By: Daisy Hemmen
Boody is excited to bring certified yoga instructor and mindful living blogger Andrea Bogart to our community for a mindful, feel-good yoga flow. This flow is for everyone - including soon-to-be mamas. Read on to get to know Andrea a bit better, and then grab your mat and enjoy this video as it guides you through giving your body some love!
How has your educational and career background led you to where you are today?
I have a BS in Mass Media with an emphasis in Journalism and a minor in Dance from MSU. I continued with acting classes, writing classes and made the big shift into yoga and wellness while acting in Los Angeles. I’m a professional dancer turned actress and yoga instructor writing about mindful living. I love that all of which I’ve studied between dance, acting, writing, yoga, and wellness has a place when it comes to passionately teaching yoga and writing with the hopes to propel others into a healthy, happier, more mindful place!
How does sustainable living fit into your lifestyle?
As a family we do our best to be a non-toxic household, use plant-based cleaners, support organic local farmers, bike our daughter to school and around town when we can, recycle, buy products made out of recycled and fair trade materials, be conscious about where and how our food is sourced, use solar… we can always do better but we are proud of our efforts.
What daily wellness practices are your absolute non-negotiables?
Sleep (I strive for 8 hours), meditation and movement (I love using my apple watch to track), water intake and fueling myself with organic foods, and getting outside daily in nature.
What would you say to people who are curious about yoga but feel intimidated and think they aren’t “good” at it?
A part of yoga is stretching and strengthening the body in a safe way to maintain your optimal health and mobility as we age. It’s important to find the style and pace of class that supports you and your body best and an instructor who can provide alignment principles with individual attention and feedback so you grow and feel good. Dropping into that mind, body, spirit connection provides such tremendous benefits for our overall health. I embrace that yoga is a wholehearted experience that can serve our highest good and goes far beyond the wonderful physical benefits. We have a lot to gain from a consistent practice. :)
What does mindful living mean to you? What are three things people can do today to start living more mindfully?
My interpretation of mindful living is moving through each day with the awareness that cultivates more compassionate meaning to our lives in all that we do. It’s a perfectly imperfect life with a wholehearted desire to be more present, joyful, vulnerable and loving with ourselves, each other and the world that encompasses our being. It takes practice and effort to nurture our own self-care, the compassion we share with all beings and how we consciously care for our planet - a worthy lifelong practice in my book.
