Episode Transcript
[00:00:03] Dr. Sarah: Hello, welcome to the Dr. Random podcast. I'm Dr. Sarah, and I'm so excited today because I have Kendall and she's a musician and I know her actually through 360 Yoga Charleston.
I'm a Bikram fan and she's an instructor there. And it's a great studio if nobody has ever been. It sticks to the traditional Bikram.
And so basically, a little background on Kendall.
Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself, Kendall to the audience?
[00:00:37] Kendell: Yeah. Hey, everybody.
Yeah, my name is Kendall and I am a mom of three boys.
My husband Brian and I, we moved to Charleston probably maybe a deck over a decade ago. No, no. 12 years.
And moved from Wilmington, North Carolina. Grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina. Went to NC State. Got my master's of accounting at Appalachian State University.
And.
Yeah, then we moved here and
[00:01:16] Dr. Sarah: been
[00:01:16] Kendell: raising our family and it's been great.
[00:01:19] Dr. Sarah: I love that. So you're a North South Carolina native?
[00:01:24] Kendell: Yes. Oh, yeah.
[00:01:26] Dr. Sarah: Okay.
That's awesome. I'm a California native.
[00:01:31] Kendell: Oh, nice.
[00:01:32] Dr. Sarah: Yeah. Northern California originally and lived in san Diego for 14 years in Napa for a while, so.
[00:01:37] Kendell: Oh, cool.
[00:01:38] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, Nice to have a change. So I'm checking out the East Coast.
[00:01:42] Kendell: It is. Yeah. I was just in California this summer visiting my uncle in, like, San Clemente and San Diego area. So. Fun.
[00:01:53] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I saw a family there.
And so Kendall is. She knows. She's an emerging songwriter and some of her music is kind of in the genre of, would you say rock, Americana and folk music?
[00:02:09] Kendell: Yes. Yep, I would.
So I started writing poems a few years ago, jotting down, you know, journaling.
And then as I started to learn actually how to play instruments, really started to turn my ideas and thoughts into actual, more solid poems. And.
And then, yeah, then as I start to write my music, it's so interesting. Each poem just becomes its own thing, and I really have no idea what genre it's going to be. I don't go into it with a certain genre in mind. I just kind of start playing and hearing the chords and what sounds good with the words and.
And. But yeah, so far, very interesting.
[00:03:06] Dr. Sarah: Quite.
[00:03:07] Kendell: Quite a bit of rock.
The. My latest singles, Americana and alt rock, and then I've got a surf rock one coming. And.
Yeah, so it's a little bit. A little all over the place.
[00:03:20] Dr. Sarah: Yeah.
And I know you play locally, different spots. I've come to see you one time, which was nice.
[00:03:28] Kendell: Yes, yes. So fun. Yeah. So I.
I started playing actually a few years ago just at some nursing homes, just to Start out.
And then from there, my friend and I started a band.
It was called the Honeybees Band and we had so much fun. We played around town playing cover music and just a really great way to get my feet wet in the music scene here. And she was singing lead, I was singing harmony. And that was really cool because I didn't know how to sing harmony. And she taught me a lot with that and that was, yeah, a ton of fun. And then this past year, I decided to go on my own and start solo gigging. And so then playing, playing out and getting my feet wet this past year on my way on my own and playing some of my original music out. So it's been really fun.
[00:04:38] Dr. Sarah: And remind me the name of the place where I saw you play.
[00:04:42] Kendell: Oh, Common House Ale works.
[00:04:44] Dr. Sarah: That's what it is. Okay. Yeah, yeah, that was a great venue. That was.
[00:04:48] Kendell: It really is. I love.
Yes. Outside, it's in Park Circle.
And yeah, just. Just a great, great little venue.
They've got some or some turf so, like kids can easily play. And.
Yeah, it's a great spot.
Yes.
[00:05:12] Dr. Sarah: What would you say with being an emerging artist and doing your work is. What would you say is one of your biggest challenges with being a mom and being an artist and.
[00:05:23] Kendell: Oh, good question.
Okay, so I was in public accounting.
I was a tax senior manager, Elliot Davis, and I.
So I was in public accounting since graduate school, so for 15 years, obviously with accounting, very steady, secure profession, steady income, but very, very difficult raising. Once. Once I had my third child. You know, busy seasons and working 60 hours a week was just exhausting. And so anyways, back. Back to your question with, yeah, the challenges of now being a songwriter and a musician.
It's.
It is, it's.
You really. The challenge is you really have to believe in yourself and you cannot worry about what other people think.
There's always going to be just like those negative thoughts that enter in. I'm a very positive person, so those thoughts aren't really coming from within myself usually, but sometimes it's maybe what people say or actually the. The silence is. Can be very loud, so to speak, where people that you thought would support you don't. And that can be very hurtful.
And, you know, some people may view it as just a midlife crisis and some people may think of it as kind of irresponsible because it doesn't appear as responsible as accounting because it's a creative path.
So some of those things, you know, that float around out there, but you just have to stay true to your purpose inside and what you feel really calling you and just stay determined.
And it's maybe some of those outside voices that can happen. So that's probably the biggest challenge.
[00:07:51] Dr. Sarah: Yes. Oh, my gosh. You just almost, like, got me emotional right now. I'm not even joking.
Oh, my gosh. You, like, hit something. I'm probably to the audience, too. That's.
I feel that way a lot with my podcast, actually.
Like, you know, people don't take the. The passion seriously or what's behind it, or they might think I'm doing it all for me, but I just have a passion. I get energy from being around people, and I love just learning and have a passion to, like, you know, support others. You know, I see as guests, it's like I'm supporting their path in a way, you know, by letting them have a voice out there about what sometimes isn't said to the world. So, like, what you just said to me is like, why I love to do this, so.
[00:08:37] Kendell: Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what I just said, it's not something that I would, like, write on a bio.
Yeah. Or, you know, so it's. Yeah. So these opportunities are really, really great. Thank you. Just to really share stuff that you wouldn't hear otherwise from people.
[00:09:03] Dr. Sarah: And, you know, and I think, you know, a lot of people out there who are like, creatives and artists.
There's.
When you said the thing about the silence that speaks loud, that's huge. Because that is huge.
You know, I feel like I've been so supportive of so many people with their paths and what they're doing, and I've always, like, you know, shared their posts, you know, done things. And this is more on the social media range, but like, but you know, showing up to those events, like when you play those people that show up and support you, those that buy your music, listen to your music as an artist, all of that is. You know what it is a lot. It means a lot to an artist or creative.
Yeah. Us creatives, man.
[00:09:56] Kendell: Yes. Yeah. It's so true. And then it's.
It's really cool. You'll get support from people, even strangers that, you know, you're just like, wow. Like, I just can't believe, like, how nice and supportive and they, you know, they encourage you, like, yeah, keep going. You know, put yourself out there. It's okay. Because it does feel also weird to be putting myself out there, you know, mid life and.
But yeah, so you really. You really see kind of the extremes.
And so it. Yeah, it's. It's again, it's, it's great. Just, it's, it is, it does mean so much to get that, that positivity from people out there.
[00:10:52] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, yeah.
And so how long, when did you start guitar?
[00:10:58] Kendell: So I, I started playing the guitar actually. I'm probably just on like year two.
[00:11:06] Dr. Sarah: Okay.
[00:11:06] Kendell: So just a couple years ago, I started the piano at age 38 and hadn't had any musical background before that. And so I was just helping my son with his piano lessons and, and once my fingers hit the keys, it was just a fire ignited and I was just like, I'm, I'm obsessed with this instrument and, and it's all I wanted to play and I just kind of geeked out over music theory. And that was a beautiful, beautiful stretch there of just like learning so much and just falling in love with something and then.
Yeah, and then I just wanted to continue. I kind of got a point with the piano. I was like, well, this is, this is great. But I was still like thirsty for more. And when I realized I wanted to start solo performing the piano is lovely, but it doesn't have the same ring to it as a guitar. A guitar is easier to carry around too.
So I was like, man, I, I need to learn the guitar. And so, yeah, started forcing my fingers to learn it.
[00:12:27] Dr. Sarah: That's awesome.
I, I, I think what I love is the fact that like you kind of encircle with being the yoga teacher and music and then being a mom. I don't know, I just think that's a great combination for all.
[00:12:45] Kendell: Yeah, I really encourage everybody. You know, I think the lesson I've learned from myself and this journey is don't label yourself. So, you know, again, like just being an accountant for so long and then being a mom, you just, sometimes you just get in a, let you label yourself. Like, this is me. Yeah, this is it.
But just to have an open mind that like, I had no idea that I was musically inclined.
I had no idea I could write a poem. I was never very great in my, I mean, I was average with my English classes, you know, but I was more math minded. But yeah, so it really caught me off guard how quickly I was able to learn these instruments. And then the songwriting came naturally and, and so really it's just, I just want to incur now. I just, I just love to encourage everybody, like pick up an instrument. Like you just don't, you don't know unless like you try. And so like keep, no matter how old you are, you know, just keep trying new things. Because you never know, like, what's in your heart that could really give you a lot of fulfillment in life and joy in life. So.
[00:14:22] Dr. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah, I love that.
I love that encouragement and that kind of, you know, and sometimes I think we need reminders, you know, somebody listening to this. Oh, yeah. I do have that freedom to just. If I wanted to start playing an instrument, I could. Let's stop it.
[00:14:39] Kendell: Yes. You know, Absolutely. Right. Yeah. What's stopping you? You know, put the phone down.
You know, don't. You know, put. Put Netflix down, like, and then. And try something new within your own self. And I think that people. You'll get a lot more fulfillment, you doing something and watching other people do something with their life. So.
Yeah.
[00:15:10] Dr. Sarah: Okay. Yeah, love that.
And can you kind of share with us maybe some of your. Your favorite songs, Mikey? What are your favorites?
[00:15:24] Kendell: Oh, yeah. Well, so covers are my originals I've got going on.
[00:15:30] Dr. Sarah: Okay.
[00:15:31] Kendell: Or which one would favorite, like the title.
[00:15:34] Dr. Sarah: The titles of your songs.
[00:15:36] Kendell: Oh, okay. So my originals.
So some that I have in the works that I cannot wait to record.
One is called A Mama Finds Her Way, and it's. It's a really, really special one, and I think it's just gonna resonate with. With moms out there. So I cannot wait to get back in the recording studio and really let that one come to life.
It's cool. I. I love seeing the process of something that I just played. Play on the. On my. On the guitar, and then.
And then when you bring in other instruments and it just become. It really just comes to life. It's such a cool process.
But, yeah, that's one.
And then another one I have in the works that I've written is called Sing for the Woman.
So I've got a lot of woman, you know, woman songs in the pipes. Yeah. So Sing for the woman.
The heart of that song is singing for women that can't sing for themselves. And, you know, I just. I think about being a woman in America and all that has been given to me and the opportunities and health and.
And so I. I think about the women out there, maybe in other countries or even here in America that are really struggling, don't have a voice, maybe they have an abusive husband, maybe they're in poverty or sickness, and so it's. It's singing for those women. So I'm. I'm in love with that song. And that's another one that's high on my list to record.
[00:17:45] Dr. Sarah: Okay. Love that. That sounds beautiful.
And I love that you're thinking Kind of beyond yourself. You're kind of like encircling and thinking about situations with other women, you know?
[00:18:02] Kendell: Yeah. Yeah. My songwriting is less storytelling and what I've realized is it's more concept driven. So I just have like something on my heart or mind and.
And then I just want to write about it. And so that's, you know, I.
I posted something on my social media just, you know, don't worry, I'll never sing a song about whiskey or breakups, so.
So that's just not. Not what I'm gonna sing about. Not that there's nothing wrong with that. Those songs are really fun and. But I've got other, like, more important things that I wanna sing about, so.
[00:18:51] Dr. Sarah: Okay. Yeah. And I would say it's kind of almost like you're doing as a. Through your creative expression. It's like you're sending out healing in a way, like healing messages.
[00:19:05] Kendell: I would love that. Yes. Oh, my gosh. Yes. I would love my songs just to spread their wings and go fly around and lift people up and even challenge people though.
And just, you know, being stretched and being challenged in the mind of how you think sometimes isn't fun and you feel a little defensive about it. Like, wait a minute. So some of my songs aren't going to be like, they're not pretty.
They may kind of hit someone like, huh. But it's in a way to hopefully expand their mind or their thinking and how they think about things and kind of stretch them, like in a good way.
[00:19:57] Dr. Sarah: Yeah.
[00:19:58] Kendell: You know. Yeah.
[00:20:00] Dr. Sarah: Okay. I love that. And I think. And yes. That's just.
And that's. I'm hoping that the audience listening or they're all going to seek you out and go to one of your live performances. Performances now. Oh, thank you.
Your music. And purchase it.
Thanks. And just get excited for you. And something I wanted to ask you about. This is kind of twisting things, but you used to be a gymnast.
[00:20:28] Kendell: Yes. Okay.
[00:20:30] Dr. Sarah: Do you want to tell us a little bit about that? That sounds amazing.
[00:20:33] Kendell: Oh, yeah. So I was just obsessively into gymnastics since the age of five and you know, I wasn't gonna do anything. Anything else. No other sports. Just that consumed all my time and didn't give a lick about music. I mean, I loved it as far as singing with my friends and normal, you know. But again, I was just all in. In the gym all the time and you know, I just really cherish those days thinking back just to have that fire.
And that's what I realized I missed as I Started to move in to midlife. You know, I was like, something is missing. Like, I need a fire, I need a passion, I need a purpose.
And because I knew what that felt like for so long. And so it's incredible that it did come that this happened with music. But so yeah, I was a gymnast and at.
Through high school and then at NC State was a gymnast their freshman year competed the balance beam and the vault and yeah, it was just, it was awesome. I think though, you know, as a gymnast, what I've realized about myself is I, I have to put down like the perfect 10.
So you have like everything in life.
You don't have to be performing at that 10 level all the time.
And in fact, I love myself. What I've realized, and I joke, I love myself most when I'm kind of mediocre. Like that's kind of like whatever, you know, just, you know, just let it go and just, and just enjoy life and things aren't going to be perfect. And heaven knows with my life with three sons, it is messy, you know. Oh my goodness, it's, it's, it's crazy and chaotic and messy. And that has really worked me to just, you know, let go of things that are out of your control and just kind of keep going and.
But yeah, and also, you know, being a gymnast just trained me to like, also seek out.
I love words of affirmation that would be like my love language.
And so I, I do thrive on people encouraging me with my music and, and being kind about it.
Um, and so, yeah, it's, it's, it's good. My, my mom growing up always said I was a driver and I didn't really, you know, when you're younger, like, ah, whatever, you know, but the older I get, I'm like, wow, she's right.
I really am a driver. So
[00:23:46] Dr. Sarah: now I have a question.
So do any of your boys, out of your three boys, are any of them doing like gymnastics or music?
[00:23:58] Kendell: They're all, yeah, they're all super, super athletic because my husband was played soccer and he's a runner.
And so they, they definitely have their athletic side.
They are more into like alternative sports. Like we love to ski together.
They loved mountain bike. They, they. For a while there, I mean it was scootering.
I was always under a bridge at some skate park, you know, just hanging out under bridges. But so they, yeah, super athletics. And they're all. I'm very thankful right now. They're all doing like different sports. So I'm very happy about that. They're not competing with each other with the same sport. Have they have their own lives going on? Because, you know, boys can be competitive, and so I'm happy about that.
And I have definitely been forcing them to play an instrument, and.
But they're a little bit, like, how I was growing up. Like, they're. They're just more into hanging out with their friends, and they're so active, and they have so much energy. And again, I think that's how I was too. Like, I was not gonna sit. Like, I didn't have the patience to sit at a piano and, like, learn.
And that way I needed to be tumbling and doing flips and stuff. And so that's kind of how they are. But I told them, like, sorry, like, you're. If you don't like this instrument, like, what's the next one? Because you can thank me later in life.
[00:25:51] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, I love that.
[00:25:54] Kendell: Yeah.
[00:25:55] Dr. Sarah: I just can. It's funny. I'm the oldest of three girls, so you have three boys, which is interesting. And, you know, I grew up. I played violin.
And I'll be honest, like, thinking later, like, I hated it when I was doing it. I mean, I did love it to some extent now, when I look back. But I also had kind of a mean violin teacher. He was not very nice.
[00:26:16] Kendell: Oh, that can make it or break it.
[00:26:19] Dr. Sarah: He just was kind of, like. He wasn't very nice. So anyways, he was kind of impatient with his students. And it's interesting now because I'm like, why didn't they find a nicer teacher to teach us music? No. Yeah.
But I remember I Even one summer, my mom. I did summer violin lessons, and I remember I had to do a summer recital. And I was so nervous because I had to go up. It was at the local university at University of the Pacific uop.
And they had this music thing, and I had to go up by myself and do it. And I remember I was so nervous, and I was like, oh, my gosh. And now. Now I regret not sticking to it. I wish I would have stuck to playing violin, you know?
[00:27:00] Kendell: You know what I'm gonna say?
[00:27:02] Dr. Sarah: Go.
[00:27:02] Kendell: Go buy violin.
Go get one.
Pick it back up.
[00:27:08] Dr. Sarah: You're gonna like this. Because I think of you. You're kind of a petite lady, too, I feel like. But, like, I was so petite, they had to order me a special tiny violin because I was, like, smaller than. Like. I've always kind of been the late bloomer, the late everything.
I know everybody always thinks I'm 10 years younger than I am. I just think God had a reason for that. Maybe I'm supposed to have a younger husband because everything's like I'm on a decade off with everything.
But, but I kind of, I'm excited because now I kind of want to dive into the yoga, so.
[00:27:44] Kendell: Oh yes.
[00:27:45] Dr. Sarah: So I know to. So in order for you to be the registered become yoga teacher, I'll just give a little background to the audience really quick. So I started doing Bikram yoga in 2008 actually.
And I was so regimental about it like for years when I lived in San Diego. So from about 2008 to when I left in 2020, I left San Diego during COVID So that's a span of 12 years. I was very consistent with my bikram yoga. I was going like at 1.4 or 5 days a week.
Then it kind of drizzled down to maybe like three days a week. But I was avid about it. I even did a 10 day challenge where I went 10 days in a row.
And I know they do the 30 day challenges, which I give a lot of kudos to people who do that because I'm like, oh my God, 30 days in a row. I'm like, wow. And so, yeah. And just so the audience kind of understands the traditional hot yoga. I know they don't typically call it Bikram anymore, but it's an original Hastasana yoga, 26 poses. And you repeat each pose, each pose twice. And it's supposed to be in 105 degrees. And I'll just, I'm just gonna share this with the audience. You put me in any other kind of yoga class, I they're gonna be like, she calls herself a yogi.
Like I, you put me in any other kind of yoga, I am like, don't know what I'm doing. Okay. So I'm, I'm just kind of more. I love the yin yoga that we offer that you guys offer at 360, which is more relaxing stretching yoga in the hot heat. But the, the original 26 poses is just my jam and like I love it. I feel like the benefits on the body is amazing. Amazing. But so Kendall, just so everybody knows is how we originally connect. She's an instructor at the studio at 360 Yoga here in Charleston. Highly recommend. You guys check it out because it's the original Hafasana. But in order for you to be the instructor, it looks like, is it you have 200 hours of registered yoga as an alliance teacher, Is that correct?
[00:30:02] Kendell: Did I get that information correct?
Yes, yep, yep. 200 hours for that, that you know, designation and yeah it.
So I, I got my training under Joseph Insignia. He has his, he's in New York and it's really cool. He has online studio called Sun Lotus Studio and he is incredible. He and his wife lead this training and another studio. The manager at 360 Yoga told me about him and he came to our studio to do a workshop one time and I was like wow, like he, he really knows this and he, and he seems great. And so basically, you know, had to get in our. I can't remember how many hours worth of our own hot yoga studio time or practice in. And so did that for like a number probably for me. I just remember for me to get those hours in I had to do a 90 minute class every day for like two months and to stay on track.
And then after that we were doing nighttime online sessions with Joseph really going into each posture in detail and talking about not only how to do it but the benefits of each post posture and doing demonstrations for each other. And that was cool, like doing the, the dialogue with each other and. And then we did two is cool. So it was a hybrid training. Okay.
So yeah, those first two months I was at home and, but doing the yoga every day and the training at night. And then it was two weeks in Costa Rica with the group and Joseph and his wife and we're there. We did, we did two 90 minute classes every day and in between those two 90 minutes we were doing technique classes again really going through each posture.
So yeah, it was, it was rigorous and obviously really pushed me. And you know, you go into it and you're like okay, I'm, I'm, I'm gonna do this. And as you get close you're like can I really do this? And, and then, but then you just, you have no choice. And then you just do it. Yeah. And then, and yeah, it was just an incredible experience. I highly recommend him if anyone wants to check him out, like just do an online class with him. He's super nice and super humble. He was like a world champion years ago.
And you know, for as much as he knows and as much as he can do, he's just a really humble guy. So I definitely
[00:33:38] Dr. Sarah: remind us his name again.
[00:33:40] Kendell: Yeah, Joseph Insignia.
[00:33:42] Dr. Sarah: Okay.
[00:33:43] Kendell: With the Sun Lotus Center.
[00:33:45] Dr. Sarah: Okay.
[00:33:46] Kendell: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:33:48] Dr. Sarah: And so if you don't mind, can we go through the names of the 26 poses real quick? If you can.
[00:33:55] Kendell: Oh sure.
[00:33:57] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, yeah.
[00:33:59] Kendell: Okay. So I thought that Kanayama Breathing is our breathing exercise. That we do first and then. Yeah, and then we do everything twice.
And then half moon Ardashandrasana is next.
Then we have backward bending anuvatasana.
Then we do our hands to feet pose with padahistasana.
And then after that we do. It's a three set chair pose.
It really helps strengthen your quads, your back muscles, helps with posture.
So there's three different, I guess sets to that that we do. And then after that we do eagle pose gaddurasana. And that really works 14 major joints of the body in that pose.
Then we take a quick little water break after that then we really dive in. And this is where you just have to really focus on your breath and be calm because you can easily get away from yourself.
And so we do. It's called standing head to knee.
You stand on one leg and you lift the other leg up. And then eventually you kick it out and eventually try to put your head to your knee.
So lots of determination in that posture. And then after that is standing bow pulling pose. So again you're standing on one leg.
Great, just for balance. But it looks like a stretching posture. But it requires so much strength and determination in that posture and breath work as well.
We usually hold each posture almost a minute. The first set and then the second set. Maybe like 30 seconds. But a minute is a really long time. So you really have to, you learn how to pace yourself and also just be gracious to yourself. If you fall out, just get back in. And so let's see. Okay, after that is balancing stick.
And again on one leg.
That one is hard enough that, that one we only hold for 10 seconds. That's all it takes to do its job.
And then we go into.
It's called standing separate leg stretching. This is one of my personal favorites. Just for my spine alignment and hips.
I suffered from back pain for two years, years, day in, day out. And you know, I don't know which posture. I think it's the whole thing got me back to living without pain. But I do appreciate this one. I think it really helps People have scoliosis in the hips or the spine.
You're, it's just how you're stretching. Your spine is great. I love it. And then, then we do triangle trikonasana. This is kind of the very height of the standing series, like top of the mountain.
Your heart rate is going, you're working on your slow breathing, very strength oriented.
Then after triangle is our standing separate leg, head to kneel. This one is a real compression posture. You're, you're really compressing the spine C shape. And so it's great for metabolism and flushing out your internal organs and your thyroid and everything like that.
Also just your stomach muscles.
Then we do tree pose. And I think everyone's probably heard of that one or seen that one tree pose.
And then we do toe stand pose after that.
And people can always continue to do tree step tree pose if they're not ready for toe stand.
And then we get on the floor and we do a savasana, which actually surprisingly, one of the hardest postures, just to lie down, it's called dead man's pose. And to not move.
[00:38:34] Dr. Sarah: Yep.
[00:38:37] Kendell: You know, we're all Americans, we're busy. Go, go, go. But to really, really relax and tell your muscles to release tension and to not move for that recovery and healing, it is, you know, it is difficult.
And then we do wind removing pose, good for digestion.
We turn around after that and we do our spine strengthening series.
And so with that we, the first one is cobra.
After that is half locust, then full locust and then bopos and all those poses just really, it's all about the spine strengthening.
Then we get into like, you know, the, the final probably 15 minutes of a 90 minute class, starting to bring the heart rate down, get into more of like the stretching and really opening up.
And by this point, like you're, you're ready to start coming down off the mountain. And we do a fixed farm pose, which is really great for the knees and the hips alignment. And then after that is our half tortoise pose. Some people may think of it as kind of a passive posture, but we're still actively stretching the spine in that posture.
Then after that it's called Camel Strasana.
That is super good for the spine and opening up the hips and the chest and the heart. And and then after that is another one of my favorites called Rabbit Sasangasana. It's a really intense compression again posture of the spine where you really get to stretch your lumbar, lower back area. It's really hard to get to there. And that one I can really tell, you know, that one can fluctuate a lot for me. And I can tell when I'm just tight and intense and I have maybe some built up pressure there. And so I love that one.
Then lastly, it's just head to knee. We do a final, just a normal stretch stretching posture. And then we do our spine, spine twisting.
And then we end with our. It's called Kalba Bhatti. Breathing breath of fire. And it really helps just remove any remaining like toxins within the body. And yeah, it's great. It's provided so, so much healing for my body. So that's, that's why I became a teacher. So.
[00:41:39] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, I love it. I love it.
That's amazing, everybody. So she just went through the 26 postures of the 90 minute hot yoga.
I think that's how you say it.
But yeah, I'm obviously loving it. And I would say the thing at the end of the class sometimes. You know how sometimes people jump up when they're done and they leave and I'm like, no, you're supposed to just like lay there for at least two hours. Minutes.
[00:42:06] Kendell: Yes.
[00:42:07] Dr. Sarah: There's something about the blood flow in your body. Like you just want to kind of lay there and that's almost like. I feel like it's my time of meditation after class.
[00:42:14] Kendell: Oh, yes.
[00:42:16] Dr. Sarah: Yeah. I call it like yoga floating is what I started calling it after class because it's like, it's hard to get yourself there. Like you, you get there, you get in the studio. You know, it's gonna be hard, you know, once you're in there and you're on the mat and then if you, the end of the class. I call yoga floating because it's like, I think, you know, runners get a high. I think it's like a yoga high.
[00:42:38] Kendell: Yeah, totally. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm glad that you brought that up, actually. You're exactly right. I mean, that's a lot of times I get as far as my writing, I'm like, embrace this moment because things will just start. You have all that fresh blood just pumping through your body and you're, you're, you're completely spent, but in the best way. And, and, and yeah, I'm. Sometimes I'll. Immediately after the, the yoga float, floating, I'll go and write in my phone, like whatever I thought about or. Yeah, you just become very. It's clear minded.
[00:43:27] Dr. Sarah: Yeah.
[00:43:28] Kendell: Because you've, you've really just emptied yourself completely. And I, I heard there was a, a biker, a cyclist that said this and I was like, that, that is it with, with hot yoga. How fulfilling emptying yourself can be. It's like the grand oxymoron. But how emptying yourself can be so fulfilling where you've really pushed yourself to the limit. And then you just lay there and you're like, that was so hard. And then the next day you're like, I want to do it again.
[00:44:06] Dr. Sarah: Yeah.
[00:44:07] Kendell: Yeah.
[00:44:08] Dr. Sarah: And you know, I'VE I've been a big believer of drinking coconut water before and right after because it just replenishes you. That's, that's my kind of go to.
But yeah, I've had times where so people know I could be in one class and I'm so strong and then I'll come to the next class and I look like a wobbly baby giraffe. Like you would think. I never did it before.
So it's, it's interesting how, how Bikram, the yoga can do that. You never know what your class is. Maybe you feel like you're going to be strong and then you're totally all over the place.
[00:44:42] Kendell: Yeah, that is so true. And so it does it really, it is always a humbling experience. Like for exactly what you said, you have to go in open minded and really like just being prepared to listen to your body and don't force it to be like, oh, this is what I did yesterday, so I'm going to do the same.
But being it's rigorous enough that you have to be gracious to yourself through it and just humble yourself. Like yeah, you're, you know, it's not about the final posture for you. It truly is the journey of each practice and just doing the best for your body throughout it, but not, not so much as a destination of reaching that posture that day.
Yeah, exactly.
[00:45:43] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, exactly. You have to almost like give yourself grace.
[00:45:46] Kendell: Like totally. Yes.
[00:45:48] Dr. Sarah: You know, it's okay if I fall out of this pose. You just try again, you get back in. And there's something I was gonna read that I love and it's like on the mat is my time the one thing in the world I can always be good at. Because you don't do yoga. Yoga. You try.
[00:46:07] Kendell: Yes, I love that. Yeah, I do love that.
[00:46:12] Dr. Sarah: And so it's like, you know, we're not doing yoga where we get in and we have to have the mindset of like we're trying this every time, right?
[00:46:20] Kendell: Totally. Yeah. Trusting the process. And again I think it's just like ingrained in our culture to you know, it's the Americana way where it's like you have to be the best every single day. You have to get on that treadmill and go hard. And the yoga room is so cool because, well one you walk in and it's all different types. It's male, female, it's. And I love it because there's no, there's no, there's no rich, no poor, there's no, we're just all you get in there and it's just huge humans, just beautiful humans in the room.
And actually the beauty of it is most probably all of us, I would say we're all broken in some way. And so you don't feel, you know, some rooms you walk in and you can just kind of feel.
You can feel the. How it's. There's pretend pretentious people. You feel that and it. I just love walking in there. You know, women, no makeup, just all that's gone. Everyone is there to heal because whether it's someone's body that's broken or their mind is broken, they're going through something, their heart is broken, they've lost someone. I just.
As a teacher, I know it's. It's not the strong people that are going.
In my opinion, it's not the strong people that are going in there. It's the broken people. They may look strong. When I walked in there, people would have never known that I was in intense back pain for two years.
I just kind of looked normal and.
But I'm glad I went through that pain because it's just a reminder, like, you have no idea what people are going through on the inside. And that's the healing that comes out of this practice. That's why people keep coming back, because it's like, wow, it did something.
And also, I want to make sure I end with this.
I think the beauty too, of this practice, it reminds me of prayer, where you don't have to know how it works, it just works. Just do it. You know, just pray, get back into the hot room to help heal your body or your mind. Because I think another.
As humans, you know, in our phones, like, we want to understand everything before we believe.
We want to read about it and, and, and become a doctorate of the body.
But the beauty of. Is it you don't have to know a third thing about it is a beginner series. Even though it's very hard as far as the whole. All the postures out there.
[00:49:28] Dr. Sarah: Yeah.
[00:49:29] Kendell: That. Yeah. You. You don't have to be a doctor, know about the body, know. Or be a psychologist, know about the brain. It just, it works. So. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:49:39] Dr. Sarah: Yes.
And, you know, I've had my moments and I know other people have where, you know, we're sweating so much, but it's like you can have a release of motions. I've had that happen a lot in Bikram where you. Because, you know, we hold things in the body totally. Sometimes we release things and I would just like, cry. I not like Crying. Crying. But you know, I would kind of like get emotional and it's a release, it's, it's healthy, you know?
[00:50:07] Kendell: Absolutely. Yeah, yeah. The mind body connection and holding tension is a real thing. And I think that that was with my back pain.
I think obviously, you know, being a gymnast until or through college, you know, that didn't help my spine and my discs that got pounded and, But I got MRIs and there was, there was no bulging disc. There was nothing really wrong. And that was the hardest part about my suffering was there was, there was no answer and I went down every rabbit hole.
[00:50:45] Dr. Sarah: Yeah.
[00:50:46] Kendell: Chiropractors and dry needling and, and just different stretches. What? Nothing, nothing worked.
But I think I was holding, so I was manifesting so much, so much tension and stress being raising three rambunctious boys and being in accounting and dealing with those deadlines. I think my body just like, you know, it was just, it was, it was failing because it was just too much. And my muscles around my spine, I think were just so tense all the time that it was affecting, you know, my hip joint. I think, you know, everything in the body affects something else. And wherever you're holding tension, so your pain spot may not be the problem. It could be somewhere else that's tense and it's affecting that. And so I don't even know where I was going with this, but.
Oh, tension. But yeah, that I, I think absolutely. The mind body connection and the, the tension exacerbating pain and how this practice, really, especially in Savasana, after you've done the standing series where you scan your body and you have that moment that you don't have during your day to be like, oh my gosh, let go. I am holding tension. Then you breathe and as you exhale, you're like, there it is.
That's what I'm. There it is. And it, it, it's, it's like just education. Like you don't know. You know, the more you educate yourself, you're like, oh, I am holding tension there. Then you start to recognize it even throughout your day. You're like, I am tense as a board. You know, like, breathe, exhale.
[00:52:47] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, yep, yep. Tomorrow, totally.
And yeah, and just, you know, so people know if you're going through stuff in life, be grim. The hot 90 minute yoga is so healing. It's such a great way to just release, decompress, get back to yourself, really. And I, it's really, it's really doing this type of yoga has. You're really in tune with your Body and you listen like with stuff you eat, stuff you do, just things you really start to really be in tune more with your body. And listening to your body, you become more aware.
And something I kind of wanted to mention that is interesting to me, I've had some people say or there's judgment on yoga coming from like the Christian community. But I would just like to say that, you know, our body is a temple. God created us to be spiritual. I mean I feel, feel like this is. I completely believe that. You know, I almost, you know, at the end of the end of the class when I have like what I call that meditation time when we're just sitting there. That's actually some. I have felt closer to God during those times than sometimes my own prayer that I do with my devotions in the morning because you're just in this state of like. I just feel like I almost have like, like a tunnel to God or something. And I'm speaking to Jesus and God and that's my thing. I know that's not everybody, but that's my thing. When I'm done with yoga, I just feel like I am just channeling and so close to God and Jesus and speaking and really feeling a connection for me.
[00:54:22] Kendell: Oh, I love that. Yeah, I actually was. That's crazy. You said mentioned temple. I was literally going to say that how for everyone, men and women, just, you know, whether you believe in God or not, your, your body is a temple. And you know, houses come and go, clothes come and go, everything comes and goes. Your body is so precious and just to take time for it, to take care of it and, and yeah, as a person of faith too, I complete. What yoga has helped me realize is how the spiritual and the flesh is connected. Just like the mind and the body. If you're under stress with the mind, it's going to affect the body if your living, you know, and then so flesh and spirit. If you're living in such a way that's hurtful to other people, you can't be in the spirit of love, you know, it all.
You know, you can't say you love your neighbor and then you go and you gossip on your neighbor.
So it all needs to be together as one. And.
And I really also like to think of the, the three in one.
Kind of like the Trinity. Like how you know is that. But the mind, body and heart, it's. It's just incredible how even our bodies kind of mirror that. So.
[00:56:13] Dr. Sarah: Yes.
[00:56:14] Kendell: Yeah, it's fascinating. It's a whole thing.
[00:56:18] Dr. Sarah: It's. It Is. It's truly amazing.
[00:56:20] Kendell: It is a thing.
[00:56:24] Dr. Sarah: Oh, yeah. That it's like. Yes. And so, I don't know, I would hope the audience today listening, well, maybe they're going to be intrigued about Kendall's music career. And also maybe go try the yoga class. If you're here in Charleston yoga or wherever you are, seek out the hot 90, 26 traditional Begram hot yoga. And it should be 105 degrees, 90 minutes to repeat each pose twice.
[00:56:52] Kendell: But yes.
[00:56:53] Dr. Sarah: Can you tell everybody how they should get a hold of you and follow you? Can you share that right now?
[00:57:00] Kendell: Thank you. Yeah, so I am on social media, kind of regrettably, you know, wasn't on it forever, and I loved my life not on social media. But, you know, it's now it. Now that I'm making music. And it's just one of those things. It's just how you connect and how, you know, you let people know where you're playing and promote your music. But, yes, I'm on Instagram and my name is.
It's spelled K, E, N, D, E, L, L. So everyone wants to spell it with an A. But if you want to find me, it's the two E's. And so Instagram is Kindle Music.
Co, I think same with Facebook. And then my artist name on Spotify, if you're looking, it's just Kindle.
Yeah, I just released my latest single. It's called Left Against My Right.
So, yeah, just talking about flesh against the spirit, darkness against lightness or light. That's kind of. That song gets into all that. And what else?
Yeah, Spotify. I have my website, kindlemusic.com.
i also put my shows on bands in town. So you can find my shows on my website, bands in town. And then I also post them on social media, too, as they're as ones coming up. Yeah. Yeah.
Yay.
[00:58:32] Dr. Sarah: Okay.
And yeah, so hopefully everybody, you guys, you know, enjoyed hearing our discussion today.
Mind, body, spirit and heart.
[00:58:44] Kendell: Yes.
[00:58:45] Dr. Sarah: Yep.
[00:58:45] Kendell: Yep.
[00:58:46] Dr. Sarah: And yeah, is there anything else you want to share?
[00:58:52] Kendell: Yeah, probably just I'm super excited.
I'm gonna be releasing more singles. So if you're interested in my music, then, yeah, following me especially like on Spotify will. If you use that, then what will happen is as I push out singles, it'll.
It knows that you're following me and it'll do a release radar. It'll, you know, so you don't have to go, like, searching every time.
So, yeah, just. I got two rock singles already recorded, ready to go and a surf Rock. So lots coming in 2027, I'm excited about. So, yeah, so that would be it.
[00:59:36] Dr. Sarah: Awesome.
[00:59:37] Kendell: Yeah.
[00:59:38] Dr. Sarah: And.
All right, so. But, yeah, everybody, so go follow. Go listen, go support Kendall, and maybe, you know, we'll see you on the yoga mat. And I want to encourage everybody to at least give it a try once. It's really hard. One time, somebody said that they thought it was harder than Jiu jitsu, which, as I've said before, I don't know if that's true or not, but it is. It's challenging. It's tough. You got to get through it. I remember I took a guy who I started dating, which he was, like, dying, but, yeah, that was funny.
[01:00:18] Kendell: I do. I do love you.
[01:00:19] Dr. Sarah: Do this.
[01:00:21] Kendell: Yeah, I admit, I do.
[01:00:24] Dr. Sarah: Yeah. Yeah.
[01:00:25] Kendell: I love to see my husband sweat and suffer in the class. It's really fun.
All right.
[01:00:36] Dr. Sarah: Okay. Well, everybody, thank you. Oh, go ahead. Yeah, yeah.
[01:00:40] Kendell: Oh, no, thank you so much. This is so fun.
[01:00:43] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, Yeah. I enjoyed our conversation. So.
But, yeah, thanks, everybody, for listening. Thank you, Kendall, for coming on, and this was so, so fun and.
All right, thank you.
[01:00:55] Kendell: See you in the hot room.
[01:00:57] Dr. Sarah: Yeah, see you in the hot room. And as always, we say on the Dr. Ram podcast, say, ciao. Ciao.
Bye.
[01:01:05] Kendell: Thank you.
