Jessica Stewart

Our next client story is that of the soulful Jessica Stewart, Founder of State Yoga. Warm, knowledgeable and magnetically approachable, Jessica relishes weaving breath-work and philosophy into her thoughtful, anatomically-led sequencing.  

1.What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

This question is such a powerful one. The simple answer is - I would act rather than hesitate! I can imagine this mindset leading to a calm confidence and instinct. So, what stops me? Behind the scenes, my work flow can become sporadic when interrupted by saboteurs. They throw up doubts and highlight negative feedback which can derail my confidence and cause me to second guess myself. A key step for me is embracing imperfection, trusting others, and noticing what hidden gifts there are in any situation.

2.What three things are "non-negotiables" for you?

Community - We are tribal animals and need a supportive and empowering community to be accountable to and held by. It takes a village to raise our full potential! In community we can support others, and being in service to something bigger than ourselves is not only an exercise in altruism, but also helps us not get too ensnared by the inward focus of self development. Being in community also enables us to 'practice' relationships - being open, authentic, vulnerable and accountable to the intentions we lay out. Much of my work has focussed on how to create these communities. I run a wellbeing studio in Highgate, North London and lead yoga trainings and courses where community is acknowledged as the container and the core of what enables the students to be open, grow and ultimately, to thrive. 

Stillness - Especially by the middle of our lives, I think many of us are running around in pursuit of stillness! We fill our lives to the brim with a relentless drive to succeed, sometimes missing that 'success' should not compete with contentment with what we already have, and who we already are. Without stillness personal growth is impossible. I am passionate about making meditation and mindfulness pleasurable, easy and accessible. I don’t force myself to keep to a sunrise 2 hour meditation schedule, instead I simply find moments of my day for stillness, which can be as simple as closing my eyes and taking in the sounds around me, or standing and feeling both feet on the ground. With a demanding workload and young family this capacity to 'go in' and reconnect with something very tranquil within is a crucial wellspring of calmness and energy.

Movement - As someone that is naturally reflective, getting into yoga as a physical practice has been a game changer. Building strength and flexibility has made me much more able and confident in other sports. All sport, practiced skillfully, is a practice in mindfulness. I see movement as medicine. Having worked with bodies for the last 20 years I can see how intrinsically linked our state of mind is with our posture, our breath and our core stability. Movement practices are a way to self regulate emotions and detach or derail negative thinking patterns. They shift us from a victim state into a warrior state. Physical training encourages stoicism and self-discipline which often positively affects other holistic lifestyle choices.

3.What is the biggest lie your Inner Saboteur tells you?

Oh gosh - hard to say out loud! That I am not worthy, that there is something intrinsically wrong with me. This shows up most explicitly in relationships, where I am acutely sensitive to rejection and criticism. The armour I have built in reaction to this is to keep my cards close to my chest; be hesitant to trust others, and avoidant in revealing how and who I really am. In all honesty, my work as a teacher and business owner is helpful as it requires that I do the opposite: that I am transparent and open and willing to put myself out there.

4.What is your greatest failure and the greatest gift it gave?

My greatest failure was giving up university 2 weeks before my finals. To look at it through the lens of the Positive Intelligence model, my Victim and Stickler saboteurs had taken the driving seat. My Judge and Victim had been triggered by a pretty unpleasant incident and my Stickler wanted to pull the plug unless I was going to get a First. I simply did not have the tool kit or resilience to manage the situation, and my mental health collapsed when I needed it the most. I managed to finish the degree later, but what this meant was I was forced to step back in my early twenties and rebuild myself from the inside out. I read all the positive psychology, neuroscience, and self development books I could. The tools I developed at this time have led me to the work I do now, and I can work with people in both physical and mental imbalance with compassion and confidence thanks to this challenging and humbling experience.

5. What one piece of Sage advice would you give to a future Tapestry participant?

I would encourage anyone working with Maren and Rosie to embrace 'not doing it perfectly' and yet to 'be all in'. I have been exploring and working in this field for 20 years and, alongside yoga, this has been the most impactful course I have done. I would encourage you to throw yourself into the groups, as the more you contribute and engage with the course community the less you can hide behind your Saboteurs. Tapestry’s 6-week Mental Fitness Course course is an extremely powerful immersion into the Positive Intelligence model, and Maren and Rosanna elegantly support, guide, prompt and soothe the myriad things that surface in a held and supportive group dynamic. The workshops are a fantastic way to refresh and dive deeper into specific areas of the content.