There’s an old saying, “Success leaves clues.”
Tiffany’s passion and approach to yoga have led her around the world teaching seminars. One thing that is apparent in her practice—she has put thousands of hours of rigorous training into perfecting her craft.
Malcolm Gladwell points out, in his book Outliers, that to be an expert in your field requires true devotion to a craft by exerting 10,000 hours of practice. Tiffany has done just that, and it’s showcased in her work.
She also has an intense work ethic—she’s the former Acupuncturist and Yoga teacher at the Nike World Headquarters. You might have seen her gracing the cover of Om Yoga Magazine and International Life Style Magazine. Or in various print ads and video for Nike, Yogi tea, KiraGrace and others.
She holds a Master’s Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and is extremely knowledgeable about the anatomy of the human body which she incorporates into her classes, seminars and on yogaglo.com.
And she also has a dog named Lulu.
What does yoga mean to you?
It truly is a way of life. Yoga helps us to look deeply at ourselves; it gives us an opportunity to approach our life in a more meaningful way.
Photo credit: Lindsay Stark
Any advice to inspiring yoga instructors?
It’s something I deeply love and find that if you’re immersed in what you’re doing, you will be successful… You’re not going to get rich teaching yoga. I immensely love what I do, if you find your passion in life, and really work at it you will be successful.
Who’s an inspiration to you?
Seane Corn is such an inspiration to me, I give her a ton of respect for her work. I’m inspired by so many teachers around me and all of my students, when we work together we all feed each other; it’s a beautiful thing.
In your book Optimal Health for a Vibrant Life you lay out a 30-day detox. Why do you think it’s so important to detox?
Detoxing gives your body the ability to restore itself to its natural rhythms. Our bodies tend to accumulate a lot of toxins from our environment and life style choices. Detoxing helps the body restore itself.
You’re always around athletes—what do you say to them to recommend yoga and meditation?
Meditation is becoming more main stream and it’s accepted and a lot of athletes are more open to the idea that meditation and yoga can give them an extra edge. When I first started doing acupuncture at Nike Headquarters I would have to sell them on why it’s a good idea from integrative health care standpoint. Now, I don’t have to do to that, which is great.
How has Chinese medicine impacted your life?
It changed my life. I was introduced to holistic health and yoga when I was a 14 years old. This is when I really began to research and look all the different aspects of our health. I was really inspired by Chinese Medicine and I loved the philosophy. I like the fact that it didn’t just treat the person symptoms, but it looked at the person as a whole.
As a teenager I was able to apprentice with an acupuncturist. Then after high school I went on to get a degree in premed and then a Master’s in oriental medicine and acupuncture.
Can you talk about why you enjoy inversions so much?
Inversions force us to be present. They stir you up, you have to be completely immersed in them. Inversions test your ability to stay present.
Do you have any advice for people who just want start a meditation practice?
Start with just a few minutes and then slowly work yourself up to more.
You can go here to check out any upcoming Tiffany Cruikshank events.
Editor: Lynn Hasselberger
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