Yoga Then Mimosas Part 2: How Drinking Better Promotes a Healthy Lifestyle

Last week, I shared some thoughts about boozy yoga and how my relationship with alcohol has changed with mindfulness. Yoga isn’t just about one person’s perspective, so I reached out to Jackie Cawthorn, a yoga teacher from Austin, Texas, about how yoga then mimosas brings a balance to a good practice and a nice drink.

Nama’stay at the Bar after Class

Every Saturday morning, old and new students gather at Little Woodrow’s in Austin, Texas, to practice yoga with the option to enjoy a mimosa afterward. I asked Jackie about the class and how she got started teaching.

“The first time I practiced yoga was at a free community class that my parents dragged me to. I started taking more and more classes, and loved the feeling of connecting to myself and learning things about myself that I hadn’t known. I tapped into this inner peace that I had never felt and thought, ‘Everyone should have the chance feel this good and be this happy.’ That’s what led me to become a yoga instructor.”

With so many options for yoga in Austin, Jackie knew the demand would support her in starting her own thing: “I used to work for the manager at Little Woodrow’s and pitched the idea to him, which he luckily loved! Now we’re about a year into it and I have to say, it’s my absolute favorite part of the week! I do my best to keep it friendly for all levels, making it a comfortable environment for brand new yogis, yet challenging and inspiring for experienced yogis. I love the eclectic groups of people that attend and get such a warm and loving community feel during and after each class.”

Some people come just for the yoga class and some stay for the well-earned booze after class. I asked Jackie about classes that bring booze into the practice. “I think it can be fun and inviting to people who may not otherwise experience any form of yoga. I do however think that including alcohol DURING a class can be very distracting of the purpose of yoga, but maybe this is the gateway that some people need to dive into the practice. Yoga is NOT an easy sell to everyone. I think these weird but fun additions and perks to the practice entice people that may have not been interested in yoga at all. My hope for society is that people learn the difference between the fun quirky classes and the true practice of yoking together their mind, body, and spirit. If that starts with puppies in class, so be it.”

More Yoga, Less Mimosas

Yoga can be a great way to form a relationship with your physical body. Once you get to know it more, you can really feel the hit your body takes enduring a hangover. When sharing her BDC story, Jackie says that yoga has led her to cutting down on the booze: “The more in tune to my body I am, the less I enjoy being drunk—or even buzzed. I still have some wine here and there, but I have become more mindful and would not be surprised if I gave it up completely in the future.”

And as for having a mimosa afterward? I’ll leave you with this tip from Jackie: “Enjoy each sip as if it were your last. And as you drink slower and more mindfully, listen carefully to your body and mind.”

The relationship between yoga and alcohol isn’t black and white, and the path for modern yogis isn’t the traditional journey that it used to be. If you enjoy yoga then mimosas, we’d love to hear from you! Share your comments below.

about the author

Megan Okonsky is a writer and yoga teacher from Philadelphia, PA. She’s currently backpacking and working in Australia after eight months traveling through Southeast Asia and New Zealand. You can read more about her journey on her blog, Beat, Broke, Backpacking.