Her Instagram account, @ombodyoga, has made Fairfield University student Tara McLaughlin ’14 a social media yoga celebrity in just two short years. Tara started the Instagram account with her younger sister as a fun way to keep snapshots of yoga poses in one designated place. What she didn’t anticipate was the amount of feedback she would receive from her 3,300+ inspired followers.
Her Campus: When did you first begin practicing yoga? Were you immediately hooked?Tara McLaughlin: I started yoga during my sophomore year of high school through dance…it was an option as one of the classes. After I started getting involved with that, I continued with my own practice through home workout/yoga videos. When I came to Fairfield University as a freshman in 2010, I started taking classes in the RecPlex gym. I decided after a while that I needed more of a challenge and wanted a deeper practice, so I moved to “Yoga For Everybody”, where I currently work, in the center of town and really started to practice religiously. In addition, I joined the studio “Yoga Nanda” in my hometown [Garden City, N.Y.]. After three years of practicing consistently, I decided that I wanted to become more involved and be my own teacher. It was then that I decided to do my teacher training at “Yoga Works” in New York City. Now I am teaching private classes and subbing in my spare time.
HC: When you started your Instagram account, @ombodyoga, what was your intention?TM: I started my Instagram two years ago with my younger sister, Tatum [Fairfield University ‘16]. We were just playing around, taking pictures on my phone in multiple poses. We decided then to make an Instagram account to keep them in one place, sort of as a way for me to track my own personal progress. I had no idea that I’d attract as many followers as I have now, but through the use hashtags, I found people in the yoga community on Instagram who were interested in what I was doing.
HC: Your Instagram account is unique because you always make sure to capture a pose while you are traveling. Where are some of the most memorable places you have posed?TM: I started taking pictures in my hometown during the summer. When I left to study abroad that fall in Florence, Italy, I was extremely inspired by the things around me. So, I ended up taking pictures in front of famous monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the Cliffs of Moher, the “I amsterdam” sign, the Ponte Vecchio, etc. Those pictures that I captured and posted on Instagram while I was abroad inspired me to be creative when I got home. The places I go always influence the poses that I do, who I do them with, and what I incorporate in them.
HC: Based on what yoga does for you (mind, body, spirit), how would you describe a healthy lifestyle and what advice would you give to other aspiring yogis?TM: Well, first off, I don’t think I’m healthy at all! I literally don’t eat anything healthy; I eat chocolate cake instead of dinner! But, I do think yoga influences a healthy lifestyle because it gives you a healthy body as well as a healthy mind. It gives you a happy mind in that it reduces your stress and anxiety. It helps to ground you into what’s going on in the present moment. In a yoga pose, you have to be in the moment to conquer what’s right in front of you, just like obstacles in life.
HC: So you use yoga as an escape?Tara: Yes, absolutely.
HC: Aside from being a certified yoga instructor, you are involved in campus life at Fairfield University. Could you share which organizations you’re involved in?TM: I am treasurer of Fairfield’s dance ensemble. Our show is this friday on March 14, please come! I am also captain of the Fairfield University sailing team. I’ve been involved in both teams for the past four years. I’ve made amazing friends through these teams and I love being a part of them both. I think involving yourself in any activity is important because it allows you to take a break from the things you do/ the people you see constantly. It’s especially important at a small school like Fairfield because of the new connections you make.
HC: What is your major and where do you see yourself after graduation?TM: I am a psychology major and I’m very interested in therapy. I believe that yoga is a type of therapy, so I would love to be involved in the yoga industry. My hope is to find a job in the yoga industry while still continuing to practice/teach on the side. I’m looking into graduate programs in recreational therapy and occupational therapy. While I am still able to take advantage of being young and healthy, I would love to move away for a while. After studying abroad, I know I could live anywhere. I would love the experience and the challenge of living alone someplace remote, perhaps teaching yoga and sailing. I don’t see myself in a city setting immediately, so I would like to get away for a while.
Instagram: @ombodyogaTwitter: @ombodyoga