YOGI OF THE MONTH

October 2023 - Margy Childs 

What first brought you to yoga and how long have you been practicing?

I first started practicing yoga in 2008, when my younger daughter embarked on a year-long fellowship to travel the world alone - a great experience for someone else’s kid but torture when it’s your own! The yoga at ACAC in Charlottesville really helped my sanity! I had a daily practice for several years before moving back to Richmond. There, the yoga communities at Om On Studio and at Project Yoga were central to my practice as I navigated my grandma-nanny role.  Covid brought us to the Northern Neck and to InsideOut Yoga.

What is/are your intention(s) for your yoga practice?

My intention with yoga is to focus on myself. As a parent, daughter, sister, educator, and grandmother, I have had a tendency to put my needs last. Yoga is my time devoted entirely to me, my peace and my strength. 

What is your favorite pose and why?

Triangle pose is my favorite pose and I really don’t know why. It just makes my feel grounded.

What is your favorite class at InsideOut Yoga?

I really don’t have a favorite InsideOut class! I have done Mondays through Saturdays and love them all! I have found the Vinyasa Basics class I take on Fridays to be a nice way to slow down and refocus on the form and structure of the poses. I was not one of those disciplined yogis who practiced at home throughout the Covid days, and rebuilding strength in the Slow Flow classes has been essential. I aim to be a regular in the Vinyasa class before winter. (You guys can remind me of that in January!) I especially loved bringing my daughter and 8-year-old granddaughter to Saturday class over Labor Day weekend! 

How has the practice of yoga influenced your life?

Yoga helps me with balance: physical and emotional. When I leave the mat, I am stronger. People often talk about what they take OFF the mat, but I have found more important is what I leave ON the mat when I roll it up: my worries, my grief, my tears. I walk away lighter, more open and optimistic. 

What advice would you have for a beginning yoga student?

To a beginning student, or a lapsed practitioner, I would recommend to stay with it, and give yoga 6 months to change your life. Keep returning to the mat and it will reward you, physically and mentally. 

What is your occupation?

I am a former kindergarten teacher, retired real estate title searcher, and semi-retired grandma-nanny turned just plain grandma :)

What activities do you enjoy?

I enjoy gardening with my husband, Gene, knitting and needlepointing, and absolutely anything with my daughters and/or their children!

What is your favorite thing about living in the Northern Neck/Middle Peninsula?

My favorite thing about living in the Northern Neck is the view from my screened porch. My grandparents had a place at Sandy Point on the Potomac, my parents had one at Stove Point in Deltaville, and now we have our own on the Great Wicomico. I especially love that I can share it with my children and grandchildren.

Is there anything you want to add?

I deeply appreciate the community at InsideOut and their welcome to this lapsed yogi!