The Yoga Loft Storybook: Gen Rubin

Why/when/where did you start practicing yoga?

I began practicing a little over a year ago during spring 2020, so I started my yoga journey virtually! Like so many others, lockdown brought me lots of stress accompanied by cabin fever. I needed to find a way to channel that anxious energy. But more importantly, I was looking for ways to connect and strengthen my relationship with my mom. In the last five years since she has developed a dedicated practice (thanks to the Yoga Loft!) I have noticed that yoga has brought her so much joy, peace, and flexibility, both mental and physical. I was- and still am- at a place in my life where I crave the same inner peace I saw her gain from going to Anne and Larissa’s classes. So I started joining my mom for Anne’s class on Sunday mornings. I didn’t really know what to expect when I took up the practice. All I knew was that I had never felt better in my body or mind than after Anne’s class. I had been bitten by the yoga bug, and pretty soon I began incorporating yoga into every day. Whether it’s taking a class at the Yoga Loft, taking advantage of YouTube yoga to supplement in-person class, trying to recreate super cool flows by yogis on Instagram, or starting my day with a few sounds of sun A to my morning flow playlist (largely inspired by Anne’s music), yoga has become such an important part of my life!

How has yoga changed or influenced your life?

I believe that yoga was been a critical part of my personal growth over the past year and a half. Given all of the time provided by the pandemic for personal reflection, I spent the majority of 2020 thinking about how I could change for the better. I battled with myself over how I could become a kinder, stronger, more active, and ambitious person. My intentions were rooted in a positive place, but many of the thoughts I had about who I was and who I wanted to be were unreasonable and unaccepting of myself. I was caught up in wellness and diet culture and obsessed with toxic productivity when it came to my academics. Yoga has been one of the biggest pieces of my healing journey. I am grateful to the practice (and the instructors who guide me!) for providing me space to examine and improve my relationship with myself, my body, and my purpose. I am so grateful for the yoga community. I admire everyone I take a class with for choosing their mat and feel strongly that the energy each of them brings to a class helps strengthen our practice collectively. Overall, since starting my practice I have noticed myself become lighter, more flexible, and more accepting of myself and my place in the world. And it feels wonderful.

What keeps you busy outside of the studio? 

When I’m not in the studio, you might find me studying to complete my environmental science degree at Colby College, riding my bike to Devereux beach, hiking in the White Mountains, or mastering the art of homemade jam!

Do you have a favorite quote you’d like to share?

“I have found that if you love life, life will love you back.”