Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Welcome to Deep in your yoga practice. I'm Lauren Leduc, the owner and founder of True Love Yoga in Kansas City, Missouri. And today I'm joined by Dr. Auburn Ellis, who is an E R Y T 500 educator, advocate for inclusive yoga spaces, founder of seoul yoga fest KC and one of the teachers who leads our ketic yoga and anti racism workshop. Inside our 200 hour yoga a teacher training. Dr. Auburn's work beautifully bridges movement history, breath work, education and community care. And she'll also be leading an upcoming workshop at True Love Yoga called Breath and Internal Power, a comedic yoga workshop. So I am really excited for this conversation. Auburn, thank you so much for being here.
[00:00:52] Speaker B: Yes, I'm so happy to be here. Thank you, Lauren.
[00:00:54] Speaker A: Yeah, of course. So I ask everyone the same question to start on this podcast, which is how did you fall in love with yoga?
[00:01:00] Speaker B: It was a long time ago in like 2013. I was a Chicago Public schools teacher and I've been teaching for quite a while. There was a lot of brain chatter and a lot of work for me and I was just looking for anything to kind of calm my mind. I'd heard some things about yoga, didn't know much, and I was also about to go on a trip to Dominican Republic. So I was like, you know, I want this beachbody, that sort of thing. It'll do all of that, right? And I went to a hot yoga class for the first time and it was so hot in there. That's all I could think about.
And that was enough for me. I couldn't finish the class, didn't have that endurance yet, but I fell in love with the cleanse. And I just decided I'm just going to start going back to this every day or every week at least until I can do this. So, yeah, that's where I fell in love with it.
[00:01:44] Speaker A: And you talked about what initially drew you to this, but since then, how has your relationship with yoga evolved?
[00:01:51] Speaker B: I think it changes with every phase in our lives and that's why I really love it.
At that time, like I said, I was a schoolteacher and it just really helped me calm myself. Breath work, to calm in the classroom with students and things of that sort to, you know, get in touch with my challenges in a better way. But I also really craved movement. I was 30 then and hadn't really moved my body all through my 20s. And so my muscles and joints and things were really craving something. So it turned into a physical practice that really helped with endurance as well. I started kind of doing yoga classes with weights and things of that sort. And when you do that, there comes a point where your body is like, I can't make it anymore, you know, and something turns on inside of you and says, yes, you can.
And a lot of that translates off the mat. And so I think really in every phase of my life, it's just a translation of what's happening on my mat and how that challenge helps me off of the mat.
[00:02:46] Speaker A: Yeah, that's a really good point. Like, what is the point of yoga without it having an influence in the rest of your life? So. So it is absolutely going to change and evolve with different eras of life. I'd love to know for you how your background in art and education influences how you approach yoga.
[00:03:05] Speaker B: When I did my 200 hour training, it was actually in Kemetic yoga. And you mentioned that a little earlier today. That's what our workshop will be grounded in. And the kites or Kemetic people are Egyptians. Kite is the name that they gave themselves. Egypt is the name given to them from Greece and other places. And so when we look at that history, it is filled with art. And I was fascinated by that. I've always loved the Egyptian Gallery anywhere I was. My first job in high school was at the Nelson Atkins and I would spend my lunches in the Egyptian Gallery. And so I was really drawn to the connection of everything I'd been looking at my whole life was really yoga. Being able to practice that on my mat felt super sacred and it just felt good in my body. So I started to create some parallels with art based on my background and then education, I think that's what encouraged me to be a yoga teacher. After about four years of practicing and feeling like I was becoming a well rounded student, which for me meant, you know, I could make it through a class, I could encourage myself through, build some endurance. I was like, I'm already a teacher, why can't I teach this? So that's really what encouraged me to kind of bridge that gap and do the training. And it was really a challenge for me. I'm like, you talk a lot of things in an hour yoga class about anatomy, or you made study speak in Sanskrit, things of that sort. So it was a big challenge to overcome. But I think that my background really helped me kind of wrap a little nice bow on it.
[00:04:29] Speaker A: Thanks for explaining that. And I love, as you're going through the lecture in the Kemetic yoga workshop, going through all of the art and talking about the symbolism behind it and how it connects with science and Way of life. And I. It's always mind blowing for our students. So it's. It's such a wonderful addition.
I'd love to speak more specifically to Ketic yoga. So for anyone who is unfamiliar or maybe hasn't heard the term Kemetic yoga, and I'll spell it out real quick because the. The translators always get it incorrect.
It's K E M E T is kemet, and it's K E M E T I C yoga. Can you explain exactly what it is?
[00:05:14] Speaker B: Sure. So a lot of people, when you say it verbally, they connect it with kinetic. K E N. Kind of like a science of kinetic. And that works sometimes, but a little different.
Kemetic is really a cultural lineage situated, of course, in Egypt, near Sudan, kind of on that Nile River Valley. And so we really are focusing on geometric progression and rule of four, breathing. Geometric progression is making those shapes with our bodies that are the same as you see in Egyptian culture, whether that be an Egyptian obelisk, which is the same shape as, like the Washington Monument or a pyramid. So Egyptians were really grounded in a lot of mathematics. Things like the Pythagorean theorem came from Egypt. That is the equation that they used to create the pyramid. So we're focusing on translating that science and that cosmology into our body structures and just really, for lack of a better term, living our best life. Right. What happens when you are always anatomically straight? You know, when we look at the artwork, you never see them kind of rounded or things of that sort in the spine. And so mimicking that in your body all the time is a big focus of the practice. And the breathing is a big part too, because the breathing creates flow. Right.
We believe that breath is the main sustenance, not food, not water. You can live without food and water for a while, but without breath, you'll expire within a couple of minutes. So really focusing on that and helping people understand the importance.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: Yeah. When I have practiced it with you, I notice with both the geometric progression and the rule of four, the feeling that it invokes and it's a little bit different than Hatha yoga or Vinyasa yoga. It has a feeling of, like, regality in a way, and this very, like, calm power. There's something very empowering about the practice where you feel you're moving slowly, but you're moving very specifically.
And. Yeah, just that you can feel, I don't know, this deep connection, I think, while practicing. So folks really need to, I think, experience a variety of different kind of yoga practices in their life to see what vibes most with them. But this is one people might not have quite as much exposure to. So I definitely recommend that people check it out. So I talked about some of the differences for me, of how comedic yoga differs from modern yoga. But for you, what differences do you see and feel and what similarities too?
[00:07:44] Speaker B: Of course, I am a vinyasa teacher as well. I mentioned the heated classes earlier, so that's my favorite class to really teach. I think that modern yoga, I like how you put that term on it. It's very power based in a lot of ways. People love a power vinyasa. I love a power vinyasa. It just brings so much endurance to the body, I think, through that flow. But once you get older, it becomes a little more difficult. I guess the big reveal here is like, I'm 42 and I feel really great, but sometimes I still have to move a lot slower. And I think that ketic yoga grows with me in that. Of course, people can choose like a hatha or a core restore style, but I think kinetic yoga will still give you the rigor that you need through the practice while still maintaining a slower pace and a slower breath. And sometimes that can be a little difficult in other styles. So people feel like they need those 16 chaturangas right in their practice.
And I get that same breath and depth through my comedic yoga practice. I think the biggest difference is probably the cultural lineage being from Africa as opposed to India, where we see a lot of modern yoga. But there still are similarities beyond that, like easy pose, you know, mudras. I'm talking about chakras and things of that sort of. So I think with all of these different styles, there's that commonality of to unionize or to join. Right. From that original term, we can see that throughout all of these different cultural lineages, which is what I love. True. Yeah.
[00:09:14] Speaker A: And I think that prana or breath, is one of the main links between these different lineages as well, because it is seen as life force, as spirit in many traditions. And I love that people all over the world, in different points of history, we're honing in on that and feeling the internal power that it can bring.
[00:09:34] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:09:35] Speaker A: Speaking of breath, your workshop is called breath and internal Power. What does internal power mean to you in the context of yoga?
[00:09:45] Speaker B: Internal power is sometimes all we have, I think. And I go back to my very first class where I had to depend on my internal power just to stay in the room for actually, it ended up being a 75 minute heated class. But just to stay in the room for that amount of time took a certain amount of discipline, self discipline and curiosity. And so I think internal power invokes that in all of us. Whatever practice you choose to indulge in, it evolves throughout your life, throughout your practice. You know, as I evolved into my power yoga stage and hitting those 16 chaturangas or planking for two to three minutes or using weights in the yoga class, internal power is more about physical endurance. Right.
But while pregnant and after having a baby, internal power becomes breath work and becomes just being able to maintain a band or feel secure in yourself. And so I think there are different phases of life that we have. And your yoga practice will guide you into your internal power, regardless of what you practice.
[00:10:50] Speaker A: Yeah, I love that. And it ties into what you're talking about with your own journey at the beginning of this conversation of really yoga evolving to meet you where you're needing it. And I think finding that source of internal power in different phases of your life is such a beautiful gift that yoga offers. So Auburn, you are hosting Breath and Internal Power Cometic Yoga workshop at True Love yoga on Saturday, July 18th from 2 to 3:30pm and can you walk us through what students can expect from this workshop?
[00:11:23] Speaker B: Absolutely. We will go through a series of yoga poses that are cometic based. We'll do a flow, do a little journaling as well because I think it's valuable to take time to write about our experiences and connect with that as well.
We'll do a brief talk about the artistic and the scientific methodologies and how that works with the body. So it'll kind of be like a flow, pause, blow, pause, reflect.
[00:11:49] Speaker A: And who is this really for?
[00:11:50] Speaker B: It is beginner friendly. All levels welcome. Anyone who is interested in trying the practice, come on out.
[00:11:57] Speaker A: And what do you hope people leave with after this experience?
[00:12:01] Speaker B: I always try to encourage my learners to embrace something new, find something that you loved, that you can take with you and that's when it's really valuable because you not only practice it on the mat for that particular day, but you practice it at your desk one time, you know, during the week or when something got hard for you at home. So I think that's the most valuable part.
[00:12:22] Speaker A: I love that. So again, this workshop is Saturday, July 18, 2 to 3:30 and we have in person and virtual options for this. And Auburn's offering 1.5 CE hours for our yoga teachers out there.
So it's for beginners, up to people who are very experienced and including yoga teachers. As well. One thing I really appreciate about your teaching is how it expands, expands people's understanding of yoga as a global and evolving tradition. Why does this broader lens matter?
[00:12:52] Speaker B: I think when we circle back to when you talked about modern yoga, it's not seated in the United States, it's not seated in the Midwest. And so when we come to our mats, we have to have an understanding of why we're there. Was there even a mat when this started? Probably not. Maybe a rug or just the ground, you know, and really paying homage to the people that came before. I think that's the most important part for sure.
[00:13:16] Speaker A: Yeah. Your mindset too is both global and inclusive. And how do you approach creating yoga spaces that feel inclusive for folks?
[00:13:24] Speaker B: I think all places need to focus on being more inclusive, not just yoga spaces. But since that's where I spend majority of my time in design lectures, that's where I get the opportunity to do it. When we go through our workshops, sometimes I'll make an example. And parallel with technology, technology has grown so much in the past two years, and honestly five years, let alone 10. And we've all evolved our language. One of, one of the biggest parts we focus on is language. And you didn't know what a widget was probably 10 to 15 years ago, or things of that sort. And so if we can learn those terms and evolve the technology in these smart devices and we can evolve to help the people around us. So the workshop really helps situate ourselves in a broader mindset of empathy and compassion because we have to look outside ourselves at other people's experiences. And I'll get to ask what that's like and have a safe space to deconstruct how we can be better allies in the space. And allyship doesn't necessarily just extend to like race, religion, things of that sort in yoga. It's ableism and ageism, I'm finding as well. So being able to share experiences where we can just be better on our mats and off of our mats.
[00:14:38] Speaker A: Thank you for sharing that. Before I ask how we can continue connecting with you beyond your workshop, I love to close with this question of how can our listeners deepen their yoga practices?
[00:14:50] Speaker B: I think the way I started to deepen my practice is when I realized that it's not just happening on my mat and while I'm practicing. And that really came when I started to have time crunches. Like, I've got a four year old, I can't be on my mat, you know, those three times a week when I want to be in a hot studio and embracing this community. Sometimes the yoga has to happen in my car when my kid's banging on something and traffic is bad and I take a deep breath, you know, and I'm like, oh, I can hold this longer than I could last time, you know, or sometimes we even do it together.
I'll give you an example. The other day, she was kind of being silly and like doing like that kind of breath. And that's one of the breaths that we practice. And I started doing her, doing it with her, and I'm like, oh my gosh, this feels really good in the body. So just realizing you can take smaller opportunities to increase your practice and understand what that looks like and the value of that from day to day.
[00:15:45] Speaker A: Yeah. Thank you so much for that insight. I can definitely relate.
I also have to share that we are not only birthday twins, we're birthday and year twins. 42 as well.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:15:58] Speaker A: What time were you born?
[00:15:59] Speaker B: 4 or 3.
[00:16:01] Speaker A: 14am okay, so you are slightly older than me.
[00:16:05] Speaker B: Okay.
I think I was.
[00:16:09] Speaker A: I think I was born around noon. But yeah, it's kind of wild to me. We're both born in Kansas City on the same day in the same year. And we both love yoga and we both are mothers to little girls. And I'm so honored to be living this parallel life to you.
[00:16:27] Speaker B: Yeah, me too. I realized that this year. I saw it, I was like, oh, yeah, remember, this is my birthday twin. This is great.
But I didn't realize it was the same year. I don't know if you've ever revealed that everything.
[00:16:38] Speaker A: It was like, it was a powerful day on this earth.
[00:16:41] Speaker B: It absolutely was. Especially for Kansas City. Yes, absolutely.
[00:16:45] Speaker A: So, Auburn, how can we connect with you? What projects do you have going on? Where can we find you on the Interwebs?
[00:16:51] Speaker B: Absolutely. Instagram. I am Dr. Auburn Dr.
Underscore a U B U R N and Facebook Auburn Aesthetic or Studio 5400. I have Seoul Yoga Fest coming up. That will be August 9th, Sunday, August 9th at Uzazi Village. It's around 41st in Troost and the tickets are already on Eventbrite so you can go there right now. Just type Seoul Yogafest or Google Seoul Yogafest Casey and grab those and you can catch me at True Love Yoga. If you're a student in June of the 200 hour. We'll be doing a lecture then and then again for the workshop in July. I'm so happy to continue to be a part of this program. I just wanted to say thank you for continuing to feature me as a guest lecturer. I love it.
[00:17:36] Speaker A: And I know that our students are absolutely going to love your workshop and get so many takeaway elements from it. And yeah, I'm so grateful for the True Love Yoga community and the Kansas City Yoga community for this continual thirst to keep learning and adapting and growing. And I'm so happy that you are such a leader in this space.
[00:17:57] Speaker B: Thank you. You too.
[00:17:58] Speaker A: Yeah. Thank you, Auburn. Well, thank you so much for joining me. Thank you everyone, so much for listening today. Please come check us out at True Love Yoga, whether in our 200 hour yoga teacher training program or on July 18th with Dr. Auburn. Thank you so much for listening. Om Shanti Om. Peace.
