Jasmine Sara: Slow Living as Yoga Teacher, Writer and Entrepreneur

Jasmine Sara, originally from Newcastle, UK - an ambitious individual, who holds a huge amount of momentum to drive herself into new projects and places. She also knows exactly when to stop, take stock and breathe and this is an important part of her story. Undergoing her yoga teacher training in 2017 was a turning point in her life, she then went on to study further when she was living back in England. This year she started a business with her best friend, in which they support new environmentally conscious start ups with marketing, content writing and branding design. On top of all of this, she has been travelling South America since November. In May of this year, I discovered how she manages to prioritise sustainability into the chaos of life.

What does sustainability mean to you?

It is at the heart of everything I do. I am one of those people who feel that work, life and play should be centred around the whole concept of sustainability. I like to think of it as a huge umbrella though, it doesn't have to translate to just ecological sustainability, but of course that is something I value. It's important for me not to feel burnt out and to have respect for the natural ecosystems within and around us.

Yoga means taking care of the self to take care of the whole.

How have you ended up living between two countries? Tell me more...

I have always travelled. I lived in Reunion Island for two years, which is an island off Mozambique (if we skip Madagascar). I started my South American adventure last year, initially living with a conscious community called Rosemary Dream based in Florianópolis, Brazil. This happened to be the place where I launched my online business Ardea Creative with my friend of twenty years, Olivia, who was also living in Brazil at the time. We launched in Argentina and then worked solidly on creating our business plan, setting up a website and securing our first clients. All whilst exploring the country. I came to Peru to teach yoga and volunteer with some environmentally driven projects (Kinsapacha Retreat Centre being one of them) and this particular country stole my heart! I'm spending three months teaching yoga on a vegan wellness retreat in Romania called Akasha this summer, but maybe I'll return to Peru after my residency has finished. So I could potentially be based between Peru and Romania, which is interesting.

How do you practice sustainability in other areas of your life other than work? 

Firstly...choosing to volunteer and participate in things like Work Away [volunteer exchange programme for food and board] and WWOOF [linking volunteers and organic farmers through work opportunities] has pretty much allowed me to make a living out of my passions, without having the pressure of any big financial outgoings. I would not have been able to launch a business this year if I had any financial commitment or burden. Other aspects of my life are my relationships and I think it's really important to build sustainability into your friendships and relationships. I prefer to communicate openly and to be able to check in with each other and look after each other, whilst still understanding that you are only responsible for yourself. Another form of me practising sustainability is how I manage my energy levels. I make sure not to burn the candle at both ends, resting when I need to, exercising when I need to and generally just listening to my body. 

How do your values align well with your work and your overall lifestyle?

I am lucky enough to be able to select my own business clients [for Ardea]. Our business values are focused on collaborating with sustainably driven projects. We only choose projects that we care about and believe in, which are managed by people trying to create positive change in the world. With my own practice and teachings – well being and self care are invaluable to me. Being aware of the interconnected systems is something I try to achieve on a daily basis. [Check out Jasmine Sara Yoga for more inspiring and spiritual stories.]

What has been the most inspiring point in your life so far? 

There isn't one particular moment that I can pinpoint, but I would say those moments when I am able to access the place of clarity within, where there are no worries or fears in the way. That inspires me. This usually comes about within a mediation or movement practice. But I also get it frequently when I am connecting to others in some way.

It's important for me to build sustainability into my friendships and relationships. I prefer to communicate openly, be able to check in with others, yet still understand that I am only responsible for myself.

What does yoga mean to you? 

Taking care of the self to take care of the whole. 

Jasmine will be based at Akasha Retreat from July until October 2019.

If you are a start up interested in collaborating, check out her business services @ Ardea Creative

Follow her yoga blog @Jasmine Sara Yoga and her gluten free adventures with recipe ideas (Jasmine is Coeliac) @ Coeliac On The Road

Jasmine's writing focuses mostly on yoga, wellbeing and emotional health. Read a recent article she published for Yoga Basics.

Photographs by Tui Anandi

Graphics by Ardea Creative