Gretchen Schutte has been one of my vinyasa and restorative yoga teachers since 2013 and has helped me establish a consistent yoga practice. She helps lead IPY’s 200- and also 300-hour teacher training programs, is now regularly featured on the meditation and mindfulness app, Insight Timer, and recently launched a TV show (!!) called Peace in the Pause on HCTV.
I implore you to get to one of Gretchen’s Twilight Yoga classes, most especially at IPY on the first Friday of every month where she complements an already completely restorative, relaxing practice with a bit of yoga nidra (aka yogic sleep) at class’ end. Her voice makes you feel like you’re floating away on a cloud. WHO DOESN’T LOVE CLOUDS.
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Gretchen talks about how and why she got into yoga, how she maintains a consistent yoga practice, and how she practices yoga off the mat.
People Who Practice | Gretchen Schutte
Name & Age (if you’d like to share it)
Gretchen Schutte, 39
When did you start practicing yoga?
I took my first yoga class in 2005 and explored a variety of studios for several years until I walked into Inner Power Yoga the fall of 2011. I have been practicing and teaching at my yoga hOMe since then.
How many years of consistent yoga practice?
My most consistent yoga practice has developed in the last seven years.
How long have you been teaching?
Four years.
Why did you start to practice?
My life was very different eleven years ago. I was facing a growing series of obstacles, and instead of slowing down to take stock, I put the pedal to the metal and started paying the price. I was overweight, exhausted, and constantly tense.
If you can breathe, you can do yoga.”
~Gretchen Schutte
Then, on a whim, I ventured into a yoga studio looking for some stress relief. Immediately following my first session, I felt a beautiful sense of serenity and centered-ness. A few days later, I found myself in another class, and then another. Yoga became a retreat for me: a way to unplug, unwind, and find peace. Committing to my yoga practice is one of the best choices I have ever made.
What other kinds of physical exercise or activity did you do regularly before yoga? Have those activities been affected by yoga, and if yes, how?
Before yoga, my activity included walking and an occasional workout DVD. Along my journey into a healthy and balanced lifestyle, I took up running. My most recent fitness adventure is interval and strength training at Orange Theory twice a week.
Check out the full People Who Practice Series here!
What does daily or weekly home-practice look like for you? What style(s)?
Due to my yang (energetic) activities during the week, I tend to take a yin (static & grounded) approach to my home practice. I focus on mindful movements in the six directions of the spine and yin poses that influence the connective tissue in my hips and low back. It’s a great balance to my other activities, and I try to incorporate ten to thirty minutes several days a week.
Do you also practice in a studio? What style(s)?
I practice vinyasa yoga at IPY three to four times a week.
Is there anything you find challenging about either a consistent home practice or just practice in general?
The biggest challenge with committing to anything is making time for it. I use a paper planner (I’m old school) to map out my month and write in when I will take practice. For me, putting it on the calendar helps me stay consistent.
For someone who’s just getting started with yoga (or a home practice), what advice would you offer?
Don’t think you have to be able to do anything you might see in a YouTube video or on Instagram. I have taught students who practice yoga sitting in a chair. If you can breathe, you can do yoga.
What’s the biggest change — physical or otherwise — you’ve noticed since you started to practice yoga?
I have received so many gifts from yoga. To summarize, yoga is helping me evolve into the best version of me. P.S. it’s a process.
What’s your favorite pose…or poses?
I love side angle because it’s allowed me to see how my depth has progressed over months of practice; tree because I feel grounded (most days); and restorative reclined butterfly pose because it’s luxurious.
What benefits does yoga offer to you, off the mat?
In the last few years of practicing yoga, I have explored the idea of “taking my yoga off the mat” much more [me too!]. My yoga mat offers me a safe space to practice tools like compassion, mindfulness, awareness, breath, and how to respond versus react. Over time, I have found myself reaching for these tools in my day-to-day life. One of the most valuable tools, especially in stressful situations, is to remember to pause and breathe.
How do you find your “OM” when you’re not on the mat?
The foundation of my off the mat ‘om’ is my self-care practice. When I take the time to refill my cup, I am more grounded, centered, and happier. Getting outside, taking a seat (my name for meditation), getting a massage, and floating at OmFloat are all ways I find my ‘om.’
Check out Gretchen’s teaching, mindfulness/TV, and workshop offerings; follow her on IG — @gschutte; and like her on Facebook!
Originally published as part of the People Who Practice Series in January 2017
Do you have a consistent yoga practice? Would you be interested in sharing your yoga story on Yogini Keys? Shoot me a note!
