Kristin Olson, the studio owner at Home Yoga in Andover, is widely known for her intelligent sequencing and precise instruction – skills she has honed over many years under the guidance of her mentor Natasha Rizopoulos. When she is not at home caring for her three young children, she can be found sharing her deep knowledge of yoga and its intricacies through both her signature 300 hour advanced teacher training program and her public classes. In 2015 Home Yoga was voted “best yoga studio” by Northshore magazine. Check out Kristin’s Flow classes combining Ashtanga’s emphasis on connecting breath with movement and Iyengar’s emphasis on proper alignment at the studio’s Chestnut Street location. And, stay tuned for Poise, Kristin’s brand new signature series with Find Bliss Boston. Poise, an ongoing feature, will guide practitioners in creating balance and elegance in asana.
wind up… how do you wind up, prepare for the week ahead?
I prepare for the week ahead by making sure everything is in order by Sunday night: emails answered, sequences written, schedule of when I’ll tackle work and when I’ll practice, clothes washed and plenty of food to fill my kids lunch boxes for the week. Staying organized is the only way I can navigate the week.
and, when you need to exhale… what’s your other direction?
There’s nothing better than a long hold in supported Supta Badda Konasana with as many props as I can find… followed by a glass of wine.
go to high powered snack?
Chickpeas!
dream team, if you could practice with any two teachers… they would be?
Natasha Rizopoulos and Patricia Walden
what three things are you never without?
A ponytail, a scarf and the necklaces my daughters gave me.
the sound of music… you have room for 5 tracks on your playlist, they are?
BaBa by Sigur Ros, California by Jamestown Revival, Song for Zula by Phosphorescent, California Stars by Billy Bragg & Wilco, and Daughter by Loudon Wainwright III.
your bible… what one book do you turn to time and time again for inspiration?
Joan Didion’s The White Album
bliss pose?
Pascimotanasana
finish the sentence. i’d like to teach the world to... slow down.
Profile compiled by Susan Currie. Images by Susan Currie Creative.
Author Susan Currie is an Associate Editor at LA YOGA magazine. Her words and images have been featured in the Boston Globe, Elephant Journal, Yogi Times, the Tishman Review, the Huffington Post, Spirit of St. Bart’s and on the cover of the book Moving into Meditation (Shambala) by Anne Cushman.
Susan is also the creator of the Daily Inhale and an RYT 200 registered yoga instructor. She unpacks her various professional experiences through the creative and yoga workshops she leads throughout the country. Her new book, GRACENOTES (Shanti Arts 2017), a blend of words and images, is now available in wide release.