Wholistic Fitness

click on photos to enlarge. all photos courtesy of Susan Detering unless stated otherwise.

coming to Flag from LA four years ago with Joy, i warned her about the nature of mountain town folk. they surprise the socks off of you. i know, cuz i grew up among mountain folk.

1) they won’t say anything about their own accomplishments,
2) you’ll only learn about how Awakened, Centered, and Chi-Filled they are after some time living among them.
3) they will constantly inspire you to be a better, Higher, more Awake Being.

Flagstaff is chock full of these beautiful, fit, and grounded Beings.

One of the most beautiful and powerful among these Kachina spirited people of the ponderosa, is artist, school art teacher, yogini, river guide, outdoor athlete, and HP Yoga Devotee, Susan Detering…

Here then, is my interview with one of the most shining gems of our Path…Susan; thank you…and Sangha? May you, like myself, be empowered by the Shakti and Love pouring off our River Goddess…

***

ilg)
perhaps the defining characteristic of a Wholistic Fitness Yogi is that we rarely excel in any one capacity (strength, agility, suppleness, endurance, stillness) yet, we are devoted to the practice of finding yoga (union) within all the amazing capacities of the human incarnation. we don’t shy away from any one potentiality. you, on the other hand, seem to possess all those qualities! you are supple enough to do Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (see photo above) which is arguably one of the most difficult yoga postures possible,
yet you have the strength and brute endurance and mental tenacity to be a professional river guide…meanwhile, you express a beautiful yin quality in your demeanor, kindness, and art. so, which plane(t) actually, DO YOU come from? how long did it take you do find union (yoga) within all those various multi-disciplines?

Susan)
Balance and union are constant struggles, I believe that I have moments of union, but more often than not, I am still learning. The key is to learn to laugh! You must be able to observe yourself, your messy imperfections (i get irritated in any line – even if there is only 1 person in front of me!) and love and laugh at/with your human-ness. Growing up on a farm taught me to work hard, be strong, have the endurance to get through the day, and to have a good time doing it. The older I get, the more I realize how magical my childhood was and how much I learned from simply ‘being’ on the farm: one must have genuine compassion and patience to earn the trust of animals, one must be strong to handle the work, one must have a good humor to accept the challenges that everyday throws at you, and one must take care of and honor herself and her world. The union we all seek seems to me to be a grounding, one that I grew up with and have been able to spread to my various multi-disciplines.

Susan, a professional River Guide in the Grand Canyon, relies upon my ROCK VINYASA each morning which healed her from a chronic SI joint affliction. When in the Canyon, she really puts the Rock in Rock Vinyasa…

how long have you been a Grand Canyon River Guide(ess)?

Since 2002.

was this a spiritual calling or a cool way to make money or…?

It’s funny. I’m terrible at predicting my life and in hindsight things seem to choose me more than I choose them. I took a yoga teacher training course through Integral Yoga before I left the city (NYC)- not because I wanted to teach so much as I wanted to be able to take my practice with me – I knew I was going somewhere far away from my teachers and my beloved swami, but had no idea where. In the middle of my training I was thinking of places to go and knew that Grand Canyon was on the list. I’ve been many places in this world yet had yet to visit this wonder of the world in my own country. Once I’d made that decision everything else just happened. A friend of a friend found me an introduction to a job and with a lot of hard work I proved my worth and was hired on as crew. A year later, I found out that swamiji had been on a river trip, with the company I work for a few years prior… no wonder he smiled when I told him where I was headed! To answer your question, she called me…

what attracts you most about guiding in the Grand Canyon?

Every day you rise and set with the sun. All around, every minute, every mile, every hike, every moment is GRANDEUR. You cannot experience Grand Canyon and be unchanged – I walk around in a state of awe, humility, and gratitude. Additionally, I get to see the best side of humanity every day. Folks from all over the world become a family in a matter of days, selfishness turns into selflessness by day two. When you live and depend upon each other for survival (literally), minor differences fade away and everyone finds a way to not only get along, but to form lasting friendships. Stripped of the trappings of modern society humanity radiates from every soul that enters Grand Canyon.

okay, here is a TOUGH ONE: your most memorable moment on the river…

I was leading a trip and on the last night of the trip, a woman in her 70s sat me down to talk. She began by saying that she was sorry for not having had made more time for me earlier in the trip and that normally she was much more outgoing – that this trip was her son’s idea and she was out of her comfort zone. She confided in me that when we met at orientation she was terrified, her thought was “how could a ‘GIRL’ be in charge of such a serious expedition?” She continued on to tell me that she had watched me very closely for the entire trip and was amazed by not only my strength and work ethic, but by the grace and care with which I treated not only the passengers, but my crew and the canyon. I thanked her for her compliments and told her she was going to make me blush. “Susan, I’m NOT DONE.” She continued: “when I was a girl, I wasn’t allowed to play outside or choose my career, and no one ever told me that the world was mine for the taking. You are so lucky. You not only take the world and life by the reins, but you take care of her and share your love with EVERYONE.” She continued to thank me and tell me that she wished her granddaughters could meet me. “They need role models like you – women who are strong, beautiful, fun, tough and gentle.” I was in tears. We spent the rest of the night talking about what her childhood was like and how amazing life is – even just in the journey. I even told her one of my secrets – a mantra of sorts that I learned when I was young, from one of my tough female role models – “If you’ve got it, FLAUNT it, if you don’t – FAKE IT!” Silly as that may be, it has always given me the courage to be unabashedly myself (giggles and all) and to know that if I try (faking it) I’ll eventually figure it out or learn something new in the trying.

That was 3 years ago. Last year I did a trip with her and her three teenage granddaughters.

Susan, crosses the Finish Line of her first ever endurance footrace at this September’s Flagstaff 10k. Not surprisingly, she came in 4th in her Age Group and had a ton of fun, displaying the versatility of a HP Yogini! photo by Ananda. ** see footnote for Susan’s revealing input on her first race

you are easily on the podium of one of my most supple, strong, and enduring athletes – male or female – that i have in my yoga classes.
give our Tribe a little idea of how tough, from a fitness perspective, you’ve got to be to be a Grand Canyon River Guide…
what do you have to prioritize in your training before a trip?

Priority #1: Mental tenacity.
Priority #2: Physical endurance.
Nothing about guiding is particularly hard, it’s just that you’re up at 5am and don’t sit down until well after 8pm. You must not only get the boat from point A to point B, but you must do so with a cheerful disposition regardless of circumstance and be prepared for just about anything. On any given day, you may row 5 miles or 35 miles. You may hike 1 mile or 14 miles. You may slick every rapid or have to deal with a rescue. Oh, and everyday you load and unload your boat – we carry approximately the contents of a one bedroom apartment in gear – so heavy lifting of awkward stuff happens first thing and last thing every day. My raft, fully loaded with 4 passengers is close to 1500 lbs, which feels like 3 tons in a headwind! Oh – and it’s 15 days, 225 miles – with no break room, day off, or smidge of privacy. And did I mention that in the summer we often break 114 degrees during the day and consider 90 degrees pleasant sleeping weather?

Mental tenacity I work on all year by not letting the wild monkey of my brain run the show… if there is 2 feet of fresh snow and it’s 18 degrees out in the morning when it’s time to go for my walk – I strap on the snowshoes and go, even when my mind tells me that a cup of cocoa by the fire would be SO much nicer. I refuse to let traffic or lines bother me – I step back and witness my silly reaction, forgive myself for it, giggle, and get over it. I laugh in props class when my legs stop working. For physical endurance I hike/walk nearly every day, 3 miles with 1000′ gain is my ‘standard’ trail and usually a longer hike once a week (12+ miles). For strength I do HP yoga & prop classes and my own practice. Before the season starts I amp up the arm balances and inversions to try to get my upper body ready for the marathon it’s about to run. This year, after a winter of HP & Prop – I wasn’t sore at all!!! AMAZING!

how did you come to find “HP Yoga” and what has attracted you to being so consistent in attending my and Joy’s HP Yoga Classes here in Flagstaff?

HP was recommended by a friend. I had mentioned that I was unable to find a teacher in Flagstaff with whom I resonated… she thought I’d love HP Yoga … and she was RIGHT!

Regarding consistency: there is no point to practice if it is not steadfast. The first step to learning is showing up – being in the presence of one’s teachers! Every class I learn something new. The longer I study the more I can feel the effects of my practice… that type of ‘tuning in’ resonates throughout my life, my day and my body. I can’t think of a reason not to go.

at what point did you Awaken, consciously, to the Knowledge that you were on a spiritual journey and what did you do about it?

One day in the middle of my month long intensive yoga teacher training I had a little melt-down. I took the day off and stared across the lagoon asking myself what I was doing. I was so confused and torn and conflicted. What was I doing? I wasn’t a seeker! I had goals and ambition and drive – I wasn’t a waify lost soul that needed to be saved! All of the ‘God’ talk and eagerness to find enlightenment really freaked me out. I had issues with organized religion and with the idea of avoiding reality. I love this world and all it has to offer – I DID NOT WANT TO SPEND MY LIFE ON A MEDITATION CUSHION! So, I sat there, staring, watching the water (one of my favorite things to do), watching my anger and rage, and started to cry. I needed to let go of something. What was I grasping so strongly to? What was this pain, this fear?
Eventually, when I’d missed an entire day and all of the meals, Ramanandaji sat next to me at dusk and said to me, ‘you have been struggling, did you decide?’ We talked about God ( I used to be so scared of that word), and Yoga, and choice. I confessed that I didn’t want to spend my life sitting on a meditation cushion seeking enlightenment. As soon as I said that I felt amazingly light. Ramanadaji looked at me and said, ‘well that would be a waste of a brilliant life, I’m glad you have decided not to do that.’ We laughed and laughed and I realized that the ‘path’ could be anything I wanted it to be… these great gurus and the amazing traditions from ancient worlds are flexible and life is meant to be lived… so that’s what I did, I decided to live, and to take my teachings with me. I quit my ‘real job’ in NYC and started listening to the subtle voices I’d quieted with someone else’s idea of success.

is there a key ingredient in “living a Heart-Based life”?

The golden rule – ‘do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ – words I was raised by. Whenever I am uncertain, I refer back to that simple rule and always find my answer.

Stone Creek Downstream, by Susan Detering

when i first saw your paintings, i was struck by their colorful simplicity, yet it’s a simplicity that conveys and evokes the depth
of the American Southwest. having lived in Santa Fe, i’ve come across a LOT of southwest art…your work however, carries a
particularly engaging style of chi…can you tell us a little bit about how you came to paint and why you pursued it to a professional level?

I look at nature and am awestruck. How can i, such a feeble vessel, capture/match such beauty? My practice in painting is to experience a meditation of observation. I paint quickly ‘en plein-air’ and try to capture the radiance of my surroundings by refining details into gestures and choosing colors that capture the spirit and energy of place. Very little of my work is premeditated, it happens spontaneously. My process is often to do a direct observation (sketch) and then to refine the learning from that meditation in a second image which is further simplified. I feel that simplicity and depth occur simultaneously. As much as I love and admire artwork that is highly detailed I feel one is lost in all of that information. I try to convey the essence of place.

I am the ‘artist’ of my family. Drawing from an early age, I was always encouraged and told of my great-great-grandfather who painted the ‘trompe l’oeil’ frescos and moulding in the Capitol building. The same man who painted homes during the depression – apparently it was cheaper to pay him to create unique stencils than import French wallpaper. My grandmother would always dig up his sketches and show them to me as a child – they were like secret jewels that captured my imagination. I excelled in art class throughout school, it was easy and fun. It was my second year at Mount Holyoke College when everything changed and I realized that painting was a true academic discipline, talent wasn’t enough. The rigor, the demands my professors placed on me made me thrive. I was prolific and insatiable. I studied in France, I carried my paints everywhere. I went ‘within’ and rarely came out. If it had not been for my college roommate, I may never have left the studio! She would come make sure I ate dinner if she hadn’t seen me all day. Becoming a professional has always been a struggle for me and I have decided to do it on my own terms. Artists who paint for a living remove themselves from the world and are slaves to a passion as a profession. I have chosen to have my studio and a separate profession. This allows me to be free in my artwork, not tied to sales, and to remain true to my inspiration.

how long did you study art in France?

One month in Brittany, in a wee coastal town called Pont-Aven (where Gauguin studied before he left for Haiti).
One semester in Provence, in a wee town called Lacoste (where the Marquis de Sade’s castle is).

do Blondes really have more fun?

Wouldn’t you like to know!!!! Of course we do! …and, I always have an excuse…

so, do you have a favorite “dumb blonde joke” that you tell on the River?

So, there is this blonde driving her truck down a road late in the summer, there are endless fields of sunflowers on either side of the road. Admiring the beauty, the blonde looks over and sees another blonde woman in a dory (small wooden boat) rowing her heart out through the field of flowers making no headway whatsoever (needless to say). Aghast at this site, the woman driving the truck, stops, pulls over, and starts shouting at the other woman from the road’s edge: “YOU KNOW – IT’S BLONDES LIKE YOU THAT GIVE US ALL A BAD NAME!” To which the blonde in the boat says “Oh yeah, what are you going to do about it?” In reply, the other blonde “WELL I’D COME OUT THERE AND KICK YOUR ASS, BUT I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM!”

how old are you?

31
birthplace:
Jacksonville NC – Camp Lejeune

Rest Stop, by Susan Detering

top three teachers and what They taught you:

Ruth Prazak Detering, my grandmother: love, strength, courage, grace & giggling. She is my hero.

Swami Ramanandaji, Integral Yoga: to find my own path

a blank canvas/page: there is no beginning and there is no end, just the courage to do and to try

where can we view and buy your paintings?

www.susandetering.com
I’m having an exhibition of my work during the month of March at La Bellavia (18 S. Beaver, Flagstaff) – opening Friday, March 6, during First Fridays Art Walk.

okay, time to shove off our sand bar…quick:
what’s the worst pick up line someone used on you:

You know, you’re not half-bad looking…

best pick up line someone used on you:

I really enjoy your company.

most challenging aspect of your sadhana:

Accepting that the path can isolate.

favorite yoga posture and why;

Headstand. I just love being upside down.

most challenging yoga posture and why:

Tadasana. So subtle, so hard.

your Teacher is going to send you to an island for the rest of this incarnation. you get to take a solar-powered CD player
and three albums (yes albums), none of which can be compilations; go:

1) Images of Nepal (picked it up at SRF years ago)
2) Angelique Kidjo – Black Ivory Soul
3) Ottmar Liebert – Summer Flamenco

thank you soooooooo much!!! is there anything else you’d like to say to the worldwide tribe of Wholistic Fitness yogis?

Namaste!

**
Susan wrote me a couple of days after her 10k race;
Dearest Guruji:
Thank you for your kind words…
I have never ‘studied’ or ‘read up on’ or even ‘trained’ when running with any real thought… I have always just applied what I learned about training horses to myself – good form/conformation, variety, hill-work, and all done within good heart & respiration rates. When running my goal is to have an easeful body and to keep my breathing under control (if i can’t giggle that it’s not worth it). On that run I did stretch my legs a little (and totally took advantage of gravity on the downhill sections) but my focus was on constant breath – and… I added a little extra mula bandha awareness b/c I was concerned about the terrain… don’t want a bum ankle now, do we???

I honestly have to say that I feel and felt amazing. Absolutely no SI issues whatsoever… not even tight glutes (which I was totally expecting) – i did amp up the MAP – I think I took like 12 on race day. Even passed the 2 and 3 day after tests – no burn, no tightness – that I can’t even pull off after a HP PROP WORKOUT class!