A conversation with
Elodie Garamond
Elodie Garamond is one of those unique individuals who spreads magic wherever she goes. A Parisian dabbler, she created a yoga studio unlike any other in 2013. We met her at her home in the 16th arrondissement of Paris. We interviewed her from her couch, cup of tea in hand.
Hello Elodie, tell us a little about yourself and your background...
I worked for a very long time in the world of horse racing, which is a male-dominated world that lives somewhat in isolation. I traveled a lot and since I had quite a few problems with insomnia, I started doing yoga. That was about twenty years ago, and it never really left my life. Afterwards, I worked in communications and I loved my job, but I felt that what I was doing was missing meaning. Yoga had taken a prominent place in my life and one day, as if it were obvious, I said to myself "but why don't I open my own yoga studio...". At first, I imagined something very small, a place of my own where I could welcome my friends, the teachers with whom I liked to practice. And then Le Tigre was born. Obviously I hadn't planned for this place to become what the Tigre has become... It was an incredible adventure, a story of friendship and family above all - I am associated with members of my family - and it was great because we started from nothing. We were very poorly prepared, we did everything in a rush, but we put in everything we liked and that's it... It took off because people came to the Tigre and said "It feels like we're arriving at a friend's house", and I think the recipe was to create a place that resembled us and where we ourselves wanted to spend time.
During the health crisis, demand for yoga and meditation classes exploded while studios were closed. How did you manage to stay the course and meet your clients' needs?
The closure of yoga centers was very violent for us and we experienced it as an injustice. We had to stay positive despite everything and we reinvented ourselves. We very quickly turned to digital, and we had to learn, because it's a different profession. The idea wasn't just to pick up a camera and film classes, it was to find the same quality of approach, teaching, and pedagogy. And to establish a closeness, despite the screens and this immense distance that had suddenly been imposed on us. Our goal was to maintain this connection and this notion of pedagogy which is very important to us and allows us to express that yoga is not just a physical practice but an art of living. Yoga is not simply about spending an hour on your mat once a week... It's a way of living, of thinking, and of taking care of yourself. Through digital technology, we had to find new ways to share this. We worked on this and this is what allows us today to maintain this magical connection with the entire Tiger community.
« It's a way of living, thinking, and taking care of yourself. »
You said that yoga is a way of life. For you, I imagine it's a philosophy of life rather than a simple sport. How do you pass this on to your students?
The idea is to convey to them that no matter what body we have, and the limits of that body, we can practice simply by breathing. Yoga goes far beyond knowing how to do the splits and the images we see on social media. It's a respectful approach to one's body, it's making the effort to learn to know one's body schema, and going further by exploring everything that is inside us, everything that is in our energetic and physiological field. If we integrate that and learn to find the keys to exploring ourselves, it makes us freer, happier to be with ourselves and therefore happier to be with others. It's the initiation of a virtuous circle. If we can make people understand that yoga and meditation are paths to this freedom, this respect, and this self-love, it offers them an infallible weapon to better love others and simply love their lives.
« Yoga goes far beyond knowing how to do the splits and the images we see on social media. »
What new projects are you developing at the moment?
The Tiger's Conversations , which are interviews with well-known and lesser-known personalities, from the world of yoga or not, but who all share this art of living. Furthermore, I was lucky enough to be elected president of the Union of Yoga Professionals, which is a great lobbying and federation tool to help all studios. I'm very involved in it because we need to be better represented, better defended. The values of yoga, the ones I'm talking about, which are truly the breeding ground and foundations of yoga beyond the physical activity aspect, are not sufficiently promoted on a social and societal level.
Right now, in a society that is afraid, disoriented and closed in on itself, we need these values of yoga more than ever to anchor us in our reality and encourage us to turn towards others despite the temptation to withdraw into ourselves. I want to evangelize and universalize this practice well beyond the Tiger. It is a very deep conviction that I carry and I have always said it, the world will be better when everyone does yoga. The UPY (Union of Yoga Professionals) gives me the opportunity to share this and it is magical.
At Le Tigre, you made it feel like home. Here in your personal world, in your apartment, how did you make the space your own?
As I strongly believe in energies, good or bad, I always pay attention to cleaning places, whether at home or in clubs. I air out a lot, I use sage or palo santo to purify the places naturally. I also bring a lot of elements inside: stones, pine cones, lots of little gifts from Nature that I collect during my hikes… And all these objects that I like to have around me form like still lifes that are ultimately quite lively, and represent very precious channels of meditation. There are many people who cannot meditate, who find it complicated. In fact, if we have a few slightly iconic objects that speak to us, that remind us of a deserted beach, a mountain, or any landscape in which it is easier for us to meditate, a transference is created on these objects. By observing them we dive into contemplation, into a meditative state. There I have this whole little universe that I adore around me…
You also chose By Charlot plants, which one best represents yogic philosophy?
I love The Traveler. This plant speaks to me because yoga, and life in general, is a long journey. A journey through time, through space, but also an inner journey. I love looking at this plant; it's poetic, elegant, and ethereal. And it really has the make-up of a yogi, because a yogi is the link between the earth and the sky, with their feet firmly anchored to the ground. In yoga, we must be as much as possible in this idea of anchoring, of planting. And my teacher always said, "Everything on the ground is heavy, everything light is ethereal," so the hands, the face, and the thoughts must be light and ethereal. We connect to the sky, and the more the energy rises towards the crown chakra, the more ethereal and spiritual we are. I find that this plant symbolizes this connection between the earth and the sky; it's a real yogi plant. In any case, it speaks to me!
« I love The Traveler. This plant speaks to me because yoga, and life in general, is a long journey. »
Is decoration important to you?
The decor goes with this universe of contemplation, development of sensations and the five senses. I have lots of candles at home, like the By Charlot candles. I like decoration when it allows me an inner journey. I am not necessarily for aesthetic decoration, but rather an intimate decoration, where each object must have its place. On the other hand, I do not hesitate to throw away a lot of things. As soon as there is an object, a stone, even sometimes I admit a gift that someone may have given me, something that I feel is charged with bad energy or that does not find its rightful place, I get rid of it.
Do you have any rituals at home?
In the morning, before the children wake up, I practice for half an hour. Yoga, meditation, breathing. I sit among the plants, candles and I always light one. It's my morning ritual. And in the evening, our little ritual with my children is to put on music. Mantras, rap, classical music, it doesn't matter, but we dance and sing. It's our special time. For now, they still like it... But soon, when adolescence comes around, it will be over, I have no illusions!
Having two children, don't you have trouble finding time for yourself, quiet moments to refocus and practice?
I wake up before them, otherwise it's complicated. And I'm lucky enough to be able to go on yoga retreats regularly. Well, not right now, and I admit I miss it a lot, but normally retreats are my escapes. And when I don't have the kids, I need to go walking regularly in nature; it's important to me. I walk in silence, which is a little unsettling for the people who accompany me, like my husband, for example, but I really need this deep, intimate reconnection with Nature as often as possible.
« I have lots of candles at home, like By Charlot candles. I love decor when it allows me to take an inner journey. »
That's exactly the question I was going to ask you: living in the present moment, reconnecting with nature..., are you able to apply all these precepts despite a very urban, fast-paced life?
No. I try, but I can't say I succeed. It's funny because a lot of people say to me, "Oh, so you're a yogi and you're angry?" Of course, I get angry sometimes. I'm not trying to embody the perfect yogini. Since I'm not, it's a lost cause, so I stopped trying. On the other hand, I try to live every moment to the fullest, and say yes to everything life offers me. I actually tend to say yes and then think about the consequences, which can be a little disturbing for the people around me. But I find that this is the quality of life of a yogi: capturing this imagination, jumping into life, welcoming surprises, etc. The present moment is there. But I don't claim any perfection. Of course, it's complicated to live a life as a business leader and a mother, confined, confined again. I have moments of extremely intense anger and frustration. But I also think that all of this fuels what makes me creative, I constantly have new ideas, want to move forward and launch projects, meet people... It's because I let all these emotions resurface. Whether it's sadness, anger or something else, they are what fuel us. Nowhere is it written that because we do yoga, we must always be super calm, take it in and let everything flow. Yes, there are lots of things that flow over me... but not everything!
Finally, can you give me three small or big joys in your life, in your daily life?
So it's a bit basic, but coming home is a great joy, every day. Because there's something very special here. There are these smells, these colors, these candles, these plants, a particular atmosphere that make me impatient to come home every evening. My other joy is writing. It does me a world of good to write. I'm currently preparing an encyclopedia on yoga so I have dozens of books spread out everywhere. I immerse myself in them, I search, I feel like a late student diving back into her books... I thank Flammarion for saying yes to this project because for me it's a great daily joy. And then above all, there are my children. I'm lucky to have happy children, they're both very cheerful. My daughter sings all the time, she dances, she's funny, and these are joys that are quite simple and contagious. Happiness is being at home, with my children and my husband.
