Josie Kramer is wearing tee by Tee Bra and Va Va Leggings by Revolucion. Photo by David Young-Wolff
Yoga Teacher Josie Kramer MA is also a meditation teacher, holistic health coach, mindfulness-based counselor, and massage therapist. She is the author of a guided meditation CD Body Love, Soul Purpose and the DVD The Yoga of Food: A Whole Person Approach to Eating. Josie teaches at Yogis Anonymous, LYFE Yoga Center, The Bay Club, and Life Lab: josieyoga.com
What does mindfulness mean to you?
To me, mindfulness means being fully engaged in the present moment with awareness, kindness, and non-judgment. It was extremely helpful for me to learn mindfulness from my own yoga and meditation practices and now I try to apply the skill to all aspects of my life!
How do you practice mindful eating in your own life?
In my own life, mindful eating is about slowing down and savoring the food I eat, honoring my body’s natural hunger cues, eating fresh foods that are nourishing for my body, and being conscious of the source of my food and it’s environmental impact.
What advice do you give people seeking to adjust their own eating habits?
I’ve found that people’s eating struggles are many and the root causes are complex and varied. For the most part, everyone knows to eat more vegetables and to eat less processed foods. The challenge is HOW to do this! Step by step, I help my clients become aware of and transcend the patterns that aren’t serving them. I teach them to listen to their bodies and to understand how their cravings, stress, and emotions impact their eating habits. Through meditation techniques, compassionate support, and intention setting, my clients move from an unconscious approach to eating to a more mindful, healthy, and balanced lifestyle.
What books or authors inspire you?
Pema Chodron is a constant source of inspiration for me. I just finished reading Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith and can’t recommend it enough!
When did you know that you wanted to teach yoga?
I knew that I wanted to teach yoga only six months into my practice. The feeling was SO strong! The best way I can describe it is that I felt it in my bones…I just knew! I originally moved to LA to become an actress but found my true calling with teaching.
Where do you go in LA when you need to recharge?
I go to the beach, take a yoga class, or treat myself to a massage.
Where are some places that you practice?
I love practicing at the studios where I teach and I also love floating around, trying new studios and teachers. LA has so much to offer in terms of yoga! We are truly blessed! My favorite class right now is with Shelley Williams at YogaWorks.
What did you find meaningful about your first yoga class?
My first yoga class was the hardest thing I’d ever done physically. Honestly, I remember not liking it! It actually took going to many classes and trying different styles and teachers before I was hooked! What was most meaningful from the beginning though, was that yoga kept me coming back!
At the time, I was searching for deep healing in my life. I intuitively sensed that if I stuck with it, yoga would be a catalyst for positive change. What I didn’t know was just how positive that change would be! With continued practice, yoga became my medicine, my refuge, and my sanctuary. I experienced such a profound transformation in my body, mind, and spirit, that I felt genuinely called to share the magic of yoga with others.
Where did you study to become a yoga teacher?
I did my first 200 hour teacher training at Center for Yoga in Larchmont Village, which is now YogaWorks. I later completed a 1,000 hour teacher training at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado.
Tell us where you teach now.
I teach at Yogis Anonymous, LYFE Yoga Center, Life Lab, and The Bay Club (Redondo Beach, South Bay, Howard Hughes).
For more information about Yoga Teacher Josie Kramer, visit her website at JosieYoga.
Yoga Teacher Josie Kramer is wearing jewelry by Laugh Live Love Jewelry (laughlivelovejewelry.com) top by Tee Bra (tee-bra.com) and VaVa Leggings by revolucion (revolucionla.com).
Photo at Tongva Park Santa Monica by David Young-Wolff: davidyoung-wolff.com
Felicia Tomasko has spent more of her life practicing Yoga and Ayurveda than not. She first became introduced to the teachings through the writings of the Transcendentalists, through meditation, and using asana to cross-train for her practice of cross-country running. Between beginning her commitment to Yoga and Ayurveda and today, she earned degrees in environmental biology and anthropology and nursing, and certifications in the practice and teaching of yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurveda while working in fields including cognitive neuroscience and plant biochemistry. Her commitment to writing is at least as long as her commitment to yoga. Working on everything related to the written word from newspapers to magazines to websites to books, Felicia has been writing and editing professionally since college. In order to feel like a teenager again, Felicia has pulled out her running shoes for regular interval sessions throughout Southern California. Since the very first issue of LA YOGA, Felicia has been part of the team and the growth and development of the Bliss Network.