Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Long.
Hi Jessica, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began practicing yoga on and off in college because my Mom thought it would help with my anxiety disorder. She was right, but I didn’t realize it until I started practicing regularly in my late 20s. I had found a woman-owned heated studio where the classes were led by compassionate and empowering teachers, and it started to dawn on me that I felt a level of mental and emotional clarity after a class that I’d never experienced before. It was in the years that I practiced at that little studio in Huntington, WV that I knew I wanted to be a yoga teacher myself someday. Up until then, I’d never really had career ambitions – I was an art major, and I’d mostly waited tables and worked retail throughout college and grad school. I enjoyed the service industry, in a way, and it was formative to be sure. But I came to realize that my calling was to help guide other people along their own healing journey via the multifaceted path of yoga.
After I moved to Austin, I started to take classes at Black Swan Yoga. I slowly integrated with the community in my own introverted way. It took awhile for me to figure out the logistics of going through teacher training – it can be expensive and relies on having a regular schedule (two things that don’t really vibe with a service industry life). Because of that, I took an office job with the sole purpose of putting myself through yoga teacher training. I saved up until I could afford the tuition and was able to complete an eight-week training on the weekends.
Teacher training was challenging – as I mentioned, I’m introverted, so working full time and spending my weekends in a room connecting with other prospective teachers was taxing on my nervous system at times. Still, I left with a thirst for knowledge that led me to immediately enroll in an advanced 300-hour training. I wanted to know everything I could about this practice that had helped me and so many others become more integrated, calm, and loving humans on this earth. I completed my 500-hour and in the time since, have taught well over 1000 classes.
I love creating accessible sequences that coincide with the seasons, discussing yoga philosophy in class, and empowering students to have a unique experience on their mat. That’s the thing about yoga – it’s highly personal, yet you’re in a room full of people all having these transformative experiences along with you. It creates a sense of camaraderie, but you also leave your mat knowing more about yourself than you knew coming in. It’s fascinating and exciting and freeing. And there’s so much beyond the asana practice to explore as well! Because I’m so excited about all things yoga, I’ve embarked on becoming a teacher trainer myself – I’m leading two continuing education modules this year and am delighted with this new leg of my journey.
Beyond yoga, my other passion is vegan cooking. I’ve been vegan since 2008 and love leading cooking classes. Lately, I’ve been teaming up with fellow yoga instructors to teach cooking classes in conjunction with their retreats or other events. In the coming year, I plan to lead my own retreats and more events that combine yoga and cooking. Veganism pairs well with yoga, as one of the principles of yoga is ahimsa (nonviolence). It has always been a goal of mine to do as little harm as possible while I spend my time on this earth, and I’m grateful to be able to share these passions with the world.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road! I’m an Earth sign, and I crave stability. I am not a big risk taker, and transitioning to a career where the income is variable (even more so than in the service industry) took a lot of starts and stops. For a while, I thought I’d continue to work my office job and just teach yoga part time, but it became apparent very quickly that I had a hard time finding meaning in work that didn’t align with my new mission. I was distracted and just wanted to teach all the time! I parted ways with that job to go back to waiting tables, with the idea that I would do that part time and teach more. However, it takes time and guts and talent to get a job teaching at a studio. I didn’t feel ready yet, so I was teaching only three or so classes per week at apartment complexes and in corporate settings in order to get some experience. It felt scary to leave the comfort of full time work in order to teach yoga – and I couldn’t figure out how to make it work for quite a while. When Covid hit, I lost both my service and yoga jobs, like so many people did. I ended up working from home as a social media manager for a yoga studio and teaching classes online. I was grateful for the opportunity, but ultimately it wasn’t a good fit and I felt the need to move on once studios began to open up again.
I continued to teach online classes via my own platform, and finally auditioned at Black Swan, where I was welcomed with open arms! I also worked part time as a barista while classes and attendance were building back up, in order to make ends meet. Recently, I decided to take the leap and focus on teaching full time! I offer monthly workshops now and have the advanced teacher training modules coming up, too. It feels incredibly peaceful to finally be working only on what I find meaningful, without the hustle of a distracting side job. I do enjoy a very simple life, so I don’t need much – but with rents rising in Austin, it’s always a question of how long I’ll be able to stay here working in the way I do now. Hopefully, it will be a long time – I have faith that things will continue to work out so long as I stay aligned with my purpose and keep a rational head on my shoulders.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
VegiYogi is a combination of vegan cooking classes and yoga classes! While I do teach in studio at Black Swan in Austin, I offer private yoga lessons and cooking classes under the VegiYogi umbrella (vegiyogi.com). VegiYogi truly is an extension of my two passions – educating folks on how to enjoy a vegan lifestyle with plenty of satisfying and flavorful options as well as guiding students along their yoga journey. Private yoga lessons are an exciting option for just about anyone: beginners, students who prefer not to practice in a studio for any reason, advanced yogis who are working towards something specific in their practice, groups who are celebrating together, and so much more. Most people are interested in alignment-based flows, but I also offer yin, restorative, and Yoga Nidra meditations. There’s something for everyone in this practice. Cooking classes pair well with private group yoga classes but are available for solo students as well. I’m certain I can bring more plant-based meals into kitchens by offering irresistible options! Vegan food isn’t all rabbit food – I cook stick-to-your ribs, satisfying meals that just happen to be vegan.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I spoke about some of the specific risks I’ve taken in an earlier question, but I’ll elaborate: as a single woman who lives alone, any shift in career is a risk. Balancing my desire to be a full-time yoga teacher/cooking class instructor and the need to survive in a city and world that just keeps getting more expensive has been, and continues to be, a challenge. I wouldn’t consider myself a risk-taker in general. My entire life up until fairly recently, I’ve been risk-averse. I stayed in jobs that weren’t good for me mentally or emotionally because I thought I had to in order to survive. I don’t have a safety net or a trust fund or a second person with whom to split the bills.
However, it’s become apparent to me that this path I’ve chosen has risks of varying degrees baked in. Sure, I could work a full time office job again and just do these things I love on the weekends – but then I’d be exhausted and not giving it my all. In order to devote myself fully to this path, I’ve got to reconsider how I think of success. It’s not a traditional path – so I won’t be making money in a necessarily linear way. There will be weeks that I get paid more than others. There will be events (like teacher trainings, workshops, and retreats) that add in sums of money that need to be divided out over the course of months. I do have experience with diversified income, having worked multiple seasonal and part time jobs back in West Virginia – so I know it’s possible.
I also fully believe that this is what I am meant to be doing. There is no more denying that I am happier when I do what I love, so risks have to be taken! I’ve come to realize that stability is mostly a fantasy anyway. We tell ourselves that having x amount of money in the bank or having a live-in partner or a certain job will give us stability when the truth is that life is ever-shifting. What you have now could be gone tomorrow. And just the inverse of that – you never know what is coming to you, either. It’s important to keep your eyes open and know when to say yes. I will also say that I am incredibly lucky to have no dependents (unless you count my dog), live in a relatively healthy body, and am able to live on a fairly low income (very low for Austin – even though about 50% of my income goes to rent). If any of these were to change, I wouldn’t be able to have taken the risks I have so far.
So, that’s my risk-taking journey! Will it ever feel 100% comfortable? Maybe not, but I have lived on my own doing a variety of work long enough that I know opportunities to thrive are out there if you’re ready to accept them.
Pricing:
- VegiYogi private yoga sessions begin at $95/hr, and I travel to you.
- VegiYogi cooking class prices vary based on menu and number of attendees, email for more info!
- Black Swan Yoga is donation-based – pay what you can when you practice in studio.
Contact Info:
- Email: jessica@vegiyogi.com
- Website: www.vegiyogi.com
- Instagram: @vegiyogi
Image Credits
(yoga) Miki Ash (cooking) Bridgette Mitchell
