From the Heart with Rachel Brathen, Yoga Girl
Photography by Liana Louzon, Necklace by Rocking Vibe
Instagram yoga star, bestselling author and entrepreneur, Rachel Brathen, speaks from the heart in her yoga classes and with her online community of over 2 million people worldwide.
Rachel shares the intimacies of her life several times a day by way of social media platforms and weekly podcasts. She talks openly about a number of topics including holistic health and wellness, married life, raising their first born daughter with husband Dennis, beach life, emotional insecurities, personal successes, and of course yoga and mindfulness.
Born in Sweden, currently living in Aruba, Rachel’s life hasn’t always been bohemian bliss and sunrise yoga on the beach. She talks openly about being a rebellious teenager who struggled with body image, alcohol and drugs. At age 18, Rachel’s mother sent her on a trip Costa Rica for a week-long mediation course, whereby Rachel says “It was then that I realized there was more out there than make-up, boys and alcohol.”
Rachel first learned yoga while traveling through Costa Rica and Central America, and after years of learning the practice, she then went on to become a certified yoga teacher.
“People are looking for something genuine and I don’t hesitate to share the real stuff.” – Rachel Brathen
Rachel attributes much of her success as a yoga teacher and social media influencer to her vulnerability and openness, on and off the mat.
At first glance, her online image seems picturesque and as though she is living the dream without a care in the worlds, however upon taking a deeper look, the captions and conversations accompanying the photos quickly reveal a voice of honesty that immediately shatters the myth of a ‘perfect life’.
It is this unabashed point of view and open dialogue that has earned Rachel as much praise as criticism. Hundreds of thousands of people have admitted to personally going through a similar situation to Rachel’s and comment with words of support and kinship, while others harshly critique her for over-sharing.
Regardless of your perspective, Rachel vows to continue to speak from a place of truth and realness and to show that life is not always as flawless and glossy as it may appear in the highly filtered photos we are inundated with on social media.
To read the full story on Rachel Brathen, find us on iTunes.
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