Each of our luminaries brings something special to our community; to find out more about those amazing qualities Inner Fire sat down with Rachel Barrett to ask her a few questions about herself, and to find out how yoga has positively impacted her life. Here is what Rachel has to say:
After my very first practice I could notice a difference. The asanas were a maze through the circus of my mind and body, yet my feet remained on this purple rectangle the entire 90 minute class.
Where did I go?
The world softened, quite suddenly in an exhale.
There’s weight in this well of knowledge, thousands of years of practice and who am I?
The mystery and never-endedness of yoga has captivated me on and off the mat for 8 years now. I came to this practice with scoliosis pains, a very limited perspective of self-care and a busy-minded host of expectations about yoga. I was this runner girl wanting to save the world all the while absolutely killing her knees and hamstrings. Triangle pose in particular caught me in the moment, allowing space to listen and heal instead of harm.
Tuning into body, tuning into breath
Ahimsa (non-violence) into action
thoughts like magnets
the song and dance continue
To share the simplicity of attention; listening to the moment, is such an exciting part of my reality.
Teaching yoga changes every class. Practicing presence is transformative to our lives and it's my greatest gift; to be a witness to the process and connected in communities that nourish this journey within me.
For me being a yoga teacher makes perfect sense because it connects me to a deeper purpose, silencing my own insecurity. Bringing myself together while crumbling myself apart.
Teaching, is to be a forever student.
Through teaching I have found my voice and through sharing my voice I find there are so many many more like me. I'm so grateful to this Luminary community and many others: we connect, we share, we shine and we inspire each other, it's a beautiful thing!
Part of my purpose on this planet is to create. Now that I embrace it, I love my creativity, it teaches me patience and trust.
I feel incomplete if I'm not writing, drawing, singing, or painting. I make mala beads and now sing in a band, so that keeps me pretty balanced. Even still, I've always got about 10 creative projects on the go and about a hundred rainy day ideas.
A massive part of my focus in each retreat is how we integrate the retreat into our daily living. It's not about disconnecting with life, but instead to open a space where we can connect deeply. A time to let your dreams vibrate and see where the flow of energy leads you. Tuning in and making space to listen; polishing the tools to bring into daily living in a meaningful and mindful way. Future retreats will see the bridge of the potent transformation in the past year between my heart and mind - Qigong is a new part of my practice and it's exciting to see how the path unfolds.
Writing songs and playing shows with my band, Tokyo Valentine. Each of these people are so important and the band has become this little family who challenge and inspire potential through collaboration and individual commitment. We all play our parts and watch each other shine.
Music lives as another layer of self practice. It makes us want to move, to drum beats in your chest. I can't describe how beautiful a thing it is seeing people dance and sing to what we’ve written together.
Travel is something that I was scared of for so long and then on my first trip my passport was stolen. Once I realized I was still alive and well, temporarily inconvenienced but okay - travel opened a whole new reality. There's actually a whole world out there. I'm still fascinated by the synchronicity of travel and how it magnetizes experiences and people onto our path in perfect timing. Travelling and teaching yoga brought a new resilience and awareness into my eyes.
Solo travel means trusting yourself into the unknown - meeting all kinds of amazing people underneath canopies of starlit palm trees and encountering plenty of moments to make you count those lucky stars.
Overcoming fear, and letting go of insecurity. Surrender to the shine and trusting myself in the process.
Spend more time in nature. Silence. Stillness.
When you are in tune with your uniquely wild nature, you are aligned with the infinite. It looks a little different for each of us, but individually we all know exactly what it is and collectively when we cultivate more of this in our practice, we all shine. I think about how animals in captivity lose their light - and in the same way we can trap ourselves like prisoners in a limited mindset that dulls our radiant truth.
Luminous and Wild is to be in constant change like the seasons.
Why wouldn't we transform like the nature that we are?
There's a whole world of people out there who are just as weirdly wonderful as you are and living their dreams. The moment you let your freak flag fly the easier it is for your soul friends to find you. What a relief!
I'm putting together some videos from our time Wanderlusting so the community can see how much of a jewel Leah really is. Seriously we can all make the effort for more soul nourishing experiences like this to be a reality. Finding other people who’s sparkle polishes your own.
Also dance everyday.
Music. Travel. Love. Community.
Mint bloom are my jam always - I seriously dream of that print in every colour of the rainbow. Triple tied for second are Nomad, Moroccan Coral, and Peony - the Spring colours are all so lovely!
