Meet Wendy: Yoga Buggy Secretary
I’d love for Yoga Buggy to be recognized as the number one resource for mindfulness education in schools and community centres.
-Wendy Goldsmith
We’re thrilled to welcome Wendy as secretary on The Yoga Buggy Board! Wendy uses her passion and creative talent to market wellness professionals. She is also a parent of two wonderful kiddos and an accomplished yoga teacher in her own right. We were stoked to learn about Wendy’s journey.
YB: Hi Wendy! What drew you to yoga?
WG: I’ve had depression and anxiety since I was a teen, but after the birth of my child it became so severe that I had to seek help, using those labels for the first time. Medication and therapy helped, but not completely. I remembered staying in a yoga ashram in Nepal years before when I was a backpacker. After a week, I looked in the mirror and liked myself for what felt like the first time. Langara College accepted me into a 6-month yoga teacher training that required daily meditation, pranayama (breathing exercises) and asana (physical postures). After a few months, I was shocked to feel tingling in my skin and strength in my core. Other than how it looked, my body had never seemed important before. Shifting my attention from thoughts to sensations was transformative.
YB: What inspired you to join The Yoga Buggy's Board?
WG: For four years, I was the marketing and communications coordinator for Yoga Outreach,, a non-profit that supports adults recovering from trauma. I found my passion in connecting people with yoga’s transformative power. I loved weaving together digital marketing strategies to create a community around mental health and mindfulness. When I learned that Yoga Buggy had a similar mission for sharing mindfulness practices with children, it seemed like a great opportunity to further both my personal and professional goals.
YB: What are your favorite takeaways about nonprofits and the local yoga scene?
WG: There is a TON of drama in the yoga world! People are always calling each other out for being problematic. Some of this is really necessary, as there is definitely a lot of cultural appropriation going on in Vancouver. When you say that you work for a yoga non-profit, you have to quickly explain that it’s not the fitness kind with matching leggings and bra tops because that’s what most Vancouverites are familiar with. I think the non-profits are really different from most of the for-profit yoga studios with the types of yoga they share. Nonprofits have to work extra hard to differentiate themselves from fitness-style yoga and educate Westerners about the mental health aspects. In addition, since they are trying to share a more traditional approach, they have to be careful to acknowledge yoga’s roots in South Asia while sharing practices in a fun way with kids who have grown up here. It’s a tricky balance, but I think it’s really important that nonprofits hold themselves to a high standard.
YB: As a parent, what are your thoughts on incorporating more yoga and mindfulness practices into kids' lives?
WG: I’d like to say that my kids and I practice yoga together every day, but in reality, my kids roll their eyes when I suggest it! On the other hand, I’ve been pretty impressed with the mindfulness practices they bring home from school. My son uses 10-finger breathing when he has insomnia. Some other yoga principles I have taught my children:
Be curious rather than judgemental about themselves and other people.
Encourage them to feel fully sad or angry for as long as they like. I’ll cuddle them and talk to them about how they’re feeling without trying to cheer them up or distract them. That’s different from the way I was raised. But thinking about how difficult it was for me as an adult to seek help for depression - even to recognize it as depression - I think they’ll be more secure in themselves and be better prepared for life’s ups and downs.
YB: I love your thoughts about how the principles and practices of yoga can have a positive impact on children. Any other reflections on this?
WG I remember learning in school what self-esteem was, but not how to get it. Yoga and mindfulness practices might be the best way to teach kids how to attain self-esteem. It’s so valuable for kids or adults to be able to recognize what they’re feeling and then make choices about what to do with those feelings. Equally powerful is understanding that other people - even adults or caregivers - don’t always manage their emotions effectively. That’s not your fault, and you don’t have to take on other people’s mismanaged emotions. I think if kids have had that experience of calm contentment at their core they’re less likely to end up in abusive relationships.
YB: What growth would you like to see during your tenure on The Yoga Buggy board?
WG: I’d love for Yoga Buggy to be recognized as the number one resource for mindfulness education in schools and community centres. That’s definitely an achievable goal.
YB: What would you like to share with new or aspiring yoga teachers?
WG: To new teachers, I’d say: let go of the need for everyone to follow your style or to be the star of the show. The real magic happens when students feel free to make choices that resonate with their own bodies. Celebrate those moments of authenticity; they’re what truly enrich the yoga experience.
We are overjoyed to have Wendy on board at The Yoga Buggy. Her creative insights and commitment to spreading the yoga love! will elevate our mission of promoting wellness among children.
For more from Wendy, check out her evolving website.