Rob Loud is a yoga instructor in Boulder, Colorado. His story is unique and courageous. Rob transformed from someone who struggled for many years with dark drug and alcohol addiction into a person and teacher who transmits so much positivity in the world through his work as a yoga instructor. In Rob’s classes, he always has an insightful message on cultivating mindfulness, acceptance, suffering, dealing with change, and self-discovery both on and off the mat. There is always a fun light-hearted element to his demeanor and asana practice. His classes can also be really challenging and allow space to grow as a yoga practitioner.  

Rob’s willingness to be vulnerable and transparent about his battle with addiction and how his yoga practice saved his life.

Rob passionately says, “My ability to touch just one person through yoga can have the same profound effect on them as it did for me. I know this going into any class I teach that I have an opportunity to change someone’s life completely, give it a 180 degree turnaround.”

In this conversation, we dive into the transformative power of breath as a keystone for managing discomfort and suffering.   We discuss how important it is to have a sense of humor in life and he also tells us the simplest and best way to up-level any yoga pose.

He believes that challenges are our teachers and says, “(Rock) Bottoms are great places to be because you have an opportunity to sink or swim. I found myself with nothing and at that point, that’s when I started leaning into the practice a lot… it made me connect with my breath and it is the key to what has changed my life the most. I find equanimity and peace through my breath.”

 There’s something in Psychology called Post-Traumatic Growth and it’s when people who have experienced major stresses (heart attack, recovery from addiction, military combat, car accident) emerge from the stress to do something incredible in their lives that they would never have done had they not had the trauma. It’s the beginning of their life story, not the end and Rob is a great example of that!

Connect with Rob:

https://www.robloudyoga.com/

https://www.instagram.com/robloudyoga/

 Find his classes online:

https://www.yogadownload.com/Utilities/InstructorProfiles/tabid/111/profileid/480/

 

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Books:

The Path of the Yoga Sutras - Nicholai Bachman

Meditations from the mat by Rolf Gates 

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The Grow the Good Podcast is produced by Palm Tree Pod Co.