Sarah Bonsall - When It Comes to Fitness, the Key for Me Is Turning Frustration Into Fascination (Entrepreneur & Yoga Teacher From the USA)

In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle with Yoga, it is important to consider the 5 main aspects of yoga. The main one we think of is yoga asana, the physical practice. This falls under the aspect of proper exercise. In addition to proper exercise, you also need to consider proper breathing (pranayama), proper relaxation, proper diet, and positive thinking. If you can maintain a balance of those 5 aspects of yoga, you are on your way to a healthy lifestyle.

1. Tell us more about yourself and your profession.

The people in my life before I found yoga refer to me by my given name, Sarah. Most of the people that I met after I began dedicating my life to yoga typically call me by my spiritual name, Shakti. At first, I fell in love with the physical aspects of yoga. My major at Naropa University was traditional Eastern Arts, with my concentration in Yoga — but I wasn’t yet ready for the more subtle aspects of the practice.

I ran with my passion for physical movement for years and eventually it led me to spend time in an ashram where I was able to study yoga uninterrupted, in a sincere community dedicated to personal improvement and spiritual practice. By that time, I had already advanced my physical practice to the point where I was teaching hand balancing and back bending workshops around the world. My time studying and training with an Ido Portal community combined with my time studying yoga within authentic communities has and continues to shape who I am as an individual and teacher.

2. What is your fitness mantra?

My personal mantra isn’t fitness-related. I was initiated into my mantra during my time at Sivananda Ashram in the Bahamas and use it as a tool to stay focused in my meditation practice and as a constant reminder to do the right thing as I go about my daily life. When it comes to fitness, the key for me is turning frustration into fascination. While most people hate sprinting. I’ve convinced myself that I find ecstasy through sprinting — and so I do. As you think, so shall you become.

3. What are some of the major misconceptions about diets and exercises?

Goodness, there are too many. I think a big one for me to learn was that even if I don’t exercise, my body still needs and deserves to be fueled. The way that you fuel your body will translate into your physical performance and your emotional well-being. This includes the thoughts that you have, and your interactions, as well as your environment.

Diet is so much more than food. And when it comes to exercise, you don’t always have to commit to a long, strong workout. 5 minutes is better than nothing. Heck, 1 minute is better than nothing. Even one-minute matters. It’s the same with meditation.

4. How can one maintain a healthy lifestyle with Yoga?

5. How can one build a successful career in your field?

There are many ways to go about being successful in my field, but most of them I don’t support or agree with. For me, it’s so important to come from a sincere place of curiosity and to have an undying desire to learn and unlearn. Chances are, some of the things you learned in your first 200-hour YTT are far from the truth. And it’s up to you to uncover those things by furthering your studies and challenging the things you think you know about the practice.

In order to truly be successful in this field, you need to humble yourself on a daily basis. You must understand on a deep level that you are no better than anyone else. Even when you are a teacher, it is vital that you remain a student, respect others, and always be yourself.

A long time ago, I promised myself that I wouldn’t be the type of teacher that just says a bunch of bullshit that they have no experiential knowledge of. Say what you know. Don’t be afraid to say “I don’t know, I need to look into that” if you really don’t know. Continue getting involved. Experience is invaluable.

6. What is one piece of advice you would like to give someone who wishes to practice yoga?

My best piece of advice for someone who wants to practice yoga would be to let go of all preconceived notions.. and just begin. Yoga is about being mentally flexible, not physically (although it's often a byproduct). To that point, nobody is “good” at yoga. We all just show up to do our best with what we’ve currently got. So.. just begin. And continue to show up, no matter what. Everything else will follow.

7. How do Yoga and daily exercise contributes to overall well-being and happiness?

Yoga and daily exercise are essential to my overall well-being and happiness. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by life and stray from the practice. but if you can stick to it, you’ll find that tough times are made manageable through your spiritual and movement practices.

I feel like myself when I carve out time for my daily practices. I feel like I can be strong for myself, but also for my loved ones and students. When I’m feeling down sometimes I don’t feel like moving, but I know that when I do. Without fail, my mood will be improved. My life has been forever changed by these practices.. in the best way. I am grateful.