Lindsay Nova is a yoga teacher who travels and teaches.

1. What style of yoga do you teach? And, where are you located?

I teach a bit of everything but my specialties are aerial yoga, vinyasa, and yin yoga. I’m from Florida, lived & taught all over the US, and have been traveling for 4 years teaching internationally. I created the Rising Wings Aerial Yoga teacher training curriculum and Samanova School of Yoga which have been taught on 4 continents in 7 countries in the last 2 years alone during my travels. Most recently I began running my first Yin yoga teacher training online which has been a huge success! I am a 500-RYT and I’ve been teaching for 10+ years. I hold a BFA in dance along with certificates in Pilates, barre, and reiki outside of yoga.

I am currently in Mysore, India during the pandemic waiting for lockdown to be lifted. I was studying Ashtanga here for 3 months before I got “stuck”. I have not had a home in 4 years so actually it has felt nice to be grounded in 1 place for a while.

2. What is your intention behind teaching?

There are so many reasons- to help people get into their bodies, to help experienced practitioners expand their practice & go beyond asana, to inspire others to live a life they love from a place of love, to show people they can do anything they put their mind to whether it’s a handstand or healing themselves in some way.

I strongly believe in body consciousness, not only in just physical movement & the wisdom of our muscles & tissues on a cellular level, but that when we understand how to use this body vehicle in combination with our breath & mindset training, you begin to realize that you are hardwired as a spiritual being. We all have different paths to “wake up” and I enjoy sharing what I have found through my lifetime study of dance, yoga, and aerial arts to help others be the best version of themselves.

3. Who are your mentors in yoga?

Myself! I have never committed to following one teacher. But just recently I found 2 teachers I was practicing with briefly here in Mysore, India before the pandemic started that I would gladly continue with & hope to one day. They are brothers, Vijay & Vinay Kumar. Vijay teaches Ashtanga and Vinay has his own style of yoga called Pranavashya. I take backbending and pranayama with Vinay.

4. What have they taught you?

They have helped me overcoming limiting beliefs about my body and mind through the power of the breath as well as technique, but beyond just what you do with your body/mind/breath there is a spirit of Love that permeates everything in the universe. Asana is like a puzzle with your body that you begin to unlock through your daily practice. When you reach a difficult moment, get stuck, or feel afraid, this is when the power of the breath comes to the rescue- you get comfortable with those moments and eventually move forward. You can apply this to any part of life.

5. Please mention a book that you have read about yoga that has had a positive impact on you?

The Living Gita by Sri Swami Satchidananda

This is my 3rd time reading a rendition of the Bhagavad Gita and he presents the material in a contemporary, easy to understand way with many personal anecdotes that make it relatable and meaningful. The Gita never gets old!

6. What lesson are you currently learning in your Asana practice?

To believe in myself. For most of my life, I told myself I could do not perform deep backbends. I didn’t believe my body was capable. Through aerial yoga, slowly my back began to open up and I came to Mysore, India to study with a backbending specialist. I now love backbending and have been able to achieve several poses I never thought possible.

7. How often do you practice?

Almost every day for 2-5 hours depending on the time of year, where I am, or who I am studying with (not just asana). I generally observe moon days (no practice on full or new moon). If I’m teaching too much or have a busy travel schedule, I may miss a physical practice for some time but I try to keep up with meditation, pranayama and other forms of self-care or activities I enjoy. It may sound extreme, but if you time your practice right in the early morning & evening, you have plenty of time & even more energy than coffee to get all your work done 😉

8. How do you implement the other 7 limbs of yoga into your life other than Asana?

Meditation and pranayama are very much an important part of my daily practice as well as abiding by the yamasand niyamas, according to what they mean universally and personally. I believe certain levels of samadhi can be achieved in daily living and practice, so that samadhi permeates every aspect of your life and being in this existence.

9. Why is being present so important to you?

There is nothing more important than the power of now, the eternal present moment is all we have! The past is history and the future is a mystery, so it is useless to remain attached to anything that brings us out of what we have now- the present. Attachment & expectation cause suffering, and there is no reason to feel that way if we don’t have to. Being present is a practice in nonattachment.

10. How can we keep up with you on social media? What is your IG handle and/ FB name?

Instagram: @lindsaynova

Facebook: facebook.com/lindsaynovaarts