Join Shannon Kaiser in this inspirational lecture about yoga and it's transformational effects on the body, mind and spirit. Travel writer and self-help author shannon, shares tips learned from the Caribbean Yoga Conference, and interviews with wellness and yoga experts.
The Awakened & Aligned Podcast with Shannon Kaiser
Yoga For Happy - The Transformational Effects of Yoga
I think that you had to take your time and spend the time with us and watch the film and also to hear from our special guests who have lived us tonight, Shannon Kaiser. And she's with Play With The World. And she's a travel writer and not a happiness consultant, a wellness expert. Yes, but I think of her as a happiness consultant because she's so happy and has a lot to tell us about happiness. And she's going to give us just a brief talk prior to the movie and it's going to be about yoga for happy. See, I told you I could remember that. Thank you, Shannon. Thank you. Awesome. Thanks. Sit up here. It's a pleasure to be here. I bet you guys didn't know you were going to get a little inspirational chat before we watch the movie. You'll Go Woman. It's a very exciting movie that we're going to tap into tonight. As a travel writer, I have an opportunity to travel all around the world. And talk with wellness experts and that's really kind of equipped me to come to Annette and say, "Hey, we have an opportunity here to share this movie with the community." And more importantly, to really come together collectively to unite. And that's really what yoga is about. It's about oneness. And before we get into it, I really want to honor you Annette for bringing us all together. One, to connect the community, but we're here for yoga. We're here to celebrate the community. And more importantly, we're here to show that dreams can come true. And we're here because this is a manifestation of a little dream that has now become a reality. So I'm so happy to be here. I just want to say thank you. [applause] It's really wonderful to be here. So as a travel writer, as I said, I've had an opportunity to travel all around the world. But it's kind of been a journey for me. I haven't always -- she refers to me as a happiness expert because that's really who I am now. And I'm a happiness consultant, but I haven't always been in this realm. I was in a career that I didn't relate to, and I was suffering. I was in a deep depression, and I was in marketing and advertising. And through that, I found yoga, believe it or not. And I was always that person who would go to the yoga studio. I know yoga instructor is going to say, "Oh, no." But I was that person who would go in, and I could make it about 30 minutes in, and I was going crazy. How many of you guys in here have had an experience with yoga where it was really hard to get through the whole class, right? We've all kind of been there. That's the thing about yoga that I really want to challenge us to think about and accept that there is a time and place for how we come to yoga. And for me, I was in a deep depression at the time. I was in a career I didn't relate to. And I was out of alignment with my true self because who I really wanted to be was a travel writer. Who I really wanted to be was sharing what I know with others and really inspiring them to find their true voice. And when I would come to the mat when I was frustrated and depressed, I would last maybe 30 minutes, and it would drive me nuts. Because what yoga is, it teaches us about being present. It teaches us about being honored and being present for ourself. It teaches us about awareness. It teaches us about our bodies. And I wasn't willing to go there. And so in the sense, yoga is a mirror. And yoga becomes a mirror for who we can really be in life. And I learned this through my journey with yoga. And now I'm a dedicated yogi and I love it and I cannot separate yoga for where I am in my life. I can't separate it. Because to me, yoga is synonymous with happiness. Yoga for happy is exactly what it is. And as I'm a happiness guru and I'm a self-help author, I really shed light on how important yoga is. And that's why yoga, but this movie is so, I was watching it because I'm writing about it for organic spa, the magazine that I'm writing for. And I was moved. I was almost moved to tears sitting in my living room. I was like, "We have to share this. We have to get this out." And that's when I came to a net and I was writing a piece for her for the examiner. I was like, "There's an opportunity here." And we're all here together to really feel empowered. And so I wanted to share with you guys five tips that I learned. I am so happy that I've been on a journey. I'm no longer in a place where I was depressed because I chose happiness. I decided to leave my career in advertising. I decided to really step into my true purpose, which is being an author. And that purpose has led me to be a wellness expert. And I write for many magazines. I'm a travel expert for healing lifestyles and spas. I write for organic spa and examiner wellness. And this wellness journey has allowed me to see who and what we can really be. And as I said, the yoga has become a catalyst. And so to celebrate yoga, that's what we're doing here. But we're also celebrating ourself and our commitment to ourself and our commitment to our health and our community. That's what yoga can do for us. And it's really empowering. And it's not just for women. It's for men too. But this movie is going to show us how empowering and this movement that we are all part of that Annette has established here in Sherwood for us. It's very exciting. So I'm excited for us to all watch this. But I want to share the five tips with you guys. I had an opportunity to go to the Caribbean Yoga Conference in February. And it was transformational for me. I'm so happy to be a travel writer because I am doing what I truly love. And when I get opportunities to write about different experiences and interview top yogis. Sean Corn was there. She's in the movie. And I have a lot of insights from my interview with her. And I wanted to give you guys a personal touch before we dive in and see her on the big screen. I can share some of the things that she personally said to me. And some things that maybe we can take into our own life. And where we can go with it. Because yoga is not just about being flexible. It's not just about being strong or losing weight. It's there for you if you want it. Just like they'll tell you in the movie. But it's about being one. It's about a collective consciousness that we are shifting into. And here we are stepping into who we are supposed to be. And yoga can help us do that. So the very first thing, when I got to Jamaica, I thought I was just going to be writing about this conference. It's like, this is great. I do yoga. I got my mat. Came from Portland, Oregon. Connected with 250 other yogis all around the world. I had no idea what was about to happen. I told you my yoga journey. As when I was depressed, I was in a place where I couldn't finish it. Because I wasn't in a place to see what I was afraid of the shadows, so to speak. And yoga can expose those. Just as Sean Corn says, she says, "Yoga creates a space for vulnerability." And when we're really ready to look at that, we can step into that. And we can become true to ourselves. And when I got to Jamaica, I had an opportunity to really be true to myself. Because when you get that many world power leaders in the yoga community, when you get that many like-minded people in one space, Montego Bay, all stretching and moving, you can't help but to not have a transformational experience. I always heard about those people who had those moments of crying. You know, they do a pose and all of a sudden you look over and there's tears coming down on the mat. And I never understood it until I got to Jamaica. And I had that moment where I realized all dedicated yogis, they get there. And they realized that it's not about the body. It's more about the mind, body, soul, all of it together. And everything that I had been holding on to in my life, all of the fear, all of the anger, all of the frustration, it all let go and it was gone. And I was able to forget. And I was able to have a moment. And I realized I am perfect just the way I am. We are all perfect just the way we are. And yoga can allow us to be true to ourselves. Yoga is the catalyst to help us be present in the world. And you can't help when you do yoga and the more you do it, the more connected you are to the world around you. You can't help but to feel better in your own skin. You can't help but to smile more and be more compassionate to other people. It's a beautiful experience. So I celebrate all of us for being here. And we'll learn more about that in the movie, of course. But as far as the five takeaways that I really learned from all of the yogis and the five things, aside from the crying and the emotional outbursts and the realization that everything is perfect as it is, this is divine order, everything. First and foremost, we have to be true to ourselves, to be authentic. The reason I was struggling with yoga in my early journey of getting to yoga was because I wasn't willing to look at myself and ask myself the questions, what is really going to make me happy? I was in a career I didn't relate to, I was depressed. I wasn't being true to myself and it wasn't until I said, "I really want to be a travel writer. I really want to share my message with the world and I really want to connect people to my experiences." And when I stepped into that, yoga was right there for me. And when you come to the mat and when you really practice, you're able to be present with yourself and honor yourself. It's not just about being authentic to you. It's about treating yourself with respect. When we come to the mat, we're able to say, "I matter. I'm here for myself." Whether it's 30 minutes, 10 minutes, 90 minutes, we show up for ourselves. And in doing that, we're able to be there for other people. We're able to be a stronger presence for our families and those of us that we really, truly touch every day. So showing up for yourself, it's just being authentic, it's tip number one. And then the second tip is to really listen. On my yoga journey, I had to quiet the mind. And that's exactly what yoga is. And in the beginning, I wasn't able to do that. And that's why I was agitated. I was like, "How are these people so calm?" Because I was in a place in my life where I couldn't quiet my mind. I wasn't willing to be present and look at the things that were really going to help me get to where I wanted to go. And so even whether we're practicing yoga in the morning or whether some of us may not practice yoga regularly here, it's about listening and quieting the mind. What I do every morning now is I set an intention. I wake up, my smile, and say, "Thank you for this day." And I set a daily intention, and the intention comes for whatever comes to me. Some days it's about focusing on wellness, some days it's focusing on being present in the moment, and some days it's being very productive today. But being quiet and listening to that voice, we all have an inner voice. It's our heart speaking to us. We all have that inner knowing. And that knowing is what will get us to a place of really understanding where it is we're supposed to go for the day, what it is we're supposed to do. So just being quiet. And then as Sean Corn, she says so often in our quest for greatness, we forget to stop and listen. All of us are so great and have the capacity to be so amazing. And we're trying to be there for so many other people. We're taking care of our family, we're taking care of our pets, our loved ones, our kids, and the people we work with, and we're always there for everyone else. And that's why being there for yourself is first and foremost what you have to start with. But when you quiet the mind and listen, it will tell you what you need. Some days you're supposed to just take a break and not do anything. You have to let yourself give your permission, your self permission, to just be yourself. And the third step, and when I was doing, I was in Jamaica, and it was non-stop. I was like four or five classes every day, lots of workshops. It was such a great, beautiful experience. And I remember we were doing yoga to Jamaica, to reggae music. It was pretty, they're singing like one love, Bob Marley was singing, and it was so divine. It was like one love, yeah, we're all connected, you know, doing our savasana. And then the instructor, she was a local Jamaican instructor, and she said what are the quality of your thoughts? And even when you're in yoga, but more importantly in life, yoga is just a metaphor for how we are in life. And you think about what are the qualities of your thoughts? When you wake up in the morning, what do you say to yourself? Are you choosing loving, kind, passionate, tender words? I love myself when you look in the mirror. Are you looking at other people? Are you mad at the person who just cut you off? The quality of your thoughts is what dictates and determines how the rest of your day will flow. And we can consciously choose at any second to switch back to love, to come back to love, to constantly choose compassion, and to be there for ourselves. So I challenge and encourage you guys to constantly ask yourself, what are the quality of your thoughts? Whether you're on the mat, whether you're getting ready for bed, whether you're in a fight with your loved one, whether someone just cuts you off, challenge yourself to choose love over fear. Which leads me right into the next one, which is to clear your fear. Sean Corn talks about this a lot, and we'll see this in the movie too. But it really is about knowing that we all have shadow sides, and we all have these fears. And they trace back to when we're kids, and they trace back. But to know that we have the power to choose love over fear. But to know that when we do come to yoga, this is why everyone is on their own journey with yoga. But when I was in an experience of not accepting yoga and resisting it, it's because I was in a lot of fear in my life. I was fear of my career, where I was living, who I was. Because out of alignment with who I wanted to be. And we all have these fears in life, whether it's a goal. So if you think about something you really want more than anything else and you don't have it yet, just think about it and ask yourself maybe why you don't have it, most of the time it's because of a fear. And a fear that's keeping us from what we want. And that fear slows us down. And then when we do practice yoga and when we come to that app, we have the opportunity, as I said, the mat is a mirror. It shows us our vulnerabilities, it shows us what we want and what we don't want, and the things that we're resisting in life. And we have a chance to look at that. We have a responsibility to yourself to pull through. It's very exciting to know that your fear is just a fear and you can choose to go past it. Because when you do, you are boundless, you are limitless, and everything and anything you've ever wanted can happen. And that is a great example. The studio is beautiful and amazing. There was fear that came up, but she pushed through it and she said this is what I want. And that was also in a career that she didn't really relate to and she kind of outgrew it. And she realized this isn't for me anymore. She stepped into who she really wants to be. And here she is. This is the other side of fear. This is us here, all together. So it's very exciting. And then the fifth and final tip is to really stop resisting. The whole thing about me being on the mat and my journey and stopping, it wasn't until I really stepped into who I really was, did I realize we resist so much in life and we push and we push and we pull. But we have to stay present to whatever it is in front of us. The present moment is all we have. And that is one reason that yoga is so transformational for so many people because you are in the present. You are in the moment and you are with yourself but you are also collectively with everyone else in the room and everyone else in the world because we are all one. And so being present and stopping, the resisting, we resist so much that that we don't know and what it is as we resist change. But learning to recognize that change is a constant and that change is always going to help us become more of who we are supposed to be is really the power of stopping resisting. And so I want to leave you guys with an aspect of what Sean Corn, when I sat down with her and we talked and it was so wonderful to sit with her. If you guys don't know who she is, she's a really inspirational yogi. She's got a San Francisco. She'll be in this movie. But she helps people find their purpose through yoga. Yoga is the catalyst that she really connects people to their true self. And I help people find their purpose through play. I have a website play with the world and I also am an author, a self-help author. I have some books in the back. I'm in chicken soup for the soul. And we're selling those tonight. Normally they're $15 and they're $10 tonight and all the proceeds are going to go to the cat shelter here in Sherwood, which is in that charity of choice. And we've been there. I've been there to pet the cats and take care of them. It's such a great experience to help the animals in need. So that's really good. But the stories in each of those books, I'm in chicken soup for the soul. Find your happiness. The magic of mothers and daughters and shaping the new you and think positive. And in each one of those, there's a story of transformation. As you know, the book series in itself is all about uplifting, powerful, motivational stories that are pretty short. So you can just flip open to any page and feel kind of connected and recharged. And the stories in there are tools that I've used and tips that I've used to get myself from where I was to where I am now. So it's an exciting part of that. And then I want to share this with you guys. So this is from Sean Corn. Yoga teaches oneness. Yoga is more people practice yoga. It's about movement and breath now more than ever. You can't help to change the world around you when you practice yoga. You cannot help to raise your kids differently when you do yoga. You can't help to look at food and buy your food differently because it infiltrates into every aspect of our life. When we practice yoga, we become more of who we're supposed to be. It has nothing to do with flexibility. It has nothing to do with who and where you come from, your strength, how fat, how little, how small, how tall, how what you do for a living has nothing to do with your sexual preference. It has everything to do with your interest in knowing that we are all one. It has everything to do with knowing that we are one and as a result, knowing that we are one and have a responsibility to reach out to others. When others withdraw, we reach out. And in doing this, peace is inevitable. That's all I have. Thank you. So if you guys have any questions, we can do that or we can start the movie. After the movie and we can chat too.