April 23, 2024 • 36 mins
Have you ever discovered something that unexpectedly shifted the course of your life? Our guest Tanon shares her transformative journey with yoga, a voyage that began in the unlikeliest of places—a horror movie in her youth. As she transports us from her early curiosity to the moment her passion for yoga led her to become a guiding light for others, we celebrate the resilience and clarity this ancient practice has brought to her and our community. Her story is not just a testament to the personal growth that yoga can foster, but also an invitation to explore the depths of its teachings.
Imagine a path that integrates every aspect of your being—the physical, ethical, and spiritual. This is the essence of the eight limbs of yoga, a topic we dissect with reverence and fascination. We unravel the intricate tapestry of yoga's discipline, from the foundational yamas and niyamas to the ultimate goal of Samadhi. Through personal reflections and the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we uncover the profound ways yoga can serve as a steadfast companion on our most challenging days, providing solace, focus, and a connection to the divine.
Acknowledging the gift of Tanon's approachable and inclusive presence, we celebrate the diversity of yoga's reach. This episode highlights the misconception of yoga as a mere exercise and praises the power of breathwork and meditation. With the guidance of a compassionate teacher like Tanon, yoga becomes a sanctuary for every body and soul—offering strength, acceptance, and transformation. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or taking your first tentative steps on the mat, this conversation promises to inspire and affirm your personal practice.
Tanon currently teaches at Flow Yoga and Wellness in Tracy, CA. If you are interested in attending any of her classes you can find her schedule at www.flowyogastudios.com
Medical Disclaimer
Have questions or comments for A Witch, A Mystic & A Feminist? Send us a message at https://www.wmfpod.com/contact/. Also you can subscribe to receive updates at https://www.wmfpod.com.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Welcome to this episode of A Witch, A Mystic and
A Feminist.
We appreciate you tuning in fora special episode with a guest
that is close to our hearts.
She is a magical being.
I think everyone that comesinto contact with her agrees.
Her name is Tannen and she Idon't know.
I was going to just start withlike the background of how we
(00:30):
met, but she loves yoga, she'sour yogi and she came into Jamie
and my life when we weredrinking the CrossFit Kool-Aid.
So we were working out togetherand she thought we all
desperately needed which we didyoga, because CrossFitters don't
always stretch and we're notall that flexible, and I feel
(00:55):
like there was some resistanceat first.
People were like I don't knowif I need this, I don't know,
and then we all drank the yogaKool-Aid.
I feel like know, and then weall drink the yoga Kool-Aid, I
feel like.
So welcome to the show, Tannen.
We are very excited to have you.
Thank you, and so I wasactually very interested how you
(01:18):
discovered yoga how thatstarted, so so appropriate for
me.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I discovered yoga when I was pretty young and I I
have not shared this break.
You guys get this little tidbitfirst.
I've not shared this beforebecause it makes me sound like a
total weirdo.
My very first introduction thatI recollect to yoga I must have
been like I don't know, like 10, something and I was watching a
horror movie the Hand.
(01:43):
It's a Michael Caine moviewhere a guy loses his hand and
then gets reattached A hand fromlike a murder.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yes, you know shenanigans ensue.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Here's what I remember from that movie.
I remember the moment that hishand got taken off and I
remember this like it might'vebeen like 10, 20 seconds and
he's trying to have aconversation with her.
And I remember and I can see itmight've been like 10, 20
seconds and he's trying to havea conversation with her and I
remember and I can see itvividly in my mind.
She's doing yoga and she getsup and she rolls up her rattan
mat and sets it aside and theyhave an argument.
But there was something aboutthat that stuck with me that
(02:18):
moment, like what is that what?
Like I'd heard of it, but therewas I don't know what.
It was something very specificabout that moment that stuck
with me and made me curious.
And then, I don't know,probably two or three years
later, I was helping out at mygrandma's church rummage sale
and I found this book called 28Days of Yoga and it was a little
paperback book and you startedon day one and you did one pose
(02:41):
and then each day you added apose.
So at 28 days you have thiscollection of poses.
So I snagged it and I wouldspend my summers in Ashland with
my dad and my grandparents andI spent the summer doing that
the full.
I mean, there were a lot ofthings I couldn't do because I
was a kid and I'm not flexible,but that really just sort of
planted the seed.
(03:01):
And then you know, you're a kidand I'm a typical teenager
going through some shitty stuffat home, and so did I stick with
it consistently?
No, but it had sort of been apart of my life Always.
In my 20s my gym startedoffering it, so I took advantage
of that and then I fell awayfrom it a tiny bit.
I would do a little bit at home.
(03:23):
And then in my thirties, againmy gym started offering it and
then I started to jump.
That's when I started doing itmuch more consistently.
And then we moved by.
We were living in Sacramentoand my husband was working for
Les Schwab and they closed hisstore and it was this massive
like oh my God, what are wegoing to do?
(03:44):
Like earth shattering, shaking,scary.
We didn't know what the futurewas going to look like.
We didn't know if he was stillgoing to have a job.
And every time something likethat happens, something big
happens, I always think likeokay, it's time, first of all,
to breathe.
It's time to take stock.
Something needs to shift here.
(04:05):
Something isn't working.
This is an opportunity toembrace something bigger.
So I started thinking aboutlike what does that mean for me?
What am I learning?
What am I taking from this?
And we ended up moving toWashington.
And then again the gym.
It's always the gym.
The gym that I was at wasbuilding a yoga program there
and it wasn't.
Like.
(04:25):
You know, typically, when yougo to a gym and you do yoga at a
gym there, it's not the samething as going to a studio.
You get gym yoga, which there'snothing wrong with that, but
they're um, they're a little bitmore restricted in what they
can offer and what they can talkabout.
You know, they usually don'twant anything that is too woo
woo.
They don't want you goingupside down for safety reasons.
(04:45):
I get it, but this gym wasbuilding a yoga program.
They had a completely separateroom.
It was everything that I neededat that time, and then the
universe, as it does, alwaysprovides.
I had thought about maybe thisis what I want to do, maybe I
want to teach this.
There was a moment inSacramento where I had been
(05:06):
taking a class, like a collegeclass with a gal who was doing a
teacher training and I was herguinea pig for a little bit, and
it was right around that time.
So when we moved I thought,maybe this is it, maybe this is
what I need to do.
And I am a fear ruled person.
I overthink everything.
Fear runs my life.
I'm working really hard onletting that happen, but it took
(05:29):
me a long time to take thesteps and finally the gal
running the program was like hey, we need teachers.
I think you should do this.
I'm like, okay, fine, fine, fine, fine.
So I did a little tiny trainingthat was laughable, I didn't
learn anything.
And then I did a bettertraining and then she just kind
of was like, okay, here you go.
It was the best thing thatcould have happened to me at the
(05:54):
time.
It has informed how I moveforward in my life and given me
this gift that I get to sharewith my students.
I'm kind of quiet with thepeople around me, a little bit
Like I'll, like they know that Ido yoga but don't share like
the deep parts of it, cause Ijust assume who wants to hear
(06:14):
that?
I don't really want to havesomeone preach to me, so I tend
to be a little bit more reserved.
But if you ask me, I'm going totell you everything I could
tell you.
So to get to share, that isjust such a gift.
And having done I during COVID,I know COVID was awful for a lot
of people, but for me it was ablessing Because I found my
(06:37):
teacher that I work with now andI've been working on my 500
hours.
And holy cow, when people askme like what's that like?
And holy cow, when people askme like what's that like I will
say she through her she's notlike I don't have her on a
pedestal or anything, she's notlike it's not a cult, but
through her teachings.
I will always say it broke meopen in the best way possible
(07:06):
and now I'm learning to buildthat back up the way that I want
it to be.
So I'm not this like scaredlittle mouse anymore.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
So what are?
So you mentioned the deeperparts of yoga, and we're here to
ask you about the deeper partsof yoga because, you know, we
talk a lot about modalities,different modalities, right,
mystical, witchy modalities, butwe haven't yet talked about
yoga.
So, and I know there's so muchto it besides just going to a
class and doing the poses, andyou know so.
So let's go, let's go.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, so everybody knows asana right.
The asana is the physicalpractice that we do, where you
show up to class and you do yourdownward facing dog, you do
your sun salutations, and thatis great, and if that's all that
anybody needs, wonderful thatis.
You know, we consider it sortof dipping the toe and if that's
the thing that hooks someone in, great.
Eventually they're ready forother things.
But what really speaks to me isthe entirety of the practice.
(07:59):
We have eight limbs in yoga andasana is only the third limb.
I wrote notes because if I getnervous my fight or flight is to
freeze.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
so I'm reading out the notes, but I actually know
this.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Um, we have the yamas and niyamas.
The yamas are a set ofprinciples that we use to sort
of interact with the world, likeDon't be a jerk, don't hurt
people, be honest withoutcausing harm, be tidy, don't
(08:31):
hold on to things, yeah, anddon't steal stuff, yeah.
Like, just be a good humanright, yeah.
Good human stuff, yeah, that'sgood.
Yeah, adult when you'resurrounded by people who want
you to participate in theirfaith.
I remember from the moment thatI was a child and I would hear
talk.
You know, we grew up in theeighties when the AIDS thing was
(08:54):
going on it's still going onand there was all of.
It was sort of the first timethat people were openly talking
about gay and lesbian and whatthat meant, and I remember
hearing my friends talk abouthow disgusting it was.
And I'm sitting in this littletiny town thinking I don't think
I'm that bothered by that, butat the same time they're talking
(09:16):
about you know, follow God andhonor God.
And I'm like I don't understandhow you can believe in the God
that I was taught about and hatethese people over here.
It never connected with me andI think most people are always
looking for something to connectto, and religion was just not
doing it for me.
(09:36):
There was too much hypocrisyand too much hate and I couldn't
connect to something like that.
So I think that you humanbeings need a higher connection
and we're always looking forthat, and this is it for me.
It's not a religion, but thisis how I connect to higher power
.
So you have the yamas.
The niyamas are sort of how youinteract with yourself.
(09:56):
So be clean, be content,because happiness is a thing
that is a waste of time chasing.
Happiness is fleeting.
Contentment can be forever.
You know we're, we can't behappy all the time.
Contentment is the goal.
Um brahmacharya, which is uh, no, that was the first one, I'm
(10:16):
reading them wrong.
Tapas, which is self-discipline, is something that I need to
work on.
Um, allowing yourself to get alittle uncomfortable in order to
learn and grow, sticking tosomething and letting it suck a
little bit so that it can getbetter.
And then self-study, which Ithink as human beings, we need
(10:38):
to continuously be learningthings, that idea of like well,
it was like this, why is it likethis now?
Well, because we evolve, weneed to be constantly learning.
And then Ishwara Pranayadana,which is a surrender to whatever
your higher power is or, youknow, embracing the context of
(10:58):
what that might mean for youasana, which is the third limb.
The fourth limb is pranayama,which is our breath work.
We know that anytime we getstressed out, we start to
breathe a little more shallowly.
And breath work I'm just nowstarting to really start to
study and dive into.
And there is, oh my gosh,there's so much to know about
(11:20):
that.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
And I know.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I am really excited about getting a little bit more
comfortable with that.
You know, I think of this everytime I see my dog like he wants
to play and I'm asking him tobe calm.
You know, if you have a pet,you see them do that big yawn
and that's pranayama.
That's like regulating their.
They already know how toregulate their nervous system.
(11:44):
We have to relearn how toregulate our nervous system and
we do that with our breath work.
And then we have pratyaharawithdrawal of the senses.
It starts to get a little bitmore esoteric and they kind of
work together a little bit moreas we go.
And then dharana, which isconcentration, and then dhyana,
which is meditation, and then,if we work all of those things
(12:05):
together, eventually we get tothe state of Samadhi, which is
where we're connected, we areexisting as though well, as
close to God-like as possible,god as in.
You know whatever that meansfor an individual.
It takes a really, really,really long time for any
individual, if ever, ever, toget to that state.
(12:26):
All of this is meant to besomething that you consistently
were in your day to day.
You know it doesn't have to beperfect all the time.
It is rarely perfect for me.
I'm actually in the middle of adepressive episode right now,
so I utilize these tools to helpkeep me from getting really
ugly and really helps me get outof bed yeah, keeps me floating.
(12:48):
Does it prevent me fromslipping into those episodes?
Absolutely not.
Clearly, I'm in a depressiveepisode in spite of all these
tools for human beings and we'reenjoying this existence.
These are the tools that I useto help manage that and therapy.
And then when I met my teacheronline.
So we have this book that weyogi study, called the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali, and it's abook full of little snippets of
(13:13):
really beautiful information.
They're short and concise.
You treat them like mantras.
I use it often kind of like anoracle.
I'll pop it open.
What's the world got, what'shappening for me today and you
know, just like your or deck oryour tarot deck, for me it works
, but I also study it as well.
It gives you.
(13:33):
I refer to it as like theoldest self-help book ever.
You know it talks about all ofthese eight limbs come from the
sutra.
Yeah, when I I found my teacheronline and in five minutes I was
hooked.
She spent the first fiveminutes talking about how to
arrange your feet and startedtalking about the sutra.
(13:53):
I'm like, oh, this is what I'mhere for.
This is the stuff that I wantedto learn about anatomy and
alignment, and then the reallygetting to know yourself.
That's the chef's kiss for me.
So I participate in amentorship online with her.
Her name is Bhavani Maki.
Anyone can look her up.
She's yoga kawaii.
We go through the sutra and sheshares what she knows about it.
(14:15):
But I really, I really takethat that's the stuff that
really is my medicine that Ireach to If I'm struggling with
something, with how I'minteracting with something or
someone.
That is usually the place thatI go.
So I'll just share with you thesecond sutra for me.
Often people ask, like, what isyoga?
(14:35):
Yoga is the restraint of themodifications of the mind, stuff
.
So yoga is not about howbeautiful your handstand is or
can you get into a bridge pose,or can you balance on your arms
in a crazy dragon flow, fly poseor flying pigeon.
Yoga is about learning how tomanage the stuff up here so you
(14:59):
are not spewing your toxic filthall over the world, and so you
can get to that state ofcontentment.
And within the sutra, he thenoffers sutra on how to actually
how to do it, like if someone istelling you a story, is it
really about you or is it aboutthem?
Or if, again, if someone'stelling you a story, are they an
(15:21):
authority?
You know little snippets onlittle snippets on how to
navigate your responses tothings.
So that thing that we all dowhen we're in a room with a
bunch of like we're at a party,and we see the two people over
there and they're whispering toeach other and you're like, oh
my God, they're talking about me.
So within the suture he's gotlittle things like hey, is that
right knowledge?
Do you know?
(15:42):
Do you know that they'retalking about you?
So little things that I canquestion myself like I don't
really know, I'm not there, I'mnot listening to that
conversation.
Even if they're looking at me,I have zero evidence that
they're actually talking aboutme.
Or you know, with the not to getpolitical, but with the COVID
thing, you know, everybody hadtheir opinions about how to
manage that Right, and peoplewere like, nope, this is the way
(16:05):
, or that is the way, x is theway, uh, so-and-so doesn't know
what they're talking about.
This person doesn't know whatthey're talking about.
I think that we all have aright to decide for ourselves
and from studying the sutra andunderstanding myself, I will
always say that who are we to bean authority?
And we can ask questions and wecan check.
(16:26):
Does that person have the rightknowledge?
Is that person making up whatthey want to believe about it?
Do we have all of the evidence?
So it's a way to sort ofself-navigate our responses to
things Again, so that you'rejust so, you're not, yeah, and
projecting on everybody else.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
This world is.
It's a bunch of blah beingthrown at us all the time, and
so you don't really know what tobelieve.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
So that's beautiful.
Yeah, it's an awarenesspractice, like a self-awareness
practice, right, like yes, andthere's a lot of people that
lack self-awareness in the worldtoo.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
So, um, yeah, I can see how that would be amazing if
they all prescribed to yogayoga principles, right?
Well, let me think I get often,isn't that worshiping a false
God?
The amount of times that I'vehad somebody send me this link
that yoga is unchristian andthat they're worshiping false
gods, I'm like it's not what'shappening.
We're not.
There might be an ancientconnection to Hinduism, but that
is not what's happening.
It's not a Bible.
(17:34):
The sutra is not a Bible.
The new Upanishads are not aBible.
The Bhagavad Gita is not aBible.
It's a collection of lessonsand stories.
The sutra specifically, I think, can easily work with anyone's
faith.
I think and now, I'm not reallya Christian and so anything that
I know about Christianity orthe Bible I learned from my
(17:55):
grandmother.
She's one of those rare peoplethat really walked the talk and
didn't preach, but you knew thatshe was a person of faith based
on her actions, and the storiesthat she would tell me were
beautiful.
You know, there was a storythat she used to tell often
about how Jesus was supposed tomeet these important people and
(18:15):
instead he spent his time withlike children and beggars, and
when he finally met up with them, they're like what are you
doing?
He's like hey, they need me.
You don't.
You have money To me.
That's what Christianity is.
That's what I was taught it was.
Again, I wasn't seeing it.
And then you hear people talkabout how you should behave
based on the Bible, and then youdon't see that reflected.
(18:37):
I feel like I rarely.
Now I have some reallybeautiful friends who have faith
and they exemplify it lovely,but I feel like often what they
say is not what they do, and Idon't think that they're trying
to be hypocritical.
I don't know what's going on andmaybe it's just the way that
(18:58):
I'm seeing it, but I think thatthe sutra gives you a guidebook
on how to maybe be moreChristian-like.
I mean, if you just look at theyamas like nonviolence, that's
pretty.
Look at the Yama's likenonviolence that's pretty.
You know that's a pretty greatthing.
And it can mean a lot ofdifferent things.
It can mean, you know, don'thit people.
But also, do you really need tohonk and flip somebody off when
(19:18):
they cut you off?
You don't know, someonemight've died, like they might
be rushing to get their baby tothe hospital, or we just don't
know.
And just because it impacts usin that moment doesn't mean it
actually has anything to do withus, right.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Yeah, I think the way you put it, Tana, and it's a
good self-check right, it's agood.
They're good tools to kind ofself-check ourselves and how we
interact with the world aroundus, and I think you're right
with that.
It can complement a religion, apractice, because it helps
(19:54):
self-regulate ourselves and inpracticing what we put out to
the world, how we project to theworld and what we take in as
well, because that's toxic too.
If we allow the world to just,you know, we absorb everything.
That's not good for us asindividuals.
So I think, like you said, it'sa good self-check.
They are good tools to help usbe better humans and interact
(20:19):
with each other.
So I like that sentiment andcare for ourselves.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, you know, just with that breathwork alone, if
everybody learned how to liketake five minutes and regulate
their nervous system by taking afew deep breaths before you
react to things, it would be akinder place.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
I find myself doing that as well, like during tough
situations, because I dorecognize that like I start
getting tight and so, you know,start regulating my breath to be
able to calm down.
And so when I'm like holding mybreath or really tense, that's
when I just start doing, andI've had to do that in like
meetings, at work, and I'm likeplease don't let them hear me
(20:57):
breathing like this.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I have appreciated that even in schools now they're
starting to bring in yogalessons.
I remember my daughter in itwasn't this year, so it might've
been fifth grade, maybe a yearago or so she came home one day.
She's like, oh, mom and PE, wedid yoga today.
I was like you did yoga, whatis that?
What'd you do?
And she's like, oh, they taughtus how to, like you know, take
(21:23):
three deep breaths and reallyjust kind of slow it down.
And then we did some stretchesand I was like really impressed
with that because I think,especially with our youth
nowadays, like they need thesepractices to slow things down
for a second and center, and soI wish it was more of a regular
(21:43):
thing.
I think they did it for, likeyou know, they change topics
every week, so it was like aweek of yoga and then it was
like you know next thing.
But I thought it was fantastic.
And she went to summer camp andthey did it in summer camp too
and I was like, okay, yeah, Ilove that.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
I mean young girls especially yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
We're going through it, tannen, we are going through
it.
It's right there, yeah, sowe're working on all of that,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Good luck with that.
It's a journey.
Yeah, I grew up in a house ofall girls, no bueno.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
And it's crazy because you don't want to sound
stereotypical, but it is harderfor girls.
It really like I seen what ourson has gone through and where
he's at now and I see whereshe's at and I'm like, oh hey,
like this is it's intense.
It's intense and I know, youknow, lane has been through it
and it's um, she's like Ipromise you you'll come out on
(22:43):
the other end I'm like I know,but right now it's not okay, not
okay.
Yeah, I do appreciate everythingyou just talked about.
I think for me and one of myquestions was going to be, how
do you get a beginner to reallykind of test the waters?
Because I'll be very honest,I'm still not a yogi yoga.
(23:05):
I don't even have the why, theyo, the ga, nothing Like it's
just not.
It has never been.
It's never been like something.
I've been even in CrossFit,when you were starting to do the
class, I think I went to acouple and for me it's like I
can't do this pose, I don't wantto do it.
Like you know I, it's more ofthe physical act than it is the
(23:26):
all the other stuff, all theother great yeah stuff.
That's a part of it.
So if I you know, hey, yoga,let's talk about this again you
know, like what would be a goodstarting point for someone who
really doesn't know?
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Well, knowing you and having listened to the so my
brain likes to do things inorder I have listened to a
handful of your first ones, butI do them in order and I have an
order that I listen to all mypodcasts, so I'm way behind.
But the meditation episode thatyou guys did, I think you have
to find the thing that works foryou.
Asana is usually where peoplestart in the physical practice,
(24:01):
right, because they're lookingfor that workout.
I think most Americans, or mostWestern cultures, start yoga
for the physical aspects of it,right?
I don't think that applies toyou.
Right, you get your physicalelsewhere.
I don't think that you need itfor the physical aspect.
Could you use it for recoveryof the other things, certainly,
but I think the hook for youwould be in the meditation and
(24:22):
the breath work.
And I know, listen, meditationis super hard for me.
I laughed all the way throughyour guys' meditation Because
all of the things that Iexperienced- Meditation is
actually really, really hard forme.
I find it more in movement andwhen we were doing CrossFit
people would ask me especiallymy yoga friends would ask me,
like really, why CrossFit?
(24:44):
And then vice versa, right, whyCrossFit, crossfit.
And then vice versa, right,yeah, crossfit.
Like, honestly for me I gotmore meditation out of CrossFit
than I tend to do out of my yogapractice because I had all of
this stuff.
I am not so I know you can'treally see me.
I'm a bigger girl.
I'm a bigger girl.
I'm not flexible.
When I started doing yoga as anadult I couldn't touch my toes
(25:09):
and it took me probably close to15 years before I actually
could touch my toes ofconsistent yoga.
So I have heard other yogis saythat they're not flexible and I
just kind of chuckle like, butwere you the tin man when you
started?
Because I was the tin man when Istarted, and there are a lot of
poses that either I cannot yetdo or I sometimes I can do them.
(25:32):
Most of the time they're really, really hard and if I don't
work it consistently I lose it.
So I always had this sort ofinternal struggle of like I'm
not good enough, so why am Itrying to do this pose?
I'm never going to get it, LikeI get what you're saying.
That's where that tapas comesin.
If we don't work it, we willnever get it.
(25:53):
But if you hate it when you'redoing it, why would you continue
to work it Right?
So I think the hook for youwould not be the physical.
The hook would be more in themeditation or the breath work
and listen.
If I could hand out a book ofthe sutra to the entire world,
like people hand out Bibles, Iwould do that.
I haven't won the lottery yet.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
So when that happens, then I'll do that.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
But you know, just working on that meditation,
working on the breath work, andthe most obvious breath work is
the Ujjayi breath, which is justinhale through your nose and
exhale through your nose and yousort of you know, when you jump
into water and you're notholding your nose, you sort of
(26:37):
seal off the back of your throat.
That is a really great place tostart.
It's the first breath thatusually gets taught in a class
and there's a ton of differentbreathwork to do.
That one is always my go-to IfI'm getting into my chitta
vritti, into my monkey mind.
The ujjayi breath is the thingthat calms me down.
And the best test is at thedentist's office.
(26:58):
We can breathe through thedentist's office.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
I love it.
Tannen, I just want to say thatI really appreciate everything
that you put out into the world,into what you did for us at
CrossFit.
Your energy is just always verycalming and open and what you
bring and put out to thisuniverse, to other people.
(27:23):
I just I'm so grateful for youand this message and sharing
your practice, because I am oneof those people that I think
really has a misinterpretationof yoga.
I know there's all the othergood, great stuff behind it, but
for me it's always been thatphysical aspect and that's where
I was introduced to it,honestly, was at CrossFit and it
(27:44):
was like you do this to recoverCrossFit and it was like you do
this to recover.
I appreciate that there's somuch more to it that I think
more people need to understand.
So I just want to thank you somuch for what you do, your
practice and just your calmingenergy that you bring every time
I meet my magical unicorn,because she was referred to as
(28:07):
our unicorn at CrossFit.
So I just thank you very muchfor all of that.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
You want to hear something funny, is?
I wish I felt that about myself.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Oh, that's why I wanted to make sure you heard it
, because I know you don't.
You don't appreciate the valuethat you put out into the world.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I think most people don't Just know that it's
appreciated.
I don't think I'm alone in that.
I think most into the worldJust know that it's appreciated.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
I don't think I'm alone in that.
I think most of the worlddoesn't recognize that.
Yeah, please tell me morewonderful things about myself.
Um, good Cause.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
I was going to um.
We all need it.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
We all need it.
Um, I was just going to add tothat by saying that you, the way
that you practice and teachyoga is so approachable.
And so, having taken a coupleof your classes, I have just
like kind of like Jamie, like,oh, I can't do that pose, but
you, you always are like, if youcan't do that pose, you can do
this pose and this pose and thispose, and you just totally
(29:01):
break it down to make it verybeginner friendly, very just
like.
Or if you're tight, it's theend of the week and you're just
so stressed out and you justcan't do that today, then don't
do it, do this instead.
And so it's just such anapproachable practice, the way
that you teach it, and I don'tever leave feeling bad that I
couldn't do one of the poses orthat I had to honor my body, and
(29:22):
you know kind of relax a littlebit.
You know like I I leave feelinglike I did something good for
myself and you know and it'sokay.
Um, so I appreciate that aboutyou and just you are so very
honest with your experience andyou're never like I'm up here
and you know like, and you guyshave to get up there too, I have
(29:43):
all my Y O G A badges and youknow everyone else has to earn
them there.
It's never like that.
So I just want to say I reallyappreciate that.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Thank you, that's the goal.
I mean.
I just want everyone to feelgood when they leave and, you
know, hopefully they've learnedsomething, whether it's
something about their ownexperience or something about
the practice, whether it'sphysical or whether it's more up
here, when I first startedteaching, there was a lot of.
You know, the reason Melissahad to push me out of the nest a
(30:13):
little bit is because, again,as a bigger gal and the training
that I my very listen my veryfirst training was hilarious,
from this company called fittour and it was like it was $20
to do.
It was no what it was, it waslike $200.
But you get this coupon and youcan do it for $20.
And it was like it was $20 todo.
It was no what it was, it waslike $200, but you get this
coupon and you can do it for $20.
And it was like a quick littlestudy and like a 20 minute test
(30:36):
and I was done.
I was like I didn't learnanything.
What, what, how am I supposedto teach?
I did another training before Itaught after that, but there
was a lot of that Like whatright do I have to teach that?
But there was a lot of thatlike what right do I have to
teach?
Because I don't look like whatthe world thinks a yoga teacher
should and clearly I thoughtthat a yoga teacher should look
(30:56):
like that.
At the time I didn't think ayoga teacher should look like me
.
Took me really long time to letgo of that and I still
occasionally struggle with it.
But I had been teaching forabout three months or so, trying
to bolster myself up, trying tofeel good about what I was
offering still serious doubtsand a gal walked into my class
(31:20):
and it was her first time.
I can't remember it was herfirst day at the gym, but it was
her first time in the yogaclass.
She was very new to the gym andshe was a bigger gal at the gym
, but it was her first time inthe yoga class.
She was very new to the gym andshe was a bigger gal at the
time.
She is no longer a bigger galand I, whatever I said to her
welcome.
I don't even remember what Isaid, but she walked out and she
thanked me and we you know wejust had that student teacher
relationship after I had movedfrom Washington and I came back
(31:44):
for a visit and I did the youknow the bat signal hey, I'm
going to be in town, let's meetfor dinner.
Anybody who wants to meet?
And so a couple of people cameand she came and when we met she
said I have to tell you, tannen, you changed my life.
I was like what she said, youmade me feel so accepted and so
welcome.
(32:04):
And it blew me away because thatwas never my goal.
My goal was never to changesomebody's life.
My goal was to feel like I wascontributing something to the
world in that moment and itnever occurred to me what that
interaction with the studentswould look like.
She blew me away and it was areally huge lesson that just
(32:27):
because I may be unsure of whatmy skills are or what I'm
offering or providing, that isnot the reality for someone else
.
And that actually goes back tothat sutra concept of like what
is your right knowledge, justbecause it's my experience
doesn't mean it's theirexperience and I cannot project
(32:52):
my self-esteem on to somebodyelse.
It was a huge lesson for me andhelped me take a like okay,
okay, this is okay, I'm doingokay, I'm reaching the right
people.
And just because I don't looklike what an Instagram yogi
should look like doesn't meanthat there isn't value in what I
(33:13):
have to offer, and most oftenthe feedback that I get now is
that idea that I'm approachable,and I suspect it comes from a
couple of things.
I suspect it part of it is mylow self-esteem that I'm working
on and I suspect that a lot ofit is the body that I live in,
this immobile, inflexible,cranky body that I live in, that
(33:37):
through menopause, in spite ofweight that I've lost, just
wants to pack it back on.
So you know, it's all.
You know.
Whatever I the weight, whateverI'm over that now.
But it informs how I teach andI think it creates a safe space
for people who look like me orpeople who feel like me.
(33:58):
Yeah, and that's the goal is tojust help people relax.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
That is so fantastic.
You definitely do that.
Thank you, Tannen.
Thank you so much for joiningus on the show.
Thank you, we really appreciateit and for me it's such a
pleasure to meet you.
So thank you so much.
It was nice to meet you,Marlena.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
I really like, really honestly, I've really enjoyed
the podcast and even though I'ma weirdo and I listen to things
in order, I love every singleepisode.
Yay, it has been enjoyable andI've learned a lot from all of
you through your experiences, sothank you so much for letting
me be a tiny part of it.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
Oh, thanks, tiana, and do you want to plug real
quick where you're teaching?
Speaker 2 (34:36):
at.
Yes, so I am teaching at FlowYoga and Wellness in downtown
Tracy and it's astonishing theamount of people who don't know
what is happening in downtownTracy.
But we are right next to thepress wine bar, on the corner of
10th and a, and we are upstairs.
Don't go into the doordownstairs.
That will not work out well foryou.
Um, go upstairs.
(35:00):
Yeah, um, you can look at theschedule online, flow yoga Tracy
to see which classes that Iteach we do offer.
If you're afraid to like, you'renot sure if you want to pay the
drop in, we have a Sundaymorning class.
It's actually happening rightnow.
I'm at the studio that is opento the community.
Linda teaches that and Linda iswonderful.
(35:21):
But anyone can reach out to meon Instagram.
I'm at Tannenbaum on Instagram,so anyone can DM me if you have
questions or if you like, feelcomfortable because you've seen
my face and you want to come toone of my classes.
All the teachers are wonderful,but connect with me and I can
direct you to the right class.
So thank you, ladies.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Thank you so much.
It was amazing and thank youall for listening to this
episode of A Witch, a Mystic andA Feminist.
Go ahead and connect with us atWMF podcom and we will catch
you next week.
You.
Welcome to this episode of A Witch, A Mystic and
A Feminist.
We appreciate you tuning in fora special episode with a guest
that is close to our hearts.
She is a magical being.
I think everyone that comesinto contact with her agrees.
Her name is Tannen and she Idon't know.
I was going to just start withlike the background of how we
(00:30):
met, but she loves yoga, she'sour yogi and she came into Jamie
and my life when we weredrinking the CrossFit Kool-Aid.
So we were working out togetherand she thought we all
desperately needed which we didyoga, because CrossFitters don't
always stretch and we're notall that flexible, and I feel
(00:55):
like there was some resistanceat first.
People were like I don't knowif I need this, I don't know,
and then we all drank the yogaKool-Aid.
I feel like know, and then weall drink the yoga Kool-Aid, I
feel like.
So welcome to the show, Tannen.
We are very excited to have you.
Thank you, and so I wasactually very interested how you
(01:18):
discovered yoga how thatstarted, so so appropriate for
me.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
I discovered yoga when I was pretty young and I I
have not shared this break.
You guys get this little tidbitfirst.
I've not shared this beforebecause it makes me sound like a
total weirdo.
My very first introduction thatI recollect to yoga I must have
been like I don't know, like 10, something and I was watching a
horror movie the Hand.
(01:43):
It's a Michael Caine moviewhere a guy loses his hand and
then gets reattached A hand fromlike a murder.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Yes, you know shenanigans ensue.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Here's what I remember from that movie.
I remember the moment that hishand got taken off and I
remember this like it might'vebeen like 10, 20 seconds and
he's trying to have aconversation with her.
And I remember and I can see itmight've been like 10, 20
seconds and he's trying to havea conversation with her and I
remember and I can see itvividly in my mind.
She's doing yoga and she getsup and she rolls up her rattan
mat and sets it aside and theyhave an argument.
But there was something aboutthat that stuck with me that
(02:18):
moment, like what is that what?
Like I'd heard of it, but therewas I don't know what.
It was something very specificabout that moment that stuck
with me and made me curious.
And then, I don't know,probably two or three years
later, I was helping out at mygrandma's church rummage sale
and I found this book called 28Days of Yoga and it was a little
paperback book and you startedon day one and you did one pose
(02:41):
and then each day you added apose.
So at 28 days you have thiscollection of poses.
So I snagged it and I wouldspend my summers in Ashland with
my dad and my grandparents andI spent the summer doing that
the full.
I mean, there were a lot ofthings I couldn't do because I
was a kid and I'm not flexible,but that really just sort of
planted the seed.
(03:01):
And then you know, you're a kidand I'm a typical teenager
going through some shitty stuffat home, and so did I stick with
it consistently?
No, but it had sort of been apart of my life Always.
In my 20s my gym startedoffering it, so I took advantage
of that and then I fell awayfrom it a tiny bit.
I would do a little bit at home.
(03:23):
And then in my thirties, againmy gym started offering it and
then I started to jump.
That's when I started doing itmuch more consistently.
And then we moved by.
We were living in Sacramentoand my husband was working for
Les Schwab and they closed hisstore and it was this massive
like oh my God, what are wegoing to do?
(03:44):
Like earth shattering, shaking,scary.
We didn't know what the futurewas going to look like.
We didn't know if he was stillgoing to have a job.
And every time something likethat happens, something big
happens, I always think likeokay, it's time, first of all,
to breathe.
It's time to take stock.
Something needs to shift here.
(04:05):
Something isn't working.
This is an opportunity toembrace something bigger.
So I started thinking aboutlike what does that mean for me?
What am I learning?
What am I taking from this?
And we ended up moving toWashington.
And then again the gym.
It's always the gym.
The gym that I was at wasbuilding a yoga program there
and it wasn't.
Like.
(04:25):
You know, typically, when yougo to a gym and you do yoga at a
gym there, it's not the samething as going to a studio.
You get gym yoga, which there'snothing wrong with that, but
they're um, they're a little bitmore restricted in what they
can offer and what they can talkabout.
You know, they usually don'twant anything that is too woo
woo.
They don't want you goingupside down for safety reasons.
(04:45):
I get it, but this gym wasbuilding a yoga program.
They had a completely separateroom.
It was everything that I neededat that time, and then the
universe, as it does, alwaysprovides.
I had thought about maybe thisis what I want to do, maybe I
want to teach this.
There was a moment inSacramento where I had been
(05:06):
taking a class, like a collegeclass with a gal who was doing a
teacher training and I was herguinea pig for a little bit, and
it was right around that time.
So when we moved I thought,maybe this is it, maybe this is
what I need to do.
And I am a fear ruled person.
I overthink everything.
Fear runs my life.
I'm working really hard onletting that happen, but it took
(05:29):
me a long time to take thesteps and finally the gal
running the program was like hey, we need teachers.
I think you should do this.
I'm like, okay, fine, fine, fine, fine.
So I did a little tiny trainingthat was laughable, I didn't
learn anything.
And then I did a bettertraining and then she just kind
of was like, okay, here you go.
It was the best thing thatcould have happened to me at the
(05:54):
time.
It has informed how I moveforward in my life and given me
this gift that I get to sharewith my students.
I'm kind of quiet with thepeople around me, a little bit
Like I'll, like they know that Ido yoga but don't share like
the deep parts of it, cause Ijust assume who wants to hear
(06:14):
that?
I don't really want to havesomeone preach to me, so I tend
to be a little bit more reserved.
But if you ask me, I'm going totell you everything I could
tell you.
So to get to share, that isjust such a gift.
And having done I during COVID,I know COVID was awful for a lot
of people, but for me it was ablessing Because I found my
(06:37):
teacher that I work with now andI've been working on my 500
hours.
And holy cow, when people askme like what's that like?
And holy cow, when people askme like what's that like I will
say she through her she's notlike I don't have her on a
pedestal or anything, she's notlike it's not a cult, but
through her teachings.
I will always say it broke meopen in the best way possible
(07:06):
and now I'm learning to buildthat back up the way that I want
it to be.
So I'm not this like scaredlittle mouse anymore.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
So what are?
So you mentioned the deeperparts of yoga, and we're here to
ask you about the deeper partsof yoga because, you know, we
talk a lot about modalities,different modalities, right,
mystical, witchy modalities, butwe haven't yet talked about
yoga.
So, and I know there's so muchto it besides just going to a
class and doing the poses, andyou know so.
So let's go, let's go.
Speaker 2 (07:33):
Yeah, so everybody knows asana right.
The asana is the physicalpractice that we do, where you
show up to class and you do yourdownward facing dog, you do
your sun salutations, and thatis great, and if that's all that
anybody needs, wonderful thatis.
You know, we consider it sortof dipping the toe and if that's
the thing that hooks someone in, great.
Eventually they're ready forother things.
But what really speaks to me isthe entirety of the practice.
(07:59):
We have eight limbs in yoga andasana is only the third limb.
I wrote notes because if I getnervous my fight or flight is to
freeze.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
so I'm reading out the notes, but I actually know
this.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Um, we have the yamas and niyamas.
The yamas are a set ofprinciples that we use to sort
of interact with the world, likeDon't be a jerk, don't hurt
people, be honest withoutcausing harm, be tidy, don't
(08:31):
hold on to things, yeah, anddon't steal stuff, yeah.
Like, just be a good humanright, yeah.
Good human stuff, yeah, that'sgood.
Yeah, adult when you'resurrounded by people who want
you to participate in theirfaith.
I remember from the moment thatI was a child and I would hear
talk.
You know, we grew up in theeighties when the AIDS thing was
(08:54):
going on it's still going onand there was all of.
It was sort of the first timethat people were openly talking
about gay and lesbian and whatthat meant, and I remember
hearing my friends talk abouthow disgusting it was.
And I'm sitting in this littletiny town thinking I don't think
I'm that bothered by that, butat the same time they're talking
(09:16):
about you know, follow God andhonor God.
And I'm like I don't understandhow you can believe in the God
that I was taught about and hatethese people over here.
It never connected with me andI think most people are always
looking for something to connectto, and religion was just not
doing it for me.
(09:36):
There was too much hypocrisyand too much hate and I couldn't
connect to something like that.
So I think that you humanbeings need a higher connection
and we're always looking forthat, and this is it for me.
It's not a religion, but thisis how I connect to higher power
.
So you have the yamas.
The niyamas are sort of how youinteract with yourself.
(09:56):
So be clean, be content,because happiness is a thing
that is a waste of time chasing.
Happiness is fleeting.
Contentment can be forever.
You know we're, we can't behappy all the time.
Contentment is the goal.
Um brahmacharya, which is uh, no, that was the first one, I'm
(10:16):
reading them wrong.
Tapas, which is self-discipline, is something that I need to
work on.
Um, allowing yourself to get alittle uncomfortable in order to
learn and grow, sticking tosomething and letting it suck a
little bit so that it can getbetter.
And then self-study, which Ithink as human beings, we need
(10:38):
to continuously be learningthings, that idea of like well,
it was like this, why is it likethis now?
Well, because we evolve, weneed to be constantly learning.
And then Ishwara Pranayadana,which is a surrender to whatever
your higher power is or, youknow, embracing the context of
(10:58):
what that might mean for youasana, which is the third limb.
The fourth limb is pranayama,which is our breath work.
We know that anytime we getstressed out, we start to
breathe a little more shallowly.
And breath work I'm just nowstarting to really start to
study and dive into.
And there is, oh my gosh,there's so much to know about
(11:20):
that.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
And I know.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I am really excited about getting a little bit more
comfortable with that.
You know, I think of this everytime I see my dog like he wants
to play and I'm asking him tobe calm.
You know, if you have a pet,you see them do that big yawn
and that's pranayama.
That's like regulating their.
They already know how toregulate their nervous system.
(11:44):
We have to relearn how toregulate our nervous system and
we do that with our breath work.
And then we have pratyaharawithdrawal of the senses.
It starts to get a little bitmore esoteric and they kind of
work together a little bit moreas we go.
And then dharana, which isconcentration, and then dhyana,
which is meditation, and then,if we work all of those things
(12:05):
together, eventually we get tothe state of Samadhi, which is
where we're connected, we areexisting as though well, as
close to God-like as possible,god as in.
You know whatever that meansfor an individual.
It takes a really, really,really long time for any
individual, if ever, ever, toget to that state.
(12:26):
All of this is meant to besomething that you consistently
were in your day to day.
You know it doesn't have to beperfect all the time.
It is rarely perfect for me.
I'm actually in the middle of adepressive episode right now,
so I utilize these tools to helpkeep me from getting really
ugly and really helps me get outof bed yeah, keeps me floating.
(12:48):
Does it prevent me fromslipping into those episodes?
Absolutely not.
Clearly, I'm in a depressiveepisode in spite of all these
tools for human beings and we'reenjoying this existence.
These are the tools that I useto help manage that and therapy.
And then when I met my teacheronline.
So we have this book that weyogi study, called the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali, and it's abook full of little snippets of
(13:13):
really beautiful information.
They're short and concise.
You treat them like mantras.
I use it often kind of like anoracle.
I'll pop it open.
What's the world got, what'shappening for me today and you
know, just like your or deck oryour tarot deck, for me it works
, but I also study it as well.
It gives you.
(13:33):
I refer to it as like theoldest self-help book ever.
You know it talks about all ofthese eight limbs come from the
sutra.
Yeah, when I I found my teacheronline and in five minutes I was
hooked.
She spent the first fiveminutes talking about how to
arrange your feet and startedtalking about the sutra.
(13:53):
I'm like, oh, this is what I'mhere for.
This is the stuff that I wantedto learn about anatomy and
alignment, and then the reallygetting to know yourself.
That's the chef's kiss for me.
So I participate in amentorship online with her.
Her name is Bhavani Maki.
Anyone can look her up.
She's yoga kawaii.
We go through the sutra and sheshares what she knows about it.
(14:15):
But I really, I really takethat that's the stuff that
really is my medicine that Ireach to If I'm struggling with
something, with how I'minteracting with something or
someone.
That is usually the place thatI go.
So I'll just share with you thesecond sutra for me.
Often people ask, like, what isyoga?
(14:35):
Yoga is the restraint of themodifications of the mind, stuff
.
So yoga is not about howbeautiful your handstand is or
can you get into a bridge pose,or can you balance on your arms
in a crazy dragon flow, fly poseor flying pigeon.
Yoga is about learning how tomanage the stuff up here so you
(14:59):
are not spewing your toxic filthall over the world, and so you
can get to that state ofcontentment.
And within the sutra, he thenoffers sutra on how to actually
how to do it, like if someone istelling you a story, is it
really about you or is it aboutthem?
Or if, again, if someone'stelling you a story, are they an
(15:21):
authority?
You know little snippets onlittle snippets on how to
navigate your responses tothings.
So that thing that we all dowhen we're in a room with a
bunch of like we're at a party,and we see the two people over
there and they're whispering toeach other and you're like, oh
my God, they're talking about me.
So within the suture he's gotlittle things like hey, is that
right knowledge?
Do you know?
(15:42):
Do you know that they'retalking about you?
So little things that I canquestion myself like I don't
really know, I'm not there, I'mnot listening to that
conversation.
Even if they're looking at me,I have zero evidence that
they're actually talking aboutme.
Or you know, with the not to getpolitical, but with the COVID
thing, you know, everybody hadtheir opinions about how to
manage that Right, and peoplewere like, nope, this is the way
(16:05):
, or that is the way, x is theway, uh, so-and-so doesn't know
what they're talking about.
This person doesn't know whatthey're talking about.
I think that we all have aright to decide for ourselves
and from studying the sutra andunderstanding myself, I will
always say that who are we to bean authority?
And we can ask questions and wecan check.
(16:26):
Does that person have the rightknowledge?
Is that person making up whatthey want to believe about it?
Do we have all of the evidence?
So it's a way to sort ofself-navigate our responses to
things Again, so that you'rejust so, you're not, yeah, and
projecting on everybody else.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
This world is.
It's a bunch of blah beingthrown at us all the time, and
so you don't really know what tobelieve.
Speaker 1 (16:55):
So that's beautiful.
Yeah, it's an awarenesspractice, like a self-awareness
practice, right, like yes, andthere's a lot of people that
lack self-awareness in the worldtoo.
Speaker 2 (17:13):
So, um, yeah, I can see how that would be amazing if
they all prescribed to yogayoga principles, right?
Well, let me think I get often,isn't that worshiping a false
God?
The amount of times that I'vehad somebody send me this link
that yoga is unchristian andthat they're worshiping false
gods, I'm like it's not what'shappening.
We're not.
There might be an ancientconnection to Hinduism, but that
is not what's happening.
It's not a Bible.
(17:34):
The sutra is not a Bible.
The new Upanishads are not aBible.
The Bhagavad Gita is not aBible.
It's a collection of lessonsand stories.
The sutra specifically, I think, can easily work with anyone's
faith.
I think and now, I'm not reallya Christian and so anything that
I know about Christianity orthe Bible I learned from my
(17:55):
grandmother.
She's one of those rare peoplethat really walked the talk and
didn't preach, but you knew thatshe was a person of faith based
on her actions, and the storiesthat she would tell me were
beautiful.
You know, there was a storythat she used to tell often
about how Jesus was supposed tomeet these important people and
(18:15):
instead he spent his time withlike children and beggars, and
when he finally met up with them, they're like what are you
doing?
He's like hey, they need me.
You don't.
You have money To me.
That's what Christianity is.
That's what I was taught it was.
Again, I wasn't seeing it.
And then you hear people talkabout how you should behave
based on the Bible, and then youdon't see that reflected.
(18:37):
I feel like I rarely.
Now I have some reallybeautiful friends who have faith
and they exemplify it lovely,but I feel like often what they
say is not what they do, and Idon't think that they're trying
to be hypocritical.
I don't know what's going on andmaybe it's just the way that
(18:58):
I'm seeing it, but I think thatthe sutra gives you a guidebook
on how to maybe be moreChristian-like.
I mean, if you just look at theyamas like nonviolence, that's
pretty.
Look at the Yama's likenonviolence that's pretty.
You know that's a pretty greatthing.
And it can mean a lot ofdifferent things.
It can mean, you know, don'thit people.
But also, do you really need tohonk and flip somebody off when
(19:18):
they cut you off?
You don't know, someonemight've died, like they might
be rushing to get their baby tothe hospital, or we just don't
know.
And just because it impacts usin that moment doesn't mean it
actually has anything to do withus, right.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Yeah, I think the way you put it, Tana, and it's a
good self-check right, it's agood.
They're good tools to kind ofself-check ourselves and how we
interact with the world aroundus, and I think you're right
with that.
It can complement a religion, apractice, because it helps
(19:54):
self-regulate ourselves and inpracticing what we put out to
the world, how we project to theworld and what we take in as
well, because that's toxic too.
If we allow the world to just,you know, we absorb everything.
That's not good for us asindividuals.
So I think, like you said, it'sa good self-check.
They are good tools to help usbe better humans and interact
(20:19):
with each other.
So I like that sentiment andcare for ourselves.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Yeah, you know, just with that breathwork alone, if
everybody learned how to liketake five minutes and regulate
their nervous system by taking afew deep breaths before you
react to things, it would be akinder place.
Speaker 4 (20:35):
I find myself doing that as well, like during tough
situations, because I dorecognize that like I start
getting tight and so, you know,start regulating my breath to be
able to calm down.
And so when I'm like holding mybreath or really tense, that's
when I just start doing, andI've had to do that in like
meetings, at work, and I'm likeplease don't let them hear me
(20:57):
breathing like this.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
I have appreciated that even in schools now they're
starting to bring in yogalessons.
I remember my daughter in itwasn't this year, so it might've
been fifth grade, maybe a yearago or so she came home one day.
She's like, oh, mom and PE, wedid yoga today.
I was like you did yoga, whatis that?
What'd you do?
And she's like, oh, they taughtus how to, like you know, take
(21:23):
three deep breaths and reallyjust kind of slow it down.
And then we did some stretchesand I was like really impressed
with that because I think,especially with our youth
nowadays, like they need thesepractices to slow things down
for a second and center, and soI wish it was more of a regular
(21:43):
thing.
I think they did it for, likeyou know, they change topics
every week, so it was like aweek of yoga and then it was
like you know next thing.
But I thought it was fantastic.
And she went to summer camp andthey did it in summer camp too
and I was like, okay, yeah, Ilove that.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
I mean young girls especially yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
We're going through it, tannen, we are going through
it.
It's right there, yeah, sowe're working on all of that,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Good luck with that.
It's a journey.
Yeah, I grew up in a house ofall girls, no bueno.
Speaker 3 (22:21):
And it's crazy because you don't want to sound
stereotypical, but it is harderfor girls.
It really like I seen what ourson has gone through and where
he's at now and I see whereshe's at and I'm like, oh hey,
like this is it's intense.
It's intense and I know, youknow, lane has been through it
and it's um, she's like Ipromise you you'll come out on
(22:43):
the other end I'm like I know,but right now it's not okay, not
okay.
Yeah, I do appreciate everythingyou just talked about.
I think for me and one of myquestions was going to be, how
do you get a beginner to reallykind of test the waters?
Because I'll be very honest,I'm still not a yogi yoga.
(23:05):
I don't even have the why, theyo, the ga, nothing Like it's
just not.
It has never been.
It's never been like something.
I've been even in CrossFit,when you were starting to do the
class, I think I went to acouple and for me it's like I
can't do this pose, I don't wantto do it.
Like you know I, it's more ofthe physical act than it is the
(23:26):
all the other stuff, all theother great yeah stuff.
That's a part of it.
So if I you know, hey, yoga,let's talk about this again you
know, like what would be a goodstarting point for someone who
really doesn't know?
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Well, knowing you and having listened to the so my
brain likes to do things inorder I have listened to a
handful of your first ones, butI do them in order and I have an
order that I listen to all mypodcasts, so I'm way behind.
But the meditation episode thatyou guys did, I think you have
to find the thing that works foryou.
Asana is usually where peoplestart in the physical practice,
(24:01):
right, because they're lookingfor that workout.
I think most Americans, or mostWestern cultures, start yoga
for the physical aspects of it,right?
I don't think that applies toyou.
Right, you get your physicalelsewhere.
I don't think that you need itfor the physical aspect.
Could you use it for recoveryof the other things, certainly,
but I think the hook for youwould be in the meditation and
(24:22):
the breath work.
And I know, listen, meditationis super hard for me.
I laughed all the way throughyour guys' meditation Because
all of the things that Iexperienced- Meditation is
actually really, really hard forme.
I find it more in movement andwhen we were doing CrossFit
people would ask me especiallymy yoga friends would ask me,
like really, why CrossFit?
(24:44):
And then vice versa, right, whyCrossFit, crossfit.
And then vice versa, right,yeah, crossfit.
Like, honestly for me I gotmore meditation out of CrossFit
than I tend to do out of my yogapractice because I had all of
this stuff.
I am not so I know you can'treally see me.
I'm a bigger girl.
I'm a bigger girl.
I'm not flexible.
When I started doing yoga as anadult I couldn't touch my toes
(25:09):
and it took me probably close to15 years before I actually
could touch my toes ofconsistent yoga.
So I have heard other yogis saythat they're not flexible and I
just kind of chuckle like, butwere you the tin man when you
started?
Because I was the tin man when Istarted, and there are a lot of
poses that either I cannot yetdo or I sometimes I can do them.
(25:32):
Most of the time they're really, really hard and if I don't
work it consistently I lose it.
So I always had this sort ofinternal struggle of like I'm
not good enough, so why am Itrying to do this pose?
I'm never going to get it, LikeI get what you're saying.
That's where that tapas comesin.
If we don't work it, we willnever get it.
(25:53):
But if you hate it when you'redoing it, why would you continue
to work it Right?
So I think the hook for youwould not be the physical.
The hook would be more in themeditation or the breath work
and listen.
If I could hand out a book ofthe sutra to the entire world,
like people hand out Bibles, Iwould do that.
I haven't won the lottery yet.
Speaker 4 (26:13):
So when that happens, then I'll do that.
Speaker 2 (26:16):
But you know, just working on that meditation,
working on the breath work, andthe most obvious breath work is
the Ujjayi breath, which is justinhale through your nose and
exhale through your nose and yousort of you know, when you jump
into water and you're notholding your nose, you sort of
(26:37):
seal off the back of your throat.
That is a really great place tostart.
It's the first breath thatusually gets taught in a class
and there's a ton of differentbreathwork to do.
That one is always my go-to IfI'm getting into my chitta
vritti, into my monkey mind.
The ujjayi breath is the thingthat calms me down.
And the best test is at thedentist's office.
(26:58):
We can breathe through thedentist's office.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
I love it.
Tannen, I just want to say thatI really appreciate everything
that you put out into the world,into what you did for us at
CrossFit.
Your energy is just always verycalming and open and what you
bring and put out to thisuniverse, to other people.
(27:23):
I just I'm so grateful for youand this message and sharing
your practice, because I am oneof those people that I think
really has a misinterpretationof yoga.
I know there's all the othergood, great stuff behind it, but
for me it's always been thatphysical aspect and that's where
I was introduced to it,honestly, was at CrossFit and it
(27:44):
was like you do this to recoverCrossFit and it was like you do
this to recover.
I appreciate that there's somuch more to it that I think
more people need to understand.
So I just want to thank you somuch for what you do, your
practice and just your calmingenergy that you bring every time
I meet my magical unicorn,because she was referred to as
(28:07):
our unicorn at CrossFit.
So I just thank you very muchfor all of that.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
You want to hear something funny, is?
I wish I felt that about myself.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
Oh, that's why I wanted to make sure you heard it
, because I know you don't.
You don't appreciate the valuethat you put out into the world.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I think most people don't Just know that it's
appreciated.
I don't think I'm alone in that.
I think most into the worldJust know that it's appreciated.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
I don't think I'm alone in that.
I think most of the worlddoesn't recognize that.
Yeah, please tell me morewonderful things about myself.
Um, good Cause.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
I was going to um.
We all need it.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
We all need it.
Um, I was just going to add tothat by saying that you, the way
that you practice and teachyoga is so approachable.
And so, having taken a coupleof your classes, I have just
like kind of like Jamie, like,oh, I can't do that pose, but
you, you always are like, if youcan't do that pose, you can do
this pose and this pose and thispose, and you just totally
(29:01):
break it down to make it verybeginner friendly, very just
like.
Or if you're tight, it's theend of the week and you're just
so stressed out and you justcan't do that today, then don't
do it, do this instead.
And so it's just such anapproachable practice, the way
that you teach it, and I don'tever leave feeling bad that I
couldn't do one of the poses orthat I had to honor my body, and
(29:22):
you know kind of relax a littlebit.
You know like I I leave feelinglike I did something good for
myself and you know and it'sokay.
Um, so I appreciate that aboutyou and just you are so very
honest with your experience andyou're never like I'm up here
and you know like, and you guyshave to get up there too, I have
(29:43):
all my Y O G A badges and youknow everyone else has to earn
them there.
It's never like that.
So I just want to say I reallyappreciate that.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Thank you, that's the goal.
I mean.
I just want everyone to feelgood when they leave and, you
know, hopefully they've learnedsomething, whether it's
something about their ownexperience or something about
the practice, whether it'sphysical or whether it's more up
here, when I first startedteaching, there was a lot of.
You know, the reason Melissahad to push me out of the nest a
(30:13):
little bit is because, again,as a bigger gal and the training
that I my very listen my veryfirst training was hilarious,
from this company called fittour and it was like it was $20
to do.
It was no what it was, it waslike $200.
But you get this coupon and youcan do it for $20.
And it was like it was $20 todo.
It was no what it was, it waslike $200, but you get this
coupon and you can do it for $20.
And it was like a quick littlestudy and like a 20 minute test
(30:36):
and I was done.
I was like I didn't learnanything.
What, what, how am I supposedto teach?
I did another training before Itaught after that, but there
was a lot of that Like whatright do I have to teach that?
But there was a lot of thatlike what right do I have to
teach?
Because I don't look like whatthe world thinks a yoga teacher
should and clearly I thoughtthat a yoga teacher should look
(30:56):
like that.
At the time I didn't think ayoga teacher should look like me
.
Took me really long time to letgo of that and I still
occasionally struggle with it.
But I had been teaching forabout three months or so, trying
to bolster myself up, trying tofeel good about what I was
offering still serious doubtsand a gal walked into my class
(31:20):
and it was her first time.
I can't remember it was herfirst day at the gym, but it was
her first time in the yogaclass.
She was very new to the gym andshe was a bigger gal at the gym
, but it was her first time inthe yoga class.
She was very new to the gym andshe was a bigger gal at the
time.
She is no longer a bigger galand I, whatever I said to her
welcome.
I don't even remember what Isaid, but she walked out and she
thanked me and we you know wejust had that student teacher
relationship after I had movedfrom Washington and I came back
(31:44):
for a visit and I did the youknow the bat signal hey, I'm
going to be in town, let's meetfor dinner.
Anybody who wants to meet?
And so a couple of people cameand she came and when we met she
said I have to tell you, tannen, you changed my life.
I was like what she said, youmade me feel so accepted and so
welcome.
(32:04):
And it blew me away because thatwas never my goal.
My goal was never to changesomebody's life.
My goal was to feel like I wascontributing something to the
world in that moment and itnever occurred to me what that
interaction with the studentswould look like.
She blew me away and it was areally huge lesson that just
(32:27):
because I may be unsure of whatmy skills are or what I'm
offering or providing, that isnot the reality for someone else
.
And that actually goes back tothat sutra concept of like what
is your right knowledge, justbecause it's my experience
doesn't mean it's theirexperience and I cannot project
(32:52):
my self-esteem on to somebodyelse.
It was a huge lesson for me andhelped me take a like okay,
okay, this is okay, I'm doingokay, I'm reaching the right
people.
And just because I don't looklike what an Instagram yogi
should look like doesn't meanthat there isn't value in what I
(33:13):
have to offer, and most oftenthe feedback that I get now is
that idea that I'm approachable,and I suspect it comes from a
couple of things.
I suspect it part of it is mylow self-esteem that I'm working
on and I suspect that a lot ofit is the body that I live in,
this immobile, inflexible,cranky body that I live in, that
(33:37):
through menopause, in spite ofweight that I've lost, just
wants to pack it back on.
So you know, it's all.
You know.
Whatever I the weight, whateverI'm over that now.
But it informs how I teach andI think it creates a safe space
for people who look like me orpeople who feel like me.
(33:58):
Yeah, and that's the goal is tojust help people relax.
Speaker 4 (34:02):
That is so fantastic.
You definitely do that.
Thank you, Tannen.
Thank you so much for joiningus on the show.
Thank you, we really appreciateit and for me it's such a
pleasure to meet you.
So thank you so much.
It was nice to meet you,Marlena.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
I really like, really honestly, I've really enjoyed
the podcast and even though I'ma weirdo and I listen to things
in order, I love every singleepisode.
Yay, it has been enjoyable andI've learned a lot from all of
you through your experiences, sothank you so much for letting
me be a tiny part of it.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
Oh, thanks, tiana, and do you want to plug real
quick where you're teaching?
Speaker 2 (34:36):
at.
Yes, so I am teaching at FlowYoga and Wellness in downtown
Tracy and it's astonishing theamount of people who don't know
what is happening in downtownTracy.
But we are right next to thepress wine bar, on the corner of
10th and a, and we are upstairs.
Don't go into the doordownstairs.
That will not work out well foryou.
Um, go upstairs.
(35:00):
Yeah, um, you can look at theschedule online, flow yoga Tracy
to see which classes that Iteach we do offer.
If you're afraid to like, you'renot sure if you want to pay the
drop in, we have a Sundaymorning class.
It's actually happening rightnow.
I'm at the studio that is opento the community.
Linda teaches that and Linda iswonderful.
(35:21):
But anyone can reach out to meon Instagram.
I'm at Tannenbaum on Instagram,so anyone can DM me if you have
questions or if you like, feelcomfortable because you've seen
my face and you want to come toone of my classes.
All the teachers are wonderful,but connect with me and I can
direct you to the right class.
So thank you, ladies.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
Thank you so much.
It was amazing and thank youall for listening to this
episode of A Witch, a Mystic andA Feminist.
Go ahead and connect with us atWMF podcom and we will catch
you next week.
You.
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