Adding Yoga to your everyday with Gillian Gossow
Gillian Gossow, is a beyond the average bombshell babe; she is a talented entrepreneur with a well versed knowledge in yoga and holistic health. Gossow, has owned her Yoga Company for the past 4 years and has a Rolodex of Manhattan Private Clients, from all different ages from 25-75. Gossow, even travels with her clients to stay on their path of practice. (UM GOALS MUCH?) She also teaches Corporate Yoga Classes and teaches a hot yoga class at one of the most swanky NYC mega athletic training centers , “Chelsea Piers”.
Besides Gillian being an awesome friend of mine, I turned to her for advice on how to add more yoga to ONE's EVERYDAY. Whether your an athlete, anxiety driven from the chaos of Manhattan's transportation system, or generally overwhelmed, we all can benefit from a breathe of stillness and a stretch.
Why do you think yoga is an important competent to ones lifestyle?
GG: Yoga is for life. It’s one of the few activities you can do at any age. It can prevent common injuries from other workouts such as running. Yoga is like a tune up for the body. A good session gets everything running smoothly and ready to go for what I’ve throws your way.
How can any average person add more stretching / yoga into their life?
GG: There are literally thousands of great yoga videos free on YouTube. You don’t even need a mat. You would see an enormous difference in your sleep, energy, and overall wellbeing if you committed to 10 minutes everyday for a month. Just find a YouTube video you like and stick with it.
Coming from an A type highly energetic person, how do you recommend one to find stillness and find their practice?
GG: Yoga is a challenge just like any other workout. It’s not easy for anyone to find stillness but it gets easier with practice, just Iike anything else. If you can work on finding stillness on your mat then you will be much better prepared to find stillness in all of life’s stressful situations.
Have you personally witnessed clients or even yourself change in overall mood from practicing yoga daily?
GG: The best feeling in the world is seeing a clients face when they open their eyes at the end of savasana. There is a calm and peace that was not there when we started. I have walked into a yoga class in tears, filled with anxiety and depressed and walked out with all of that weight off my shoulders. Each pose is designed to not only affect your body but your nervous system and mind.
Taking yoga outside the studio what yoga type exercises do you take to your everyday that you have learned?
GG: I am conscious of my breath in stressful situations. If you can control your breath your mind will think everything is ok. Your body will listen to your mind and relax. It all starts with the breath.
What does practice mindfulness mean to you? As a beginner in yoga how would you describe “mindfulness”?
GG: Being present. Bringing your mind back to what you are are currently doing a million times if you have to. You can turn brushing your teeth into a mediation if you do it mindfully. We are sadly almost never living in the present moment, the only place life actually exists.
If someone had only 10 minutes to practice yoga in their day, what would you recommend! Is there an app or a certain flow , YouTube video you can recommend?
GG: My favorite teacher is Colleen Saidman and she has many videos on YouTube etc. If you only have time for a few poses make them hip openers, such as pigeon pose. We carry our toxic, negative energy from our entire lives in our hips and then we sit all day. That energy just sticks there like glue until we open the body up and say ok, you can let this stress go now.
What words of wisdom can you share for yogi newbies?
GG: No one starts off with yoga and is a superstar. It takes time to learn the poses and get into the groove. I can promise you that if you give it a month of consistent practice, even just 10 minutes a day, you will get the hang of it. Your mat can become your escape from life if you allow it to be.
Where can we take your class? How can we contact you for a private session?
GG: I teach Mondays and Thursdays at Chelsea Piers. You can contact me for private or small group sessions in home or office on my website, www.gillianyoganyc.com
