I recently had the opportunity to sit down with the fabulous Nancy Tan and ask her a few questions. Nancy founded Fig Garden Yoga Studio in 1998 (first known as Nancy‘s Yoga Studio), and is trained in a variety of mind-body disciplines. Nancy is also the author of Quiet Mind, Healthy Body: The Art of Low Stress Living, and produced the relaxation CD Yoga Nidra: Therapeutic Deep Relaxation.
Thanks for taking the time to sit with me and answer some questions. You have led a very interesting life. What is your earliest memory?
My first memory is of us sneaking behind Japanese lines. Shanghai was occupied, so our family evacuated to the interior. I was about three or four years old. We ended up in Anhui Provence, Northeast of Shanghai. We stayed for three or so years. My mother founded a school there. I remember taking naps at the desk. Because my mom started the school and she was the principal, I was elected class president. I was about four years old. Pretty bad experience -- no idea what it was all about!
What were these years like?
We were in a very backwards village. I remember the country house we were at had some land. My mom literally had a zoo -- chickens, a goat, lambs. Every so often little Pebbles would be chicken soup -- someone would end up on the table. A very rural experience. I remember being chased by a gaggle of geese.
Where did you move next?
We left Anhui Provence after the Japanese surrendered and returned to Shanghai. Then the revolution happened, so we had to leave China for Hong Kong. We were going to go to Taiwan from Hong Kong when my father died. We stayed in Hong Kong for four or so years before immigrating to Argentina. Eva Peron was friendly to Chinese refugees, and my mom planned to start a school, however, Peron died before we got to Argentina. We couldn’t come directly to the United States because there was a cap on Chinese immigrants. Things haven’t changed too much. We lived off our resources in Argentina, and it took two years to get to the United States. I was fourteen when we arrived in San Francisco. After a semester in San Francisco, my mother decided it wasn’t a good place, so she sent me to a boarding school in Michigan. After graduating, I cashed in my train ticket and stayed in Chicago for a year. I got a job doing billing for a meter reading place. Time Magazine eventually hired me and trained me on keypunch. I put myself through school that way.
You lived in many different countries. Could you speak the languages?
I spoke several dialects of Chinese, Spanish, Latin, and later, German. I was very good with languages once upon a time.
When was your first introduction to yoga, and what was that like?
I was going to Esalen quite a lot, taking courses in transpersonal psychology and all. I did the yoga thing with Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty -- the YogaWorks people. It was Ashtanga yoga, but he was such a good teacher, I didn’t feel stressed out. It was just great. I didn’t find yoga I liked in Fresno, so I got a schedule for the Iyengar studio in Palo Alto. Every weekend I would drive to Palo Alto for classes.
At what point did you decide to teach yoga?
I never planned to teach. During the week I had no teacher, so I took a training course so I could do it right. The program was through Integrative Yoga Therapy. As part of the program I had to teach an eight week class. I never did stop. Several of the original students are still with the studio.
What has been yoga’s greatest gift to you?
It helped me a lot in embodying everything I learned in psychotherapy. It gave me much more of a sense of awareness. What I got from psychotherapy was head knowledge, but yoga helped me put it into my life so I can act on it. That’s not to say that it’s more important, but both were necessary, I think.
Let’s talk about your book on the topic of stress. What was the experience like writing your book?
The worst part of writing the book was trying to pick a title -- constantly asking friends, “What do you think of this title? What about this one?” The writing was not the hardest part. Getting it published was the hardest part. The writing of it I enjoyed. Getting it published, I did not.
How long did it take to write?
A long time. Between getting the idea and beginning to write was maybe a year and a half. If I hadn't had a publisher interested in it, I probably wouldn’t have written it. Once I got going it was good. And then I had to lay it aside for the last chapter. I didn’t know how to end it. There are so many topics related to stress. I could have doubled the size of the book. I just wrote when I wasn’t traveling, so it took another two years to get it out. At some point, I just wanted to be done.
Are you interested in writing another book?
I would be interested I think in writing a book on aging, incorporating yoga philosophy. But you know, my book is not a yoga book strictly, so it’s hard to find a publisher. The yoga books I’ve seen on aging are asana oriented. Some talk about health, but none that I’ve seen use the philosophy. Right now, though, I’m having a lot more fun water coloring.
You seem to really enjoy the creative process.
It’s fun to learn a better way to do something. I like the learning process in something I’m interested in. I can learn to be a good writer. The writing process taught me how to write. I enjoyed the editing process as well. I love water coloring, and I don’t mind being bad at something. I love the process of colors, but also the idea of doing something better the next time -- finding a new way of doing something.
You are known as an enthusiastic traveler. Where haven’t you been that you would like to?
Denmark, Norway, Finland. The Baltic Countries: Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. Iran. The five ‘stans, but it’s very expensive to go there -- every one of the ‘stans needs a visa. Australia and New Zealand. Germany. Laos and Myanmar.
Are there places you would not like to travel to?
I don’t want to go to the Galapagos. I’m not interested in animals. No safari in Africa. I’m not interested in the Amazon, or really cold places like Antartica.
Do you have a favorite place you’ve traveled?
The favorite place is always the one I didn’t get enough of. The British Isles are probably one of my favorites because I’m the most familiar with the history.
Are there things in life you wish you could do over?
If there was something I could do over, I would have been a better mother. I would have started yoga younger. Been better to my body sooner.
How would you describe yourself?
I'm afraid I'm rather opinionated. My opinions can be changed when I can see things differently but when I have them, they are pretty strong opinions. I am not a loner and I enjoy people, but I prefer projects by myself since I like the freedom of doing what I want to do and how I want to do it. Take reading for example. I'm an avid reader but I've not been successful in book groups because it is difficult for me to read something I have little or no interest in. So I've learned not to serve on committees or join organizations. I am pretty intuitive and I like creating new projects better than maintaining them.
What do you consider three important traits in your friends?
Loyalty. Honesty. Self awareness.
Do you have any prized possessions?
Hmmm. My Duxiana mattress, because I’m never buying another one!
It was a pleasure to talk with you, Nancy. Thank you!
.
