Niki from Manifest
We were lucky enough to ask Niki from Manifest studio a few questions about her incredible yoga studio; Manifest as well as a few questions about health and wellness.
Niki strives towards a holistic lifestyle as she believes it contributes towards mental well-being. Niki is a mom and owns three businesses’ so maintaining her health and energy is important.
We gave Niki our CBD Calm to try as well as our 2-in-1 healing balm. We are so glad that Niki enjoyed these products and see’s them fitting into a holistic lifestyle.
At Nature’s Relief we believe that a healthy body equals a healthy mind. When did you feel a shift in focus to holistic health?
I have always tried to veer towards holistic health but when my youngest daughter was born with allergies I started looking more seriously at alternative options. Around the same time, I started removing things like dairy etc from our diet. Western medicine has its place, but we are deeply connected to each other and our planet. Holistic means ‘characterised by the belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole’.
You have been trying our CBD calm out; have you noticed a difference since taking it?
I have a bottle on my desk at the studio. Being a business owner can be stressful and these are particularly stressful times to navigate ourselves through. We currently have three businesses so there are moments when there is a lot coming at me. Taking a moment, some deep breaths and some Calm reminds me to come back to the present moment. Just the word CALM on the bottle is a quick note to check in with myself.
Would you recommend this product to anyone? Why?
Yes and for all the reasons above.
Do you feel that there is room for CBD in a holistic health lifestyle?
Absolutely. If humans are to survive, we have to find ways to do things better. We need to be aware of what we consume and how we take care of ourselves, each other, and our planet. For me holistic has a broad meaning and includes the idea of sustainable. There are healing and sustainable solutions all around us in nature.
We like to take CBD in the morning for clarity, do you have a specific morning routine and how does it benefit you?
The last year has been super challenging for our business and we are working double time to meet those challenges. My morning routine has fallen into disrepair, but I am currently shifting myself to get it back. I like to start my day by going for coffee and working quietly to deal with the urgent things. That way I know I have made space for the creativity that makes our businesses so special.
Many people struggle with racing thoughts at bedtime, CBD can help slow these thoughts done and promote a good nights’ sleep. Do you have any evening routines and how do they benefit you?
I like to do an early evening practice followed by meditation and journaling. This is my moment when the workday is done, and I have time to let everything settle. I find I can’t get into practice and mediation when I know stuff is waiting for me. I shift the energy of the day and get reconnected. If I feel too wired, I take some Calm before practice. That reminds to take that big breath.
You run an incredible yoga studio with your daughter, how has yoga benefitted your life?
So many people arrive at yoga and only think of the physical practice. That physical practice is important, but it is a tiny part of yoga. Yoga goes back some 5000 years, and the philosophy has so much to teach us. Primarily it is a practice of self-awareness and understanding our connection to everything. It is metaphysical and holistic in its nature.
How would you suggest a holistic lifestyle could contribute towards mental health?
I think it’s essential. Mental health always translates into physical health. The body always keeps the score. Illness and injury often stem from an emotional or mental place. Our practices to connect back to ourselves are essential. We can only do this from a place of calm. This is where we find solutions and it’s from that quiet space that we create. We have to find ways to deal with the intense pressure our society puts us under, and we have to do that it the most natural and connected way possible. Putting a man-made plaster on things is not a long-term solution.
CBD can help with the symptoms of stress. What are some of the challenges you faced when opening your yoga studio, Manifest, and how did you overcome them?
Opening our studio was relatively easy. We were very much in a flow state and everything fell into place very quickly. Navigating COVID has been a different thing altogether and has been extremely challenging. As a whole the industry worldwide has been devastated. We have watched studio after studio close from New York to Cape Town. It has taken a combination of being very brave and getting highly creative to ensure we can stay the distance and still provide a service to our community. For me the answer lies in coming back to the roots of the practice and reminding myself of my connection to all things.
You are a mother and a business owner. Do you have an advice or tips for maintaining your energy?
Setting boundaries for myself are essential. With three businesses that are open 7 days a week it can be challenging to find time for myself. I don’t answer work emails etc at the weekend and I carve out chunks of time when my phone is put on airplane mode. Recognizing my need for downtime is priority. I cannot pour from an empty cup! I need time by myself to maintain my energy levels. We have to learn what fills our cup and that only comes from self-awareness.
What do you think of the value of setting intentions both on and off the mat are?
We named our studio Manifest for a very good reason. We have a sign at the studio which reminds us what it means to manifest. Set an intention, a place we want to get to, and then take the attention to the present moment. If you look at a tightrope walker his intention is to get to the other end of the rope, but his attention must be on the next step. If he puts his attention on the destination he will fall.
Intentions in business are important to us but it’s the little intentions on my mat that keep me on track. Often my intention will be something simple. Enjoy moving my body. Connect to my breath, Find ease.
My life intention is to keep moving towards joy.
How has yoga impacted your life?
It’s almost impossible to quantify this. I never imagined the journey it would take me on. I could never have imagined all the possibilities. It has impacted every single area of my life and in turn the lives of everyone around. It’s been magical!
You have made a positive difference to so many people’s lives, is there a message you wish you could share with the world?
Take care of yourselves, take care of each other and take care of our planet! Everything is connected and everything you do makes a difference.
Many people are struggling with stress and anxiety at the moment. What is one thing you would say to someone who is going through a difficult time?
This is an incredibly difficult time to be living through and even those of us with all the tools have been immensely challenged. One of the biggest issues our society faces is that of loneliness! In fact how to deal with loneliness is the third most googled topic. When we created Manifest it was important to us that it was a place of community. A place that people could call home. A place for people to connect.
If someone is struggling it is essential that they share that struggle so that they know they are not alone. It’s that feeling that you are the only one that makes the struggle so hard. Humans connect through their stories and sharing our stories is an important part of our mental health. We start by connecting to ourselves and the stories we tell ourselves (self-awareness) and then connecting to others and realising that we are not alone in our journey. Social media has it’s pitfalls but it can also be a powerful tool for connection.
About Manifest
Manifest yoga studio runs online and in-person classes as well as hosting various workshops and a teacher training program.
You can find out more about their offerings on the Manifest website:
https://manifestyoga.co.za/
Follow Manifest on their Instagram page:
https://www.instagram.com/manifestyogastudio/
Like Manifest’s Facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/manifestyogastudio/