Lacey Haynes is a yoga visionary, teaching people how to get spiritually connected, empowered, and full of self-love through the wisdom of yoga. She’s the founder of The Yoga Emporium, and author of the eBook “Yoga + Creativity” and The Yoga Visionary column on DOYOU.
Name: Lacey Haynes
Occupation: Yoga Teacher, Writer & Healer
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Favorite yoga style: I like the mutt style, you know? Not purebred, but instead a mix of all sorts of styles and flavours. But in a lot of ways, I’m also a huge traditionalist so it’s rather a conundrum.
I like to flow and also pause and be passive. I like to sweat sometimes but not all the time. I like to chant, be devotional and really dig into breath and softness. There’s got to be meditation in there too. Sometimes I just end up dancing though. I reckon, you’ve just got to give the heart, body and soul what it wants right then and there regardless of what “style” it is.
Favorite yoga pose: Passive Butterfly is my rock right now – my “oh my god, shed all the layers and feel way better” pose.
What Do You Love Most About Yoga?
Yoga is a pathway. It’s not didactic, it doesn’t give you the answers and it can’t be wholly learned in a book. You have to practice yoga. It has to be applied and threaded through all aspects of life. I love that if you venture down the path of yoga, chances are, you’ll find all those answers you’ve been after.
Credit: Katya NovaHow Has Yoga Changed Your Life, Personality And Physique?
The simplest answer is that I’m happy because I choose to be happy. And when I’m not happy, I know that it’s impermanent. The highs and the lows aren’t so magnetising these days. I ride a middle line of contentment and man, it’s the bee’s knees.
Weird anecdote alert! It’s kind of like when I was in eighth grade and my mom and I went to Disney Land, just the two of us. My mom doesn’t dig the terrifying rides and I totally did at the time. After a big day of lines and a few gut churning experiences, my mom chose Mister Toad’s Wild Ride Through London. It was the least wild ride of my life. We just drove through this bizarre little landscape of I don’t even know what, but we were so happy – smiling and enjoying the simplicity of it all.
Since yoga, my life is rarely a roller coaster or a slingshot death cage. It’s basically Mister Toad’s Wild Ride Through London. (PS – I love you, mom).
What Everyday Thing Did You Get Better At Because Of Yoga?
Letting go of shitty feelings with relative ease. Eating slowly and appreciating food. Making love. Not waiting for the next thing to happen. Being able to love other humans even when I don’t like them. Standing for long periods of time without getting a sore back.
How Do You Keep Your Yoga Practice Interesting And Challenging?
If I stay clear on what my intention is, then there is always something new to learn and uncover.
I encourage you to set an intention. It can be as simple as one word (mine is connection). I’ve been working with this one for about a year now. Just keep sticking with it, I say. Let it be the motto of your life. It’s liberating and grounding.
What Book, Website Or Person Inspires You?
I’m totes going to have to plug my own book here. Because…well, it’s awesome. Yoga + Creativity is an eBook that I wrote after years of acting, writing, performing, teaching yoga and more recently, offering yoga and creativity workshops.
It’s all about tapping into creative energy through the practice of yoga. It’s fun, it’s deep, it’s confronting and it’s beautiful. I wrote, photographed and designed the whole thing which is a testament to my own dedication to living a creatively charged life. You’ll love it.
What Do You Listen To While You Do Yoga?
Mainly my breath, and sometimes, the cockatoos outside my flat. There’s also my fiancé, my own inner world and doors opening and closing that sometimes grab my attention.
What’s The Best Advice You’ve Ever Received?
Wherever you go, there you are.
Man, it’s so deep and so simple, ain’t it? We can’t escape ourselves. So instead of trying, why not go really deep inside and learn to love the shit out of who we are. That’s the path of yoga, baby.
Website: www.theyogaemporium.com
Facebook: The Yoga Emporium
Twitter: @thelaceyhaynes
Other Links: Yoga + Creativity
Image credit: Katya Nova
