The CPY Team Shares Their Mantras

A mantra is something yogis use in meditation, empowerment, or as a reminder of their core beliefs. Mantras come in a lot of different forms. They can be a phrase or a single word. Over time, mantras change. If you’re going through a tough time, a mantra might be a way to encourage yourself to keep going. If you’re in an unsure time, it might remind you to ground down and listen to your intuition.

We asked our CPY team of managers and instructors about their mantras. Here’s what they shared:

Catrina R. - Park Road Studio (North Carolina) 

Current Mantra: "Hug in!"

Why: “I just moved to a new market and it can be easy to feel out of place or a "woman without a country" but my strong sense of the CPY community from other regions and my teachers are what help me feel connected. It helps me to feel "hugged in" even when I am somewhere unfamiliar or far away from loved ones. It also helps me to concentrate on my center and core, physically.”

Skylor P. - SE Portland Studio (Oregon) 

Current Mantra: "Discover magic, hold space for mystery."

Why: “Discover magic reminds me never to take advantage of how incredible our bodies and minds are; I can be fascinated in every moment of my practice! Hold space for mystery reminds me that the answers are not important. The journey through the unknown is where the learning happens.”

Lindsey S. - Wilshire Studio (California) 

Current Mantra: "Enjoy The Journey."

Why: “A friend gave me a bracelet with these words on it 2 years ago and I've lived by this mantra everyday since. It's taken me so many places and given me so many opportunities. Life and the moments we encounter are meant to be enjoyed. Even pain and difficult times are all a part of the experience in life and those dark moments always lead you into new and brighter light. My bracelet helps me to remember that.”

Kada O. - Grant Studio (Colorado)​

Current Mantra: "Hold on, but not too tightly."

Why: “I find myself gripping to expectations or ideals. "The pose must be X, Y, and Z." I'm challenging myself to set goals and hold myself accountable but at the same time allow the process to flow naturally.”

Aqueelah S. - Gold Coast Studio (Illinois) ​

Current Mantra: "What you think you become, what you feel you attract and what you imagine you create."

Why: “My general manager used this as her intention for class last week. This was the first time I had taken her class and this is exactly what I'm working on in my life. I'm working to achieve authentic power and manifest my deepest desires and this is how!”

Katie D. - Fort Collins Studio (Colorado)​

Current Mantra: "Say YES."

Why: “Yes and no are both such small words but bring such different outcomes! Say yes to yourself more often and celebrate all of the small and large rewards!”

Audrey C. - North Druid Hills Studio (Georgia)​

Current Mantra: "There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered."

Why: “I realized a few weeks ago that we are still doing postures that were first practiced thousands of years ago. Quite literally, yoga will never change! The true change that happens is created within us. We do the work on our mat to create a better life off of our mat. So lately I have been challenging my students while in postures that we do every single day (Warrior 2, Half pigeon etc.) to find something new about the posture.”

Natalie F. - Encino Studio (California)​

Current Mantra: "Look to the past for gratitude, the future for vision, up above for strength, and within for peace."

Why: “It reminds me that I am the source of my happiness at all times. It keeps me present while living in a busy city that encourages thinking 5 steps ahead.”

Andie G. - Triangle Studio (Texas)​

Current Mantra: "Patience and healing."

Why: “I'm suffering from injuries and it's not the easiest holding space for my body to heal.”

Inanna J. - Los Angeles Studios (California)​

Current Mantra: "I am curious."

Why: “Because it helps me avoid making assumptions about my body and my practice. It encourages me to enjoy and be interested in discomfort (and even the pain I experience from prior injuries) as a way to get to know my body and my mind better and get closer to my self.”