Time and time again, for multiple practitioners, they have expressed how the introduction to yoga as a way of life, beyond just a physical form of exercise, has completely transformed their lives. With diligent focus and intention, these asanas become more than just a stretch or strengthening practice but a way of approaching life with fulfillment and joy. In today’s podcast, we have Allison Ankar who dives into her story back as a young graduate, moving to Arizona from Michigan, completely on faith from an intuitive hit that she needed to be there. As the party girl from college followed her from the Midwest to the southwest, yet while still being a passionate advocate for children as a teacher, the need to escape every day responsibility and reality was overwhelming Allison’s life, particularly her health, when she was outside of the classroom, which was rare as she was working 60 to 70 hour weeks. Upon discovering Yoga Allison‘s approach to life began to dramatically change with more awareness of this practice and inherently herself.
Beyond being a yoga instructor too, she is now a health and wellness coach that utilizes the cognitive functioning of learning, that she has continually developed having been a teacher, yet also she integrates Health from a four tiered perspective, or what she calls our four bodies; the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. By addressing each of these and bringing them into harmony, Allison has found that her clients are able to not only feel better in the general sense but also to find profound fulfillment and happiness by embracing adaptability and confidence in moving forward to navigate through their futures.
Some of the big takeaways that she emphasizes are to: 1) even begin to take the time to notice where we are out of balance in one of our four bodies. Yoga was so vital for her and even bringing her to balance in the left and right brain hemispheres with movement such as being able to move the left arm on command, for example. Where in life are we maybe also struggling with those simple & basic connections? 2) Allison also really dives into the importance of honoring your gut instinct and knowing when you are on a healthy, appropriate path for yourself versus following something that’s leading you astray or to the point of being destructive, such as escapism. This inner guidance and compass has been vital for her not only in her own life but as a practitioner as well. 3) She also brings in a unique factor into her clients lives and recommends everyone engage much more deeply with the power of essential oils and the olfactory senses. Smell has the ability to transform us into the past through profound memory or to facilitate our ability to find the depths of peace when utilizing essences like lavender or others that are very calming. By being able to effectively and appropriately use external beneficial substances like essential oils, we begin to empower ourselves to health and vitality.
More information:
Note: The statements and opinions in this podcast are those solely of the individual being interviewed, and not to be taken as medical advice. This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only.
