What do you see, from all of your work with a diverse group of women, as being the biggest “perceived” hurdle to leading a more active/athletic lifestyle? Not having enough time. So many women are juggling multiple, demanding roles in life. Somehow we’ve convinced ourselves that taking ‘me’ time is a luxury. I view it as non-negotiable. Once caring for ourselves becomes an established priority, it’s easier to take the time. Taking care of yourself has benefits that reach beyond the individual — all relationships benefit and we have more energy, clarity, and patience for juggling our many roles and responsibilities. Yoga helps you do anything better — and for me that includes day-to-day life.

Tell us more about how the benefits of yoga spill over into other areas of a woman’s life. There are a lot of subtle changes that evolve from your yoga practice. Instead of having the “fight or flight” response to stress characterized by shallow breathing, your body instinctively moves into rhythmic, deep breathing that helps reduce stress. When sitting for long periods of time, being aware of good posture feels more natural. Even little movements and stretches that ease discomfort from body imbalance start to happen without conscious thought. In short, your body recognizes the balance yoga brings and finds ways to get there even when not on the mat.

Yoga also helps you let go of the need to achieve results that drive so many aspects life. Letting go of expectations in your practice results in freedom to be happy with any effort, whether you pushed your physical edge or moved more slowly. Taking this openness into other areas of life brings greater contentment and the ability to see the positive side of every experience, even if it isn’t what we expected or intended.

What “essentials” do you emphasize for yoga practice and avoiding injury? Respect your body and what it is telling you; make it a goal to chip away at the disconnect between your mind and body. In our culture we tend to push ourselves for dramatic results, which cultivates competitiveness and detachment from our physical body. In athletic activities, the result can be injury. But your yoga mat is a place to listen to your body — there’s no prize for pushing yourself into the picture-perfect pose when your body isn’t ready. It’s good to challenge yourself occasionally, just know your limits. If you respect the process of change that comes with your yoga practice, your body will reward and eventually surprise you. But it doesn’t happen overnight or with force.

Do you have any secrets or advice for a healthy diet or eating plan to stay in shape? Educate yourself. It’s important to have respect and appreciation for your food and where it comes from. Whether animal or vegetable, your food goes though a lot to get to your plate. Be aware of that and investigate its origins; it doesn’t take extensive research, and asking a few questions can enable you to make healthier choices. Educate yourself on food labeling, processing, buying organic. You don’t have to be an extremist, but knowledge is power when you are not able to get the freshest or healthiest fare. Eating healthy is about awareness and being mindful.

Cook for your loved ones (including yourself). Preparing meals for yourself, family, and friends is a thoughtful and creative process: deciding what to make, shopping for the ingredients, preparing the meal. Many of my yoga students talk about diet and nutrition, and a common complaint is not wanting to cook a good meal if they are alone. Why not — don’t you deserve it? Making a gourmet meal for one is a great way to take care of yourself. There are many excellent cooking magazines, cookbooks, and cooking sites with simple, quick recipes. It doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. It’s a good feeling to know you selected and prepared the food that goes into your body. To be environmentally-conscious and connected to the rhythms of the earth, buy food that’s in season.

Honor the needs of your body. Women have a lot of cultural baggage about eating and food. We’re conditioned to believe that less food is better. So not true! Different bodies need different amounts of energy, especially if you’re active. Tune into your body’s cues and rhythms. Learn to recognize when you are truly hungry; don’t eat just because it is lunchtime. Learn to recognize when you are full; don’t keep eating because there’s still food on the table. Our body rhythms also vary with the seasons. You need heartier, heavier fare in cold winter months and lighter fare when the weather is warm.

Tell us about one of your peak experiences, and why that experience was pivotal in your own athletic pursuits. My peak experience hasn’t been anything sudden and dramatic. It started with discovering a new way to exercise and has evolved to embracing yoga as my life’s work. A key component has been overcoming guilt for taking “me time,” not just an hour during the day, but also going away for retreats. It’s been so rewarding to spend a chunk of uninterrupted time focused on my well-being that I chose to start a business around this concept. On yoga retreats I’ve taken my practice to new physical levels while challenging myself mentally and emotionally. I’ve experienced the most dramatic change when I push my comfort zone in all three areas.

Who are your inspirational role models and why? One of the best things about making yoga my career is the inspiration I get from my yoga students. I’m constantly amazed and inspired by every individual and his or her life experiences, challenges and goals. We have so much to learn from each other, and it’s powerful to recognize that. Sometimes the smallest thing can translate into the biggest inspiration.

What does the term “mind, body and spirit” mean to you? In order to be balanced in life, we need to devote equal attention to all three components of our being. Our culture compartmentalizes these components and takes them to extremes, particularly mind and body. We often live too much in our heads or push our bodies beyond their limits. The spirit component gets thorny — we are a somewhat secular society that’s insecure about our spiritual side and what it means. In my experience, yoga is the only activity that nurtures all three components, creating balance and harmony. Through its practice and 5,000 year history we come into contact with the spiritual element of our humanity, passed down from our ancestors. Modernization has numbed the spirit, so it’s essential to reconnect on a spiritual level by learning from traditions with ancient roots. That’s why I believe yoga has resonated with so many people today — it fulfills a deep, primordial need.

How has becoming a mother affected your yoga practice, your personal and professional life balance? Before Morgane was born I was worried about how to “fit it all in.” It was challenging enough to find life balance on my own, let alone with another little being involved! I was surprised to discover, with the birth of my daughter, hundreds of doors opened to possibilities I had never considered before. While finding my life balance is an ongoing challenge, her presence in my life has inspired me to keep the quest going strong and I believe I am more balanced than ever, despite the wide-ranging demands on my time. I feel stronger than ever before, physically and mentally. My yoga practice at first appears a contradiction: I am more disciplined with my practice in order to ensure it happens, yet less regimented about it. I have given myself permission to be “softer,” to not always have to push for maximum effort, to listen attentively to the needs of my body and mind. I’ve become more in tune with my body. Motherhood has definitely treated me well.

ABOUT MARGARET: Margaret is the founder of Big Sky Yoga Retreats, combining yoga and outdoor fitness in Montana Big Sky country. Her relationship with yoga began almost a decade ago as a way to balance her hectic New York City lifestyle and a corporate career with cosmetics giant L’Oreal… {more»}