February 10, 2025 • 39 mins
Katrin Elia joins us for a heartfelt conversation about her transformative journey in moving Katrin Elia Yoga from bustling Philadelphia to the serene community of Palm Harbor, Florida. Grappling with the challenges posed by the pandemic, she made a bold leap guided by her intuition and a deep connection to her late mother. This episode promises to enlighten you on her specialized yoga offerings like yin yoga, alignment yoga, and Ayurvedic consultations, each designed to foster personal health and well-being. Katrine’s story is one of resilience, adaptability, and the power of trusting one's instincts.
Get ready to expand your understanding of yoga therapy with insights into the pioneering work of B.K.S. Iyengar, whose innovative use of props has helped countless individuals manage physical and mental challenges. We also delve into the origins of Yin yoga with Paulie Zink and explore its unique benefits for flexibility and connective tissue health. Katrin shares her personal journey from skepticism to appreciation for Yin yoga, emphasizing the importance of regular practice to maintain overall well-being and enhance your yoga experience regardless of age.
Finally, we dive into the rich world of Ayurveda and its integration into yoga practice as Katrin recounts her transformative experiences in Mexico. Her insights into personalized yoga instruction advocate for a tailored approach that meets the needs of every individual, from children to adults. Discover how Katrine’s innovative teaching methods, including hybrid classes and community collaborations, make yoga accessible and engaging for everyone. This episode is a testament to Katrin's dedication to fostering wellness and her unwavering commitment to bringing the benefits of yoga to all ages.
Stroll through the laid-back streets of the Palm Harbor community with this informative podcast, proudly brought to you by Donnie Hathaway with The Hathaway Group, your trusted guide and local expert in navigating the diverse and ever-changing property landscape of Palm Harbor.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Palm Harbor Local, where we bring you
inspiring stories from theheart of our community.
I'm your host, donnie Hathaway,and today we are joined by
Katrine Elia.
She is the owner and founder ofKatrine Elia Yoga, right here
in beautiful Palm Harbor.
Now our show is all aboutcelebrating those who have put
in the sweats, overcome thehurdles and still find time to
(00:21):
give back to the community.
If you want to be inspired byhow they got started, what keeps
them going and what they'redoing to make Palm Harbor even
more awesome, you're in theright place.
In today's episode, you'lllearn how Katrin was introduced
to yoga, how she survived COVIDand moved her business and life
(00:41):
to Florida, and then thebenefits of yoga for your
personal health.
Be sure to follow us onInstagram at palmharborlocal for
behind the scenes content andjoin our weekly newsletter at
palmharborlocalcom for allthings happening in Palm Harbor.
Let's get started, katrine.
Welcome to the podcast.
Welcome to Palm Harbor Local.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Thank you, I'm very glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yeah, I'm excited to chat with you and kind of learn
more about your business andkind of you know what brought
you here too.
I think that that's aninteresting conversation we had
previously talked about, butlet's start with your business
now.
You have a yoga studio in PalmHarbor, but you also do stuff
online, so tell us a little bitabout that.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So I took my studio in 2022 from Philadelphia to
Palm Harbor, so I opened thisstudio here in January 2023.
And I had a studio inPhiladelphia for over 10 years
before over 10 years before andso my studio has two parts.
(01:48):
It's yoga to certain styles Iteach these days.
One is yin yoga and the otherone is alignment yoga, slash
ayanga yoga, and the other partis offering Ayurvedic
consultations.
So Ayurveda is a five-year-old,probably the oldest healing
(02:09):
system in the world, 5,000 yearsold and I would call it the
mother of yoga.
The mother of yoga, the motherof meditation, the mother of
breathing exercises.
So it's all a part, it's all apackage of that, right?
So that's what I offer.
(02:29):
So the reason why I came hereis Philadelphia through the
COVID time got a littledifficult for me, sure.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
As a business owner.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yeah, as a business owner, there were a lot I mean a
lot of restrictions compared toFlorida.
I know people here in Floridathey're kind of, oh, we have a
lot of restrictions, no, no, no,no.
So the East Coast higher up,like New York, philadelphia,
they had, through the COVID time, a long, you know kind of
restriction time, yeah, and sowhat happened was, when it all
(03:04):
started, that you know, studentsdidn't want to come anymore and
even though I wanted to stickit through, but they didn't, so
and that actually, you know, wasa big problem for many of my
competitors.
So they're many, many close,you know, one after another.
It was hard to watch, and so I,you know, shortened certain
(03:25):
things.
I, you know, didn't have thecleaning lady and didn't have
this, and I didn't have theswiping machine, and so I made
it work just also using my ownmoney, and yeah, and it got.
This whole situation got toomuch for me.
So I decided you know also, thesunshine in Florida is great.
Sun is one of our biggesthealers.
(03:45):
A lot of people don't know thatDoesn't mean sunburn, but
protected, not meaning using alot of sun protection, that's a
different story.
But you know, I thought it wasalso time to do something else,
and start it again.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, what made you choose this, this part of ford?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
well, I was here many , many times before I'm in this
area, so I I was familiar andI'm also, um, love golf and um,
so, playing golf, um, at thedunedin golf club.
You know, one day, you know, Isaw a sign and my mom just died,
actually right before, and Ithought she's guiding me.
(04:28):
Somehow sounds very weird, butit's kind of that's how I felt.
And then, um, you know, onestep was going, you know, after
another, and so we, we boughtthat house and so we're, you
know, combining now golf andliving, and you know the yoga is
also a big part.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
You know, yoga for golf is always good for all
sport, you know, so, um, so, andthat's kind of what brought us
here so you, you mentioned this,um, we talked about this before
, right, but something you justsaid brought it up again you're
like following your intuition,like that's something that you,
you are, you know, like you said, we talked about it, you
brought that before.
Like that's something that youare, you know, like you said, we
talked about it, you broughtthat up before.
Like that's something you feelstrongly about.
(05:06):
How do you, how do you followyour intuition?
Because I think it's hardsometimes to you know, you kind
of get caught up in the rat raceor the busyness of life and you
have a family and kids and workand that sort of stuff, and how
do you take time to likerecognize those, those moments
when you're like, oh, this is asign it's really not that hard.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
People think it's harder.
It's, first of all, it's yourgut feeling.
People you know sometimes saygut feeling, my gut feeling said
, and that's actually yourintuition.
So you, you feel it um, likelike the story with the house.
You, I knew this is where I'msupposed to go and it's just.
You just have to be open.
You're open-minded, you peopleyou know, and sometimes people
(05:52):
want to talk themselves out ofthings or this is doesn't make
any sense, so that when you justsay that you know, you already
know this, this is actuallywhere you go.
Or my good example is you know,when you apply for something
right and you're trying it, andyou're trying it, trying it
doesn't work, it means you knowthat's not for you, right.
(06:14):
Or my old story was when Istarted to get into the yoga,
because I had the worst boss inmy life in New York City as a
curator for visual arts,contemporary art, and so she
actually I have to thank herthese days, but when I was in
this situation I wasn't, so Igot kind of pushed into yoga
(06:38):
through her because I wasinstable.
And afterwards when I decidedto leave, and afterwards when I
decided to leave, and so youknow, after my first yoga
teacher training in Vinyasa,which I'm not really teaching
these days I could, but I'm not,and so I applied and applied,
you know, like for a yoga classsomewhere in a fitness club or
in the church you know they didthat or in Philadelphia was like
(07:00):
rowing is big there, you know,yoga class somewhere in a
fitness club or in the church,you know they did that.
Or in Philadelphia was likerowing is big there, you know,
and all the doors opened.
So for me that is a clear signright, just go right.
So it's really not that hard.
You know people.
I think put all these reasonswhy oh, I'm too old, right.
(07:22):
Or yeah, or I'm, you know, Idon't have enough money or
whatever, so it's always like Ican't do this, and the moment
you say that, you're alreadyclosing the door, so it's, it's
just um.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
The gut feeling is actually the intuition yeah, and
so to me it sounds like it'slike really the key is like
having an open mind and beingable to accept like whatever
comes your way.
Almost Right.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
And not being afraid, right, right.
So I think that's where peoplesay, oh, I can't do that.
Oh, you did that, I could neverdo this.
That's another saying yeah andit's like, yes, you could, right
.
So you just have to put yourmind to it and just don't be
afraid, just do it.
And so most of the time it's,you know, you have to.
When you look back right thenyou see, oh, yeah, I was right.
(08:10):
When you're in something youprobably don't, there's too many
other things and, yes, there'sa lot of stress, even moving.
You know, doing that big step.
I came from Europe, as peopleprobably can hear, you know, for
26 years ago, from Germany, and, yeah, that was a big step.
You know, you would never thinkthat because, culturally, you
(08:31):
know, I thought it was a bigstep.
I never thought that, but itwas, yeah, would I do it again?
Sure, I'd do it again.
I think I want to go somewherewhere I really don't understand,
like Asia, and we'll live there, because this is like a big
then you know because, you don'tknow the language, you don't
the culture, so all that so, butit's, it's a it's, it's a
(08:51):
chance to do something else withyour life.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
You know, just you know doing the same thing and
talking yourself out well, Ithink, I think too like we get
caught up, maybe here in americatoo, more so so than other
parts of the world, but you getcaught up in like this is the
way it's supposed to be.
I, you know, I go to school, Iget a degree, I get a job, work
my job and, you know, live inone place, whatever.
(09:15):
Don't move around, don't trynew things and and like to take
a step back and be like you cando whatever you want, right?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
It doesn't have't have to be, but just it doesn't
have to be like what societybelieves it should be right,
create your own path goodpractice also to find your
intuition is just close youreyes right and then ask the
question like, shall I go topalm harbor, florida?
Then, whatever comes to yourmind first, that's what you do.
There's your intuition.
(09:43):
So it's a very simple thing.
You just have to, you know, askthat question and you know, and
not talking yourself up yeah,it's something I've been like
more aware of the last coupleyears.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
But, you know, if I have an idea that comes up or um
, you know, maybe there's anopportunity to talk to somebody
or I should reach out tosomebody, like, I'll, I'll do
that, even if I don't know, likewhere it's going to lead or
what what it's going to be.
I'm like, hey, I just wanted toreach out, say hello, whatever
whatever it is, you know.
So, all right, let's, let's,let's talk about your, the yoga
that you teach, right in yoga.
(10:15):
And then what was the other oneyou teach?
Speaker 2 (10:16):
um, I call it alignment yoga.
Well, it's a yenga yoga.
A yenga yoga is, I would callit, the queen of yoga.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Okay, so, people who don't know that, so Mr Iyengar,
who I think made it to 95 yearsold and still did his heavy duty
practice every morning, he isthe inventor of the yoga blocks,
of the straps, of the blankets,so all the yoga tools, not the
yoga mat, that's a differentstory.
But so I think the yoga mat wasinvented by a German guy and
(10:50):
then somebody took the patternaway, stole the pattern to
something.
Something was rubber, it was arubber thing, and he was like
producing rubber or somethinglike that Interesting story.
And then somebody else took theyou know the idea away.
But in India they normally usea, a blanket.
I don't know if they do it thesedays, but you know, okay, yeah,
several years ago, so, um, so,and mr yanga is actually more
(11:14):
yoga therapy, I would say so hewas able to, um, you know people
with a lot of issues,physically, but mentally too,
you know, to help, not to fix it, but to make it so, maybe also
sometimes to fix things but tomake it so that they can live
(11:35):
with that.
So yoga can heal certain things.
So yoga is not just a fitnessexercise.
It can be, but it's a half-offevent, right?
So yoga can help with stressand depression and with high
blood pressure and withcirculation issues.
And recently I had a womanterrible stories.
(11:57):
I helped her a little bit withher issue of a prolapsed pelvis.
So I mean there's so manythings.
If you want to look at yoga asa lifestyle and yoga therapy, so
that's what I really do.
You know, I like to think aboutmyself as yoga therapy.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Yeah, and yin yoga?
What is that practice like?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Yin yoga is a practice.
It's not that old.
It's from, I think, in 1974 orsomething, from a guy, paulie
Zink.
He started out or one of thejobs he had was an auto mechanic
and he's this very tiny guy whois very bendy.
He's almost like he couldactually, if he would be younger
, work in a Chinese circusbecause he's really flexible,
(12:41):
and so he was working as an automechanic in these big trucks
and he was sitting, you know,sometimes in these certain poses
and then became later, in someof the yin poses you know, to
work on this wrench and you knowworking on things.
So just very interesting.
So also there was an issue lateron who has the right, you know,
(13:02):
to call themselves?
You know I'm the father of yinyoga, but he's the father of yin
yoga and yin yoga is theopposite of all the yogas we
know.
So in Florida most of thepeople know only hot yoga in hot
Florida, which I always have tosmile about, but ayurvedically
thinking.
But it is the opposite of allthe yogas because it's mostly on
(13:25):
the floor.
Yin yoga poses.
We have, like I maybe teach,not more than 34 poses in total.
That's not a lot, working thestretching and stressing the
connective tissue.
So the reason why we should dothis is to stay flexible and
become flexible.
So this is really great forpeople that you know work out
(13:46):
crazily, you know on bikes andrunning and I don't know what I
you know I taught yin yoga a lot, you know like athletes, you
know you're at basketball, youknow they got a big scholarship
at universities, so stuff likethat.
But it's for everybody, it'sfor all ages, you know.
But it's important in all theyogas you do.
(14:06):
It's the regular practice,right.
So it's kind of the anti-aging,you know.
So that's what we all want.
We want to be flexible, we wantto walk around when we're 85,
right, we don't want to sit in awheelchair.
The life is half over.
So that's kind of where thisgoes.
So it's it's.
It's an interesting practice.
Like I said, it's mostly on thefloor, um, and be holding poses
(14:30):
for quite some time how long?
um between three and fiveminutes um regularly, but I had
a class that always begged me.
Let's do seven, seven, seven,so um, I think it's also drink,
right, 7-7 whatever, and the oldfolks know that, and so it's
like between 3 and 5 minutes,not always comfortable yeah so
(14:54):
that's also interesting, notalways comfortable yeah, what.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What made you decide on on those two styles of yoga?
Is that way, kind of you weretaught or you kind of just tried
a bunch of them and you're like, oh, that's what resonates with
me, I have many um yoga teacherum certificates.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I started on vinyasa and that teacher I picked was
very difficult, which I like,because he always pushed me to
my edge, which is also good forme, otherwise I get bored and so
he always taught yin yoga.
And I think and that's not truethere was another woman before
that, before I did my firstteacher training.
She actually put the seed in mymind about yin yoga and um so
(15:37):
over the years, for some reason,it was always, you know, on my
side and um when I was done withmy first teacher training um
the bigger one, 200 hours orsomething um, I was offered um
two classes, and one was a yinclass, y yin yoga class, and I'm
like okay.
So I teach that that studio.
(15:57):
So when I started yin yoga, Ihated it, but what I always
noticed afterwards I felt great.
So when you're in these poses,as I said earlier, it's not
always so comfortable becausealso your mind gets very
agitated and it depends whatkind of element your dosha is,
(16:17):
ayurvedically speaking.
So you know, a person who hashigh fire is probably very
annoyed, right.
So high fire people are veryoften these very good sports
people, right, and so you'revery annoyed, your mind goes
like crazy.
So what do you do, right?
So that's very difficultsometimes, you know.
(16:39):
So that's why I think I kind ofgot again.
It was the past, you know, andyou know, I know over the years.
You know I think yin yoga isnot an easy sell.
People really get into it, yes,and people stay with it, but
(17:00):
for some reason it worked theway I was teaching, uh, people
liked it.
so you know, so I have a, evenon online these days a lot of
people from pennsylvania or umin covid.
We have to switch over if youwant to survive.
Right zoom came along yeah andso, um, I still have, uh, hybrid
classes where I have, um, youknow, people from pennsylvania
(17:21):
or omaha, I have somebody.
Or from europe, um, some frommore southern florida.
I mean, this is great.
So in a way, we kind of allconnect.
It's like keep my yoga crew.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
You know, yeah, so talk to me.
Me about like that process ofgoing online, because you hadn't
done online before but beforeCOVID and Zoom really like blew
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Right, yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
So when I started Zoom, right when we had all this
COVID stuff and restrictions,and my husband said you have to
go online to save your studio,and I'm like I hate it, I don't
want to do online.
So in a week I got this going.
Um, you know, I come from thevisual arts, so I, you know, in
terms of setting it up withlights and and sound and all
(19:05):
that, um, because it makes adifference that you can be seen
online.
And, yes, zoom was brand new.
You know, a student recommendedit.
Um, I had something elseconference call or something you
really didn't work out.
You know it, a studentrecommended it.
I had something else conferencecall or something it really
didn't work out.
You know, it broke in themiddle of the class and
everything was like black.
And so, anyway, yeah, because Iwas somebody who was always
(19:29):
believing, like you know, ifyou're not in class with
somebody, you can't learn yoga,right, and I I disagree with
that these days because if, ifyou go to a yoga teacher who, um
, actually tells you and givesyou corrections, um, yes, you
can do it online.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
So I think I'm a good proof for that so you're
actually um, it's not just likeI mean, I've seen a lot of stuff
on with youtube, right like youcan get yoga classes and stuff
on YouTube, but they're justwalking you through, they're not
like actually coaching you orwhatever, but in this scenario
you are, you see them as welland you're correcting them.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I give corrections, like somebody I know maybe has a
replacement in the knee orsomething.
They say, no, don't do thispose and do this pose because of
your knee.
So or something say no, don'tdo this pose and do this pose
because of your knee.
So it is really pretty alive,you know.
So it depends also on theteacher.
If you never correct it, well,you do your thing like you know,
like a tape, yeah.
(20:27):
So you start and you close up,but you never give corrections.
But I think it is possible onZoom.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So it's not a bad tool.
I had to change my you know,you know opinion about this yeah
, accept the technology orembrace the technology, yeah,
yeah so it's, it works yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
So let's talk about like the like, a little bit more
about the ayurveda.
I say that are you?
Are you a veda?
Are you a veda are?
You veda um, that is an oldmedicine, is that how you would
describe it?
Speaker 2 (20:59):
It's a 5,000-year-old healing system.
Healing system.
It's probably the oldest in theworld.
The Western medicine nevertalks about it.
I don't think they have a lotof understanding.
They should.
We should partner, particularlyafter cancer treatments.
Great Ayurveda, the translation, is the knowledge of life.
(21:22):
So we're using nature to healourselves.
I think it's the healer.
It's fantastic.
I heal my husband and myselffor many years, so we hardly go
to a physician.
It really works.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
How did you get into that and why did you bring that
into your business as well?
Speaker 2 (21:44):
So, again, pass right , intuition.
So I had my first really yogateacher, my first teacher
training.
That guy who taught me vinyasataught me many, many other
things, and it was also Ayurveda, little things, okay.
So, like you know, like mamapoints, which is like the
(22:05):
acupressure point, what we maybeknow from the Chinese,
traditional Chinese medicine, sowe have also a system like that
.
It's called Mama Point.
So he integrated that in theteaching and I always thought,
hmm, that's interesting, orthere's a certain color of the
day.
You know, if you really getinto this whole thing I'm not
(22:27):
doing this, today would bepurple, I think, but Friday.
But you can use color therapy.
You know, you can wear T-shirtsor you can wear a certain gem.
All that makes a difference.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Changes your energy and you wear a color for each
day of the week to the planets,yeah Right.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
So he had that always involved in his classes and so
I found that fantastic and Ithink, look, I believe in you
know past life Okay, not becauseI do yoga, because for me
there's a lot of you know thingsthere that kind of make me
understand there was somethingelse.
(23:14):
So we believe, then, that thereason why certain things are
easy to you, that come to youeasily, right, that there was
maybe something in your pastlife in a certain way.
So for me, when I learned alittle bit more Ayurveda you
know, I think my first Ayurvedichealing and I was not even
(23:34):
trained was on myself, when Iwent on a trip to Mexico and I
was in a super hotel and I ateonly there and, you know, was
very careful not to eat stuff onthe street because you can get
Montezuma's revenge very fast.
And so I came back and I didn'thave Montezuma's revenge or all
(23:55):
that, but I had like too muchacid in my system.
So I don't, I wasn't sure ifthat was from the trip, maybe,
yes, I don't know.
So I went to my physician andhe didn't listen and he gave me
only seven minutes anyway, andso he gave me acid reflex pills.
So I had one and two and I hadside effects and I threw them
out.
So I'm like this is not acidreflex, I have too much acid in
(24:18):
my system.
I don't know what that is.
I know what it is these days.
So I started to look online andwith my little Ayurvedic
knowledge I figured out certainthings I just have to eliminate
out of my food plan, so like notfew oranges or tomatoes or tart
(24:39):
apples, or, you know, there's avinegar.
So I did that for a while andwent, went away so, and that
kind of was a little bit thefirst key.
And then I went to an Ayurvedicpractitioner myself and you
know, everybody has something.
I maybe had some skin issues orwhatever, and I was curious to
see how, what they do.
And so I came with a few thingsand so I was like miss, what,
(25:01):
what that is like, and I thinkthat was kind of, you know, for
me already a set stone.
And then the next thing wasthat another person I knew,
another yoga teacher, who wasalso an Ayurvedic practitioner.
He says, hey, there's a course,are you interested in it?
And that's how it went and Ithought, okay, you know, so I go
(25:22):
along with that.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yeah, so you had some exposure to it.
Yeah, had some positive.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Yeah, and when I started studying it, it was so
easy for me to understand.
I'm like I mean, it wasn't alot of effort for me to
understand.
I'm like I mean, it didn'twasn't a lot of effort for me,
and I'm like, okay, well, thiswas probably meant to be so and
I think that's how it went, andthis influenced my yoga teaching
a lot.
So I was teaching in thebeginning, you know, really big
(25:49):
classes way before covid, um, instudio classes, um, I think my
biggest class was once which isridiculous, like 35 people.
You know you don't get anythingout of it if you go to a class
like this.
Okay, as a student, I think,yeah, and so you know, for me
that kind of changed the wholeoutlook on.
You know, not, first of all,not everything body one fits all
(26:13):
doesn't work, also in yoga,right?
So?
And so that got me also alittle bit more to um, not uh,
more to quality than quantity.
You cannot work with somebodyreally on something if you have
like 35 people there.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
So, and that was my concept also in Philadelphia, so
you know, I had smaller classes.
I think my biggest class therewas 14 people.
Okay, which was fine.
It's almost too much.
I like eight people.
That's a good, good group.
Okay, because then everybodygets something out of this.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Right.
So, and that's how Ayurvedainfluenced me a lot, and the way
I teach and the way I approachthings in my classes is often
like eye yoga.
I could never have heard aboutthis.
It's yoga for eyes.
There is breathing exercises.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
How many different types of yoga are there?
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Oh, that's a good question.
I mean, there is ayanga yoga,there is ashtanga yoga, there is
yin yoga, which is, you know,the non, almost like the not
yoga.
There is anusara yoga, whichhad a problem recently, a few
years ago, with a guy who waslike the head guy you know abuse
(27:30):
.
Oh, wow, yeah, yeah.
Then also Bikram Yoga had a bigproblem.
I don't know if you ever heardabout it.
He had to leave the country.
Big problems with abuse,student abuse, got what else is
there?
Good question, probably, like Iwould say.
Then there's Hatha Yoga is alsolike, yeah well, gentle yoga.
(27:51):
There is Bhakti yoga, which isa totally different direction.
Then there's Kundalini yoga.
I mean maybe eight, nine, tenthings.
I mean there's a lot.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
And can anyone like?
Can you just create your ownyoga style, right?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
And if it catches on like that, is that how these,
these new, like yin yoga wascreated, or whatever you know, I
mean, I probably do my ownstyle, because even my yin yoga
has, um you know, elements ofalignment, yeah, which a lot of
people imagine like all teacherskind of have like well, if
you're serious, yeah, right, Imean you have if you, if, if you
(28:27):
do it for a long time, you knowwhat you teach has a lot to do
with you.
So I'm pretty good with lowerback stuff, for instance,
because you know I have a lowdoses, like you know, like you
could put a tray when I was akid on my back Right.
So that's why I went intoclassical dance for 30 years.
(28:48):
My mother thought I need moreposture.
However, you know this is avery weak area for me.
Okay, so that's why I learnedso much about how can yoga help
with lower back issues.
Now, there's many lower backreasons I mean issues why people
have that.
So I think I know a lot aboutthis because of myself.
(29:08):
And I'm really good withstanding stuff because I'm
coming from classical dance.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
So I mean, everybody has like a preference.
You know, some people are goodin I don't know inversions.
I mean I can teach theclassical inversions.
But there are people that arefantastic.
You know they're really good,but they're maybe terrible with
standing stuff or forwardextensions.
You know so.
So I think you can form yourown style.
(29:35):
But you know there's also, asmy first teacher said, don't try
to invent the wheel.
So you know, it's only so muchyou know.
You know, but you teach whatyou teach, is you Right?
You know.
So I think that's you know,it's your style.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Sure Sure.
What about like for children?
Like is there a certain agewhere they shouldn't be doing
yoga?
Or like if they can do it, youknow, go for it.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
You know, I mean it should be a toddler.
I think that's the problem,even though it it's.
Sometimes, you know, there's umbaby and mom yoga or something
yeah, and then but laying there.
You know, it's kind of the momdoes something in the baby.
I saw that once.
I thought okay, well, um, butyeah, no, I think you know when
they're I.
I had to teach you once um achild a children's class, for
(30:24):
somebody had to kind of jump in.
She was stuck in california andshe asked me oh, I'm you, you
know, start my class now.
You know, can you help me on?
I said okay, but I'm really Idon't have any background.
It was fun to see.
I was thinking, all thesedifferent kids, you know age
from six to 12, I think was inthat particular they would be
(30:46):
all flexible.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
You know, whatever I do, they're flexible.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
And they would be all flexible.
You know, whatever I do,they're flexible and they're not
.
No, they're not.
And I thought, wow that'sinteresting, oh really.
No, some were, some weren't, andso it was just an interesting
experience to see, you know, andthe energies you know.
So it's like they're bouncy.
And I had to teach once I gavea free class in in school.
I was asked yeah, in a not verygood neighborhood in
Philadelphia, and I was moreafraid that my wheels are still
(31:10):
on the car that they were, andyou saw the metal bars on the
school.
Yeah, I mean it was ugh, thisis, but it was.
It was an interesting class.
So, you know, every time I putthe, you know there were kids
like they were very hyper, hyper, and every time I said downward
(31:30):
facing dog, oh, and downwardfacing dog, they were all calm
and that was great, it was greatto see it.
For me, a good experience.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, you know, so we , we did.
We've started with our kids.
So I have two daughters, almostfive and three now, so they're
young, okay, but our oldest is,I mean, they're both pretty
flexible, um, so maybe it likeas they get a little older, I
think that's when, like the,when things start to tighten up
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Five is a great age.
Five, six is good.
I think it's a good start.
It depends on the kid.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Yeah, the youngest one.
She doesn't do much.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
But six, six is a good age, yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
We started doing it at night to like let's get ready
for bed, kind of calm down alittle bit, sort of thing.
And sometimes they'll ask forit, Like can we do yoga tonight,
you know?
Speaker 2 (32:12):
before bed Nice.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
So it's just like a way to try to relax and, you
know, kind of set the tone forbedtime and stuff.
But yeah, but the oldest she'sinto it a little bit more, the
youngest not so much.
She'll do it Not yet.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Yeah, yeah the youngest not so much.
So do not get.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'sgood, I mean it, it helps, for
yoga helps with so many things,as I said earlier.
I mean, you just mentioned it,you know it calms them down, all
right.
So it depends on your energy,right?
So, if you?
And also for older people youknow people can't sleep, well,
you know they can learnsomething there.
Um, ayurvedically for sure, butthere are certain poses that
(32:52):
might help.
I'm not so sure.
Once a student I had to smile.
The student came in and saidteach me a pose.
Did I tell you that before?
I'm not sure.
Teach me a pose, I want to loseweight.
It's a yoga pose.
I can lose weight.
But I'm like, no, this doesn'twork that way.
Yeah, so you want to have onepose and I'm losing weight?
Speaker 1 (33:12):
and I said, no, it doesn't look yeah, how often are
you like doing yoga yourself?
Is this like a daily habit foryou?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
unfortunately, I don't have always the time for
it.
Sure, um, I make, um, I do mypractice, sometimes before I
teach a class, like a shortpractice, but I for sure, every
week I do two one and a halfhour sessions with two teachers
of mine.
One is these days inAlbuquerque and the other one in
(33:43):
Philadelphia, and so I'm notrunning around anymore and do
classes here and there.
I'm beyond that.
It doesn't do it for me thesedays.
I did in the past.
But that's kind of myassignment also to stay a little
fresh, you know, to see whatother people do.
I think sometimes it's like apost they teach and I didn't
(34:04):
teach this post for a long timeand it's like, oh wow, this is
good.
So it's a little bit stayingfresh.
Um, I take um, uh, you know,ayurvedic um courses still, um,
I'm doing right now my cleanse,my one of my ayurvedic cleanse,
for almost three weeks and um,it's not totally three weeks yet
, but it will be three weeks.
(34:26):
Um, but you know I you alsohave to stay fresh as a teacher,
otherwise you get see, I getbored, yeah, fast.
And so all my classes I teachthey're always different, even
though it's maybe I have asunday yin class and I have a
monday night one, they're alwaysdifferent.
So I'm for me also to to notget kind of like boring with
(34:49):
myself, but also I don't want tobore the students.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah, right, if they're doing the same thing,
like over and over again.
Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
How long is like should a yogasession be?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
I teach these days one hour sessions.
I think it's like you know, ifyou can't say in an hour or
teach in an hour what you want,right?
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Do you need to like work up to an hour long, like if
you're new to yoga?
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Oh, you think that's a long, that's long.
Yeah, oh, I thought that'stough.
No, no, no In the old times.
That's why I have to figure out.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
That's short.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Okay, In the old times it was one and a half hour
.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
Okay?
Is that when you first startedteaching, like it was one and a
half hour or before you got intoteaching?
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I'm thinking about this.
I think, yeah, it was one and ahalf hour and then I switched
it to 75.
I mean, I do still do that.
Sometimes I do give alsoworkshops, and they're mostly
longer.
Yes, you, I mean I do still dothat.
Sometimes I do give alsoworkshops, and they're mostly
longer.
Yes, you know you have morepeople ask questions and stuff,
(35:57):
but yeah, no, you have to workup.
Well, if it's a good class, youdon't even notice it's an hour.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Sure.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
So I think that said you know.
If it's you know it depends onthat.
I don't think you have to workup to this.
I don't think an hour is aslong, yeah, you know, because
you kind of prepare the studentfor whatever.
Then you do the actual classand then there's all this like
in my class, there's a longshavasana which is a resting
pose on the back and um.
(36:25):
So it's kind of you.
The actual class is maybe notan hour.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Sure, yeah, the actual like movements and stuff.
Yeah, makes sense.
Your business is in Palm Harbor.
Where can people find you?
And both in the physicallocation and then online.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
Okay, so I have a website, wwwkatrinilyayogacom,
so you can find all theinformation, schedules, um,
where I am.
If you forget, um and um, youknow, programs.
A little bit about mybackground, um, about pricing.
Um, I'm here in palm harbor at10, 10 michigan avenue, so on
(37:03):
alt 19, pretty visible.
Now I have my second sign again.
The first sign blew off.
Was there two stores?
And I have one hanging on thewall, you know, facing the major
street there.
So, yeah, and you know I dohybrid classes.
Most of my classes are both,but you can come to the studio
(37:24):
and have all the props and peaceand quiet, the props and peace
and quiet, if you.
You know, sometimes that'sanother problem when you teach
people at home.
Um, they have their regularlives there, you know.
And you know they can't reallybe totally there.
Yeah, you know, or sometimesyou know I have to go in and
move furniture around and theydon't have the right space.
(37:44):
So it's it's it's easiersometimes to really go to a
class and I also teach, becauseI teach different things than I
normally do here in Florida.
So I also teach yoga, beginners, yoga, privates Two sessions,
they are 90 minutes long and youget I teach you their basic
(38:07):
yoga basics, right.
So class like poses, okay, andyou get like a pamphlet at the
end.
You get I teach you the basicyoga basics, right.
So class like poses, okay, youget like a pamphlet at the end.
You know, can look at thepictures and what's the pose
it's called.
And so when you're a littleolder or maybe you want to do it
right, you know sometimespeople want to do things right
away, right, that is a good ideato start.
(38:28):
So I always feel like peopletell me always that was great,
you know.
I feel like at least I knowdownward facing dog is not on
the floor and so they have alittle bit of feeling, um, that
you know they can handle theclass because there are
sometimes people there they'redoing that for ages, you know,
and it's a little intimidatingwhen you're a little older, um,
so I think that's a good startyeah, I like that kind of
(38:49):
introduce people to yeah, what'swhat?
and you can always look back andsay okay, what was that word
one?
Or you know what's the booklike, and stuff like that that's
a cool idea.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
I was just thinking when you were saying that, like
we, we just did uh, I was tryingto do more events and stuff
this year at some of thebusinesses around town and and
we just did our first one at aoh meditation and wellness in
city harbor invited people outand come experience.
You know this, this business weshould do like a class or
something.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
Yeah, yeah, let's do it.
Yeah, yeah, cool good awesome.
Well, thanks for being hereyeah, thank you for having me.
I appreciate it and uh hope tosee you in class yes, I'm gonna
check one out.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I'm gonna do the yoga stuff good all right, thanks.
Welcome to Palm Harbor Local, where we bring you
inspiring stories from theheart of our community.
I'm your host, donnie Hathaway,and today we are joined by
Katrine Elia.
She is the owner and founder ofKatrine Elia Yoga, right here
in beautiful Palm Harbor.
Now our show is all aboutcelebrating those who have put
in the sweats, overcome thehurdles and still find time to
(00:21):
give back to the community.
If you want to be inspired byhow they got started, what keeps
them going and what they'redoing to make Palm Harbor even
more awesome, you're in theright place.
In today's episode, you'lllearn how Katrin was introduced
to yoga, how she survived COVIDand moved her business and life
(00:41):
to Florida, and then thebenefits of yoga for your
personal health.
Be sure to follow us onInstagram at palmharborlocal for
behind the scenes content andjoin our weekly newsletter at
palmharborlocalcom for allthings happening in Palm Harbor.
Let's get started, katrine.
Welcome to the podcast.
Welcome to Palm Harbor Local.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Thank you, I'm very glad to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Yeah, I'm excited to chat with you and kind of learn
more about your business andkind of you know what brought
you here too.
I think that that's aninteresting conversation we had
previously talked about, butlet's start with your business
now.
You have a yoga studio in PalmHarbor, but you also do stuff
online, so tell us a little bitabout that.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So I took my studio in 2022 from Philadelphia to
Palm Harbor, so I opened thisstudio here in January 2023.
And I had a studio inPhiladelphia for over 10 years
before over 10 years before andso my studio has two parts.
(01:48):
It's yoga to certain styles Iteach these days.
One is yin yoga and the otherone is alignment yoga, slash
ayanga yoga, and the other partis offering Ayurvedic
consultations.
So Ayurveda is a five-year-old,probably the oldest healing
(02:09):
system in the world, 5,000 yearsold and I would call it the
mother of yoga.
The mother of yoga, the motherof meditation, the mother of
breathing exercises.
So it's all a part, it's all apackage of that, right?
So that's what I offer.
(02:29):
So the reason why I came hereis Philadelphia through the
COVID time got a littledifficult for me, sure.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
As a business owner.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
Yeah, as a business owner, there were a lot I mean a
lot of restrictions compared toFlorida.
I know people here in Floridathey're kind of, oh, we have a
lot of restrictions, no, no, no,no.
So the East Coast higher up,like New York, philadelphia,
they had, through the COVID time, a long, you know kind of
restriction time, yeah, and sowhat happened was, when it all
(03:04):
started, that you know, studentsdidn't want to come anymore and
even though I wanted to stickit through, but they didn't, so
and that actually, you know, wasa big problem for many of my
competitors.
So they're many, many close,you know, one after another.
It was hard to watch, and so I,you know, shortened certain
(03:25):
things.
I, you know, didn't have thecleaning lady and didn't have
this, and I didn't have theswiping machine, and so I made
it work just also using my ownmoney, and yeah, and it got.
This whole situation got toomuch for me.
So I decided you know also, thesunshine in Florida is great.
Sun is one of our biggesthealers.
(03:45):
A lot of people don't know thatDoesn't mean sunburn, but
protected, not meaning using alot of sun protection, that's a
different story.
But you know, I thought it wasalso time to do something else,
and start it again.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, what made you choose this, this part of ford?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
well, I was here many , many times before I'm in this
area, so I I was familiar andI'm also, um, love golf and um,
so, playing golf, um, at thedunedin golf club.
You know, one day, you know, Isaw a sign and my mom just died,
actually right before, and Ithought she's guiding me.
(04:28):
Somehow sounds very weird, butit's kind of that's how I felt.
And then, um, you know, onestep was going, you know, after
another, and so we, we boughtthat house and so we're, you
know, combining now golf andliving, and you know the yoga is
also a big part.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
You know, yoga for golf is always good for all
sport, you know, so, um, so, andthat's kind of what brought us
here so you, you mentioned this,um, we talked about this before
, right, but something you justsaid brought it up again you're
like following your intuition,like that's something that you,
you are, you know, like you said, we talked about it, you
brought that before.
Like that's something that youare, you know, like you said, we
talked about it, you broughtthat up before.
Like that's something you feelstrongly about.
(05:06):
How do you, how do you followyour intuition?
Because I think it's hardsometimes to you know, you kind
of get caught up in the rat raceor the busyness of life and you
have a family and kids and workand that sort of stuff, and how
do you take time to likerecognize those, those moments
when you're like, oh, this is asign it's really not that hard.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
People think it's harder.
It's, first of all, it's yourgut feeling.
People you know sometimes saygut feeling, my gut feeling said
, and that's actually yourintuition.
So you, you feel it um, likelike the story with the house.
You, I knew this is where I'msupposed to go and it's just.
You just have to be open.
You're open-minded, you peopleyou know, and sometimes people
(05:52):
want to talk themselves out ofthings or this is doesn't make
any sense, so that when you justsay that you know, you already
know this, this is actuallywhere you go.
Or my good example is you know,when you apply for something
right and you're trying it, andyou're trying it, trying it
doesn't work, it means you knowthat's not for you, right.
(06:14):
Or my old story was when Istarted to get into the yoga,
because I had the worst boss inmy life in New York City as a
curator for visual arts,contemporary art, and so she
actually I have to thank herthese days, but when I was in
this situation I wasn't, so Igot kind of pushed into yoga
(06:38):
through her because I wasinstable.
And afterwards when I decidedto leave, and afterwards when I
decided to leave, and so youknow, after my first yoga
teacher training in Vinyasa,which I'm not really teaching
these days I could, but I'm not,and so I applied and applied,
you know, like for a yoga classsomewhere in a fitness club or
in the church you know they didthat or in Philadelphia was like
(07:00):
rowing is big there, you know,yoga class somewhere in a
fitness club or in the church,you know they did that.
Or in Philadelphia was likerowing is big there, you know,
and all the doors opened.
So for me that is a clear signright, just go right.
So it's really not that hard.
You know people.
I think put all these reasonswhy oh, I'm too old, right.
(07:22):
Or yeah, or I'm, you know, Idon't have enough money or
whatever, so it's always like Ican't do this, and the moment
you say that, you're alreadyclosing the door, so it's, it's
just um.
Speaker 1 (07:33):
The gut feeling is actually the intuition yeah, and
so to me it sounds like it'slike really the key is like
having an open mind and beingable to accept like whatever
comes your way.
Almost Right.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
And not being afraid, right, right.
So I think that's where peoplesay, oh, I can't do that.
Oh, you did that, I could neverdo this.
That's another saying yeah andit's like, yes, you could, right
.
So you just have to put yourmind to it and just don't be
afraid, just do it.
And so most of the time it's,you know, you have to.
When you look back right thenyou see, oh, yeah, I was right.
(08:10):
When you're in something youprobably don't, there's too many
other things and, yes, there'sa lot of stress, even moving.
You know, doing that big step.
I came from Europe, as peopleprobably can hear, you know, for
26 years ago, from Germany, and, yeah, that was a big step.
You know, you would never thinkthat because, culturally, you
(08:31):
know, I thought it was a bigstep.
I never thought that, but itwas, yeah, would I do it again?
Sure, I'd do it again.
I think I want to go somewherewhere I really don't understand,
like Asia, and we'll live there, because this is like a big
then you know because, you don'tknow the language, you don't
the culture, so all that so, butit's, it's a it's, it's a
(08:51):
chance to do something else withyour life.
Speaker 1 (08:53):
You know, just you know doing the same thing and
talking yourself out well, Ithink, I think too like we get
caught up, maybe here in americatoo, more so so than other
parts of the world, but you getcaught up in like this is the
way it's supposed to be.
I, you know, I go to school, Iget a degree, I get a job, work
my job and, you know, live inone place, whatever.
(09:15):
Don't move around, don't trynew things and and like to take
a step back and be like you cando whatever you want, right?
Speaker 2 (09:22):
It doesn't have't have to be, but just it doesn't
have to be like what societybelieves it should be right,
create your own path goodpractice also to find your
intuition is just close youreyes right and then ask the
question like, shall I go topalm harbor, florida?
Then, whatever comes to yourmind first, that's what you do.
There's your intuition.
(09:43):
So it's a very simple thing.
You just have to, you know, askthat question and you know, and
not talking yourself up yeah,it's something I've been like
more aware of the last coupleyears.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
But, you know, if I have an idea that comes up or um
, you know, maybe there's anopportunity to talk to somebody
or I should reach out tosomebody, like, I'll, I'll do
that, even if I don't know, likewhere it's going to lead or
what what it's going to be.
I'm like, hey, I just wanted toreach out, say hello, whatever
whatever it is, you know.
So, all right, let's, let's,let's talk about your, the yoga
that you teach, right in yoga.
(10:15):
And then what was the other oneyou teach?
Speaker 2 (10:16):
um, I call it alignment yoga.
Well, it's a yenga yoga.
A yenga yoga is, I would callit, the queen of yoga.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Okay, so, people who don't know that, so Mr Iyengar,
who I think made it to 95 yearsold and still did his heavy duty
practice every morning, he isthe inventor of the yoga blocks,
of the straps, of the blankets,so all the yoga tools, not the
yoga mat, that's a differentstory.
But so I think the yoga mat wasinvented by a German guy and
(10:50):
then somebody took the patternaway, stole the pattern to
something.
Something was rubber, it was arubber thing, and he was like
producing rubber or somethinglike that Interesting story.
And then somebody else took theyou know the idea away.
But in India they normally usea, a blanket.
I don't know if they do it thesedays, but you know, okay, yeah,
several years ago, so, um, so,and mr yanga is actually more
(11:14):
yoga therapy, I would say so hewas able to, um, you know people
with a lot of issues,physically, but mentally too,
you know, to help, not to fix it, but to make it so, maybe also
sometimes to fix things but tomake it so that they can live
(11:35):
with that.
So yoga can heal certain things.
So yoga is not just a fitnessexercise.
It can be, but it's a half-offevent, right?
So yoga can help with stressand depression and with high
blood pressure and withcirculation issues.
And recently I had a womanterrible stories.
(11:57):
I helped her a little bit withher issue of a prolapsed pelvis.
So I mean there's so manythings.
If you want to look at yoga asa lifestyle and yoga therapy, so
that's what I really do.
You know, I like to think aboutmyself as yoga therapy.
Speaker 1 (12:15):
Yeah, and yin yoga?
What is that practice like?
Speaker 2 (12:19):
Yin yoga is a practice.
It's not that old.
It's from, I think, in 1974 orsomething, from a guy, paulie
Zink.
He started out or one of thejobs he had was an auto mechanic
and he's this very tiny guy whois very bendy.
He's almost like he couldactually, if he would be younger
, work in a Chinese circusbecause he's really flexible,
(12:41):
and so he was working as an automechanic in these big trucks
and he was sitting, you know,sometimes in these certain poses
and then became later, in someof the yin poses you know, to
work on this wrench and you knowworking on things.
So just very interesting.
So also there was an issue lateron who has the right, you know,
(13:02):
to call themselves?
You know I'm the father of yinyoga, but he's the father of yin
yoga and yin yoga is theopposite of all the yogas we
know.
So in Florida most of thepeople know only hot yoga in hot
Florida, which I always have tosmile about, but ayurvedically
thinking.
But it is the opposite of allthe yogas because it's mostly on
(13:25):
the floor.
Yin yoga poses.
We have, like I maybe teach,not more than 34 poses in total.
That's not a lot, working thestretching and stressing the
connective tissue.
So the reason why we should dothis is to stay flexible and
become flexible.
So this is really great forpeople that you know work out
(13:46):
crazily, you know on bikes andrunning and I don't know what I
you know I taught yin yoga a lot, you know like athletes, you
know you're at basketball, youknow they got a big scholarship
at universities, so stuff likethat.
But it's for everybody, it'sfor all ages, you know.
But it's important in all theyogas you do.
(14:06):
It's the regular practice,right.
So it's kind of the anti-aging,you know.
So that's what we all want.
We want to be flexible, we wantto walk around when we're 85,
right, we don't want to sit in awheelchair.
The life is half over.
So that's kind of where thisgoes.
So it's it's.
It's an interesting practice.
Like I said, it's mostly on thefloor, um, and be holding poses
(14:30):
for quite some time how long?
um between three and fiveminutes um regularly, but I had
a class that always begged me.
Let's do seven, seven, seven,so um, I think it's also drink,
right, 7-7 whatever, and the oldfolks know that, and so it's
like between 3 and 5 minutes,not always comfortable yeah so
(14:54):
that's also interesting, notalways comfortable yeah, what.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
What made you decide on on those two styles of yoga?
Is that way, kind of you weretaught or you kind of just tried
a bunch of them and you're like, oh, that's what resonates with
me, I have many um yoga teacherum certificates.
Speaker 2 (15:11):
I started on vinyasa and that teacher I picked was
very difficult, which I like,because he always pushed me to
my edge, which is also good forme, otherwise I get bored and so
he always taught yin yoga.
And I think and that's not truethere was another woman before
that, before I did my firstteacher training.
She actually put the seed in mymind about yin yoga and um so
(15:37):
over the years, for some reason,it was always, you know, on my
side and um when I was done withmy first teacher training um
the bigger one, 200 hours orsomething um, I was offered um
two classes, and one was a yinclass, y yin yoga class, and I'm
like okay.
So I teach that that studio.
(15:57):
So when I started yin yoga, Ihated it, but what I always
noticed afterwards I felt great.
So when you're in these poses,as I said earlier, it's not
always so comfortable becausealso your mind gets very
agitated and it depends whatkind of element your dosha is,
(16:17):
ayurvedically speaking.
So you know, a person who hashigh fire is probably very
annoyed, right.
So high fire people are veryoften these very good sports
people, right, and so you'revery annoyed, your mind goes
like crazy.
So what do you do, right?
So that's very difficultsometimes, you know.
(16:39):
So that's why I think I kind ofgot again.
It was the past, you know, andyou know, I know over the years.
You know I think yin yoga isnot an easy sell.
People really get into it, yes,and people stay with it, but
(17:00):
for some reason it worked theway I was teaching, uh, people
liked it.
so you know, so I have a, evenon online these days a lot of
people from pennsylvania or umin covid.
We have to switch over if youwant to survive.
Right zoom came along yeah andso, um, I still have, uh, hybrid
classes where I have, um, youknow, people from pennsylvania
(17:21):
or omaha, I have somebody.
Or from europe, um, some frommore southern florida.
I mean, this is great.
So in a way, we kind of allconnect.
It's like keep my yoga crew.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
You know, yeah, so talk to me.
Me about like that process ofgoing online, because you hadn't
done online before but beforeCOVID and Zoom really like blew
up during COVID too.
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Right, yeah?
Speaker 2 (18:42):
So when I started Zoom, right when we had all this
COVID stuff and restrictions,and my husband said you have to
go online to save your studio,and I'm like I hate it, I don't
want to do online.
So in a week I got this going.
Um, you know, I come from thevisual arts, so I, you know, in
terms of setting it up withlights and and sound and all
(19:05):
that, um, because it makes adifference that you can be seen
online.
And, yes, zoom was brand new.
You know, a student recommendedit.
Um, I had something elseconference call or something you
really didn't work out.
You know it, a studentrecommended it.
I had something else conferencecall or something it really
didn't work out.
You know, it broke in themiddle of the class and
everything was like black.
And so, anyway, yeah, because Iwas somebody who was always
(19:29):
believing, like you know, ifyou're not in class with
somebody, you can't learn yoga,right, and I I disagree with
that these days because if, ifyou go to a yoga teacher who, um
, actually tells you and givesyou corrections, um, yes, you
can do it online.
Speaker 1 (19:47):
So I think I'm a good proof for that so you're
actually um, it's not just likeI mean, I've seen a lot of stuff
on with youtube, right like youcan get yoga classes and stuff
on YouTube, but they're justwalking you through, they're not
like actually coaching you orwhatever, but in this scenario
you are, you see them as welland you're correcting them.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I give corrections, like somebody I know maybe has a
replacement in the knee orsomething.
They say, no, don't do thispose and do this pose because of
your knee.
So or something say no, don'tdo this pose and do this pose
because of your knee.
So it is really pretty alive,you know.
So it depends also on theteacher.
If you never correct it, well,you do your thing like you know,
like a tape, yeah.
(20:27):
So you start and you close up,but you never give corrections.
But I think it is possible onZoom.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
So it's not a bad tool.
I had to change my you know,you know opinion about this yeah
, accept the technology orembrace the technology, yeah,
yeah so it's, it works yeah.
Speaker 1 (20:45):
So let's talk about like the like, a little bit more
about the ayurveda.
I say that are you?
Are you a veda?
Are you a veda are?
You veda um, that is an oldmedicine, is that how you would
describe it?
Speaker 2 (20:59):
It's a 5,000-year-old healing system.
Healing system.
It's probably the oldest in theworld.
The Western medicine nevertalks about it.
I don't think they have a lotof understanding.
They should.
We should partner, particularlyafter cancer treatments.
Great Ayurveda, the translation, is the knowledge of life.
(21:22):
So we're using nature to healourselves.
I think it's the healer.
It's fantastic.
I heal my husband and myselffor many years, so we hardly go
to a physician.
It really works.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
How did you get into that and why did you bring that
into your business as well?
Speaker 2 (21:44):
So, again, pass right , intuition.
So I had my first really yogateacher, my first teacher
training.
That guy who taught me vinyasataught me many, many other
things, and it was also Ayurveda, little things, okay.
So, like you know, like mamapoints, which is like the
(22:05):
acupressure point, what we maybeknow from the Chinese,
traditional Chinese medicine, sowe have also a system like that
.
It's called Mama Point.
So he integrated that in theteaching and I always thought,
hmm, that's interesting, orthere's a certain color of the
day.
You know, if you really getinto this whole thing I'm not
(22:27):
doing this, today would bepurple, I think, but Friday.
But you can use color therapy.
You know, you can wear T-shirtsor you can wear a certain gem.
All that makes a difference.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Changes your energy and you wear a color for each
day of the week to the planets,yeah Right.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
So he had that always involved in his classes and so
I found that fantastic and Ithink, look, I believe in you
know past life Okay, not becauseI do yoga, because for me
there's a lot of you know thingsthere that kind of make me
understand there was somethingelse.
(23:14):
So we believe, then, that thereason why certain things are
easy to you, that come to youeasily, right, that there was
maybe something in your pastlife in a certain way.
So for me, when I learned alittle bit more Ayurveda you
know, I think my first Ayurvedichealing and I was not even
(23:34):
trained was on myself, when Iwent on a trip to Mexico and I
was in a super hotel and I ateonly there and, you know, was
very careful not to eat stuff onthe street because you can get
Montezuma's revenge very fast.
And so I came back and I didn'thave Montezuma's revenge or all
(23:55):
that, but I had like too muchacid in my system.
So I don't, I wasn't sure ifthat was from the trip, maybe,
yes, I don't know.
So I went to my physician andhe didn't listen and he gave me
only seven minutes anyway, andso he gave me acid reflex pills.
So I had one and two and I hadside effects and I threw them
out.
So I'm like this is not acidreflex, I have too much acid in
(24:18):
my system.
I don't know what that is.
I know what it is these days.
So I started to look online andwith my little Ayurvedic
knowledge I figured out certainthings I just have to eliminate
out of my food plan, so like notfew oranges or tomatoes or tart
(24:39):
apples, or, you know, there's avinegar.
So I did that for a while andwent, went away so, and that
kind of was a little bit thefirst key.
And then I went to an Ayurvedicpractitioner myself and you
know, everybody has something.
I maybe had some skin issues orwhatever, and I was curious to
see how, what they do.
And so I came with a few thingsand so I was like miss, what,
(25:01):
what that is like, and I thinkthat was kind of, you know, for
me already a set stone.
And then the next thing wasthat another person I knew,
another yoga teacher, who wasalso an Ayurvedic practitioner.
He says, hey, there's a course,are you interested in it?
And that's how it went and Ithought, okay, you know, so I go
(25:22):
along with that.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yeah, so you had some exposure to it.
Yeah, had some positive.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Yeah, and when I started studying it, it was so
easy for me to understand.
I'm like I mean, it wasn't alot of effort for me to
understand.
I'm like I mean, it didn'twasn't a lot of effort for me,
and I'm like, okay, well, thiswas probably meant to be so and
I think that's how it went, andthis influenced my yoga teaching
a lot.
So I was teaching in thebeginning, you know, really big
(25:49):
classes way before covid, um, instudio classes, um, I think my
biggest class was once which isridiculous, like 35 people.
You know you don't get anythingout of it if you go to a class
like this.
Okay, as a student, I think,yeah, and so you know, for me
that kind of changed the wholeoutlook on.
You know, not, first of all,not everything body one fits all
(26:13):
doesn't work, also in yoga,right?
So?
And so that got me also alittle bit more to um, not uh,
more to quality than quantity.
You cannot work with somebodyreally on something if you have
like 35 people there.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:31):
So, and that was my concept also in Philadelphia, so
you know, I had smaller classes.
I think my biggest class therewas 14 people.
Okay, which was fine.
It's almost too much.
I like eight people.
That's a good, good group.
Okay, because then everybodygets something out of this.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Right.
So, and that's how Ayurvedainfluenced me a lot, and the way
I teach and the way I approachthings in my classes is often
like eye yoga.
I could never have heard aboutthis.
It's yoga for eyes.
There is breathing exercises.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
How many different types of yoga are there?
Speaker 2 (27:09):
Oh, that's a good question.
I mean, there is ayanga yoga,there is ashtanga yoga, there is
yin yoga, which is, you know,the non, almost like the not
yoga.
There is anusara yoga, whichhad a problem recently, a few
years ago, with a guy who waslike the head guy you know abuse
(27:30):
.
Oh, wow, yeah, yeah.
Then also Bikram Yoga had a bigproblem.
I don't know if you ever heardabout it.
He had to leave the country.
Big problems with abuse,student abuse, got what else is
there?
Good question, probably, like Iwould say.
Then there's Hatha Yoga is alsolike, yeah well, gentle yoga.
(27:51):
There is Bhakti yoga, which isa totally different direction.
Then there's Kundalini yoga.
I mean maybe eight, nine, tenthings.
I mean there's a lot.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
And can anyone like?
Can you just create your ownyoga style, right?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
And if it catches on like that, is that how these,
these new, like yin yoga wascreated, or whatever you know, I
mean, I probably do my ownstyle, because even my yin yoga
has, um you know, elements ofalignment, yeah, which a lot of
people imagine like all teacherskind of have like well, if
you're serious, yeah, right, Imean you have if you, if, if you
(28:27):
do it for a long time, you knowwhat you teach has a lot to do
with you.
So I'm pretty good with lowerback stuff, for instance,
because you know I have a lowdoses, like you know, like you
could put a tray when I was akid on my back Right.
So that's why I went intoclassical dance for 30 years.
(28:48):
My mother thought I need moreposture.
However, you know this is avery weak area for me.
Okay, so that's why I learnedso much about how can yoga help
with lower back issues.
Now, there's many lower backreasons I mean issues why people
have that.
So I think I know a lot aboutthis because of myself.
(29:08):
And I'm really good withstanding stuff because I'm
coming from classical dance.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
So I mean, everybody has like a preference.
You know, some people are goodin I don't know inversions.
I mean I can teach theclassical inversions.
But there are people that arefantastic.
You know they're really good,but they're maybe terrible with
standing stuff or forwardextensions.
You know so.
So I think you can form yourown style.
(29:35):
But you know there's also, asmy first teacher said, don't try
to invent the wheel.
So you know, it's only so muchyou know.
You know, but you teach whatyou teach, is you Right?
You know.
So I think that's you know,it's your style.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Sure Sure.
What about like for children?
Like is there a certain agewhere they shouldn't be doing
yoga?
Or like if they can do it, youknow, go for it.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
You know, I mean it should be a toddler.
I think that's the problem,even though it it's.
Sometimes, you know, there's umbaby and mom yoga or something
yeah, and then but laying there.
You know, it's kind of the momdoes something in the baby.
I saw that once.
I thought okay, well, um, butyeah, no, I think you know when
they're I.
I had to teach you once um achild a children's class, for
(30:24):
somebody had to kind of jump in.
She was stuck in california andshe asked me oh, I'm you, you
know, start my class now.
You know, can you help me on?
I said okay, but I'm really Idon't have any background.
It was fun to see.
I was thinking, all thesedifferent kids, you know age
from six to 12, I think was inthat particular they would be
(30:46):
all flexible.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
You know, whatever I do, they're flexible.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
And they would be all flexible.
You know, whatever I do,they're flexible and they're not
.
No, they're not.
And I thought, wow that'sinteresting, oh really.
No, some were, some weren't, andso it was just an interesting
experience to see, you know, andthe energies you know.
So it's like they're bouncy.
And I had to teach once I gavea free class in in school.
I was asked yeah, in a not verygood neighborhood in
Philadelphia, and I was moreafraid that my wheels are still
(31:10):
on the car that they were, andyou saw the metal bars on the
school.
Yeah, I mean it was ugh, thisis, but it was.
It was an interesting class.
So, you know, every time I putthe, you know there were kids
like they were very hyper, hyper, and every time I said downward
(31:30):
facing dog, oh, and downwardfacing dog, they were all calm
and that was great, it was greatto see it.
For me, a good experience.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Yeah, you know, so we , we did.
We've started with our kids.
So I have two daughters, almostfive and three now, so they're
young, okay, but our oldest is,I mean, they're both pretty
flexible, um, so maybe it likeas they get a little older, I
think that's when, like the,when things start to tighten up
a little bit.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Five is a great age.
Five, six is good.
I think it's a good start.
It depends on the kid.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Yeah, the youngest one.
She doesn't do much.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
But six, six is a good age, yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
We started doing it at night to like let's get ready
for bed, kind of calm down alittle bit, sort of thing.
And sometimes they'll ask forit, Like can we do yoga tonight,
you know?
Speaker 2 (32:12):
before bed Nice.
Speaker 1 (32:14):
So it's just like a way to try to relax and, you
know, kind of set the tone forbedtime and stuff.
But yeah, but the oldest she'sinto it a little bit more, the
youngest not so much.
She'll do it Not yet.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Yeah, yeah the youngest not so much.
So do not get.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that'sgood, I mean it, it helps, for
yoga helps with so many things,as I said earlier.
I mean, you just mentioned it,you know it calms them down, all
right.
So it depends on your energy,right?
So, if you?
And also for older people youknow people can't sleep, well,
you know they can learnsomething there.
Um, ayurvedically for sure, butthere are certain poses that
(32:52):
might help.
I'm not so sure.
Once a student I had to smile.
The student came in and saidteach me a pose.
Did I tell you that before?
I'm not sure.
Teach me a pose, I want to loseweight.
It's a yoga pose.
I can lose weight.
But I'm like, no, this doesn'twork that way.
Yeah, so you want to have onepose and I'm losing weight?
Speaker 1 (33:12):
and I said, no, it doesn't look yeah, how often are
you like doing yoga yourself?
Is this like a daily habit foryou?
Speaker 2 (33:22):
unfortunately, I don't have always the time for
it.
Sure, um, I make, um, I do mypractice, sometimes before I
teach a class, like a shortpractice, but I for sure, every
week I do two one and a halfhour sessions with two teachers
of mine.
One is these days inAlbuquerque and the other one in
(33:43):
Philadelphia, and so I'm notrunning around anymore and do
classes here and there.
I'm beyond that.
It doesn't do it for me thesedays.
I did in the past.
But that's kind of myassignment also to stay a little
fresh, you know, to see whatother people do.
I think sometimes it's like apost they teach and I didn't
(34:04):
teach this post for a long timeand it's like, oh wow, this is
good.
So it's a little bit stayingfresh.
Um, I take um, uh, you know,ayurvedic um courses still, um,
I'm doing right now my cleanse,my one of my ayurvedic cleanse,
for almost three weeks and um,it's not totally three weeks yet
, but it will be three weeks.
(34:26):
Um, but you know I you alsohave to stay fresh as a teacher,
otherwise you get see, I getbored, yeah, fast.
And so all my classes I teachthey're always different, even
though it's maybe I have asunday yin class and I have a
monday night one, they're alwaysdifferent.
So I'm for me also to to notget kind of like boring with
(34:49):
myself, but also I don't want tobore the students.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
Yeah, right, if they're doing the same thing,
like over and over again.
Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.
How long is like should a yogasession be?
Speaker 2 (35:04):
I teach these days one hour sessions.
I think it's like you know, ifyou can't say in an hour or
teach in an hour what you want,right?
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (35:14):
Do you need to like work up to an hour long, like if
you're new to yoga?
Speaker 2 (35:19):
Oh, you think that's a long, that's long.
Yeah, oh, I thought that'stough.
No, no, no In the old times.
That's why I have to figure out.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
That's short.
Speaker 2 (35:26):
Okay, In the old times it was one and a half hour
.
Speaker 1 (35:32):
Okay?
Is that when you first startedteaching, like it was one and a
half hour or before you got intoteaching?
Speaker 2 (35:36):
I'm thinking about this.
I think, yeah, it was one and ahalf hour and then I switched
it to 75.
I mean, I do still do that.
Sometimes I do give alsoworkshops, and they're mostly
longer.
Yes, you, I mean I do still dothat.
Sometimes I do give alsoworkshops, and they're mostly
longer.
Yes, you know you have morepeople ask questions and stuff,
(35:57):
but yeah, no, you have to workup.
Well, if it's a good class, youdon't even notice it's an hour.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
Sure.
Speaker 2 (36:02):
So I think that said you know.
If it's you know it depends onthat.
I don't think you have to workup to this.
I don't think an hour is aslong, yeah, you know, because
you kind of prepare the studentfor whatever.
Then you do the actual classand then there's all this like
in my class, there's a longshavasana which is a resting
pose on the back and um.
(36:25):
So it's kind of you.
The actual class is maybe notan hour.
Speaker 1 (36:29):
Sure, yeah, the actual like movements and stuff.
Yeah, makes sense.
Your business is in Palm Harbor.
Where can people find you?
And both in the physicallocation and then online.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
Okay, so I have a website, wwwkatrinilyayogacom,
so you can find all theinformation, schedules, um,
where I am.
If you forget, um and um, youknow, programs.
A little bit about mybackground, um, about pricing.
Um, I'm here in palm harbor at10, 10 michigan avenue, so on
(37:03):
alt 19, pretty visible.
Now I have my second sign again.
The first sign blew off.
Was there two stores?
And I have one hanging on thewall, you know, facing the major
street there.
So, yeah, and you know I dohybrid classes.
Most of my classes are both,but you can come to the studio
(37:24):
and have all the props and peaceand quiet, the props and peace
and quiet, if you.
You know, sometimes that'sanother problem when you teach
people at home.
Um, they have their regularlives there, you know.
And you know they can't reallybe totally there.
Yeah, you know, or sometimesyou know I have to go in and
move furniture around and theydon't have the right space.
(37:44):
So it's it's it's easiersometimes to really go to a
class and I also teach, becauseI teach different things than I
normally do here in Florida.
So I also teach yoga, beginners, yoga, privates Two sessions,
they are 90 minutes long and youget I teach you their basic
(38:07):
yoga basics, right.
So class like poses, okay, andyou get like a pamphlet at the
end.
You get I teach you the basicyoga basics, right.
So class like poses, okay, youget like a pamphlet at the end.
You know, can look at thepictures and what's the pose
it's called.
And so when you're a littleolder or maybe you want to do it
right, you know sometimespeople want to do things right
away, right, that is a good ideato start.
(38:28):
So I always feel like peopletell me always that was great,
you know.
I feel like at least I knowdownward facing dog is not on
the floor and so they have alittle bit of feeling, um, that
you know they can handle theclass because there are
sometimes people there they'redoing that for ages, you know,
and it's a little intimidatingwhen you're a little older, um,
so I think that's a good startyeah, I like that kind of
(38:49):
introduce people to yeah, what'swhat?
and you can always look back andsay okay, what was that word
one?
Or you know what's the booklike, and stuff like that that's
a cool idea.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
I was just thinking when you were saying that, like
we, we just did uh, I was tryingto do more events and stuff
this year at some of thebusinesses around town and and
we just did our first one at aoh meditation and wellness in
city harbor invited people outand come experience.
You know this, this business weshould do like a class or
something.
Speaker 2 (39:15):
Yeah, yeah, let's do it.
Yeah, yeah, cool good awesome.
Well, thanks for being hereyeah, thank you for having me.
I appreciate it and uh hope tosee you in class yes, I'm gonna
check one out.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I'm gonna do the yoga stuff good all right, thanks.
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