ODDLight Community Feature: Lauren Jacobs

Each month we will be bringing a teacher into the #ODDlight and illuminating their interests, practices, and who they are. There is a real person behind those teachers and it’s their knowledge filtered through their own experiences that make them that person that pulls you into class.  This month, get to know Lauren Jacobs, your director of first impressions at the desk and awesome new teacher!

Name: Lauren Marissa Jacobs
Nick Name: LJ, L-dawg, Yacobs, LBJ
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Favorite place: Austin, TX or Florence, Italy
Favorite color: Black, olive green, or purple
Sign: Taurus

Most embarrassing moment? My friends and I decided to go on a vespa tour during our last week living in Florence. The tour guide was awesome and could ride his vespa backwards at the front of our group and videotape everyone else behind him. One by one, my friends started to wave to the camera all cute. When it was my turn to wave, I began to lift my hand to wave but immediately lost control and almost drove off the hill into a huge ditch! I saved myself at the last moment, but the look on my face must’ve been hilarious because on the car ride home, the tour guide told me he had “something verrrrry interesting to show” to my friends. I begged him not to or else they would never let me live it down. And they would probably make copies.

Most empowering moment? Being 13 years old and the only one to climb to the very top of a mountain with my badass uncle in Colorado while the rest of our family stayed behind.
Fun fact most wouldn’t know about you? I know all the words to Usher’s Confessions album.
Fun fact most wouldn’t know about you? I had 12 turtles growing up (not all at one time), all named either Mr. Cutie or Mrs. Cutie.
Fun fact most wouldn’t know about you? I went to band camp for 13 years.

Have a good story or anecdote to share? One New Year’s Eve my best friend and I were at the fraternity house across from our apartments having a good time. She didn’t know that the grenade fireworks would go off just by pulling the string and not by actually lighting them, and so she accidentally set one off and dropped it on the ground. We started screaming as it was spinning & shooting off sparks, and everyone ran outside. The firetrucks came, but we totally ran across the street to hide in her apartment and peeked at what was happening from behind the curtain. It cost $1,000 for the firetruck to come out, and we never told them it was us! We felt bad, but it was too hilarious to be too upset.
When you aren’t at the studio, where can you be found? I love walking in my neighborhood for hours! It’s so hilly and quiet and all the houses have such different personalities.
How do you define yoga? Yoga to me is the practice of connecting your mind, body, & breath while trying to let everything else go. It’s such an uplifting, inspiring experience!

Why do you teach? So that I can share that wonderful experience with others that I’ve enjoyed so much. It’s something really special to help others achieve things they didn’t know they could and feel good about themselves. Plus, it’s fun!
what brought you to become an instructor: I had several friends who had recently become teachers, and they all talked about how it was the best decision of their life and seemed so happy. I wanted to see what that was all about!
What's your favorite song?: I can’t pick, making new playlists is one of the best parts!
Favorite yoga pose? I really like crow pose because it’s fun, challenging, and was the first crazy yoga pose I ever achieved.

Memorable yoga moment: I was in Ducky’s class and we were in child’s pose, and my eyes started to tear up because I was so overcome with joy at that moment. I was so happy to be in my favorite place, surrounded by such a wonderful community. It was really overwhelming in a great way!
Favorite yogi piece/prop: My beyond yoga spacedye shirt and leggings. I want to live and breathe spacedye, it’s so comfortable.
Favorite Non-profits: My cousin Jordan founded a nonprofit for his younger brother, Richie. My cousin Richie and I were the same age, and he passed away when he was just shy of 18 from Cystic Fibrosis. Richie’s Spirit Foundation gives scholarships to struggling high school seniors so they can go to college, helps support families battling the costs of organ transplants, and also raises awareness for organ donation. Richie was the absolute best person I know with such a zest for life, and this foundation means so much to me! #passthespirit
Connect with Lauren:
Instagram - @Laurenmjacobs
anything else: One Down Dog is truly my favorite place in LA and walking into this studio was one of the best decisions of my life. I love this space and this community!