299 - Finding Freedom to Choose with Jen Brewer

The second episode in a series with Flow School alumni, today I welcome Jen Brewer, a multifacted yoga teacher and retreat guide who loves supporting humans through transitions.

We explore how yoga empowers us to make conscious choices and become more true to ourselves. We talk about embracing messiness in both teaching and life, and how we find grounded grace.

We also dive into the power of community, and how Flow School has helped Jen to cultivate hers.

Find Jen on Instagram 

Learn more about Flow School here.

Weekly stories by email from Bonnie HERE

Connect with Bonnie: Instagram, Email (hello@bonnieweeks.com), Website

Produced by: Grey Tanner

Transcript

Bonnie (00:10.064)
Welcome to the podcast, my loves. I am here with somebody that is an absolute delight. This is part of my series of a podcast series on this podcast, where I talk to Flow School alumni about their teaching journeys, about their experience in Flow School since they've come to Flow School and we've been in the room together for five days, their thoughts on yoga, cool things they're creating, and how they're owning the hell out of their voice.

I really truly believe that the room is only as good as the people in it. And I have found that over six years of leading Flow School, the teachers who join are some of the most heartled, nerdy, generous, and brave leaders. So today I have Jen Brewer with me. Woop woo. And so excited for you to meet her through here and hopefully let this ripple out in a lot of really beautiful ways.

Jennifer Brewer (00:54.942)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:06.194)
So we're kind here for three threefold. One to chat about flow school experience, and then two to share what Jen is all about and how you can participate with her. Because if I'm having somebody on here, it means they're cool as fuck. And most importantly, number three is to be real human. So it's gonna be real conversation flow as we go through some of these ideas. I believe that we're all here and as we're showing up.

on purpose with the attention that we're we're giving is because we care a fuck ton about what we're doing and why. And so thank you for being here, Jen, for this conversation.

Jennifer Brewer (01:45.742)
Thank you for having me. I always like time with Bonnie.

Bonnie (01:48.814)
it always makes me so happy. so as like backstory, Jen, you are one of those people 'cause I we have you came to my retreat almost. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (02:01.381)
I came to the retreat before flow school. I think you were doing flow school online and

Bonnie (02:07.363)
I was already doing it in person then, 'cause that was twenty twenty four, you came to the retreat. I started doing full school in person in twenty twenty three. So

Jennifer Brewer (02:12.941)
Okay. Some some reason I missed it and this was an opportunity and it was that spoke to me and needed it.

Bonnie (02:17.339)
Totally. Right timing. Yeah. Well, you came to retreat almost two years ago and then last year in twenty-five you came to in-person flow school. And I just wanna like have this reflection moment though, and like setting the stage of your miraculousness is I think that it w it's such a gift to me, because I was about a year apart too. And I've had other people where I've been in person with them or been in some sort of creative collaboration a year apart that

Jennifer Brewer (02:26.519)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (02:46.383)
I really get the opportunity to be witness to some pieces of evolution and of being in your body and in your voice and in your creative expression and in your leadership as well.

And you and being like this this small little I I feel like I I actually gotta be a fly on the wall. You know, people are like, I want to be a fly on the wall. I'm like, no, I actually gotta be a fly on the wall. And to and and a particip a participant also with you, and the groundedness that you walk in a room with, even in different stages of meeting and the different things that you're navigating as we landed together. there's this

Jennifer Brewer (03:11.254)
No.

Bonnie (03:30.617)
generosity to the way you show up in the room and you're such a good listener. And you're also not afraid to say the real shit. Like it's such like a an amazing comp. I'm like, yes, this this I'm gonna grow up to be like Jen.

Jennifer Brewer (03:41.389)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (03:45.294)
We're already crying. We're like two minutes in. Thank thank you. That's a huge huge compliment. And

Yoga's been a big part of finding that within myself. it wasn't it wasn't immediate and definitely comes and and goes. We were we were talking before we got on here just about changes in in life and changes in the world and it comes and goes, but but thank you very, very much. there was a lot of younger people at Flow School, and I just remember being their age, being at that.

at that stage and to have people that weren't competing and like really wanted to help me. And we obviously we were all there to learn for you and and you held that that umbrella, but I I think it's I think it's important to root for each other.

Bonnie (04:46.937)
Yeah. Yeah. Well and like there is the oldest person that's been in flow school in your flow school as well. And and so like it to me that's one of the gifts of the experiences of gathering that especially has shown up in the flow school room is you have people in your twenties to your sixties.

Jennifer Brewer (04:53.825)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (05:06.943)
Mm-hmm. And I think that says a lot about you and and creating relevance for the industry, for the practice, for people to to dig into their own creativity.

Bonnie (05:08.951)
And there's a line about you.

Bonnie (05:20.336)
Mm.

Bonnie (05:28.773)
Hmm. Thank you. Yeah, I mean, like that's the hope. And also to make it an even playing field. Like I don't care where you're entering either. And people who haven't stepped into the into the front of the room to teach even or those people are in the room and people who have had, I don't know, how many years had you taught by the like last year? Okay. Yeah, so fifth fifth fifteen, wait, twelve, four. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (05:46.069)
It's two thousand twelve is when I started.

Jennifer Brewer (05:52.621)
Fourteen, fifteen years. Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (05:54.886)
Yeah, so then you're in the room and I've had people twenty plus years in the room and so it's like it but it it doesn't matter in a way because of the way that we're mm being curious about what flow is and who we are in it.

Jennifer Brewer (06:10.327)
Because I think for all of us, no matter how we were trained, whether it was a specific lineage or or again how long we've been teaching, we're not often given permission to ask why it has to be a certain way or what happens if we do it different. and have a really good why for being creative.

Bonnie (06:26.682)
Mm.

Bonnie (06:39.248)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (06:39.853)
of we are breaking habits, we are breaking patterns, we are navigating transitions, literally in a flow class, but in a lot of different ways off the map.

Bonnie (06:50.853)
Yeah, everything implies. Everything touches everything. So we know. Yeah. Okay, I want to hear a little bit about your backstory. So how did you find yoga?

Jennifer Brewer (06:53.537)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (07:01.005)
I started yoga, taking yoga. gosh, I was in my mid to probably mid-20s or I lived in New York City. I was managing retail stores like Gap Stores, Victoria's Secret Stores. had a dance background when I was younger and always enjoyed dance.

Yoga wasn't I'm from West Virginia. Yoga wasn't accessible. I mean, nobody was teaching yoga be when I left that state. and so I took a yoga class for exercise, like a lot of people get into it for and just fell in love. I moved from New York City to Asheville, North Carolina, which is like a like a yoga hub of the of the East Coast.

And started going to a studio that was donation based. You could go for free, you could make a a donation. And they unstill I'm just going like for my daily workout for my daily movement exercise. and they offered an immersion weekend. It wasn't a teacher training, it was just for normal students. but over the weekend.

Bonnie (08:16.442)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (08:25.777)
Cool.

Jennifer Brewer (08:29.473)
Was the first time I learned about yoga philosophy and this history, other forms of yoga, Ayurveda, like just touching on topics that you don't get in a one-hour class. And it was the first time in my life that I was like, I have a choice in how I respond to things.

Bonnie (08:46.085)
Yeah.

Bonnie (08:58.361)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (08:59.489)
We hear language a lot, like the between reaction and and forming a a response. And that was the first time I was like, I don't have to like react to people. I don't have to react to triggers. I can choose something different. I can't remember what was said exactly, but it was like in my whole body, I was like empowered, like,

Bonnie (09:17.477)
Mm.

Bonnie (09:25.946)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (09:27.551)
And I don't know if it, you know, I think as a as a woman, sometimes like I was in management, public relations field working at that time. Like to to move up the ladder, to be in charge, you have to act like a a man. And to me, I think my interpretation of that was and and I still have some of it, like I'll say the shit that really needs to be.

Bonnie (09:46.971)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (09:57.058)
To be s but like an aggressiveness and an aggressiveness is is, you know, I was gonna be quick to to not back down, to I don't know how to explain it, but yoga that's where I first started to be like have a I have a choice. I can take a breath, I can let things go, I can I can not react all the all the all the time.

Bonnie (09:59.098)
okay.

Jennifer Brewer (10:26.273)
Like I can be grounded in who I am and not worry as much about what other people think. I can listen to that tightness in my belly that, this this isn't actually for me or I don't want to do it. I'm gonna do it this way.

Bonnie (10:26.565)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Bonnie (10:42.619)
Yeah.

Yeah, yeah. Mm. I love that awareness and how they could have there could have been something that was said in that immersion weekend that was on this theme for you, or you could have found that phrase.

Because like it was like you know, I think this is why I think about trusting the yoga all the time. And as teachers, we can prepare as much as we want, but you literally have to trust the yoga. You trust that like you've made space in the room, you're gonna guide people and have like a solid why and understand what you're giving and how you're giving it. But ultimately it these people who have come to our classes are gonna have this whatever amount of time where it's just them and their mat and their own head, and we have no idea what happens in their heads.

And it could be the most benign thing that we say that sparks a weird little like tunnel into a discovery of of a thought or mant or a phrase or an idea or anything. And I think I know I've had experiences like that myself that I can tap into and I'm like, I know exactly what what you're talking about. You're like, you could feel it through your whole body. And so whether they said it or you found it because of some prompt that they said, like that's it.

Jennifer Brewer (11:57.73)
Mm-hmm. And then that changes the whole showing up on your map for that practice. Whatever it is kind of resonating with you in your life or this idea of choice or letting go or coming fully into yourself. Like, can you have that experience?

Bonnie (11:59.676)
That's it.

Bonnie (12:05.092)
Mm, mm-hmm.

Bonnie (12:17.913)
Yeah. Yeah. Well, and there's probably some kinship, I think, for you and I' for anybody who really mm embraces that yoga is about choice and which to me is then speaking to freedom. Like we have the freedom to choose, we have the freedom to move. And so for you to be like, I get to choose how I want to show up, what that means, how I react, like what I choose to do or not do.

Like it's freedom. Like you're like, I actually get to figure out what what I want to do here.

Jennifer Brewer (12:51.437)
Mm-hmm. And then being aware because you will make bad decisions. You will continue to make really bad decisions, bad choices. But the reaction doesn't have to be then guilt or shame or punishment. But through awareness, acknowledge like, I made a bad choice. Is there a reason why? Do need to deal with fear or you know

Bonnie (12:56.485)
Yeah.

Bonnie (13:13.069)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (13:17.857)
Do I need to deal with something? Do I need to grow in some way? Do I need to practice in a in a different way? But it's still coming from my choice to like, okay, I gotta take this, I gotta take this on. If I wanna be different, do different, I have to be different and do different.

Bonnie (13:39.139)
Yep. And you say that so well and it's so hard.

Jennifer Brewer (13:41.421)
Right. Now go now go captain.

Bonnie (13:46.809)
Like this is literally life or like, why the fuck did I do that? Okay, cool.

Jennifer Brewer (13:52.278)
Yeah. And for it not to be I did it because of you or I did it because of this. I did it because I I made a choice. I mean same thing in in good choices and and and and good decisions. but it's an on it's an ongoing practice. It is it is constant.

Bonnie (13:57.498)
Mm.

Bonnie (14:02.213)
Yeah.

Bonnie (14:08.443)
Yeah.

Bonnie (14:13.861)
Yeah. Yeah. Well, and I also just like how you wrapped it together and be like, it's not that you're trying to scapegoat anybody for like a bad we're gonna put air quotes around that bad because some things can significantly be like rather bad, unfortunate, but other things are also like the step that you needed to get to the next step.

Jennifer Brewer (14:23.607)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (14:34.262)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (14:34.587)
but to also be able to claim the things you're like, you know what, that wasn't maybe that was maybe the the shittier decision to make and own that as much as like actually that was a really amazing decision. And and to be like, I I can I'm gonna hold both because that's like there's I am more than one thing. Yeah. Okay.

Jennifer Brewer (14:45.911)
Right.

Jennifer Brewer (14:53.041)
Mm-hmm. Right. Right. I don't know if you've ever read Donna Farhe has this book. It's one of my favorites, bringing your yoga to life. But in in talking about the philosophy and in kind of making it accessible to to everyday people, she uses perfect language. But in it she's talking about we all, all people in general, I think, want to be good, want to be healthy, want to be.

Bonnie (15:02.021)
Okay.

Jennifer Brewer (15:19.073)
wanna be free and and when we we study yoga it's kind of like this this goal like we're gonna be at peace and we're gonna exude peace and then everything around us is gonna be peaceful and then there's like a dick on the road that, you know, is is driving 20 in the left lane. And I'm like honking my horn and flipping him off. And Woldana Farhe says when all your excuses for why you

you let your practice go like it's good to be peaceful except when the dick is driving twenty in the left lane like that's your blind spot like that's your blind spot it's not his blind spot that's your blind spot there's your practice

Bonnie (15:57.468)
Mm-hmm.

Mm.

Bonnie (16:04.965)
Yeah. Yeah. Way bigger than the mat.

Jennifer Brewer (16:09.117)
Mm. It's tourist season here, so we have a lot of dicks in the left lane right now that I'm that that's my main practice right now out on the road.

Bonnie (16:16.689)
You're like, You're on vacation, I'm a normal life. Get going.

Jennifer Brewer (16:23.393)
Like to know that.

Bonnie (16:27.289)
okay, so how did you land in a teacher training?

Jennifer Brewer (16:31.303)
same studio I did the immersion with. I was actually leaving Asheville. I was actually I was married at the time. His dad had dementia. We were gonna help his family, and they would start, they had their very first teacher training. so I would go on weekends. I liked the studio, it gave me a connection to to where I was. They offered scholarships. I loved the teachers.

And I went one weekend a month, eight, nine months, for my for my 200 hour shout-out, Ashville community yoga. but I loved them. I loved what they had done for the community in terms of it being, you know, a nonprofit donation based, the 200 hour was very service based in both the practice should serve you and if you choose to be a teacher, it is a it is a service.

to others it was very well, well rounded. and when I finished I went right into a five hundred hour.

Bonnie (17:39.206)
Hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (17:40.43)
and I my 500 hour I did in Charlotte, North Carolina with subtle yoga and it was around yoga therapeutics, which would probably fall under the somatic umbrella, like more that that's the the buzzword, it was therapeutics then. not just people with physical challenges.

or illnesses but mental health, anxiety, depression, which gave a new perspective on the physical practice. Why are we doing what we're what we're doing? it's not always to stand on your head. Sometimes it is, but

Bonnie (18:14.416)
Yeah.

Bonnie (18:19.535)
Well, snowstanding in your head actually banks your brain go right side up. Yeah. Okay. So then you decide to come to flow school. Why flow school?

Jennifer Brewer (18:22.817)
Right.

Jennifer Brewer (18:32.537)
Mm-hmm. I'd been teach like my so I got certified to teach 2012, right into my 500 hour, started teaching part-time, eventually full-time, maybe right around COVID is when I was able to go full-time as a as a yoga teacher. And for all of those years, I kept catching myself

Thinking of students as customers in in terms of what do you want? I'll give it to you. What do you want? What do you what's yoga to you? What do you want? And kind of not

Bonnie (19:04.433)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (19:17.943)
Teaching what I was practicing on my own. That makes sense, and we can dive into it a little bit. But I've I'm a well-rounded teacher in terms of I can teach chair, I can teach yen, I can teach restorative, I can teach flow. So whoever sh what do you want? And I'll teach it to you. And it was not as fulfilling as I wanted it to be, but it wasn't the people, it was me. It goes back to what we were like.

Bonnie (19:21.189)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (19:43.193)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (19:48.056)
What what is this? Like I feel called to this. I I know how yoga has changed me. How do I express that? And I had met you obviously through the retreat, had followed you on Instagram and a a flow school was for me to really step into my voice.

Bonnie (20:12.24)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (20:13.217)
I mean, I like your style of flow and I have adapted that in my flow classes, not to mimic you, but because it

Bonnie (20:23.333)
But to become you. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. It is definitely not my goal for everybody to leave flow school and just like be versions of me. I mean, there's some specific ways that I think that, you know, like the flow school method of thinking about what we're doing and why we're doing it and stuff that's I feel like gonna like show up in different ways and and different things that I teach, but

Jennifer Brewer (20:24.919)
Difficult mean, yeah.

Bonnie (20:50.217)
I so much of Flow School to me is exactly what you're sharing here too, is this opportunity to turn things sideways in maybe that physical sequencing realm enough for your everybody to also have like this breathing room of saying, like, okay, so

Who am I as a leader? Like, where's my voice in this? And for you to say, and I remember you sharing in that opening circle, you're like, I've been, I've been giving people like just what they want, but like, what do what do I want to bring? And I think this nuance of saying, like, this has changed my life. Now, how do I let it move through me and out of me in service of others? That's the thing that I can bring that I am stoked on because I am a big believer that if

If you're not moved, you can't move others. If I didn't give a shit about flow school, nobody's coming to flow school because like if I don't care, nobody cares. And that's the same for for everything. you know, we don't need to go deep into like strategy and marketing and all that kind of stuff. Like there can be the of course, like that's a different tangent. but truly you have to stand behind the thing. And so for you to come into the room and say, like,

Jennifer Brewer (21:45.549)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (22:00.088)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (22:05.381)
I think there's maybe like what I'm hearing is that you're saying, I think there's maybe something to my voice and what I want to lead that I might find in flow school, regardless of even the method that Bonnie has to teach. Is that what you're saying?

Jennifer Brewer (22:18.317)
Correct. And one of the things about your flow school that I I don't know why I'm pointing my finger that I don't think is is talked about enough is when you it's probably like the third or fourth day when when you are talking about the so you have this flow and your thought process in the warm up and the and and the bridge if there's if if there's one about

Bonnie (22:19.269)
Yeah.

Bonnie (22:42.736)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (22:48.287)
your thought process behind that whether you're teaching flow or not is like the link that people need in terms of what is the story that I'm telling in this in this class? How what's the story that our bodies are are moving through?

Bonnie (22:58.239)
Mm. Mm.

Bonnie (23:05.615)
Yeah. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (23:13.129)
And we we hear so much about weaving like a sutra or a or a you know a bit of philosophy through, but to for the thread to actually be in your in your body, like it just it made so like that was the big clicking point for me when you had the three circles. You have to come to Flow School to get the circles, but but how then they we I was like

Bonnie (23:27.483)
Mm, mm.

Bonnie (23:35.983)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (23:43.605)
I get it. I get it.

Bonnie (23:44.321)
Mm.

Mm, I have chills.

Jennifer Brewer (23:50.038)
I think there's so much out there on the on the gram on the socials about creative flow and it can be pretty, but it it doesn't make sense other than you're being different to be different. And I think that's a great starting point for creativity because then you you're you're feeling stuff and you and you figure it out if you're paying attention, but to have the the why and the thread and the

Bonnie (23:58.342)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (24:14.363)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (24:19.627)
And then the permission to repeat it so we really just like we would our favorite movie, like, what do you notice this time? And

Bonnie (24:19.809)
Mm.

Bonnie (24:27.183)
Yeah. Or a song. I'm like, we're just like, I mean, I do that personally. If I'm writing a poem or if I'm on my mat and all of a sudden like a song plays, I'm like the I'm listening to that ten times. That's that's the song of the moment. I'm like, nope, I'm in it. I'm in it. my gosh, Jen. That was I'm I'm just gonna accept that. Like I I love that reflection so much. And I think.

Jennifer Brewer (24:37.727)
Mm-hmm. And so I can't stand it anymore, yeah.

Bonnie (24:58.341)
it feels difficult sometimes for me to put into words. So I really appreciate your words on this and maybe using it as like the word thread. I still think it it mm it's hard for folks to conceptualize what it is that we're doing or what it is that I'm trying to teach because you can take a a peak flow, something we're trying to get to in class and be like, okay, that's cool. That's great. but the way that it feels like so intentional of how to make that something cohesive and a story, which I

Jennifer Brewer (25:25.121)
Yeah.

Bonnie (25:26.873)
I mean, I I use that that language in flow school to like there's a story to the flow. Like what what is what what are we connecting here together? As much as there might be a a story or theming that's like more philosophical, which a hundred percent and I think that sometimes on that note, some people think that you're like, Well, if if people are going hard and creative sequencing, then like where's the soul of it up? No, no, no. Like you can bring your story and like thoughtfulness and intention into the room and teach a hella brilliant

Jennifer Brewer (25:37.741)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (25:56.914)
connected flow experience that that is like gets people like into their body so that both things get to merge there and it's like it's multiple layers of story. so I really appreciate your reflection on that.

Jennifer Brewer (26:11.949)
Absolutely. Absolutely. And I can tell with my students that

Bonnie (26:14.745)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (26:21.089)
They are getting that as well. Like they are picking up, like, my arms are part of my body. She's not having me move my arms to be weird or, you know, different. Like it's to go to the next movement. It's gonna keep me in this. And so to get comments from students, like,

Bonnie (26:23.365)
Mm.

Bonnie (26:30.961)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (26:50.475)
I've actually never felt in flow before. Like I felt it. I'm gonna start crying like like I'm serving, you know?

Bonnie (26:55.535)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (27:02.821)
Mm.

Where's

Jennifer Brewer (27:08.884)
No idea!

Bonnie (27:12.886)
Revolt is terrier, it's fine.

Bonnie (27:18.809)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (27:18.989)
But it's so great because this world is so nuts and like to feel in flow in your life. Like even if it is just driving and and the guy's driving 20 and you just go around him and like wave, it's like, I'm in flow today, you know, like.

Bonnie (27:38.437)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it is. it is.

Jennifer Brewer (27:40.333)
And that's where the magic is.

Bonnie (27:50.458)
I love that you're getting that feedback. I love that these students get to have this experience with you. a lot of teachers have responded that after flow school that they have more feedback, or whether in flow school, depending if they're online or in person. but that I'm like, first of all, just go tell people that you've been doing flow school. Like go give them the heads up that things are gonna get a little different. But the in like

Jennifer Brewer (27:56.685)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (28:16.641)
In general, like the teachers who come back to me and they're like, wow, I'm having so much. I'm having more response and communication with my students without me even asking them because of what's happening. And like if we're trying to give service in some way through these classes and through our our heart and showing up in the way that we're trying to do and create an experience to then have people be able to feel connected to themselves.

And then feel connected to the room and then feel some sort of connection to us in that process. Like that's such a gift.

Bonnie (28:53.349)
Yeah. ultimately it's like connection to self. They're like, I felt something. You're like yes. Yes.

Jennifer Brewer (28:59.938)
Mm-hmm. one of the, I mean, one of the many things I I do repeat that that you said is we're all gonna in the room right now, we're all gonna be willing for this to fall apart. Like we've done it slow, we're gonna pick it up. It's gonna be awful. Like it's gonna be a mess, right? Especially the first week. Like, it's gonna be a mess. Are you ready? Like I'm here, like.

Bonnie (29:14.681)
Mm.

Bonnie (29:24.667)
Yep. Yep.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (29:29.698)
fine. Be messy. Like and you can you know how you can look at their faces and like they're in it and they're in it and you can see them struggling. And not that I'm laughing at them struggling, but I can see them like and then when it clicks it's like mic drop. We did it.

Bonnie (29:33.211)
Yeah.

Bonnie (29:43.184)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Oof. I have chills. You do. I and there is something about setting the stage like that, where you don't pretend like you have all your shit together as a teacher. You don't pretend like you know that it's gonna go amazing. And we know what it feels like when a class is hella good and it's the vibes and you're like, I'm doing exactly what I need to be doing with my life, right? But like to walk with them on the journey and to set them up for success, being like, This is gonna be weird.

And we're gonna maybe fall apart here and that's gonna be great. I think that that's a way that you're showing up and holding them. And so they get to have an exhale and be like, okay, I don't I don't have to do this quote unquote perfect. Like this actually gets to be messy and I'm gonna keep doing it. And I'm gonna try again and I'm gonna try again and I'm gonna try again.

Jennifer Brewer (30:25.463)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (30:36.545)
And I'm gonna try next week. Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (30:38.447)
Yeah. Yeah. 'Cause we're repeating our classes. So we actually get better at teaching them and students actually get better and feel better in their bodies over time. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (30:47.105)
Yeah, and the getting better at teaching something, like to have them see that as a mirror, like it's it's not just you. and for for me as a as a teacher, even after all these years, I know you know we've talked about it, but I'm I'm in menopause, everything everything gets better, those of you out there that are that are in it, but the brain fog has not gotten better.

Bonnie (30:50.511)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (31:16.767)
And so I will often say raise your, I couldn't I couldn't remember the word arm for a million dollars at this point. Like it's middle of class and I'm like, and the whole class, because I have been honest in showing up, is like arm and I'm like, yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (31:39.786)
Yeah.

Bonnie (31:41.083)
Love this.

Jennifer Brewer (31:42.477)
What?

Bonnie (31:44.731)
What's the I feel like we're we're back to like talking to children. I'm like, what's this? And they're like, eyebrow, you know

Jennifer Brewer (31:49.121)
Uh-huh. Yeah, that's how I feel. I'm like, I don't I I don't can't remember the name of this. Thank you. Breathe breathe in.

Bonnie (31:54.692)
Yeah. Yeah. Love. And to have a room right, right. Well, and I think to create a space, like it takes so much it takes so much consistency in showing up with people. A willingness to be next to them. That doesn't mean we have all the answers. Doesn't mean they like have to like share all the shit with us or whatever, but like not just shit, but like life, their life with us. but that you have enough trust in the room because I and I think that that's so

when you have your own self-trust and then that spills over into the room because that's what you you walked you're like you're like I'm here to own my voice. I'm here I I know what I have to give actually and I'm gonna I can stand in that. And that means I'm still evolving. But then those people, they're like, okay this person like Jen has us. Like I can I I trust her to hold this experience. And then there becomes this loop of trust because then we trust our students to be like

you're gonna hold this experience and actually you're a participant in this room. And I need to and like I trust you to also like be here and show up and take care of yourself. And like to build that sort of language together is huge. Yeah. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (33:07.744)
And to be okay with the people that don't don't dick.

Bonnie (33:10.725)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (33:14.442)
I'm happy they're smaller than the people that that do, but there are people that I don't see anymore and I'm not mad at them, but I also this is how I'm teaching right now because this is what I'm doing.

Bonnie (33:32.955)
Yeah. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (33:34.496)
And that will change at some point, probably.

Bonnie (33:37.628)
Totally. Totally, 'cause we're different now than we were five years ago. So how we're teaching. Well, and I I really I am so okay with the like kind of like this really strong acknowledgement that there are many types of ways to do the physical practice of yoga and there are different seasons for each of us to practice in different ways. And there's sometimes we need something different and we might loop back in some way.

Jennifer Brewer (33:41.4)
Mm-hmm. yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (34:00.419)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (34:07.969)
And if we're definitely going into I into more creative sequencing land where it's out of the more kind of guessable sequences that you would you would go into, that can be a brain game for people. Where if they're like, I don't want the puzzle, how do I move my body? Like, how do I land in this? I think that can sometimes deter people from coming to vinyasa classes. And I think that if

Jennifer Brewer (34:08.11)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (34:24.792)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (34:36.933)
Folks embrace some of what I'm talking about in flow school too, of like repeating a class, it gives people that middle ground where you're like, you can come and learn the brain games, come and learn how to do different things with your body, come and learn how to get on and off the ground within your flow, because you're gonna need to do that when you're 80. and not just like a ground section, a standing section of ground, but like let's do this all together. that when you repeat that week after week. And I'm like, I'm teaching the same class for an entire month.

Jennifer Brewer (35:04.024)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (35:04.037)
Like every every Tuesday you're coming to class, you we're getting it. I've taught five weeks now, the same flow. And that so then there's like this middle ground of newness and like of this like novel experience, but then also this familiarity that you build. Where like some people you're like, I need to go. I I know a woman who I've been working with and she amazing teacher, she's like Bickram's my practice. Like, I my hot twenty-six. She's like, that puts me back in. I'm like, cool. Like that's a very set sequence.

Jennifer Brewer (35:33.632)
Mm-hmm. I'm actually training in that right now. I think familiar is great sometimes. Sometimes I don't have the the brain power. I think it is a great example of a challenging, vigorous practice that where you don't have the arm bearing like chataranga and down jog, but you can still feel like a badass and like you can do hard things. And so I think there's value in a in a lot of

Bonnie (35:34.499)
And then that's a different brain space.

Bonnie (35:39.472)
Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (36:02.05)
Things, exactly what you're saying.

Bonnie (36:03.473)
Absolutely. Absolutely. So wherever your brain is, like there's a there's a there's a practice for that. Yeah. Well, and even to talk about for you to have, then we're gonna loop back to flow school a little bit, but like when it feels difficult to even create something, and this is I think as a benefit as a teacher, is like repeat something you've already done. And also have the have the thing that you know works in your back pocket. So if you're like, I was gonna recreate something or I was gonna make this was gonna be a new week, I'm like.

Jennifer Brewer (36:08.366)
Right.

Bonnie (36:33.905)
Write down your flows and go back three months. Like what worked really well? Come back and teach it because you're gonna teach it a hundred percent better and also different than you did. so just like pick up something that you know works and rather than trying to recreate every single time because that's definitely how we burn out as teachers. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, I would love to hear about so let's jump back to flow school and people. how was it to meet

Jennifer Brewer (36:35.734)
Really?

Jennifer Brewer (36:42.85)
Mm-hmm. Cheers.

Jennifer Brewer (36:53.272)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (37:03.621)
The other teachers who were there in Flow School.

Jennifer Brewer (37:06.43)
It is so it's always lovely to be around teachers and I feel like a lot of them were feeling the same thing I did that y even though we are standing in the front of the room and there's we usually teach at studios where there are other teachers, it's you're coming and going. And yoga teaching is a very lonely job to be around so many.

people because there is a little bit of you want to maintain a a professional student student teacher relationship. most yoga teachers do have other jobs, teach or t are teaching random other other places. And so to be in a room with other teachers and know like what you're feeling, what your challenges are.

you're other people are feeling that that that too. and that on social media we often see the the people with extreme flexibility or really good video recording equipment. And so to be with other people and be like, I'm as I'm as good as them like

they're as good as me and like we're all we're all doing this and we all have been touched by yoga in some way and have our have our own story but i it's not an easy profession to to make a living in it there is a lot of burnout so to to be around those

all of those teachers is just and now I have this community beyond my beyond my own. I get ideas from and it's it's not competitive. It's we're rooting for each other.

Bonnie (39:07.493)
Yeah.

Bonnie (39:13.413)
Yeah. Mm. Yeah. That. Yeah. I it's so important to me. And you know, I really this try to set the stage of like abundance of like there's more than like we need each other here because we all approach something in a different way. The tone of our voice, like our experiences, whatever it is, like there's somebody that's not gonna land with all of us except for one of us. And so we need all of us. Yeah. Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (39:37.474)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (39:42.011)
Do you have a any specific moments? Like just thinking we'll just say a moment. Do you have a specific moment that you that comes to mind when you think of law school?

Jennifer Brewer (39:51.609)
I think my favorite is when we are actually sharing our flows with each other and getting feedback.

Bonnie (39:57.584)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (40:05.942)
because the the way that you have it set up, we're not looking for faults. We're looking for like this this is working. Like this language you're using is working. The these this pose from one to the other is working and still see people learning new learning new things from each

Bonnie (40:34.043)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (40:34.838)
other. Like it wasn't while we learned a lot from you, like I learned just as much from everyone else in the in the room and felt like we all got to be this really valuable contributor.

Bonnie (40:41.425)
Absolutely.

Yeah.

Bonnie (40:52.227)
Yeah. Yeah. Like that's so huge to me. Is that and always I'm like, I don't know who's gonna show up in the room and what everybody's gonna bring, but everybody brings something. And so there's what I'm bringing and then a a a large space that I hold for the magic of everybody else. And I that end teaching, there's to me in some ways I that feels like the beginning. I'm like, okay, now we've had this whole week of setting up some language.

Jennifer Brewer (41:09.814)
Okay.

Bonnie (41:19.781)
And then let's dip our toes in and now we're ready to go for like three more weeks. Which we don't have.

Jennifer Brewer (41:24.876)
Well, I think we're teachers because we like being students. And so when we have such a beautiful opportunity to to be students again, it it's inspiring, it's renourishing, it it fills the battery like

Bonnie (41:44.024)
Mm. Love. Yeah. Okay. So thinking about what you walked away from flow school with and how has that landed in your teaching and in like I mean, I know you've you've spoken a little bit about your voice, but if you're like speaking, let's speak directly to the classes you are teaching. So now you're doing the five post flow class, like what what about the practice of

of putting things together has helped you, like the creative sequencing portion of it, not just the voice.

Jennifer Brewer (42:16.935)
it's helped me bring flow to people who think they can't flow because flow is only associated with sun salutes. it's helped me be able to talk to people about why getting up and down off the ground is important in real life mobility functionality.

It it has helped me.

Jennifer Brewer (42:52.065)
feel more confident in repeating classes and in, you know, like I can plan for a whole month of teaching in in a week, you know, or or you know, three or four evenings of my own time. I can and that it's gonna look like this in a hot flow class. It's gonna look like this on Friday night's class because it's got a different audience. It's gonna look like this in slow flow. But here is the thread that's

Bonnie (43:04.656)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (43:21.933)
through them that's through them all. So n I feel more prepared. Like I I can walk in, I know my why I'm doing it. I know what I'm gonna do. I know what to offer people that have knee replacements or tight hips or like and as a yoga teacher with tight hips like

Bonnie (43:23.61)
Yeah.

Bonnie (43:34.31)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (43:49.428)
I also feel confident and like this is how I'm gonna take this transition. But you wonderful Cirque du Soleil people out there, like you can do it this way. I'm gonna describe it to you because I can't show it to you. But yours can look more like this and everybody's is gonna look different.

Bonnie (44:06.617)
Yeah. Yeah. Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (44:08.961)
But but you finding your flow gives me permission to find mine and we are flowing right beside of each other and it's gonna look different, but like that energy.

is between us all, like it's in around and through us.

Bonnie (44:25.305)
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and the ability to to be able to guide a nuanced experience for so many different people in the room and to help people know where they can pick it up and where they can then turn it up and turn it down, right? And be like what sounds fun today? Like what what sounds like exciting for your body, what feels l strong in your body today? Like, okay, do this, do this, you can try this. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (44:50.957)
You don't have.

Mm-hmm. But I've got a couple people that show up with knee pads now on a on a regular basis. I have a couple people that are like before they put their mat down in their usual spot, they're like, are we gonna be rolling off the mat like today? Or are we gonna be staying on there? But it's fun. It's become fun.

Bonnie (44:58.541)
Love

Bonnie (45:09.913)
Yes.

Bonnie (45:18.489)
I mean period.

Jennifer Brewer (45:20.727)
Period. Yeah.

Bonnie (45:23.131)
I I really feel like I need to actually it's like, you know, I need to just put my knee pads on and just make mate regular content of normalizing knee pads in yoga because seriously. Yeah. Yeah. okay. I am thinking about your flow in particular and also your flow that you made is I think w one of the things that I really love in flow school is because I can

Jennifer Brewer (45:34.381)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (45:47.782)
picture how everybody moves and like sitting with everybody because I sit with every single person and we walk through your flow before you teach it on the last day. and so I'm thinking about your funky down dog. So okay well I wanted to point it out. Well and I called it out to you. Have you watched that one yet? Okay, because I call out Okay. Yeah. So it's in there. There's a funky down dog. It's the bridge flow that's in the the

Jennifer Brewer (45:50.101)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (45:56.394)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (45:59.916)
Mm-hmm. I saw that in one of your videos.

Uh-huh. No, I haven't heard you call it out, but I saw that one.

Bonnie (46:17.347)
in in there. So I we're talking about the beta tester. So Jen is you're a beta tester for my new flow school platform, which is currently in in exploration stage right now. We're we're testing in beta time. because I have built several different things, but I really want to build like something better. Right. So this is like the constant be like, how do I turn, how do I turn what I've done up?

Jennifer Brewer (46:18.709)
Okay.

Jennifer Brewer (46:26.443)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (46:33.591)
Right, well.

Bonnie (46:47.235)
And make it more mm

like more supportive and more like just more, like more in a lot of different ways. So I guess maybe I'll just state that. But anyway, so we're testing it. And I have you and a good handful of other people who have only been in person flow school, been to in person flow school with me because y'all knows my brain and have invested in that time. You know what it is to be with other teachers in the room. so there's a sequence in there.

Jennifer Brewer (47:00.555)
Mm.

Bonnie (47:19.621)
that has the funky down dog, but in the video I actually call out. I'm like, this is a shout out to Jen. Like, so that's like in the video.

Jennifer Brewer (47:25.373)
What?

Define it 'cause I did I did hear you call it funky down dog.

Bonnie (47:32.11)
Yeah, it's in the it's in the bridge flow. There's a I think it's the pigeon dog bridge flow. I think it's that one. because we have a it's like a four-pose flow, that one, but the transitions are significant. And as always, I'm like, you can't just teach a four-pose flow, you're really teaching eight things because it's poses plus transitions. And that one in particular, it has like some good movement. But we took that funky down dog and with your foot off the mat, pop up onto your tippy toes.

Jennifer Brewer (47:36.491)
Okay.

Jennifer Brewer (47:42.807)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (47:56.269)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (47:59.694)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (47:59.986)
Turn your toes to the opposite long side, bend your knees, and land your funky down dog knee just on the edge of your mat. And then do a lifted back leg gait. So did that did that follow?

Jennifer Brewer (48:09.046)
I'll I'll be on it this evening. For me, nobody else that's listening, but so I don't want to interrupt you, but I live in Hilton Head and all of the planned neighborhoods the leaf blowing is getting ready to start. So we're gonna go into my bathroom.

Bonnie (48:21.073)
That's true. You're gonna have to join the philosophers. Yeah, so

Bonnie (48:37.743)
Jennifer Brewer (48:41.719)
So that

Bonnie (48:46.084)
Amazing.

Jennifer Brewer (48:47.937)
We are not hearing the week flowers.

Bonnie (48:50.669)
did something just break?

Jennifer Brewer (48:52.802)
But nothing important.

Bonnie (48:55.01)
no Jen.

Jennifer Brewer (48:56.205)
I've got my dog locked in one room. I'm in the bathroom now, but the shower curtain makes a nice

Bonnie (49:01.265)
Do you need to take do you need to take a minute and go say hi to your dog? Okay. You're just gonna do the things. Hi dog.

Jennifer Brewer (49:05.429)
No, because they'll no, it's fine. You can edit out whatever of that or leave it in however. However you want to do it.

Bonnie (49:14.897)
okay, perfect.

Jennifer Brewer (49:19.478)
Yeah.

Bonnie (49:22.417)
Jennifer Brewer (49:23.873)
So talking about beta testing.

Bonnie (49:25.315)
Yes. Yes, talking about beta testing. I'm like, let's have to wrap my brain back. beta testing. so I have been thinking a lot. So you I wanted, yeah. We have a a an opportunity that I didn't even consider when I wanted to talk to people about flow school, it's in particular in-person flow school. And just like the flow school experience with me. But now I have launched this beta test and it happens to land right now. And I'm like, we could talk about this too, which is exciting and truly if

Jennifer Brewer (49:27.819)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (49:43.213)
Okay.

Bonnie (49:55.91)
You know, I I've been doing this for six years and I'm thinking like what teachers really need and what's the lightest lift by all people to choose your adventure and how you want to keep learning, but really have a place that feels like you're up-leveling your craft and that you can do in bite size, but you can feel connected to community and that is it there's more things going with it right now, but to also have it be a a series of tools that work really well for teachers that

don't exist anywhere. And along with like paired with video stuff and content for sequencing. that is a beginning, there's a beginning library of things. There's like seventy five videos already in there. That's like a a barely scratching the surface to me. Like there's so much more to go, which is it's exciting.

Jennifer Brewer (50:41.758)
It's so good. Like as a teacher, I'm so excited. I don't really care for for live online learning. I find it very hard to focus. It's like never at a time that that works for me. I find the back and forth and trying to to talk really hard. I always feel like I'm cutting people off or it's it's just awkward for me.

and so to have classes or bits of classes where you're speaking to me like a teacher, not like you're you're inner, you're teaching to a room of of students because you're telling me like, hey, this is this this is what you might find with this transition, or this is why I'm I'm really cueing this arm, is because it's we're moving this.

this way and then to have other teachers show finished, unfinished work. I know my video that I shared was like, I don't know what to here's what I'm trying to do. I'm not doing it very good, but but I have an idea and anyway I love it. I love it.

Bonnie (52:01.009)
I'm so excited. I'm so excited to have you be part of it and so glad that you love it. I'm like pouring, I'm like, what's I was like, that's fuck, you know, I'm just like, let's fucking pour my entire soul into this. And how do I turn myself inside out and like give everything? And so that's that's the goal. Well, thank you.

Jennifer Brewer (52:08.341)
I love it.

Jennifer Brewer (52:17.153)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (52:24.877)
But I mean it shows. It shows and it's and it's needed. And so many so many teachers, teachers teach in a way where it's like this is the way or here's your here's what you're gonna do. And you're like you you know what to do because you have a body.

How your body want to move and why have we stopped listening? Why are you not listening to that? And the options are are endless. And so it's challenging and disciplined, but and it again it's fun because we have permission that we're not trying to show you or other teachers, like, here's my here's my my Bonnie imitation, but

Bonnie (52:59.547)
Yeah. Yeah.

Bonnie (53:11.578)
Hmm.

Bonnie (53:22.15)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (53:22.753)
Here's what here's what it's inspired me to do.

Bonnie (53:26.575)
Love. Yeah. Well, I love this combination of challenging and disciplined all and also fun and permissive. Like I'm I'm perfect. Like there's some structure to the things. and also a wide open space to discover what that means. and to wiggle that for your individual body and curiosity and

Jennifer Brewer (53:34.988)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (53:39.041)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (53:48.109)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (53:56.952)
Yeah. Yeah. So that makes me really excited. And I honestly, when I thought about the community piece of this, so there's currently right now, there's the video library. So there's gonna be the video library and then there's gonna be the tool dashboard. Everything's gonna be connected tool dashboard you don't have access to yet. the video library is where like so many teacher trainers, folks who teach teachers, they might have

an online module. Like there's a lot of online modules. You can like, here's 30 hours, 50 hours, whatever. and then here's online classes you can take with me. And I am like, but we can do better. So I'm like, this doesn't exist. I'm like, I want the entire platform to be just for teachers at from teacher to teacher, not like because I already have Studio B, which is my

class platform and I really tried last year. I was like, maybe I can make be this be the home base for both because I think it can really build something for teachers. Ultimately I can't change the URL. Everything will get broken. And so I was like, okay, you know what? It's day in Studio B. I can't change the name of it. It like does it make sense if it's online flow school for my own like business brain and like

where people will feel like they it's held in a way. And I'm like, this is Flow School. There is also then immersion trainings for Flow School where you can come and do like a 50-hour training in person. But to join Flow School is to join this platform. There might be an online training that happens, but to join Flow School is to join this platform. And then you can also join the immersion trainings as well. Or if I like you find me in a workshop weekend, right? So like there can be other ways you experience Flow School.

Jennifer Brewer (55:21.643)
Right.

Bonnie (55:39.494)
But this is like the flow school platform where I will have the method in shorter bits than like I even did it before. I'm gonna re-record everything that I did last year and do it better. And then, but I'm starting with sequences first. So I'm like, what how can I take what people feel inspired by on Instagram, on social media to be like, I want to take that and play with it? And where can I turn that up and up level it and say, like, okay, here it is, and now you can just take it and run with it? Or if you wanna watch this whole video of like, this is how.

I would teach this, and this is why I would teach this. And if you liked this, you could also pair it with this and this and create a whole class here, et cetera. Here's a workshop you can take. So but what really then like there's the that part that's me. And then this other part that I'm like the magic of flow school, whether it's been online or in person, is exactly what I've been saying, like this magic of the room, of the people that are there. And I'm like, there has to be an entire section where people, if you're gonna pay.

To be a member of something and to be part of a teacher community where people believe in abundance and that everybody's voice is important in their own way, to like bring the craft of practicing. Cause some people don't have a way to get feedback in their actual studio, right? And from other teachers or or people who are studio owners don't have a place. They could somebody could be a student owner and pop in here and be a member. Nobody knows they're a studio owner and they actually can get feedback because people are afraid to say shit. So

Like to say, like, this is what I love, this is what's super working, and this is like, or you have this question, like you, you're like, I can bring this question and be like, I don't what to do here. I'm I'm thinking about this. Then there's feedback you actually get from other real teachers who are in the arena with you, right? And and to say, like, this is working, loved this, learned this from you, totally want to try that in class. This I felt confused by this, my body did not work for that. So if I were to teach this, I would probably teach it like this XYZ or

Jennifer Brewer (57:23.681)
Mm.

Bonnie (57:36.282)
Why, etc. Right. So I think that it gets to be this open dialogue and very much that what we teach is not who we are. Right. It's a practice. And so then it I I'm I'm really trying to this is my work off the mat too, my own personal work. So of course I bring anything that's my personal life to the to the teaching room where I'm like, it's not about it's not about me, right? to like l actually let your worth not

be decided by the class that you teach by the practice you're leading and that there's nothing to prove in that. so having you be part of that and to have submitted a class because not every teacher is in there. I mean we can't hold all of every teacher at the moment in there. It has to be like some rotating so there's enough space for everybody to actually watch and respond. But to have you be part of this from like the day one, like you're like you're like the first video that I got, I was like, fuck yeah, go Jen.

Jennifer Brewer (58:33.676)
Well if you sent like four emails, I was like, I feel like I really just need to send her a video. Like she's excited, like she wants a video. I mean send her a video.

Bonnie (58:42.319)
Yeah. Well I I think there's there's part of me though I'm like, if I'm gonna bait test

Bonnie (58:49.947)
Well, and I I'm like, if I'm gonna beta test, I'm like, I'm gonna show the fuck up. I'm like, how do I want, how would I feel held in this? And if I'm willing to like say, like, hey, do you wanna come try this thing for free? And just give give me feedback and I know you're in my corner already. And so like anybody who said yes to this, I'm like, then how do I wanna show the fuck up so that these people feel held and in a way that doesn't feel like it burns me out, but it helps hold us all together because it's bigger than me, but it absolutely needs me.

Jennifer Brewer (58:55.444)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (59:17.805)
And if I want this to have the impact that I want it to, like this is how we have to show up. And so like again, if I'm not moved, y'all's not gonna be moved.

Jennifer Brewer (59:28.78)
I was like, this is the fourth email I'm sending a video today. That's the last thing I do. But to feel comfortable sending a video to a mentor, to a teacher's teacher, to and to not feel the pressure that, it has to be perfect. Like a it has to be really edited, it has to be perfect, was so freeing because I'm sending it because it's not perfect.

Bonnie (59:33.777)
You did that.

Jennifer Brewer (59:58.583)
Like I want some help, like

Bonnie (01:00:01.369)
Yeah. Yeah. I'm so excited. I haven't there's been a couple things I've had to wrap this week, so I haven't even touched anybody's videos yet. So I'm gonna be going in. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:00:10.134)
They're good. They're good. I've gotten through almost all almost all of them have gotten through. They're really good. And really different. Like really, really, really, really different, which is amazing.

Bonnie (01:00:16.133)
Amazing. Yeah, I'm excited.

Bonnie (01:00:25.327)
Yeah. I know. I always feel that way in flow school. I'm like, wow, I would not have even thought of this. This is amazing. Yeah, and there's definitely transitions I use all the time, postures I use all the time that have come from different people in flow school. Like it it's such an incredible concentration of of movement artistry. Like truly. Ugh.

Jennifer Brewer (01:00:31.616)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:00:38.464)
We should.

Jennifer Brewer (01:00:45.494)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:00:48.761)
Okay, so there's that. Okay, but I want to give some space now to you talking about because there'll be more to come for that, but so delighted you're there. you're doing some cool things in the world and I know you have also a big vision for what you hope to grow into. Like you are in North Carolina, people can come take classes with you, especially it's you know, vacation season, y'all. Or sorry, South Carolina. Yes. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:01:09.004)
Mm-hmm.

South Carolina. South Carolina. Okay. yeah, so a lot of beach yoga this time of year, public and and for re resorts, which if you've never practiced yoga outside, like that's a whole other element of being influenced by the by the seasons, by nature, by having this infinite space around you, like so many ways to be.

inspired. the challenge can be doing yoga in public. Some people have never been outside or been in been in public. So it's a whole different way of finding focus and choosing your your distractions. Distractions are gonna are gonna hold you. But my my big passion project is leading retreats.

Bonnie (01:01:55.014)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:02:03.274)
I'm getting ready for my ninth and tenth retreats next year. and much like your excitement about bringing people together, and the people are the magic. Like that is the magic of of retreating as well. As a teacher, it gives me time to kind of get beyond just the asana, which

Bonnie (01:02:21.84)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:02:29.488)
really really like and this we have time it's unrushed of several you know a week with these with these people I the people that continue to show up for this are are mainly women late 50s to 80. a lot of them are navigating being widows or

Bonnie (01:02:52.657)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:03:00.33)
retiring, empty nest, like transitions in their life. And for so long they've been this this role in their family or this title. And it reminds me of that movie with Julia Roberts. I think it's called Runaway Bride, where where sh there he's like, How do you like your eggs? And she's like, How do you like your eggs? Like everybody she's gonna marry, she's like, I like my eggs like you like your eggs.

Bonnie (01:03:20.133)
Mm.

Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:03:30.772)
And it's one of the first questions I asked like the first morning at breakfast. I'm like, how do you like your eggs? We should know how we like our eggs. And so who who are you beyond this role? And it it is so wonderful to see women be girls again, to be not worry about makeup and hair and just like

Bonnie (01:03:40.943)
Yeah.

Bonnie (01:03:53.721)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:03:59.383)
barefoot outside and we do we do yoga and we we have workshops around philosophy but it's a lot of just being you know we don't fill the itinerary isn't isn't filled completely lots of lots of free time it's my favorite way to serve people

Bonnie (01:04:01.53)
Yeah.

Bonnie (01:04:25.241)
Yeah. I don't think I realized I mean I I follow you on the gram so that I can see your things and when you're talking about retreats, but I don't think mm can let me rephrase that. I like the framing of who these retreats are for. And did you even think that that's who they were for at first or is that what you're finding?

Jennifer Brewer (01:04:43.892)
I I I mean, just like I got into yoga because I wanted to exercise, I got into leading retreats because I wanted to try and to travel. And then it like I was like, like there's something here. Like I need to like step up and a little bit and and and really this is an opportunity to to serve.

Bonnie (01:04:53.681)
Love, yes.

Jennifer Brewer (01:05:14.316)
and to make yoga that seems like if I was a monk on a mountain top I could I could be at peace, but you know.

to make that accessible and relevant to people's to people's lives. I think a lot of people think of yoga retreats as a bunch of skinny white 20-year-olds like doing six yoga classes a day and just looking beautiful and and there's space, space for that. But my I would I am surprised that the the people that come are are are

Bonnie (01:05:31.727)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:05:56.235)
older women. A lot of them have traveled for, you know, have never traveled by themselves. Like it's funny and fun.

Bonnie (01:05:57.542)
Yeah. I

Bonnie (01:06:02.969)
Mm.

Bonnie (01:06:07.001)
Yeah. Well that's even with flow school, there's people, women who come and I always like women who have children who come sometimes too all all ages, all ranges, but who that's like their first time away as well and to take themselves on a trip and how life changing that part is outside of even the flow school experience or or meeting all the other people. So that that's part of what your experience is as well. is really cool. But I

Jennifer Brewer (01:06:17.356)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:06:35.924)
I had one woman and I think you would appreciate that who she was married and her and her husband have always had an agreement that once a year they do something solo for themselves. And at the opening circle for every retreat, I always have a moment of gratitude, like for people that are taking care of kids, taking care of pets, picking up extra work so that we can be here.

Bonnie (01:06:36.611)
Yeah.

Bonnie (01:06:59.185)
Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:07:05.652)
And but I have incorporated now if you have a a spouse or a partner, and I'd hate to use the words that has let you be here, but it's been supportive of you being here, you have to do the same for them when you get back.

Bonnie (01:07:21.719)
Mm. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:07:22.792)
It might look very different than a retreat. It might not be how you want them to choose their their free time, but we have to be supportive because everybody is better for it in your in your circle, your family, your friends, or everybody's better for it.

Bonnie (01:07:36.37)
Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Well, I really like this discovery, I guess, that you're having of who is coming to these retreats and so who they're really for and how just by nature of what's happened, but also then you can say, like, okay, what am I bringing to the table that's also inviting this particular

Jennifer Brewer (01:07:48.524)
Mm.

Bonnie (01:08:02.329)
of women and then how do I help support more women by speaking even directly to that? Like this is me like putting my business like my my business mentor cap on and I'm just like I'm like, well this is really interesting, Jen. I love this. and because of the life that people have already had, like it gives them this new this new opening. I I think you're absolutely right, like after after 50. Like this is like retreats for women after fifty.

Jennifer Brewer (01:08:14.556)
I'm listening.

Jennifer Brewer (01:08:31.99)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:08:32.005)
Like fifty plus. and the there's it would seem that then there's a certain way that people can land together that is not going to be the same as if there's like I love my flow school room with like 20 year olds and 60 year olds in the room at the same time. Like that is beautiful. But there's something also beautiful when you're like these are we're all been some places and and a wide variety, and then fifty to eighty is gonna be very different also. But like you're you're

Jennifer Brewer (01:08:46.166)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:08:58.198)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:09:01.083)
Honing that that language, then that community, and supporting them, which then you could a hundred percent take into like my like the business like my business brain is going. I'm like with like talking to those women in particular. So I think in all of my viewing of you sharing your retreat things, like you could lean in so much harder, in hard as in like generous, right? Like

Jennifer Brewer (01:09:15.105)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:09:29.019)
Hard as in like more clarity, like about who it's for and why it's like why it's for you and what you're gonna get for it, like who this is really for to really name that as your people. Cause I don't think you've named it as your people. I mean, I'm sure you'd be like, Okay, whoever comes, and then like it happens to be this group. But you could also, if that's who's coming, you could be like, actually, you know what? Fuck it. Like this is for this is for women who are 50 plus. So so for me.

Jennifer Brewer (01:09:46.188)
Right, right, right.

Jennifer Brewer (01:09:56.246)
Mm.

Bonnie (01:09:58.418)
I am I'm gonna be forty three in two months and I'm like, Well, when I'm fifty I can go on Jen's retreat.

Jennifer Brewer (01:10:08.608)
You can you can come down. Maybe I'll say forty. Let's say women forty and

Bonnie (01:10:09.914)
I I know, like, right? But you're just like, no, you could come down. And I'm like, I'm like, but but also, but if that's like what it has been like, but I'm not saying that it's a bad thing. I'm just like now you've also created some scarcity in like a business brain sort of way to be like, who is this for? Because if we're serving everybody, we're almost serving no one sometimes. Right. Like, so who are you serving and why? Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:10:30.524)
Right. Especially with this like space and time of a retreat. I get what you're saying. My two retreats I have next year are actually the first ones I officially made women only. Because I was kind of like, I just want to have a retreat, like who will come? And you're right, now I know who's coming. And I haven't had a lot of men come. I've had maybe two over eight retreats, and they were coming with wives.

Bonnie (01:10:37.797)
Yeah.

Bonnie (01:10:44.421)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:10:48.528)
Yeah.

Bonnie (01:10:59.494)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:10:59.816)
And they were lovely, but it changes the energy of the room in terms of what we talk about. And the women were much more preoccupied making sure their husband was okay. You know what I mean?

Bonnie (01:11:03.781)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:11:15.333)
Mm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah. No, that totally makes sense. Yeah. I guess it's just been the one retreat, the one that you were on where there was like a couple who came. Other times, if the everybody's always just come separate, men and women who've come to my retreats. But they don't fall into that category to me what you're saying. but that that makes sense. And I think so, I I like that you've at least like narrowed that down to just women.

Jennifer Brewer (01:11:20.96)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:11:35.988)
Right.

Bonnie (01:11:45.772)
And I think that there's room for even more because you will be able to be more specific around what you offer, why you offer it and how you offer it, which could then call in those very specific people. and thinking about the experience of are people interested in going and and there could be an argument for all the different ways. So that's it's I'm totally fine with that. But like

Jennifer Brewer (01:11:48.604)
More.

Jennifer Brewer (01:12:00.109)
Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:12:12.193)
If you're if let's say somebody is let's say somebody's 62 and they're like, is this retreat for me or is this gonna be like twenty five, thirty-five year olds? And that's gonna be, am I gonna feel like the old one in the group? Like I feel like that there's I I've had that experience. even with flow school.

Jennifer Brewer (01:12:21.398)
Right.

Jennifer Brewer (01:12:30.004)
That's actu you know, I've actually had several people actually say that, like, I wanna come, am I gonna be the oldest one there? And I'm like, God no. But you're right.

Bonnie (01:12:39.033)
Yeah. Yeah. So and people have have I mean talk to me about that for flow school even be like, Am I gonna be the I'm the old teacher in the room? And I'm like, no, no, no. Or if I'm just like actually I've had somebody older and actually like it doesn't matter. but that could be a thing, and so even for you for the retreat land to be like, this is like nobody younger is coming. This is just like so there could be almost a sense of comfort of being like, This is for me. This is for me.

Jennifer Brewer (01:12:52.616)
Mm-hmm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:03.058)
Yeah. You're so smart. You're not just a pretty face.

Bonnie (01:13:09.559)
Thank goodness.

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:14.068)
You're right. You're right. Mm-hmm.

Bonnie (01:13:16.721)
'Cause then you could really speak directly to to those women and be like, This is this is for you.

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:21.3)
Mm.

Bonnie (01:13:25.937)
Yeah. Okay. Well, this is fun. This is this is good. That was a good loop into things. Love it. I'm excited. I'm excited for what you're building. And I love how passionate you are about building it. so if anybody's listening to this conversation and is like, I want to go on a retreat and I am 50 plus.

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:29.812)
What are we gonna do it again?

Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:46.408)
Ha ha ha

Bonnie (01:13:48.347)
Then may I introduce you to Jen? I'm

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:50.804)
We now have age we now have age limits.

Bonnie (01:13:54.886)
Yeah. Well and I'm I'm gonna share your info in like the show notes as well. So people like go click on this. Like if you're fifty plus, you want this experience, Jen has lit something up in you. Like I honestly, Jen, I have sent anybody to you. Like truly. I yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:13:58.9)
Thank you.

Jennifer Brewer (01:14:11.029)
Thank you. And retreating has saved my my life. I know we mentioned that I came to your retreat. I was in the throes of menopause. Like I don't even know if I hardly talked on your retreat. Like I was at the worst point in my life when I met you. and had I not like had going there, like making myself do that and be there and

Bonnie (01:14:25.497)
Mm.

Mm.

Jennifer Brewer (01:14:37.374)
being around good people and seeing that the the world is good and having these people like like me at my worst was yeah amazing.

Bonnie (01:14:44.753)
Hm.

Bonnie (01:14:48.281)
Also also how we think that we're at our worst and that we're like somehow terrible, but I'm like, you're so likable. So yes, like absolutely. Like yeah. Yeah. It's such a gift to know you. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:14:55.646)
Yeah.

Jennifer Brewer (01:15:03.561)
Yeah.

Navigating transitions.

Jennifer Brewer (01:15:11.262)
Don't do it alone.

Bonnie (01:15:12.963)
No, we don't we don't do anything alone. I mean we're always all alone and we're also not alone. Like it's a weird thing. Life is weird.

Jennifer Brewer (01:15:20.52)
Mm-hmm. That's so weird.

Bonnie (01:15:26.545)
great. Well, thank you so much for this conversation today. I'm excited for more people to find you. I love sharing. and like that all the guests that I have on Yoga Strong, I think there's been maybe two in the what, six, seven years? 2019. I don't know, but this is twenty nineteen that I've been doing this. And when I have guests on, I think maybe two out of all of them were people who maybe pitched me that I was like, you know what? Sure, I'll talk.

Jennifer Brewer (01:15:30.964)
Thank you.

Bonnie (01:15:55.59)
doing the podcast. Otherwise I'm always like, who do I want to bring on? Who do I think is fun to talk to or would be interesting to talk to? Who do I want to other people to find? so it's a delight to have you here, Jen, and so delighted that other people get to find you now.

Jennifer Brewer (01:16:09.726)
Thank you. I love you.

Bonnie (01:16:11.503)
I love you. Okay, y'all. I am sharing all the deets in the show notes. So go check out Jen's retreats. If you're 50 plus woman, then that's for you. Also, Flow School. the Flow School platform, again, currently in beta testing. So that's gonna be for teachers everywhere. You do not have to attended Flow School in any capacity beforehand. It's gonna be it's gonna hit for people who are.

Jennifer Brewer (01:16:24.639)
Yeah.

Bonnie (01:16:40.219)
brand new teachers and like haven't learned with me and all those who have as well. So it's it's gonna it's gonna meet you in all the places. And of course, in person flow school at the current moment. I have one in November coming up in Portland, Oregon. So jump. Okay, y'all. Till next time.