Wow! I can’t believe our last blog post was January 2020! Well, that’s not true, I can, because it is right before all our worlds kind of fell apart. I’m so excited to start highlighting our awesome teachers & students again! Here goes…..
Nichole Brown (they/them) was one of our pandemic graduates of our first, online, biggest ever, teacher training sessions in 2020/2021! Suffice it to say, I never got to know Nichole as well as I had other IRL cohorts, BUT I do know that throughout the training, they continued to get rave reviews from teachers and students alike. It seems that they not only had a dedicated yoga practice, but were very enthusiastic about learning as much as possible and getting all that they could out of training. When they graduated, I was immediately recommended by the teacher trainers that they should join our team and continue growing with us!
Nichole now teaches with us regularly and continues to put dedication into their practice and teaching from the heart.
Here’s some more about Nichole……
Hometown: Jackson, MI
Sign: Scorpio 😈
Favorite Color: changes daily, but I’ve started leaning into lighter pastels.
Favorite Movie or book: I can honestly not come up with a single good answer for this. But if it helps, I love a good dark comedy. I am also a lover of bad movies ( the kind that think they’re good, but not in an obnoxious way). And I’m a sucker for a well thought out romcom - think 'While You Were Sleeping'.
What is your favorite meal? Pork and leek dumplings and the cucumber salad from Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings in Chinatown 🤤
What brought you to yoga? Poor body image + insecurities originally. I was looking for any way to workout + lose weight and found instead a practice that provided me with a safe space to simply be and connect with myself.
What brought you to TULA? A family friend/past employer was a regular student with Tula, so I had heard of the studio, but my sister pushed me to check it out. I explored the website and dove right into classes and the teacher training.
What is your favorite yoga pose (and why)? OOF this is hard. I’d honestly have to say savasana. That feels like a bit of a cop out, but it is a pose that is so often forgotten or cut short. That time to grant myself rest, to simply observe my breath and any sensations that may be lingering from my practice is truly transformative and healing for me.
What are the benefits you have experienced from a regular yoga practice? I am kinder to myself and have a much stronger connection to my body + mind. I trust myself and advocate for what is safe and comfortable for me now. The mudras (gestures), pranayama (breath work), and philosophies follow me throughout my day to day life - reminding me to be soft, to be flexible, to be strong, and to fight for those around me.
What is your Least favorite pose (and why)? Skandasana (side lunge pose)! I have knee and hip issues, so oftentimes the way this pose is taught feels AWFUL in my body. I typically add props to relieve this, but I feel I can get the same benefits of the pose elsewhere in my practice without so much stress on my body + mind.
What advice would you give someone just starting yoga? Ask yourself why you are interested in yoga, what’s pulling you there - if you’re unsure that’s ok! I’d encourage you to continue to come back to that question the more you practice. I’d also say be patient and kind to yourself. It is called a practice for a reason and these positions, philosophies, and breathing patterns can be completely brand new to our bodies and brains! It takes time for us to know how we need to adjust and to find the right alignment for our needs. Lastly, I’d remind them that yoga is NOT one size fits all - my triangle pose may look completely different than yours and that doesn’t make either of us wrong or better/worse at yoga.
What is your favorite after-yoga activity? I like to keep the softness granted to me from Savasana as long as I can, so I typically sit in silence for a while or will provide myself a little extra care in the form of a massage. If I have time and my energy feels ok then I might journal or create a little bit of art for myself.
List 3 fun facts we don’t know about you:
I love birds, but they terrify me.
I will keep the bit going. If you want to talk to me in a Scottish accent everyday I will reply to you in a Scottish accent everyday. If you want to caw at me like a crow I will caw at you like a crow. I am here for the weird and happy to bring it out anytime <3
I love to dance!! Not in any trained type of way, but in a flailing of limbs so happy to be experiencing music type of way.
You can find Nichole at TULA on Mondays at 9am, Thursdays at 5pm and they sub once a month on Saturday at 11am. You can also follow their other offerings at @neecolaaayoga and NeecolaaaYoga.com
