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?

a little mind and a little body — I was a type-A non-athlete in my early 20s in NYC and someone suggested yoga as “non-exercise” exercise that would also address stress and anxiety — it worked

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?

finding “balance” is kind of the holy grail of life in my opinion — yoga keeps me closer to the center and helps reorient me both physically and mentally when I am veering too far in one direction or another

How long have you been practicing yoga, and how frequently do you hit the mat?

I’ve been practicing for 25 years and try to get on the mat at least 3-4 times/week — in an ideal world it would be every day!

How long did you practice before you started teaching, and how long did you teach?

I practiced for almost 15 years before I started teaching — I’d wanted to take teacher training for a long time, but it didn’t work with my full-time corporate job — I taught for about 5 years, stopping when I got serious about novel writing — I love teaching but with two kids I didn’t have time for everything so, for now, I just practice

What are the benefits of classes at a studio vs practicing yoga at home?

in a home practice you have the freedom to explore — I practiced at home a lot more when I was teaching because that was how I refined sequencing — the studio is more escapist — I can get more immersed in the practice (both yoga and meditation) at a studio when I’m not the one deciding what comes next — I also feed off the energy of the room which is kind of magical

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I like slow vinyasa flow — I’m an alignment nut and I love props, so I always have a little hatha and Iyengar in my head, but I like to move with the breath

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

nothing about yoga or meditation came easily to me! I had never moved my body (or thought about it for that matter) in the ways that yoga asks you to — I was not flexible, and my mind was always busy — when I tried to think about breathing, I would feel like I was hyperventilating — still, I stuck with it — getting comfortable with discomfort and all that

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

more mental balance and a greater sense of self-acceptance

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

I try to practice mindfulness meditation several times a week — I often fail

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

I still hate “exercise,” but I do love to walk and hike — and I work out with a trainer to address aches and pains and hopefully stay strong as I age

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

yes! — my go-tos are janu sirsasana (head-to-knee forward bend) and viparita karani (legs-up-the-wall) which I often do for a few minutes before bed — actually, for me it is “legs-up-the-bed” pose

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

I’d go to the mountains — where the mornings and nights were cool and the days warm and I could go on easy hikes in between yoga sessions

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

[note — this is part 2 of 2; here we focus on Lowitz’s experience as a yoga professional; part 1 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?

I have never in my life pitched yoga — people come when they are called

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

Vajrayana Tibetan Buddhism

How long did you practice yoga before becoming a teacher?

five years

How long have you taught yoga?

30 years — I can’t believe it myself

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

when you feel tired, or that the inspiration is gone — everyone has a different limit and gives a different amount of energy — holding space for others can take a lot out of you but it can also feed you

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

Hatha — Vinyasa Flow — Yin Yoga, Yin/Yang Yoga Mix, Restorative Yoga — Tibetan Heart Yoga, Yoga Nidra is the bomb

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

being in the moment is difficult for beginners and advanced practitioners — letting go of perfectionism/exhibitionism

What are the more difficult poses for beginners to execute?

Savasana — hands down — people find it incredibly difficult just to relax and let go

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

any kind of mindfulness or meditation is so liberating — watching the thoughts come and go, you learn that you are not your thoughts, which are ever-changing

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?

yoga needs no promotion — if you are practicing yoga asana and the other limbs, it works on you in the ways that are needed

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

Thich Nhat Hanh (1926 – 2022) taught a powerful simple mantra: “Breathing in, I calm my body — Breathing out, I smile — Dwelling in the present moment, I know this is a wonderful moment” —  not wonderful in the sense that everything is great, but wonderful as in awe-inspiring — just to be alive — here — now

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?

nothing beats doing yoga outside, tuning in to the rhythms of nature — definitely overlooking the ocean — infinite space outside reflecting infinite inner space

—interview © Marshal Zeringue

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

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 spiritual nature?

I wanted to feel grounded, more settled

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?

it always helps me come home to myself

How frequently do you practice Asana yoga?

about twice a week

And heart yoga?

daily

If you’re not leading a session with others, are you more likely to attend classes at a studio or practice yoga at home?

home

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

hatha/restorative/yin

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

it was challenging to let go of perfectionism, some idea of what a pose should look like — now I just feel, breathe, and enjoy

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

self-love, compassion

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

yoga is a state of being in union with yourself and the universal energy flow — yoga is every breath

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

mostly walking in nature — walking meditation

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

yes, all the time — side stretches twists, heart openers — if my body speaks to me, I respond intuitively — animalistic

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

somewhere tropical, near the ocean — anywhere, really — Hawaii, Bali, Japan, the American Southwest — where the land is sacred

—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 was drawn to yoga to quiet my mind at first — since then I wanted to be more fit and flexible — I also wanted show my teenagers to be physically active by example

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?

yoga feeds my mind and body mostly — it puts me at peace

How long have you been practicing yoga?

I started on a limited basis in 2019 — in January 2022 I realized that I was getting the results I wanted so I started doing yoga mostly every day for at least an hour — sometimes I practice up to 3 hours

How frequently do you practice yoga?

I practice about 95% of my days

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

I like attending classes for the structure and social interactions — if no classes are available I practice at home

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

I prefer ashtanga and vinyasa

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

I had difficulty with balance and blocking out distractions (monkey mind) — balancing poses were difficult and I wanted to be able to do them quickly but I realized I would achieve the level I wanted only with practice and persistence

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

the physical aspect has been the biggest benefit for me — through yoga with a general lifestyle change, I lost about 50 pounds — it increased my energy level, balance and overall health

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

no, I don’t meditate outside of class

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

biking, hiking, stand up paddleboarding

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

I often practice poses in the kitchen — sometimes I will practice while standing in line to check out a store, although I feel like other shoppers find this odd

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

I’m not really sure where I would go

—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 was drawn to the practice of yoga through my time of playing collegiate and professional football to enhance performance and recovery

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?

though yoga has balanced all three, I spend more time feeding the spiritual part of me

You played football at an elite level. Were you practicing yoga at the time or did it come later?

yes, football was the foundation of how I came to embrace yoga

How frequently do you practice yoga?

4 or 5 times a month for recovery

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

classes can be more challenging because you can’t dictate the flow or intensity vs home when it’s more intimate and at your own pace

Do you have a preferred yoga style?

Asana & Kundalini

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

settling my mind and blocking out distractions came the easiest but the postures and being flexible enough to execute proper posture were difficult

What have been the greatest benefits of yoga for you?

I rarely get sick — less inflammation — mental clarity and stability

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

breathing exercises and walking mediation

Do you regularly do other forms of exercise?

lifting weights and cardio

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

I rarely strike poses and stretches but every once in a while I find myself doing something yoga related unintentionally

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

Himalayas, India

—interview © Marshal Zeringue