Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit — but did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I was interested in learning more bodily control

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

everything about me is in better balance now: mind/body/spirit

As a yoga professional, what aspects — mind, body, spirit — do you pitch to someone who has never done yoga but is open to the possibility?

I try not to proselytize, but I share concepts

How long did you practice yoga before becoming a teacher?

six years

Do you have a preferred yoga style? Do you teach others?

all physical yoga is “Hatha Yoga” — I blend styles

Do you have a particularly strong tie to any teachings or texts?

my roots were with Swami Muktananda and Swami Vishnudevananda — I pattern my classes around the teachings of Patanjali

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for younger beginners and what is more challenging?

younger beginners have shorter attention spans, prefer movement

How about for students coming to yoga later in life?

seniors often need to modify poses

Apart from yoga, do you recommend other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I consider all mindfulness, whether sitting, walking, breathing and/or movement to be yoga

Say you have a beginning student who has come to yoga for help with a bad back. They are already pretty chill, and you intuit they are only looking for the physical benefits from yoga. Do you leave it at that, or do you look for opportunities to promote the non-physical benefits?

I mention, but do not “promote,” yoga philosophy — I believe that physical power without a philosophy of unselfishness can be dangerous

I know you are a poet as well as a yoga teacher. Is there a poem or two that reflects the influence of yoga on your writing?

my own poems “Yoga Class, the Teacher Speaks” and “Solstice Poem” both available on blogger (google title, my name, and blogger) are directly connected to my practice of yoga — (as are all my poems, but less obviously)

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

I would absolutely choose an outdoor space on a beautiful day to a comfortable minimalist indoor space

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — did one element or another first draw you to yoga? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

a little mind and a little body — I was a type-A non-athlete in my early 20s in NYC and someone suggested yoga as “non-exercise” exercise that would also address stress and anxiety — it worked

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

finding “balance” is kind of the holy grail of life in my opinion — yoga keeps me closer to the center and helps reorient me both physically and mentally when I am veering too far in one direction or another

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you hit the mat?

I’ve been practicing for 25 years and try to get on the mat at least 3-4 times/week — in an ideal world it would be every day!

How long did you practice before you started teaching, and how long did you teach?

I practiced for almost 15 years before I started teaching — I’d wanted to take teacher training for a long time, but it didn’t work with my full-time corporate job — I taught for about 5 years, stopping when I got serious about novel writing — I love teaching but with two kids I didn’t have time for everything so, for now, I just practice

What are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

in a home practice you have the freedom to explore — I practiced at home a lot more when I was teaching because that was how I refined sequencing — the studio is more escapist — I can get more immersed in the practice (both yoga and meditation) at a studio when I’m not the one deciding what comes next — I also feed off the energy of the room which is kind of magical

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I like slow vinyasa flow — I’m an alignment nut and I love props, so I always have a little hatha and Iyengar in my head, but I like to move with the breath

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

nothing about yoga or meditation came easily to me! I had never moved my body (or thought about it for that matter) in the ways that yoga asks you to — I was not flexible, and my mind was always busy — when I tried to think about breathing, I would feel like I was hyperventilating — still, I stuck with it — getting comfortable with discomfort and all that

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

more mental balance and a greater sense of self-acceptance

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I try to practice mindfulness meditation several times a week — I often fail

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I still hate “exercise,” but I do love to walk and hike — and I work out with a trainer to address aches and pains and hopefully stay strong as I age

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which poses and where?

yes! — my go-tos are janu sirsasana (head-to-knee forward bend) and viparita karani (legs-up-the-wall) which I often do for a few minutes before bed — actually, for me it is “legs-up-the-bed” pose

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

I’d go to the mountains — where the mornings and nights were cool and the days warm and I could go on easy hikes in between yoga sessions

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

it started as a cross trainer for my work outs after college and focus on balance, core and flexibility

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

I feel a majority of people start with the physical side of yoga and after awhile begin to explore the subtle side of yoga — so, yes, it took me many years to really understand and appreciate meditation, inquiry, philosophy — I feel more connected now to the whole concept of yoga- mind, body, spirit

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

I began practicing somewhere around 2001/2002 but didn’t really get into until 2003 when my husband was deployed for a year — dad my first training in 2007

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

yes, you can definitely burnout and it the biggest piece of advice for teachers, don’t forget your practice — every teacher has their various limits that correspond to their life — I’ve maintained 4-6 classes but I do take breaks so I’m excited to come back and teach

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

my preferred style is Power Yoga followed by Vinyasa — Power feels more athletic and I connect easily to that — It’s straight forward, structured and does a great job of weaving in the subtle yogic concepts

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I have a tendency to be hyper mobile/flexible so stretchy stuff was easy — therefore the strength aspect was a challenge — for lots of guys the opposite is true, they love the strength portions and loathe the stretches

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

hands down one of the biggest hurdles to get over when you first start out is learning how to hold your arms up — we do this with so many poses and your arms get so heavy — I speak a lot about how to attain full engagement of arms/legs… how to have them hold themselves up versus weighing you down

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

Crow and Headstand — not that they are hard they just take a few classes to learn the hang of it

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

how to breathe, how to take control back from the stimulus, how to be in my body and how to meditate or be in the final resting pose

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation like breathing exercises, walking meditation, or body-scan meditation?

yes, all of the above! — they can all be experienced on their own and it’s good to practice bits here and there on their own — learning how to access mindfulness is one of the biggest superpowers we can build for ourselves — I teach students to drop out if the mind and fall into our body — we over analyze and overthink and it takes us out of the moment so learning when you’re in your head and how to use tolls to get in your body

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

all. the. time — Wall Dog —stand a few feet away from a wall, put your arms up the wall while pushing hips back, can sway side to side

while sitting — lean to one side, then other — twist to one side then other — then seated cat/cow, hands on knees, pull chest through and look up then round shoulders/back drop head

I do a handstand against the wall if things get too crazy

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

I think always the beach, it’s just a good place to chill and reconnect — I like a nice white sand, Gulf of Mexico kind of beach!

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit — but did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I was drawn to the physicality of yoga

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

hot yoga is my favorite way to bring out the leanest version of my physique — I also feel a greater connection to my inner rhythm

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since 2014

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I do my own at-home flow daily, and I try to attend studio classes 3 times per week

What are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

the therapeutic benefits of yoga are more present during an at-home practice — the physical benefits are more present during an in-studio class

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

at first, the most challenging aspect was quieting my mind — the postures came easier for me

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

for me, a consistent yoga practice brings wonderful peace of mind and increased flexibility — both of which contribute to greater performance during strength-training workouts too

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

yes, I lift weights 5 days per week — I also swim and take walks for leisure purposes

You have a choice between a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

a class overlooking the ocean would be beautiful!

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose and where?

yes! — all the time — for some reason, I always feel like doing half-moon pose while I’m getting ready in the morning

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

the Amalfi Coast

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

[note — this is part 2 of 2; here we focus on Foxen’s journey as a student of the yoga]

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit — but did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

it was—and remains—the only form of physical exercise I can consistently get myself to do

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

it’s balanced pretty evenly amongst all three now

How long have you been practicing yoga?

18 years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I aim for 5 days a week

Are you more likely to attend classes at a studio or practice yoga at home?

definitely studio

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Hot Vinyasa

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

it’s been a while, so my memory is a little fuzzy — I’m going to say: getting into some version of the posture came easiest, the breathing was harder — that hasn’t changed much

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

it keeps me sane(ish)

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

very sporadically, I’ll try to sit in meditation, but I’m awful at it — movement makes focusing easier for me

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I started running during the pandemic, but that’s kind of lapsed now

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just assume a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

I have been known to randomly sit on the floor and do hamstring stretches pretty much everywhere

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

I’d be torn between trying every yoga studio in New York, and every yoga studio in LA

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

[note — this is part 1 of 2; here we focus on Foxen the yoga professional; part 2 (coming soon) is about her journey as a student of the practice]

As a yoga professional, what aspects — mind, body, spirit — do you pitch to someone who has never done yoga but is open to the possibility?

the connection between body and mind

Do you have a particularly strong relationship tie to any teachings or text?

a very tangled connection to Paramahansa Yogananda’s lineage — but it’s not what I practice

How long did you practice yoga before becoming a teacher?

3 years

How long have you taught yoga?

consistently for 3 years, very occasionally for the last 12

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

I’ve always struggled with this — more than a couple of times a week starts to be too much

Do you have a preferred yoga style? Do you teach others?

Hot Vinyasa

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

this is so person-specific

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

headstands and arm balances? no, actually, people really struggle with getting forward bends right

Apart from yoga, do you recommend other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I like body-scan meditation — it’s a good way to build basic awareness

Say you have a beginning student who has come to yoga for help with a bad back. They are already pretty chill, and you intuit they are only looking for the physical benefits from yoga. Do you leave it at that, or do you look for opportunities to promote the non-physical benefits?

I leave it at that — the other stuff will come if and when it makes sense

Do you have a favorite sutra or mantra or koan that you like to share with those in your classes?

be okay with it feeling good

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

the indoor space, for sure — it can be helpful to minimize distraction if that’s the kind of practice we’re going for but, as a teacher, I just really like being able to control my environment

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your spiritual nature?

I became interested in yoga in college, but didn’t take a class until after college when I took my first job — the yogic and Hindu philosophy, present moment awareness, and meditation was what actually drew me in the first place — I am very much a seeker and a college philosophy course really sparked my interest — I was already doing physical activity, and the movement practice was more about the body/mind connection — although flexibility is a great secondary benefit!

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

yoga over the past 20+ years for me now feeds every aspect of my life — as I now have more of a desk job, the physical aspect of stretching is actually more important to keeping me pain free — I also use breathwork and yoga nidra for relaxation — and teaching yoga and owning a studio also feeds a creative need in me — the process of putting together a yoga class and maybe some music to complement it is really enjoyable

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

I practiced yoga for about 2 years before teaching — I knew I wanted a deeper knowledge of yoga, so the teacher training was more for me, at first — but our little community needed actual yoga teachers, so I began teaching as a way to bring it to others in 2003

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

since I also have another job, I only teach about 4-5 classes a week — there was a point where I taught 3 classes in one day — that was a lot, both mentally and physically, and wasn’t really sustainable with everything else going on — two classes in a day is plenty — I try to balance my yoga so that it doesn’t feel like work! — it’s my passion and I want to protect that

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

my go to practice is Vinyasa flow or Yin Yoga — but I enjoy getting to practice Kundalini and Iyengar for some of the benefits more specific to each

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

settling my “monkey” mind was often one of the hardest things — but I loved when I could really tune in during a practice or savasana and catch those times of “thoughtlessness”

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

I don’t know if there is an easy part for beginners — but not because the practice is hard, but because of the mindset of forcing and not allowing — I find so many people intimidated to even start because they don’t want to “do it wrong” or “look wrong” — the beginner mindset is that it’s not okay to be a beginner — it has to be perfect right away — that’s the hard part… allowing yourself to be a beginner and open yourself up to learning and not looking or being perfect, because there is no perfect — after 20 years there are things that I can’t physically do, whether it’s because my body isn’t physically able to bend in a certain way or because I haven’t taken the time to really cultivate practicing certain things — and either way, that’s okay

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

unless it is set up well, I don’t think most people need to put the compression on the cervical spine that shoulderstand creates — our modern forward slumping shoulders already exacerbates that — until it is learned safely (at the wall and with props), I don’t think the benefits outweigh the risks — another asana that I think beginners should learn with a teacher so they can do them safely is Ardha chandrasana (standing half moon) — understanding rooting/grounding and even using a block or a wall to find alignment if the hip isn’t open enough can make a lot of difference to the balance and enjoyment of that pose

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

learning to observe my thoughts in the moment before I act on something — being present for wonderful things that I might miss otherwise — breathwork, meditation and flexibility have helped me with both of my pregnancies and childbirth — and I get to meet some pretty amazing people as both teachers and students from being a yogini — shoutouts to a few of my amazing teachers: Anna Pittman, Paul Grilley, Eric Schiffman, and Katie Silcox

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I practice yoga nidra, especially for sleep — walking and being in nature — my seated meditation is on and off — I also find painting to be a mindfulness practice, especially outdoors

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

mostly walking or hiking

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which poses and where?

twists in bed first thing in the morning — squatting is great for some back traction — and legs up the wall on an acupressure mat when I get a migraine

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

I’m a forester by profession and an outdoorsy person in general — outdoors anytime, anywhere — I’m spoiled to live in a beautiful place in the mountains where outdoor yoga is just magical

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I sought out yoga for my body — as I was aging I needed more flexibility and stretching in my exercise routines

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

now, I realize that yoga feeds my mind and spirit as much as my body and I relish the overall sensations and balance

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

about 5 years

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

teaching yoga is tiring and to be the best teacher I can be, I must limit how much I teach — 1 or 2 classes a day are best for my psyche

I understand you used to practice Power Yoga and now focus on Yoga for Everybody. When you were practicing Power Yoga, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I was teaching yoga to college students when I began — they wanted (I thought) a very physical practice and they wanted challenging poses — as I matured in my yoga practice I realized that teaching them pranayama was more important — it was a hard shift but I’m glad I took the hard route for the students — as I I got better at teaching breath and slower movements, I got a better response from the students — at 20 they already have enough physical demands and movement but few know the power of breathwork

From your experience as a teacher of Yoga for Everybody, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

balance is often what brings the clients into the Yoga for Everybody class — as they learn Warrior and hip openers and they begin to lengthen their calf they find the balance — arm strength is very hard — easiest are the movements they do daily Warrior 1, lunge sagittal plane — opening the side body brings about nice change — sitting on the floor is hard for many new yogis — moving with the breath is hard for beginners — they rush the poses unaware how to match it to their breath

What are the more difficult yoga poses for beginners to execute?

Downward Facing Dog is the hardest pose for most beginners — Chatarange and arm strength, properly executing sphynx for older clients

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

calmer — more present, willing to forgive and forget — yes, better sleep

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

no

Your classes are described as “musically eclectic.” Will you share two song titles that demonstrate that?

ha ha — that would be my barre classes, I think, not my yoga — barre is done in time with the music — two fun barre songs are “America’s Sweetheart” by Elle King and “Got To Give It Up” by Marvin Gaye

for Yoga — in Happy Hour I use songs like “Wish You Were Here” by Bliss, “Makambo” by Geoffrey Oryema, and “Easy in the Early” by Uncle Earl (a great spiritual!)

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch?

all the time — on a paddle board, before and after riding my horse — after dancing — I can’t get through a day without joyful movement

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

awesome, let’s go! — any of the Blue Zones — Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — did one element or another first draw you to yoga? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I was drawn to yoga to quiet my mind at first — since then I wanted to be more fit and flexible — I also wanted show my teenagers to be physically active by example

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

yoga feeds my mind and body mostly — it puts me at peace

How long have you been practicing yoga?

I started on a limited basis in 2019 — in January 2022 I realized that I was getting the results I wanted so I started doing yoga mostly every day for at least an hour — sometimes I practice up to 3 hours

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I practice about 95% of my days

For you, what are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

I like attending classes for the structure and social interactions — if no classes are available I practice at home

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I prefer ashtanga and vinyasa

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

I had difficulty with balance and blocking out distractions (monkey mind) — balancing poses were difficult and I wanted to be able to do them quickly but I realized I would achieve the level I wanted only with practice and persistence

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

the physical aspect has been the biggest benefit for me — through yoga with a general lifestyle change, I lost about 50 pounds — it increased my energy level, balance and overall health

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

no, I don’t meditate outside of class

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

biking, hiking, stand up paddleboarding

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

I often practice poses in the kitchen — sometimes I will practice while standing in line to check out a store, although I feel like other shoppers find this odd

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

I’m not really sure where I would go

—interview © Marshal Zeringue