Namita Nayyar:
How do you approach exercise and workout structure? Is it intuitive, highly planned, or seasonally varied? Do you follow your own sequencing principles for your personal practice?
Juliana Larochelle:
I’m hypermobile, so strength training is really important to balance out my yoga practice.
I didn’t always approach it this way. I was a die-hard yoga girl and didn’t enjoy the gym, but I’ve learned that my body needs strength and load.
So while I don’t love going to the gym, I know it’s part of what my body needs. Yoga also teaches discipline, or tapas, which for me means doing what you need to do even if you don’t like it.
I do follow my own sequencing principles in my personal practice. One of the fun parts of creative sequencing is that you get to break the rules, but I still come back to the structure I teach. I also take my own classes from the Creative Sequencing Studio.
Namita Nayyar:
As someone who teaches movement, how do you listen to your body’s needs on a day when energy is low or motivation is lacking?
Juliana Larochelle:
I think what helps me most is carving out time for my practice. I always go to a teacher’s class before I teach, and that routine helps me stay grounded so I don’t get to a place of burnout.
If my energy is low or motivation is lacking in my own practice, it comes back to discipline and having a schedule. I still show up, but I choose what style I need that day. That’s something I love about yoga, there are so many different options. If my energy is low, I can do restorative, yoga nidra, yin, or a slower flow.
But when it comes to teaching, I put my own stuff aside and show up for my students, and I always feel better after.
Namita Nayyar:
How would you describe your approach to diet and nourishment? Is it tied to yogic principles (like sattvic foods), or has it evolved into a more personal philosophy?
Juliana Larochelle:
Yes, how I approach diet now is related to the principle of Ahimsa, or non-violence. Believe it or not, I boarded my first flight to New Delhi with a ribeye steak my mom packed for me in a Tupperware container. I had just started studying yoga philosophy then, and I knew eating meat was considered a firm no-no. The Yoga Sutras teach that animals have the same souls as humans. Before that trip, I struggled with this idea, but I still ate the meals my Italian mother prepared for me.
My time in India opened my eyes to a culture so different from mine that it made my head spin. We lived in a cow sanctuary where we could run outside each morning and pet the cows. Cows are considered sacred in India, and we also ate vegetarian meals while we were there.
One of our leaders told us that stepping our feet directly in cow poo would have the same effects as espresso, so one morning, a friend and I tried it. While I’m not sure it worked, and it definitely made for a lot of giggles, it became clear to me on that trip, with my feet covered in cow dung, that I would stay vegetarian.
Now, ten years later, I’m happy I made that choice. While there’s nothing wrong with eating meat and I never judge others for it, becoming a vegetarian felt important to me, and my time in India helped me see that clearly. At the ashram, we also don’t eat onions and garlic as they are considered a tamasic food so I do that to the best of my ability at home, too.
Namita Nayyar:
Are there any non-negotiable foods or rituals in your day that you feel significantly support your energy for teaching, creating, and running a business?
Juliana Larochelle:
I wouldn’t say I have specific non-negotiable foods, aside from coffee — which I definitely love to start my day! But for me, it’s really about having my own time.
That includes my meditation practice, my yoga practice, and making time for my friends. Working online can be isolating, so that connection is really important for me.
Disclaimer
The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
