Yogi Spirit interviews inspiring individuals who have made wholehearted living their life calling  

A moment with Emma Ceolin who teaches yoga and writes in the hope to inspire and encourage others on the path to cultivate the most authentic, balanced, loving version of themselves and to chase life with an open heart. She wants to bring you home to yourself through her own authentic journey and wellness path. We hope you find her words as inspiring as we did. The quote that this interview inspires is " Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage' Anais Nin

How did you discover yoga?

Emma: My path to yoga began when I found myself in a period where I wasn't well physically or mentally. I was looking for something more than psychologists or medications. So I began swapping out anything that didn't serve my happiness and saying yes to a bunch of new things - Yoga being one of them. I found that yoga had this innate capability to balance me. No matter what I was experiencing – stress, anxiety, anger, excitement, fear, fatigue. I've been practicing every day since and now my greatest passion is sharing these physical, mental and emotional benefits with others.

How did your modelling experience impact your relationship with health and wellness?

Emma: For me, modelling used to be this really sad thing. It can put a lot of pressure on a young girl who is moving through depression or has low self-esteem. In my experience it was a constant reminder of how little I loved myself at the time. Leading up to a photoshoot I didn’t treat my body with love or respect. During a photoshoot I was would mentally bash my body and feel so ashamed. I always left feeling so down about myself. I would see photos and think “YUCK”. I never felt good enough, pretty enough, thin enough, perfect enough. I was never content. It’s important to remember this all stems from within. So even though modelling amplified this, the demons I was fighting were always within. Because even if you’re a supermodel you will always be finding the next thing to fix! The moment I shifted this focus internally, was the moment I learnt to really love myself. You have to find balance on the inside. It only comes from within. I still model a little every now and then for organisations I’m aligned with. But now I laugh, play, dance, sing and goof around. I don’t care if I have mascara down my face or cellulite on my legs! It took me four years but I found beauty from the inside out. 
 

What are the daily rituals that you can't go without?
Emma: Lemon water, 9 hours sleep, yoga and ocean! These are all things that nourish my body and soul and allow me to give my very best back to this world. 

What have you found to be the best way to lift yourself up when life knocks you down?
Emma: One of the greatest lessons I have learned this year is to truly accept and find beauty in all life’s tides. Because these ebbs and flows are a part of the duality of life. We’re all human. We all go through shit. Sometimes things go wrong. We have this tendency to avoid, push away and run from this negativity, which can delay the process of getting back on our feet. Learning to be okay with not being okay is the secret to overcoming some really shitty days. Sometimes the best way to lift yourself up is as simple as relinquishing control and relaxing into this heartache or pain. Because you absolutely have to burn through emotions in order to transform them. Once you can master this, the sooner you can let go, move on and turn to things that do lift you up. For me this is yoga, being in nature, spending time with family and friends. 
 
What does happiness look like to you?
Emma: Happiness to me is chasing life with an open heart, following your heart’s desires, pursuing anything that set your soul ablaze, finding gratitude even on the darkest of days and leaving this world a little better than you found it. It seems to be working so far for me!

What does having a yogi spirit mean to you and how can we all bring more yoga into our lives? 
Emma: The beautiful thing about yoga is that it is so unique to each of us. When a lot of us think about yoga, we think about challenging Asanas on our mat. This is a very small part of yoga. Some days my practice will be coming to my mat for 1, 2 or 3 hours. Other days it’ll be meditation. And sometimes it’ll be skipping class and curling up with some coconut icecream on the couch. Yoga is about instilling balance, however that may look for you on that day, and loving yourself from the inside out. It’s just about learning to come into tune with your body and know what it’s asking for. On your mat is a great way to start and practice this.  

Follow Emma's journey here:

Blog: www.emmaceolin.com/blogs/finding-happy
Instagram: www.instagram.com/emmaceolin