Prevention’s September issue features the stunning CHRISTY TURLINGTON BURNS. The yogi, mother, and model sat down with the magazine to discuss her yoga practice, getting older in front of the camera, and working to support her passion—advocacy work for her non-profit, Every Mother Counts.
Check out the highlights from the interview below:
On using her modeling career to support her life’s passion, doing advocacy work for her non-profit, Every Mother Counts (EMC), founded in 2010 with the goal of preventing the nearly 300,000 maternal deaths that occur every year around the world:
“Thankfully, my longest-standing modeling relationships have supported me at every stage. When I was pregnant with my son, I started working with Maybelline again. I was 37. Now, at 44, I’m doing an underwear campaign. The fact is, I haven’t modeled fulltime since I was 24. That’s 20 years ago. The jobs I accept now have all been to the end of getting more awareness for EMC. If I’m going to do it, I’m going to use my platform.”
On how she’s learned to embrace her age and stay in the present:
“Modeling, I realize, is how we see beauty, but I try to look at people in my life: my mom, my grandmas. I associate wisdom and grace with age. I’m 44. This is midlife. The way I try to live is: Be here now. Be your best self now.”
On how yoga has taught her to be a better person, parent, and philanthropist:
“The biggest thing I’ve taken from yoga is: It’s so not about asana [the physical postures]. It’s living yoga daily. And I do that every day to the best of my ability. There are always challenges. As a parent, I can get so frustrated. Any parent can! But then my yoga that day is parenting. It’s learning patience. With my advocacy work, too, there are so many obstacles. So the yoga is sticking with it no matter what.”
On integrating the yoga practice and mindset into every aspect of her life:
“I’ve done marathons and given birth and felt stressed out about this or that—and the yoga is there. It’s about the equanimity of any moment, no matter how hard. You find that first on the mat, and then the mat is everywhere. You bring it with you. It sounds esoteric, but to me, it’s actually very practical. People say things like “I’m not flexible…I can’t do yoga.” You know what? Then you won’t be flexible. The power of the mind—yoga teaches you about that. I also love the collective piece of it. Sure, I have a self-practice. But I prefer the sweaty, stinky room.”
On her own post-birth scare and how it inspired her to found EMC:
“I had complications. I hemorrhaged after delivering Grace, my first, in 2003. This was after a great pregnancy and birth. I had a doula and a midwife and a great medical team. I was so shocked that that could happen. I researched it and encountered some really upsetting statistics: At the time, it was half a million women dying from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications every year, and my particular complication is a leading cause of death.”
On not having a hardcore diet and her decision to not become a full-time vegetarian:
“I’m not [a vegetarian]. That seems to upset some yogis. I do everything in moderation. I make a great salad niçoise. The other night we made shrimp tacos. Greens and nuts are my main sustenance.”
On not having a typical or daily yoga practice and the new exercise class she’s fallen in love with:
“I do [yoga] on the go; when I’m running, I don’t listen to music, I just tune in to my body. I also just started Spinning. I so didn’t want to be the person who Spins, but I thought, OK, I don’t have joint problems right now, but I know that can happen, and people love it. So I tried it. I really love it! There’s a camaraderie in the room. There’s also something meditative about it.”
For more go here.
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