[note — this is part 1 of 2; here we focus on Foxen the yoga professional; part 2 (coming soon) is about her journey as a student of the practice]

As a yoga professional, what aspects — mind, body, spirit — do you pitch to someone who has never done yoga but is open to the possibility?

the connection between body and mind

Do you have a particularly strong relationship tie to any teachings or text?

a very tangled connection to Paramahansa Yogananda’s lineage — but it’s not what I practice

How long did you practice yoga before becoming a teacher?

3 years

How long have you taught yoga?

consistently for 3 years, very occasionally for the last 12

When you’re teaching regularly, can you lead classes too often? How many times a week, and a day, might be too much?

I’ve always struggled with this — more than a couple of times a week starts to be too much

Do you have a preferred yoga style? Do you teach others?

Hot Vinyasa

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

this is so person-specific

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

headstands and arm balances? no, actually, people really struggle with getting forward bends right

Apart from yoga, do you recommend other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I like body-scan meditation — it’s a good way to build basic awareness

Say you have a beginning student who has come to yoga for help with a bad back. They are already pretty chill, and you intuit they are only looking for the physical benefits from yoga. Do you leave it at that, or do you look for opportunities to promote the non-physical benefits?

I leave it at that — the other stuff will come if and when it makes sense

Do you have a favorite sutra or mantra or koan that you like to share with those in your classes?

be okay with it feeling good

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

the indoor space, for sure — it can be helpful to minimize distraction if that’s the kind of practice we’re going for but, as a teacher, I just really like being able to control my environment

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — did one element or another first draw you to yoga? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I knew very little about it and I was curious to know what yoga was

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

body originally, spirit more recently — I love the peacefulness

How long have you been practicing yoga?

since I was pregnant with my daughter, now in her 40s! — she’s much better at yoga than I

How frequently do you practice yoga?

2-3 times per week

For you, what are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

I love my yoga class for the direction and encouragement

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

not really, but the gentler the better

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

getting the posture and holding it — but I still have trouble blocking out distractions

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

less body pain, greater flexibility

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

a friend recently told me about walking meditation and we do it together

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I walk a lot and love my water aerobics classes

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose(s) and where?

absolutely! — mostly stretches at my kitchen counter, but I’ve been known to strike a tree pose almost anywhere

You have a choice: take a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

easy one — I choose outdoors, even if it’s not a beautiful day — but circumstances mostly keep me indoors

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

I wanted to meet my inner self and get to know myself better

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

my mind, body, and soul are way more in balance than before — I trust more in life and in myself

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you practice yoga?

I started years ago, since 4 years — I do it daily — I don‘t want to pass a day without yoga

How long did you practice yoga before you started teaching it?

4 years

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Vinyasa and Yin Yoga — I like to flow creative through Asanas and I like to flow slowly sometimes so I do Yin Yoga

When you were starting your yoga journey, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

concentrating on the breathing and to silencing the mind was the most difficult part, and so I realised that I was way too stressed every single day

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

my health became way better — no back pain anymore — I feel more grounded and connected — got to know my inner self and my inner path — less anxiety and more trust and a calm mind

Yoga heals the soul and body!

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

I meditate regularly and do breathwork; pranayama and did a few rebirthing sessions — they changed my life! — I also practice energy work and work with the chakras

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

hiking and horseback riding

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just assume a pose and stretch? If so, which poses and where?

I stretch daily — I do for example cat and cow and twists regularly — I can do this everywhere

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

I mostly teach outside and my yogis love that, so definitely 1! — there is no better place to practice yoga than next to the ocean — nature is healing

I’m aware you’re a passionate traveler. If I sent you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

Asia, Thailand or India — I would also love to go back to New Zealand for yoga, it’s such a special place — I would love to teach my own retreats in these places!

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Yoga is a holistic experience for many — mind, body, spirit — but did one element or another first draw you to the practice?

I believe I had the thirst for all three — they are so interdependent I couldn’t point to one over the others, though, moment by moment I do draw on different sources for sustenance

How about as your practice evolved: did yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more; were those elements more in balance than when you started?

yoga fed all three and yes, again, yoga helped to balance me

How long have you been practicing yoga?

I have been away from my mat for three years now — I was a five to six day a week practitioner for five years

How frequently do you practice yoga?

these days my practice is focused on the breath — which I work on almost constantly — and walking meditation

What do you miss most about yoga in the studio?

the community — the satisfaction of dedicated effort — the teachers’ insightful spiritual offerings even as we moved through rapid flows

What’s the greatest obstacle to you having a regular yoga habit?

I am my biggest obstacle when it comes to my practice, as I am in most of my life — but this questioning, I believe, is giving me a tender push towards my mat — deep bow

When you were starting out, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

inversions were always tough for me — balance poses, I’d say, came more naturally

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

patience — when practicing I was less tight in all ways, more roomy, and that allowed me to flow with all more healthily and gracefully

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

Vipassana and most consistently offer and recite Metta

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I am a long distance walker and have walked the Camino De Santiago three times, Offa Dyke in Wales and trekked the Himalayas — I was regularly walking 6-10 miles a day — then came pickleball — obsessed!

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch?

yes — are you watching me?! — I’ll spontaneously strike a Warrior 2 pose or a Tree pose

If I gave you an expenses-paid yoga retreat, where would you go?

Chiang Mai, Thailand — I’ll just need a moment to pack

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

Mind, body, spirit — yoga is a holistic experience for many. But did one element or another first draw you to the practice? That is, were you seeking to settle your mind? Have greater physical flexibility? Explore your true, spiritual nature?

curiosity about the practice in general, wanting to learn something new

How about now: does yoga feed your mind or your body or your spirit more, or are those elements more in balance than when you started?

feeds my spirit the most

How long have you practiced yoga, and how long did you practice before you started teaching it?

practicing for 19 years, teaching for 11

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

love them all — Hatha if I have to pick one

When you were starting your yoga journey, what came easiest and what was more challenging?

easiest — breathing; more challenging — full presence in the practice

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

experiencing life with greater ease, grace & purpose

From your experience as a teacher, can you generalize about what comes easiest for beginners and what is more challenging?

easiest — exploring poses; more challenging — settling the mind

I understand you work with sound healing, particularly Crystal Alchemy Singing Bowls. Is that a regular part of your yoga sessions?

yes — they provide a lovely atttunement

Apart from yoga, do you practice other techniques of mindfulness or meditation?

yes, many! — mindfulness has become this way of moving through the world for me — I also love metta meditation and heart coherence

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

hiking, cycling, weight-lifting, and stand up paddle boarding

Outside of a yoga session, do you ever just strike a pose and stretch? If so, which pose and where?

standing crescent moon pose whenever I need to perk myself up a bit — I’ll do this anywhere

You have a choice: lead a yoga class (1) outdoors on a beautiful day, overlooking the ocean, or (2) in a well-designed, very comfortable minimalist indoor space. Which do you pick?

how about an open air studio overlooking the ocean — there’s something magical about weaving the elements of the natural world into a practice

—interview © Marshal Zeringue