COURTESY OF CENTR. AS TOLD TO JANNA JOHNSON O’TOOLESTARTED going to yoga many years ago with a girlfriend
of mine in New York. It wasn’t as popular then, but I
thought it would be something fun and different to try.
After a while, I noticed it was a great workout for my body
type: yoga changed the shape of my muscles, strength-
ening and lengthening them rather than bulking.
I have connected to the spiritual side of yoga in a way
ised me. I’ve kept practising because I find combining
breath and movement to be calming — once you start doing it, you
sort of become addicted to that feeling. I am forced to take time with
different poses and hold them longer than I would if I was doing
lunges at the gym. Savasana at the end of every class was my intro-
duction to meditation, and yoga has also taught me to be patient,
which has been an important lesson for me as a wife and mother.
I met Tahl Rinksy a few months after moving to Byron Bay in- I ran into her at a yoga festival in Sydney and we got along
immediately. When we got back to Byron, she did a photo shoot
with me and then became my yoga instructor, too.
The thing that I love about practising with Tahl is that she’s a mother of three young kids like
I am. As a mother, you are pulled in so many different directions every day, andTahl understands
the importance of doing things to take care of our minds and bodies so we can be more present
and in the moment with our families. She knows that it’s not always possible to squeeze in a full
session with my kids’ schedules, so she shows me ways to incorporate yoga into their lives too.
It’s something we can all do together. She’s also taught me so much about the history and philos-
ophy behind the exercises we’re doing. It makes the practice so much more meaningful.
Having someone you connect with like that is so important to keep you inspired. Life can
become so busy; it’s nice to find someone that helps you focus on something. The best gurus are
the ones you connect with on one topic, but then it starts reaching into all other areas of your
life. With Tahl, we found each other because of our love of yoga, but now we are great friends.
Try yoga with Tahl Rinsky by downloading the new at-home fitness app Centr at centr.com.
Elsa Pataky complements yoga
with boxing sessions. Below:
with yoga instructor Tahl Rinsky.
The actor and model finds patience and focus through her yoga practice withTAHL RINSKY
Me &
MY GURU
148 HARPERSBAZAAR.COM.AU April 2019
HEALTH