Lauren and Travis are amazing Yoga Alliance-certified E-RYT 500 instructors who are the creators behind the original series, Journey to Yoga: 10 Days of Connection, and Yoga 30 for 30. Both are part of their new online streaming platform, Inner DimensionTV, newly launched on April 12th. This inspiring couple realized a daily yoga practice must balance with the responsibilities of modern-day life and created online programs to allow for flexibility for anyone who is a yoga-lover or a newbie who wants to try it out for a month.
Kimberly: Welcome everybody, welcome to Spiritual Biz Chat for Spiritual Biz Magazine, I am your host, Kimberly Maska, and today we have joining us Lauren Eckstrom and Travis Eliot, Yoga Alliance-certified E-RYT 500 instructors who have just launched their new online streaming platform, Inner DimenstoinTV. Lauren and Travis, welcome and thank you both for being with us, how are you doing today?
Travis: Awesome! There’s a lot going on between hosting trainings, teaching public classes, traveling for conferences, releasing my new book “Journey Into Yin Yoga”, and the launch of our new yoga and meditation monthly platform Inner DimenstoinTV. It’s a pleasure to connect with you and the Spiritual Biz community!
Lauren: It’s so great to be here with you. Thank you so much for having us. We just returned from teaching in Maine and we were lucky enough to spend two days teaching in the Maine State Prison to a group of 17 men currently incarcerated. As a result, I’m feeling deeply humbled and grateful for these practices as I watch them spread through and am excited to continue sharing them here today with you and the Spiritual Biz readers.
Kimberly: Excellent! So, could you share the story behind your personal journey down the path to your current life’s purpose and work, and tell us more about your business?
Travis: Back in 2003 I had a near-death and near-drowning experience in Kaui that really awakened me to the meaning of life. When you are about to die you don’t think about your material objects. You think about the people you love and the people that love you. After that experience, I started to view life differently and spent more time practicing yoga and meditation.
About a year after my near drowning experience I was invited to teach yoga in Thailand. I knew from that first class I had found my true calling. About a week after I started teaching our island was struck by the massive tsunami of 2005. That day I committed to the universe that I would spread the teachings of yoga and meditation to as many people as possible. Over the years that has evolved through classes, trainings, books, CDs, DVDs, and now to our most exciting endeavor to date, Inner DimenstoinTV!
Kimberly: What was the turning point in taking the steps to make your passion a business? And how have you managed to turn that into a business?
Travis: Turning our shared passion into a business has always felt organic. In fact, we’ve both always used that as a guiding system. If something feels forced and contrived then it doesn’t usually turn out well. Adversely, if something feels inspiring and natural then that manifests into something very special. Many of the business products we’ve created were because students asked for it.
For example, my first yoga DVD, “Yoga Basics,” was because of students asking me to put a class together so they could practice when I traveled. If you listen the universe will send you the signals for what people are looking for. The key is follow through by taking action and that along with providing value to students is going to create a likely environment of success. The other important point is your ‘why’. Why are you starting a business or making a product? What’s your intention? If your intention is to provide something that is of service to others and contributes to their health and happiness then the universe will have your back!
Kimberly: Congratulations on the big lunch of your Inner DimensionTV! That’s amazing! Tell me a little bit about this platform?
Lauren: Inner DimensionTV is an online yoga and meditation streaming platform that specializes in innovative content helping to inspire people all over the world to practice. On the platform, you can find classes that vary in length, from 10 minutes to 60 minutes, as well as a variety of class styles including Power Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga for Beginners, Meditation, and Pranayama (or yoga breathing). Additionally, you can enjoy 4 unique programs when you become a member: Yoga 30 for 30, Journey to Yoga, Yoga for Beginners, and Meditation 101. We are adding new content regularly along with new featured guest teachers, new programs and expanding categories of content!
Travis: I would just add that the video content is highly cinematic! Also, in addition to the practices being visually stunning, the overall platform is aesthetically appealing and easy to navigate. In fact, some classes are so beautiful it might be hard to resist licking the screen!
Kimberly: Let’s talk a bit about the book you have written, “Holistic Yoga Flow: The Path of Practice”. Who exactly is the book for and what intention or purpose you had in mind while writing it?
Lauren: Holistic Yoga Flow: The Path of Practice is for anyone with a passion and curiosity for yoga. The book is broken down into 3 sections. The first section provides readers with a clear, easy to understand overview of yoga philosophy. The second section provides beautiful photos, alignment points, and the benefits to over 110 of the foundational yoga postures.
Then finally the last section of the book is geared toward helping readers develop their personal home practice or to help aspiring teachers create their own class sequences while also providing an overview of the business of teaching yoga. The book is a coffee table in style with a stunning, cinematic layout that allows readers to feel invited into the practice and depth of yoga. The book is the foundation of our 200 hour Yoga Alliance certified Holistic Yoga Flow teacher training program. We implement the book as our primary manual for the training and teacher trainers and studios around the world do the same.
Kimberly: What kind of advice can you give to someone who’s about to write a book, wants to write a book, or has just written a book? What should be they aware of?
Travis: As I mentioned earlier I just finished my book, “Journey Into Yin Yoga,” and it was such an exhilarating experience. For those that feel inspired to write a book, I say, “Go for it!” Because it’s such a long and often challenging journey, make sure it is something you have a burning desire to share. It took me about 18 months from start to finish. I’ll never forget the first day I sat down to write and I had a completely blank computer screen. It’s hard to express how exciting and also daunting that moment was.
Spiritual practices that teach us to be present and in the moment will come in real handy when writing. Instead of thinking about how much more you have to write simply focus on your current word, sentence, and paragraph. Before you know it you will start accumulating pages and pages. Also, if you get the notorious writer’s block I found it very helpful to exercise and move the body. Very often in the middle of a yoga practice or a trail run, I would get hit with insights of clarity and inspiration.
Kimberly: Is there a final message you want to let the audience know? Or just any last little words that you have for them?
Lauren: Your practice matters. Keep showing up and know that you are not alone on your journey. There is a growing community of people practicing yoga and meditation across the world and even though it can seem slow-moving or isolated, your practice has an impact on our national and global community. If you feel inspired, share your practice with us! We would love to hear from you and learn how we can support you on your continued journey, both on and off the mat.
Travis: There is an African tribe that believes each one of us is born with a unique cargo. We were each sent here to deliver this special gift. Whatever this special cargo is, it will be a present to humanity. Every day dedicate time to strengthening your body, mind, and heart so that your cargo gets delivered. By all of us fulfilling this life purpose we will leave a positive impact that will affect generations to come.
Kimberly: If our readers wanted to reach you, where can they find you? Where can they learn more about your newly launched Inner DimensionTV? And where can they also find your book?
Lauren: The best place to learn about our upcoming retreats, teacher trainings, and events is at innerdimensionmedia.com. There, you can also learn more about Inner Dimension TV and join us for a free 10-day trial. To personally connect, you can find me on Instagram @laureneckstrom or at laureneckstrom.com
Travis: You can find my new book, “Journey Into Yin Yoga”, also on innerdimensionmedia.com, on instagram @realtraviseliot or at traviseliot.com
Kimberly: Thank you, Lauren and Travis, very much! It has been such a pleasure chatting with you today and learning about your work.
Lauren: Thank you so much, Kimberly! This has been so much fun and we look forward to sharing more with you and your readers in the near future!
Travis: Blessings!
