Lisa Faremouth – Master of Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, California, Advanced Yoga Therapist, Film Producer, Keynote Speaker and Event Facilitator. Lisa opened Heaven Meets Earth Yoga and Radiant Life Center in 2005 located in Evanston, Illinois.
Lisa and her team of dedicated, experienced, compassionate teachers and healers offer yoga classes, workshops, teacher trainings, retreats, Energy Medicine, Reiki and more to both kids and adults.
Lisa graduated from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and is currently in the Master’s of Yoga Studies program at LMU focusing in Advanced Yoga Therapy.
Lisa has traveled world wide teaching and training wellness professionals with her unique blend of movement, yoga philosophy, life-style and healing arts. Most recently, Lisa created Surrender to Savasana, a 4 part series and she produced the 30 minute documentary film, “The Future of Yoga: Your Pathway to Happiness” which is featured on OmStars Online Yoga Channel started by Kino MacGregor. Lisa is featured in Kino’s book “Get Your Yoga On”.
Lisa chats to MysticMag and shares her insights on her work and lifestyle.
Tell us about your month-long trip to India in July?
As part of my graduate program in Yoga Studies at Loyola Marymount University, 20 grad students traveled along with 22 school teachers to study Jainism in India for the month of July.
Jainism is the oldest school of yoga philosophy.
The 5 vows of Jainism are what we know as the Yamas in Patanjali’s 8 Limbs of Ashtanga Yoga in the Yoga Sutras. The 8 Limbs are Yama, NIyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi.
The Yamas and Niyamas are considered the Ethical Codes in yoga and come before the physical practice. This is how Patanjali set up the pathway to receiving the fruits of the yoga practice. The fruits of the yoga practice are peace, calm, clarity, cheerfulness, power,
freedom, and fearlessness. The 5 Yamas are Ahimsa – Non-violence, Satya – Truthfulness, Asteya – Non-stealing, Brahmacharya – Chastity and fidelity, Aparigraha – Non-attachment and non-greediness.
The other profound teaching in Jainism and Yoga is the notion of karma. Similar to the Laws of Attraction – we create our own reality. We need awareness around our thoughts, words, and actions. In the laws of Quantum Physics – “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction”.
Can you tell us a little about the Heaven Meets Earth journey since its inception?
It has been over 17 years since I opened Heaven Meets Earth. I started with a small space and after the first year opened a second studio space just a few doors down from our first. It had been the Schwinn bike store for 18 years and the one day, the owner, Mike, just closed shop. He was done. I knew I had envisioned two studios so opening the second space allowed me to offer “Heaven” meets “Earth”.
Heaven was our smaller space where we offered more intimate classes with smaller attendance like Prenatal Yoga, Mommy/Baby, Intro to Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation, Reiki, etc. Earth studio allowed for groups as large as 120 people for lecture style workshops and healing events, as well as large Vinyasa classes.
When Covid hit we shut down for a day, went virtual, started offering more outdoor yoga classes, with small indoor classes for our clients who begged us to offer classes. Our studio helped many people in our community get through Covid. Our community showed me that they needed and wanted Heaven Meets Earth to survive and thrive. We made it and are now still a vibrant center in the community
What is the science and art of yoga and how do you incorporate this into your practice?
The Art and Science of Yoga – Patanjali’s Sutra 1.2 “Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodha” translation “Yoga is the calming of the fluctuation of the mind”. Herbert Benson of the Mind/Body Institute at Harvard University wrote “The Relaxation Response” and identified environment as an important factor in eliciting the Relaxation Response. Our center provides a calm, quiet, beautiful, safe space for eliciting deep relaxation, meditation, and transformation. Our programs offer the science of yoga including breathing, mindfulness, intelligent movement by experienced, well trained, credentialed, and qualified teachers
Which variations of yoga practice do you offer your clients?
We offer classical Hatha, Ashtanga, vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Outdoor, kids, teens, pre/postnatal, teacher training workshops and events. We also offer Energy Medicine, Reiki, EFT, and other healing modalities
What can you tell us about the retreats that you offer?
“Joy is the medicine”. Our retreats are transformational. In April, we offered our first Tuscany Yoga Retreat which we hope to anniversary! We started offering our South Haven, Michigan Glamping Retreat during Covid and we just returned from our third Glamping Retreat and have 2023 already booked! We are about to bring our community to our 6th annual Union Pier Yoga Retreat in November. In the spring we will travel to Lake Geneva.
I curate these retreats to provide time to unplug, connect with nature, play, relax, and create community.
How much transformation do you witness when spending enough time with clients?
I have witnessed major life transformation. I have seen people leave toxic relationships and find their soulmate, I have seen recovery from drugs and alcohol, eating disorders, depression, I have seen people find employment and go on to get Doctorate degrees and thrive. I have seen lifelong friendships made.
Is yoga the be all and end all?
YES! For every problem, the answer is yoga. “Yoke to yoga”
If you would like to find out more about Heaven Meets Earth Yoga, visit https://www.heavenmeetsearthyoga.com/ or follow on https://www.facebook.com/heaven.meets.earth/
