Charlotte Dodson

Charlotte Dodson Yoga

I love being active and it has always been an important part of my life. Yoga actually found me; it was a blessing in disguise. I moved from advertising into teaching yoga, and now it’s my full time passion. I got into yoga by accident (literally), and it completely changed my life …

It started when, on a weekend away, I broke my arm surfing. It meant my daily boxing and soft-sand running schedule came to a stand still. I had loved the adrenaline of being fit and healthy, and then suddenly I had to stop everything that was important to me in my world – I got thrown onto another path. Ultimately, the practice and teaching of yoga has shown me that as I follow what I truly wish for in my life, my path will lead me the right way and I won’t need to question the journey I’m on.

My incredible teacher Eileen Hall has aided me immensely in deepening my knowledge and appreciation for yoga. I’ve also had magical insights and deep wisdom from Richard Freeman, David Swenson and Mark Robberds – it’s important to keep growing and evolving every day through the art of being open and receptive to a wide variety of perspectives.

Walking my doggies along the coast, dipping into the ocean and soaking up the great outdoors. Nature teaches us that beauty exists everywhere – both inside and outside of ourselves.

I love the dancers pose (Natrajasana). It teaches us that “life is a dancer and you are the dance.” (Eckhart Tolle)

Is a positive lifestyle; it’s far more than trying to touch your toes! Yoga is a great place to start to create a healthy body and state of mind. We all need to build strength and confidence, gain flexibility and maintain our postural alignment, remain grounded and find balance in our journey. Practicing yoga (in combination with a meditation practice) can also give everyone time to rest, rejuvenate and ‘be’ true to themselves.

I love animals! We’re closely linked to the animal world. Just watching an animal closely can take you out of your mind-distractions and bring you into the present moment, which is where animals live all the time. This is what yoga teaches us: to live in the now.

To slow down (big ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh on the exhale!). To truly live and cherish every single moment and every breath, rather than hurrying and rushing through life – otherwise we miss out on what’s right in front of us. Yoga has taught me to b-r-e-a-t-h-e, one breath at a time, and to live each moment, one blessing at a time.

For me, in this current moment, yoga is life – it’s a calm positive state of mind, to simply sit comfortably and be, without artifice or pretense. That’s the challenge for most of us, to train our busy minds to become stiller and to follow our intuition, our heart. To come back to the essence of who we really are, by listening to ourselves. It might sound hard, and it’s something I’m always working on, but it sure makes life a lot easier!

Stay enthusiastic. Sometimes life can have its challenges but the key is to keep moving forward, fearlessly. The challenges soon fade away and evolve into learning opportunities for expansion. The yoga class is a perfect life metaphor – as we build strength and openness, and as the poses become easier to safely perform, the exertion and concentration eventually disappears, transforming the practice into a moving meditation.

Everything you do with your body can affect your thoughts and attitude. Sometimes, something as subtle as a shift in a yoga posture can lighten a dark mood. When someone stands tall, with dignity – opening and broadening their chest – and walks with confidence, they announce to the world (and, most importantly, to themselves) that they are grounded, happy and in tune with their surroundings.

My teacher, Eileen Hall, once said to me, “you don’t need to try anymore.” She said, “let go and your world will open up.” For years I was wondering what I should be letting go of. And then it hit home one day. It was to let go of everything, no more predicting the future or holding on to the past. Yoga, for me, was actually the opportunity to drop everything – fears, expectations, and even thoughts. I learned, finally, that our breath is the anchor for us all to live in the present moment. This is the ultimate gift: to live in the now.

Write my book
Grow my herbal garden
Start my charity foundation
Spread positive vibes through an in-development TV Show (resident ‘yoga life coach’)
Travel the world and touch someone’s heart wherever I go!

S-m-i-l-e. It’s contagious! And give yourself a hug of gratitude – everyday! Laughter really is the best medicine.

Live, love, laugh.

TCM Reader Exclusive: Want to get your flow on with Charlotte? Get a free monthly subscription to charlottedodson.tv (valued at $19.95), filled with online classes to look and feel star-shaped! To sign up, click here and enter promo password THECHALKBOARDMAG at checkout. Namaste!

Offer valid until June 30th, 2015.