This week’s yogi highlight (our 20th!) is Stacy-Lee Holm. Stacy-Lee first reached out to me asking about our assortment of ballerina designs. Back and forth we went talking about ballerinas, yoga, dancing, movement, our families… and through these conversations we discovered a friendship. Stacy-Lee is one of those people with contagious energy and optimism. She smiles when she talks, she listens with an open heart and an open mind and you can tell you’re being seen. When describing her yoga practice and her students she lights up.
Stacy-Lee is the founder of Yoga Worship Movement. Her goal is to unite people through “Prayer, Praise and Pose”, which is mindful meditation on the word of God and worship through body movements and breathing. It’s an expression of praise and thanksgiving towards our Creator. Yoga is not a religion, nor does it belong to any one group or culture. According to Stacy-Lee, yoga is your breath, your art, and your beauty reflecting back to God!
Stacy-Lee’s passion to live her life with such deliberate intention inspired me to design a mat specifically for her and her practice. Together we collaborated on this piece, Prayer, Praise, and Pose. It’s become one of my favorite designs because the process of creating it was so beautiful. We talked at length about the symbolism of tulips and about the power of language. And the color palette was easy as the bright pink represents us both! This design intentionally has a feeling of movement from a gentle breeze. It’s refined yet playful, creating a sense of “take your life seriously but be gentle on yourself.”
This week’s yogi highlight is a tribute to a remarkable woman, Stacy-Lee Holm. We are so grateful the universe saw fit to bring us together to have a conversation about ballerinas. I’m lucky and grateful to have found a forever friend!
― Joleen
QTell us a little bit about yourself…
AI’m an old ballerina who found yoga after 45! I’m a veteran’s wife, mom to 3 and Honey to 1 Grandboy. I live in Rush City, MN on a 9 acre farm. My Greater Minnesota is all dirt roads, front porches and sunsets.
QWhat kind of asanas do you practice?
AHatha. My flavor involves joyous praise and thanksgiving to God our creator. I call my classes “Prayer•Praise•Pose”. I’m a yoga instructor and a “mat minister”.
QHow long have you been a yogi?
A6 years. RYT 200 for 1-½ years.
QWhat role does yoga play in your life?
AYoga is the big sister I never had! She’s always waiting for me with arms open wide, is never judgmental, always encouraging, giving me wisdom and telling me I’m pretty! Yoga is my Church and my art.
QDo you have a favorite pose?
AOhhh… How does anyone answer this?! Half-Moon and Side Crow.
QHave you ever had a “yoga moment”, something that happened during practice that you didn’t expect? That made you laugh, brought you joy, made you cry?
AOf course! All of those things! Finding (and holding!) poses that were once a struggle and now are not so much makes me giddy! No lie. I’m the weirdo in class that is just smiling the whole time!
QIs there a pose that used to be a “pillar pose” ― one that you were working toward ― that is now accessible to you?
AEight-Angle (Astavakrasana)
QHow do you perceive the benefits of yoga? Do you think practicing yoga leads to greater happiness in life?
AStaying youthful. Coming to your mat because you love your body, not because you hate it will always fill your life with great happiness!
QWhen you placed your order with Big Raven Yoga, what made you first choose Graceful Dancing Queen? (Note: Stacy-Lee owns both Graceful Dancing Queen AND Prayer, Praise and Pose.)
AGod gave me a heart for ballet and a body for yoga! So my first mat with Big Raven Yoga was “Graceful Dancing Queen”. She makes me swoon!! Now I’m soaring with the new design Joleen created for my “Yoga Worship Movement”!
QDo you have your eyes fixed on any other Big Raven designs? If so, which one(s) and why?
AThe Mountain one is amazing! So peaceful and spectacular! Also, the stunning “Purpose of Your Life is to be Happy” speaks straight into my soul.
QDo people ask you about your mat?
AAll the time! And they love to touch it!
Thank you SO much, Stacy-Lee ― I treasure your friendship AND I love ya!
(You can follow Stacy-Lee on Instagram and Facebook. Also check out her website, yogaworshipmovement.com!)
(Note that her Prayer, Praise and Pose yoga mat design is $10 OFF this week only!)
