Interview with Talia of Talia Sutra

Talia founder of Talia Sutra Yoga is a modern day yogi who has caught the eye of thousands (just look at her Instagram @talia_sutra)! Talia was born in Israel and relocated to New York City at a young age. Growing up she was introduced to yoga and meditation at the age of 6 by her mother who integrated these practices into her daily routine to beat lymphoma. During her time in NYC, she eventually started on her path to become a yoga instructor, where she used her background in art and ballet to shape her practice. Talia recently moved back home to Israel and is busier than ever teaching classes and hosting retreats. Talia is an incredible example of putting what you truly love into practice on a daily basis. Read on to learn more about Talia and her take on health, wellness and living your most nourished life.

Name: Talia Sutra Age: 28 Location: Jerusalem

What is the meaning of your mantra ‘Love and All is Coming”?

To me, “Love and All is Coming” has meant different things at different times and yet it continues to ring with a deeper resonance: Love is the desire to connect. Having true desire to connect ourselves with Ourselves, with another or with the divine sets us on a trying, confusing and transformative path on which many things are revealed as they come to us, or perhaps as we come to them. Love and all is Coming can be understood intuitively by the heart. Still, the word love has so many meanings and forms and can easily be confused as the goal. I see it as more of a process.In the process of love, I am silent enough to listen to a subtle sound or to witness the ordinary as the magical. It’s also scary at times, like an endless dive…In this process, I see that the external self (ego), like the external world (reality), is continuously built and rebuilt with our will. There are times when it is hard to find the process of love in these consuming external realities because they become static when comfortable and love requires growth! Growth leads to transformation, transformation then insists on continuous renewal. When we cultivate a desire to connect we must then renew it every single day. In other words, Love is a daily practice.

You started practicing yoga at such a young age, how has your practice shaped you into the person you are today?

Yoga changed my life and continues to change it in many ways. If I had to get to the bottom line, I would say, it gave me what I wanted more than anything: purpose and meaning.

You post very inspiring and thought-provoking statements on social media, where do you come up with everything you post?

I never come up with anything. Meaning, I don’t purposefully sit and try to write something. As I go about doing what I do, I sometimes have a thought or a feeling which I jut down in the notes section of my phone. I never plan them, they happen through observation or just at seemingly random times, often before I fall asleep.My thoughts are influenced by Chassidic and Kabbalahistic teachings.

What is your personal philosophy on nutrition and living well?

I believe that the way we eat and treat our food creates the foundation of our reality. Eating animal bodies which are low in life force because they spent their “lives” caged and tortured will undoubtedly make the consumer a part of that chain. In other words, if we eat tortured bodies, we ourselves take on these qualities on a cellular level. I believe that it is within every human’s reach to practice kindness and compassion and that compassion to plants, trees and animals is of foremost importance.

What does living out your practice mean to you?

Yoga is a spiritual practice with a physical component. Meaning, it is my simple everyday choices that inspire my asana practice rather than the other way around. For example, the kinds of words I choose, the kinds of music I listen to, the things I choose to consume, where and how I spend my money, giving to the needy, staying true to my word, respecting my teachers, my parents etc.

What is the best advice you can give someone just starting to practice yoga?

Before starting your practice, connect to your teacher, inspiration or to God. Dedicate your practice to them- feeling gratitude for the simple wonder of breath and movement. At the end of each practice, send a breath or prayer to someone who would need it.

I really hope you enjoyed this interview with Talia. Personally, I find myself scrolling through her Instagram feed getting mesmerized by her unique flexibility. I love to use her photos as wonderful reminders of what our bodies are capable of doing. It helps me remember that yoga is a practice that takes consistency and patience. In addition to her bends and inversions, I find the words that go along with Talia’s pictures incredibly inspiring. Whether it’s a brief statement or a deep thought, you can tell each and every word is heart felt and authentic. No matter what I read, I can always find some way to resonate with it and apply it to the circumstances of my life.

Talia is a perfect example of how to live nourished, honor your body, and do what you love.

If you want to know more about Talia, head on over to her website, and make sure you stay up to date by following her on Instagram. You can also practice with her using the Cody App.

I can’t let you go with out directing you to Talia’s video that left me speechless. It’s beautiful. Talia Sutra: Love and All is Coming

All photos taken with permission from Talia’s Instagram account. Photographers credits stated on the original photos.