Interview with Ashley Herzberger

Recently, I've been really lucky to be given the opportunity to interview lots of yogis from different backgrounds, all of whom are making unique contributions to the yoga community.

Today is no different. Ashley Herzberger has written a *free* e-book entitled "The Unconventional Beginner's Guide to Yoga." Intriguing, no? To find out more information about Ashley and her project, read on!



1. The title of your e-book, "The Unconventional Beginner's Guide to Yoga," really appealed to me. I liked that it could be read in one of two different ways: Is it for the unconventional beginner or is it an unconventional guide? Or both?

It's for both. Unconventional people seem to be drawn to the practice of yoga because there is so much space to make it your own and so much space for growth. The practice of yoga encourages you to 1) think and 2) think for yourself, which unfortunately, in some places is unconventional. So for people who find themselves to be a little different because they have deep thoughts about big world problems, I want to introduce them to the practice of yoga. I know it will help them. 

It's also an unconventional guide in that most yoga instructors/studios, etc. will play a bait game when talking to beginners about yoga. They'll introduce them to just a little bit of the practice, but they won't tell them everything in fear that they will either scare them off or reveal too much. I like to think my readers are smarter than that and deserve to know what the practice has to offer. That's why I include sections about yoga philosophy and meditation, because although that is not necessarily something a beginner learns about in his or her first class, they are integral components to the practice of yoga and I think beginner's should have at least a basic intro to that knowledge from the very beginning. It will help them frame their experience in an entirely different way and value the practice different as well. Along with the deep stuff, I also offer very practical info - what to expect when you walk into a yoga studio, the differences you might find between different styles of yoga, etc. So in this guide I look to offer a very comprehensive, practical and deep intro to yoga beyond the poses. I'd say that's pretty unconventional on all counts!

2. You are offering free downloads of the book on your website, http://ashleyjosephine.com. What was your motivation to offer the book free of charge? What audience are you hoping to reach?

I'm offering the book for free because I think this is information that everyone should have access to. It's culled wisdom (in my own words and with a modern spin) from thousands of years ago. Ideally, I'd love for young women to pick up this book. Being a young woman myself, I can see how price can be a factor to starting something new, but yoga is truly the practice that has gotten me through some really uncertain times in my past and I want to share this practice with young women especially to help them through. 

Of course, if they like the book, I offer a ton more free resources on my subscriber bonus page if you sign up for my Wellness Wednesday email newsletter. You can sign up at the bottom of this page: http://ashleyjosephine.com/the-unconventional-beginners-guide-to-yoga/

3. I like to ask my interviewees the same final question. What upcoming projects are you excited about? What is inspiring you these days?

Great question! I am one of those people who has a million ideas and so right now I'm trying to focus on just a few (and having trouble!). What I'm most excited about are the following three things:

1) The podcast I'm launching in September. It will include conversations with successful women around the world following their dreams and designing a life they love 
2) The guided meditation CD I'm going to self-publish before Christmas (hopefully)
3) The online training platform I'm building to help train women who want to be healthy & wealthy by building their own businesses


So much gratitude to Ashley! If you would like to sign up for her newsletter and check out her book, visit ashleyjosephine.com.

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