of jump into yoga thinking, this is just gonna be fun. This is only gonna be rose colored glasses. It's gonna fix all my problems, and everything's gonna be great. But then, like, you're saying too, like, in terms of, like, hygiene. Like, No, you need to do this. It's not always easy, it's not always just fun, but it's something that we need to do.

Unknown: 53:29

It's just hygiene. Yeah, I like putting my feet behind my head. No, it's sucks, like, all the time, and I do it, and then I'm like, okay, like, then now, like, now, it's like, okay, my favorite thing to do, but I do it. I could do it. That's cool. No, I just do it.

Todd McLaughlin: 53:58

I hear you, man. I appreciate your perspective. Thank you so much for taking a chunk of

Unknown: 54:04

your story about, like, you didn't tell me something about skating or something. Oh, you know, actually,

Todd McLaughlin: 54:08

the story about the girl from California was the one I was super excited to tell you about. Oh, yeah, that's the Okay, cool. That's when I was so excited about because I just thought, after she said that, I was like, I have to tell Yancy this. This is kind of kind of blew my mind a little bit. I know, I know. Well, um, skateboarding story. I don't skate anymore because my son was about, oh my gosh, I was 40, and I take him to a skate park in Lakeland, Florida called Team pain. And you probably have skated, and, I mean, it's an appropriate name for a skate park. And so I went with my friend. His son was about the same age as my son. We go over to Lakeland, we have a fun time skating. And I'm like, I hadn't really skated for about 10 years, so I'm hitting my 40s, and I'm thinking, Ah, this is great. I can skate just as good as I was when I was 20. This is amazing. And I was going in the bowls, and I'm getting up on the Vert and getting up and, you know, wearing pads, wearing a helmet, you know, I gotta be safe, you know. And the last day, we're like, well, we should get going. And so, okay, let's do one more run. And I said, Do I need to say anymore? Do I need to say anymore? I don't know. So my son, he was on a Razor scooter, and I was on my skateboard, and there's a snake run. And so I go, let's do a tandem run. And Ethan go. So Ethan goes, and so we're going down the banks, and he's out in front of me, and he gets a little further out in front of me than I probably should have. So. He hits the end bowl, goes down, comes around. I can't see him right when I'm coming down, he pops around the corner. And I realized I was going so fast, and he was going so fast, and we were heading straight for each other that we were gonna collide. So I came down, I tried to grab him so I could catch him with my right arm and roll, and hopefully I'd protect him and the handle of his Razor scooter went straight into my eyeball and and knocked me so hard. I apologize for everybody listening this story, because it's kind of gruesome, but I think Yancy will appreciate it. So I'm on the ground and I'm literally my eyes swelled up so fast that I was like, where's my eyeball? And I was looking, I was trying to, I figured it had to have popped out. It didn't. But I broke my orbit bone, and I had to have a surgery where they had to go in and push my eyeball back forward, in place, so that I didn't see double vision. Because I went from like thinking I'm 40 and I can skate better than I'm 20 to feel like I was 80, and I couldn't drive at night because I was seeing double everywhere. So I had such a dramatic, I don't know, experience that, I thought, Whoa, man. I gotta, I got kids and stuff. I gotta tone it down, man. I gotta tone it down. So, so the fact that you're still skating, I'm like, I kudos to you, man, kudos because that is, that's a real deal.

Unknown: 57:06

It's so long, and that's like, my I don't know. I don't know what else to do. Thank God I found music, because I'd probably be like, No, I like what you said, wheelchair, from a wheelchair.

Todd McLaughlin: 57:22

Oh my gosh. Nancy, I hear you well. I again, man, it's really an opportunity to meet you. And I really, I appreciate your insights. And thank you for opening up and talking with me and being public like this and sharing some of your some of your ways of thinking and how you go about it. And I hope next time I get to chance to come to California, I can, I can look you up and come practice

Unknown: 57:48

for sure. And if I'm ever in Florida, I'll go to native yoga. Where's that Apple Park, Florida?

Todd McLaughlin: 57:52

I'm in a town called Juno Beach, which is right next to Jupiter. So it's, um,

Unknown: 57:57

well, I'm gonna tell my friend She's out there. Oh, that would be she's in Jupiter.

Todd McLaughlin: 58:03

That would be awesome. Well, I really appreciate that. I look forward to staying in contact and see thank you so much, Todd.

Unknown: 58:09

Man, my pleasure. Thank you for having me. Thank you. You're awesome. Thank you. Man, same to you.

Todd McLaughlin: 58:23

Native yoga Todd cast is produced by myself. The theme music is dreamed up by Bryce Allen. If you like this show, let me know if there's room for improvement. I want to hear that too. We are curious to know what you think and what you want more of what I can improve, and if you have ideas for future guests or topics, please send us your thoughts to info at Native yoga center. You can find us at Native yoga center.com, and hey, if you did like this episode, share it with your friends. Rate it and review and join us next time

Unknown: 59:13

you.