As we countdown to Wanderlust 108 Brooklyn on Sep. 13, we will be introducing you to some of our community participating in the mindful triathlon.
Eddie Stern, will be speaking at the event and bringing a team of his Urban Yogis, a group of dedicated yoga and meditation practitioners from the Baisley Housing Projects in South Side Jamaica, Queens. We had a chance to speak with a few of these remarkable people and learn more about their stories.
For this installment, we spoke with Stella, a mom-to-be who participated in a study that researched the effects of yoga on hypertension.
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Wanderlust: Are you still practicing yoga?
Stella: Unfortunately, I am not currently practicing yoga as I am working two jobs and have little time for myself.
WL: What made you stop?
Stella: After the study, I continued yoga for a while and truly found joy and peace with it. This also lead to other life changes that help me lose weight which was better for my body overall. It was with these changes that I met my husband through the new found sense of confidence I found in my body and self. With time, I’ve stopped as I have had another child and am currently pregnant and working two jobs.
WL: Have you had any new breakthroughs in your health and wellness since the video was filmed?
Stella: Yes, I was able to lose 20 pounds and feel more confident and sure of myself. The yoga practices that I participated were truly a joyful and empowering time for me. I plan on incorporating yoga into my life again after the birth of my child. We, as a family, are looking into toddler and parent yoga classes for our children.
WL: That’s amazing. What else has yoga helped you with?
Stella: I feel that yoga helped with my posture. It allowed me to have a better sense of my body and how I carried it. It also gave me a sense of peace and was a wonderful way to gain strength and flexibility.
WL: Awesome. What does the word mindfulness mean to you?
Stella: Mindfulness is a sense of self that takes into account ones place in relationship to the surrounding environment. It is knowing oneself and how one fits in a sense of harmony with others. It is also a sense of self awareness that allows for the enjoyment of the present without the pressure of the future or the burden of the past.