Portrait of Cindy, creator of the Chrono Yoga channel
We have launched a call to wellness professionals to introduce you to them and help them in these complicated times. Today, we present to you Cindy who has opened her Chrono Yoga channel.
I am Cindy, a yoga teacher since 2014. I teach in the Gulf of Saint Tropez and on Youtube, on the Chrono Yoga channel.
Portrait of Cindy, yoga teacher and creator of the Chrono Yoga channel
WHY CHRONO YOGA?
After my yoga teacher training, I started teaching in Thailand. There, I realized that most of my students did not have time to do yoga, and that they only took time on vacation. Back in France, the metro-work-sleep routine took up all their time. That's why I named my channel Chrono Yoga. I believe that even taking 5 minutes for yourself can change the trajectory of your day, relieve stress and increase your well-being.
HOW DID YOU LEARN TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF?
Me neither, a few years ago, I wouldn't have had time for yoga. My body was just a shell that had to be tamed with hours of cardio to make it slim. At the time, I lived in Shanghai, and I was running around everywhere, overbooked like my future students in Thailand. I didn't have time for myself, nor for my health or my well-being. Surprisingly, it was a promotion on Groupon for a yoga studio that made me take the plunge. I said to myself "why not? At this price, I'm not risking anything!" I validated my order and went to a class. I was immediately hooked. The teacher was great, the class was great, and above all, I left there with a clear and light mind. It was a feeling I wasn't used to! And it did me a lot of good. So I went back and tried different types of yoga including Iyengar and Bikram.
WHAT PRACTICE FOR YOUR WELL-BEING?
Today, I have a truly global vision of my well-being: it is as much the food I eat, as the thoughts that animate me, as the management of emotions or even physical activity. For me, yoga is a holistic practice that impacts every aspect of my life.
WHAT IS THE RITUAL OF YOUR PRACTICE?
I meditate every day. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes 20. Sometimes I am very focused, sometimes I feel like I am letting myself be carried away by thoughts. I accept that I am not always perfect. I have guiltlessly let go of the pressure of doing yoga every day! I do full yoga sessions several times a week. And I let my body guide me. When I feel like letting off steam, I practice power yoga or vinyasa. And when I feel like something gentler and slower, I practice hatha yoga.
WHAT DO YOU GET FROM IT?
Yoga has always been more mental than physical. I get real mental well-being from it: the more I practice, the better I manage my stress and my mental processes. Like many, I tended to ruminate and go around in circles like a hamster in its wheel. The more I practice, the better I manage to identify my thoughts including those that go around in circles so I can identify my emotions (often my frustrations!).
WHAT DO YOU CARRY IN YOUR YOGA BAG?
Usually just my mat. If I practice at home, I like to light a candle. I love the smell that fills my space, the benevolent light that illuminates the place, and the gentle warmth that emanates from it. I often use it for my meditations and concentration exercises.
WHAT IS YOUR FETISH OBJECT/ACCESSORY?
My partner recently gave me a cork mat, and I have to say I'm a huge fan. I love the way it feels and the way it cushions you. And most importantly, it insulates you from the ground, which is great during meditation or final relaxation (shavasana) so you don't get cold. The bonus: it's eco-friendly!
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE FOR TAYRONA YOGINIS?
Choose a course at your level. We are often in the race to always do more, to want ever more complex postures, an ever higher level. This is the trap of the ego. Unfortunately, the consequences are long-lasting. We feel worthless, incapable, we have difficulty following, we make our body suffer by wanting to exceed its limits. Stop! Take a course at your level and ideally a course in a small group to have the attention of your guide/teacher.
If you take online classes, which are very practical for doing yoga at the time you want, I invite you to take a training course on alignments or to sign up for workshops that will allow you to understand the postures to practice independently.
WHERE / HOW DO YOU PRACTICE?
I practice at home mainly. Sometimes, when I don't feel like thinking about the next posture and I want to be 100% focused on my breathing, I follow an online course. That way, I have a guide and I just have to focus on my practice, without thinking. If the weather is nice, and I'm lucky enough to live in the South of France, I practice outside, to the sound of birds or cicadas.
WHAT IS YOUR MANTRA/FAVORITE PHRASE?
OM SHANTI: Peace for humanity. When I recite this mantra, I wish for peace for my inner universe (my mind) as well as peace for the outer world. I find that it encompasses all the benevolence of the yogi.
SOMETHING YOU WANT TO TELL US ABOUT?
The classes are guided practices. In order to understand why we do what we do, it is important to study the anatomy, alignments, and the origin and philosophy of yoga. That is why I offer a one-month yoga training, which combines theory and practice. Each week, we study the anatomy and some concepts of yoga in 6 videos, and on the 7th day, we put into practice what we have learned in a one-hour guided class.
For more information on Chrono Yoga:
Website: chronoyoga.fr
Instagram: chronoyoga
Facebook: let's talk yoga
Youtube: Chrono Yoga
