Erika Mitchener, Backwards Philosopher on Growing up in the Dojo and the Trifecta of Health

YogiTriathlete Podcast

We are all here on this earth for unique purposes and there is no set timeline for how our purposes will unfold. For some, we discover our gifts and passions at younger ages while others spend their entire lives completely unaware that their individuality is to be celebrated and shared. For our guest today, passion for martial arts and disciplines of mastery entered her life at the age of twelve when her mom signed her up for Karate lessons. From there, Erika set off on her life's journey, one that has led to deep self-discovery, philosophical study and to finding her soul-partner in life. Unlike most teenagers, extreme outdoor practice, meditative mind training, and repeating Katas through to a level of mastery were the norm for Erika. When she wasn't in the Dojo, she would either spend her time immersed in the hardcore punk scene or fitting in her homework to maintain her A-student status. Erika lives in New York City with her love, John Joseph MacGowan, and their newly rescued four-legged son Storm. BJ and I were introduced to Erika through John during our interview with him in 2016. Erika is the perfect match for these two unruly, beautiful boys as she is a strong divine female presence with a nurturing heart and the skills of a warrior. We cover so many topics in today's episode as we follow Erika's journey and she generously shares her wisdom on yogic philosophy, the true recipe for health and fitness and the not so joyful experience of living in the city that never sleeps. Erika is a gentle soul who encompasses the great depth of strength and we are honored to share her story with you today. Thank you for tuning in, please share this with your friends and consider other ways to support the show - use Amazon banner ad (below) for all your purchases, become a patron on Patreon and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcast. All of these avenues greatly impact the life of the show. We are on a mission to create a better world and we ask you that never underestimate your impact to be an integral piece of this mission every time you choose to support the YTP.