Debbie Lash is a yoga teacher and health coach based in Los Angeles, California.
1. What style of yoga do you teach?
With my clients I teach a collaboration of Vinyasa Flow and Restoration depending on what is needed on the day. My public offerings are various levels of Vinyasa Flow, with some classes in a heated environment. I’m passionate about music so my playlists are super important to setting the tone plus I weave in essential oils for a sensory experience
2. What is your intention behind teaching?
I have many intentions behind my teaching, and they change daily. But what's important to me is guiding people to connect to their breath by consciously breathing into the whole body, and then once the breath is established, and becomes the voice of their practice, then they're able to cultivate windows of stillness in the mind.
3. Who are your mentors in yoga?
I did my 500 YogaWorks TT with Carolina Goldberg, this woman changed my life. Other teachers who inspire me are Joe Kara, Andrea Marcum, David Lynch, Danielle Karuna (to name a few)! Living in LA is a blessing as I am surrounded by many of the most inspiring yoga teachers in the world - it’s a life long journey with so much to learn.
4. What have they taught you?
The best advice I was ever given was “just get out there and teach and the rest will fall into place”.
Other great advice:
- teach what you practice (meaning don’t teach poses that you are not practicing yourself).
- be authentic.
- keep showing up & doing the work.
- practice where you want to teach, get to know your community.
5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you?
Close to OM - Stretching your yoga from your mat to your life By Andrea Marcum
Autobiography of a Yogi - Paramahansa Yogananda
Wherever you go there you are By Jon Kabat-Zinn
6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice?
Patience is everything.
Everything eventually works out as its meant to, the lessons are in how you handle yourself between the gaps.Keep showing up, doing the work and the body, mind and soul will unfold and transform.How you do your yoga on the mat is how you live your life off the mat.
7. How often do you practice?
In an ideal world I practice daily but then sometimes lifes gets in the way and thats ok.
8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana?
Dharana and Dhyana go together like salt and pepper - Daily meditation - even if its 10 mins or Savasana (it all counts).
Pranayama - I teach this with every client and at the start of every single class - the breath is everything.
Pratyahara mainly comes in when I practice yoga - withdrawing from the senses - balancing poses especially facilitate this for me
Yamas - Is a life practice of not wasting peoples time by being punctual, I don’t steal, I speak my truth, I try hard to not get attached to things or outcomes
Niymamas - I’m studying with IIN to be a health coach, self displine and mindfulness is essential. Mental discomfort of what people think of me is a daily check-in and one i’m constantly working on. I’m all about surrendering to the ethos that everything works out as it meant to, I’ve really learnt to trust the process.
9. Why is being present so important to you?
I used to be so focused on things in the future, whether it be a day, a week, a month or even a year ahead that I totally missed out on what was happening in the right now. My whole life is now geared to living in the moment, seeing and surrounding myself with like minded people. Listening and looking people in the eyes, saying hi when normally I would keep my head down, giving a compliment when normally I would think it but not say it - that to me is living in the now.
10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?
Instagram - debbielashyoga
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/debbie.lash.9