We Are Connected: Meet Wesley Pilcher

What is your favorite asana & why?

My favorite Asana, that’s a hard one…I would have to say Baddha Padmasana (Bound lotus posture). It is challenging and has many benefits like improving the posture of the spine, and it stretches the joints of the shoulders, arms, wrists, back, and many more. In a lot of the old texts, Baddha Padmasana is said to cure diseases.

Least favorite/why?

That is a easy one, Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana- Hand to big toe pose. This posture has always been so hard for me because my hamstrings are so tight. My personal theory is that if you don’t like a particular posture, and it is challenging, do it as much as possible until you master it with steadiness and ease.

Recommended Reading (Yoga & non-yoga)-

I have many!

• Shadow Yoga-Chaya Yoga by Shandor Remete

• Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar

• The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga by Srivatsa Ramaswami

• Trilogy of Shiva by Amish (fiction)

• Bhagavad Gita- any translation but first read Mahabharat

• Yoga Sutras

• Diary of Anne Frank

• Tao of Poo.

Funniest/most embarrassing yoga moment?

I was demonstrating a jump back for a teacher during an Astangha class and caught my foot on my fisher pants and ripped them right off. Very embarrassing, but way funny now.

Best/most rewarding yoga moment? 

When I see students living with cancer smile as they get up from savasana when I teach a class.

Who knew? (interesting tidbits you might like to share)

I used to be on a breakdancing team. I love to dance. I am obsessed with The Dance of Shiva; it is an old dance that many of our postures today come from.  

What inspired you to be a student and then teacher of yoga?

I lived in a monastery and an ashram when I was younger; we meditated for hours and hours a day. This was really challenging for my hips. Then one of my teachers and best friend Matt Krepps said let me teach you some yoga. He he did, and I fell in love with it that day. The one thing I want to share in my life is yoga. I feel the benefits can expand into infinity. All the paths of yoga are important: Raja, Bhakti, Jnana, Karma. So I strive to include all of them as I teach.

One piece of advice you like to give your students? 

Live every minute as it is your last, spend quality time, be kind and say I love you to those you love. There are so many people who don’t wake up in the morning. Life is Divine. Look at everyone and remember we are God’s children, each and everyone of us.

Favorite yoga quote or Mantra?

Om Bhur Bhuvaḥ Swaḥ

Tat-savitur Vareñyaṃ

Bhargo Devasya Dhīmahi

Dhiyo Yonaḥ Prachodayāt

We meditate on that most adored Supreme Lord, the creator, whose effulgence (divine light) illumines all realms (physical, mental and spiritual). May this divine light illumine our intellect.

What else?

To remember Self-Realization means that you have all the things you need to activate the higher self, you just have to unlock the doors.  Open yourself to find that…….

How can we stay connected? 

To remember that you are the most important thing under the sun, and so is everyone else.  To be a spiritual being is to look at every person as a creation of God, or creator, universe, whatever you believe.  There will always be peace if you remember that, within and out.

Namaskar!

Wesley will be joining us on Friday, May 31 for a class on The Warrior Arka and Saturday, June 1 for Healthy Hamstrings & Shoulders. Go to our events page to see more details. Also, check out his article on The Warrior Arka to learn more about it!

How Far & High Can You Fly when You Give Yourself the Chance? (Teacher Talk: Meet Roxanne Rodriguez)

What is your favorite asana & why?

I have a few, but Bakasana/Crow pose is tops for me. Previously, if this pose was offered during a class, I’d look around and just admire those flying. I thought never in million years would I be able to hold up my body like that. For the better part of the year, I practiced this pose almost every day. I had to build up strength and but mostly the courage. I had to feel into my body in a whole new way. Yea, I fell more than a couple times, but I kept trying. I even taped a picture of me attempting this pose on my monitor at work, and I wrote “I will learn to fly” on it. I eventually took flight, and still to this day when I manage to lift my body up, I am reminded of how strong I am and all the work it took to get there. This pose reminds me to be grateful for my body.

Least favorite/why?

I’m not feeling that into deep backbends. My first upward facing bow pose/wheel/Urdhva Dhanurasana almost gave me a panic attack. True story-Thanks Jess. It’s a learning process, and I’m giving myself all the time I need to fall in love with backbends; they just are not my jam right now.  

Recommended Reading (Yoga & non-yoga)

The Yamas and Niyamas book by Deborah Adele really helped me dive into yoga philosophy. It was so approachable, and it helped launch me into teacher training. The past couple years have been school and yoga books all mixed in with kid books. I love reading to my toddler. I’m finally carving out time for myself to read and currently on my night stand is The Celestine Prophecy.

Funniest/most embarrassing yoga moment?

Oh goodness. I love to laugh. I giggle a lot and sometimes the smallest thing will have me bursting out into laughter during serious moments ugh. One time I took a class with my brother; he had the hardest time with something, and I could not keep it in. It was a full-on laughing attack; I was so embarrassed. I looked like a crazy person; good thing it was my little bro so he shook it off bc he knows me. Another time I attempted a head stand/Sirsasana in the middle of the room away from the safety of the wall. I kicked up and almost kicked the teacher in the face and yep over shot it and ended up landing on my back. Hello ego. Incredibly thankful for everyone in that class because we all laughed about it.

Best/most rewarding yoga moment?

One of my most rewarding moments was when I kicked up into a head stand for the first time...way before that epic flop. I really surprised myself when I kicked up and found the wall behind me. I thought to myself while upside down, gosh I’ve got this I just need to believe in myself more. I had worked on strengthening and focusing on the mechanics of this pose for a while, and it took one teacher after a class to help me find my courage and up I went!

Who knew? (interesting tidbits you might like to share)

I’m a mom of two beautiful little ladies. Stella and Evie; they are my whole world. I’m a Texas girl and big time miss the warmth and my family. Vacations are always fun by the beach, and I have free places to stay. I work in sports television and this can be a shock for those who knew me growing up because I had zero knowledge of professional sports. Ha. Who am I kidding? I still don’t really know about professional sports, but I love my job.

Outside of yoga what is your passion/Where can you be found?

The Zoo and Forest Park in general is my favorite place in St. Louis. Over the summer catch me and my girls riding the train and eating dole whips at the zoo. I’m also head coach for my daughter Girls on the Run team. I love running, and I like to run in my neighborhood. So chances are if you live by me you’ve seen me catching free smells on my runs by all the restaurants in my neighborhood.

What inspired you to be a student of yoga? To teach?

I first started taking yoga seriously for my daughter. She was having a lot of issues with anxiety, and I did my research and it said yoga would help. I wanted to teach her in a tangible way that calming your mind would help. Honestly, I hid myself behind her and really wanted to try yoga by myself but was too scared. I eventually sat down for a solo class and was a ball of anxiety, but after, I was different...in the best way. I felt lighter. That moment after that class ... I was hooked.  I knew I wanted to be a teacher after about full year of practicing regularly. I looked back at all that I was able to accomplish off my mat that year and knew I had to share this practice with others. I really had made so many positive changes in my life, and it was because I showed up for myself and had great teachers along the way.

One piece of advice you like to give your students?

Keep showing up for yourself. Life gets hard sometimes, and it seems impossible to get a class in or moment for you but keep showing up for you and make time to do things that really bring you joy. I truly believe you cannot pour from an empty cup.

Favorite yoga quote or mantra?

I have so many favorites. I’m recalling these words by Rupi Kaur right now. I first heard them on my mat, and they really spoke to me. “It was when I stop searching for a home within others and lifted the foundations of the home which in myself I found there were no roots more intimate than those  between a mind and body that have decided to be whole”

Favorite yoga tunes?

I love love love a good playlist. I have a really wide range of songs that I like to flow to and totally enjoy a good cover that you can see people thinking “hey is this that song”. I appreciate when I’m in downdog and feel the music and start to dance or when I see this happen in class. I also enjoy the sweet sounds of singing bowls and frequently play this in my home. Feel free to check out some of my playlists on Spotify.

How can we connect or practice with you?

I’m active on social media. I frequently overshare my kids and experiences. You can alway catch me teaching on Sundays at 12:30p for Midday Revival.

Final thoughts?

This practice has changed my life. I sat down at my first class a total mess — emotionally and physically. I look back and think “wow, I’ve come so far all because I kept trying and believing in myself.” I once hated my body, and today my body is what has brought me to a place a joy and peace. It’s amazing and a dream come true.

Namaste.

Teacher Talk Tuesday: Meet Annie our Fearless Leader/Owner

1. What is your favorite asana & why?

   My favorite asana is triangle pose. I feel very grounded, strong, and stable in the pose while at the same time I also feel lengthened, opened, and energized.

2. Least favorite/why?

   My least favorite would probably be camel pose. While I can do the pose, being on my knees and reaching back it just not my favorite way to find support for my body. I may be opening my heart, but inside I’m secretly wishing I was doing something else. Maybe my heart needs to open more for this pose…

3. Recommended Reading (Yoga & non-yoga)

   My favorite books are The Celestine Prophecy and Awakening by Matthew Sanford. I would say they are both yoga related, but Matthew Sanford’s book is yoga specific.

4. Funniest/most embarrassing yoga moment?

   This probably ranks with funniest and most embarrassing...when I was trying to demonstrate a headstand in the middle of the studio and tumbled over 🤪 

5. Best/most rewarding yoga moment?

   Honestly. my best and most rewarding yoga moments are when students tell me how wonderful they feel or how something I said or show them changed their thinking or when they let me know that practicing with me has changed their life. And the most rewarding part of my own yoga practice is when, in daily life, I choose to pause and breathe as opposed to react. 

6. Who knew? (interesting tidbits you might like to share)

   I love beets. My first dog that I got 18 years ago was named Yogi. I love music. My hair has caught on fire. And I absolutely love meeting new people.

7. Outside of yoga what is your passion/Where can you be found?

   Outside of yoga, nature is where I can be found — the beach or the mountains. Ideally, where the mountains and beach come together is where I would love to reside all the time. Hiking is my absolute favorite thing to do besides yoga. And, of course, spending time with my friends and family.

8. What inspired you to be a student of yoga? To teach?

   I came into yoga because my body hurt all the time and my mind was off and so jumbled dealing with how to handle my physical pain as well as emotional pain and mental stress that I had been juggling for many years. Within my first few classes, I finally felt like I had some control over my emotions and my ability to stabilize my thoughts and worries. It is still an ongoing practice that I have yet to master, but I have become a lot better at discovering my ability and believing in myself to do so. 

   As for teaching…I first knew I was going to be a teacher when I got asked to sub a class very last minute — literally a minute before the class was supposed to start. I was planning on attending as a student, and I had just received my certificate for teacher training. As I was walking in to take the class with one of my favorite teachers, the manager of the studio stopped me and asked me if I could teach the class as the teacher was unable to make it and the class was already packed. Of course I said a resounding “NO!” But he knew I had just went through training and asked about that, so I, though reluctantly, said told him I had never taught a real class before. I had attended her classes many of times and knew what I felt like I needed in my body which was a little bit of everything as always. So I finally said YES, and proceeded teach my first (BIG) class. It was after that class that I felt like I actually could be a teacher. 

9. One piece of advice you like to give your students?

   You are your best teacher. No one knows you like you do or has the ability to; no one feels what you feel, so learn to listen to yourself and create your OWN practice.

10. Favorite yoga quote or mantra?

    “May the sun bring you new energy by day, may the moon softly restore you by night, may the rain wash away your worries, may the breeze blow new strength into your being, may you walk gently through the world and know it's beauty all the days of your life.”
    ― Apache Blessing

11. Favorite yoga tunes?

    I just have too many to pick a favorite. Depends on my mood…Between by Satsang is one of my newer favorites.

12. What else?

    I just want to mention is how much I love practicing and teaching at Blue Sky with all of the amazing students and teachers that we have.️