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There are a few people on Instagram whose posts motivate me as much as Lamise Mansur . A yogini, photographer, fellow foodie and former ballerina, she has that inner glow that can’t be hidden. In this interview, she opened the secret behind her famous handstands, shared about her yoga lifestyle, and told us what her favorite breakfast is.
1. How did you get into yoga?
My first encounter with yoga was around the age of 9, give or take. My mom had just gotten into yoga and bought a Rodney Yee Yoga VHS tape to keep up with her practice while she travelled, but it was my step dad who I used to watch. I was intrigued. He was stiff, suffered from back injuries, had to use props, and didn’t flow like the man in the tape did. It didn’t even seem like he was comfortable half of the time he was practicing, but he was persistent. Something kept him coming back to his mat almost every day. I dabbled in and out of it when I got older, but I wasn’t hooked. Yoga just felt like another workout.
Fast forward several years to my junior year in university, and I stumbled upon a yoga video by Equinox, featuring Briohny Kate Smyth. The postures she did were incredible, and not because they were advanced, but because of the way she moved. It was an effortless dance. Having a background in ballet and an appreciation for the art of movement, I was in love.
I took yoga for credit at my university, attended all the classes I could at my school gym, and was in search of all the free yoga classes I could find elsewhere. I would get my fix by attending Lululemon’s complimentary classes. That’s how I met Leslie Glickman, who would become my future teacher. The funny thing about my teacher, Leslie, is that her first teacher she trained with was Rodney Yee… yoga works.
2. What is your favorite thing about yoga?
It’s tough to choose just one thing, so I will leave you with this. It is all encompassing. Yoga literally means union, and I can use it every second of the day. When I am breathing, really taking mindful, deep breaths, I am doing yoga. When I choose not to react to a situation, but to observe instead, I am doing yoga. When I choose non-harming thoughts, words, and actions, I am doing yoga. When I let go of judgments and choose acceptance, I am doing yoga. Yoga is infinite, it lies within us all, and that’s a beautiful thing.
3. You spread the love of yoga by teaching. Is there a moment that is the most memorable for you?
Oh yes, the first class I ever taught. It was actually my final exam of yoga teacher training and I had to give an hour long class to a room of fellow trainees who had already taken 4 hours of yoga that day. I was the last to teach. I fought back tears all day knowing what lay before me (and keep in mind that up until then I was a VERY shy person). I just couldn’t fathom how I would manage to remember my sequence without peeking at my cheat sheet, and project my soft voice to over-practied, tired students, all while seeming calm, cool, and collected. I was mortified.
When my turn came, I ran to the bathroom, cried, then washed my face, walked back into the studio, and God took over. The words came out of my mouth, but I didn’t even have to think about them. It was effortless. I will never forget that day, my teacher put me on the substitute list right then and ever since, I have been teaching every day and I am forever grateful to share the healing power of yoga.
4. Your upside down balance is incredible. I’m working on getting away from the wall in my handstand, any tips?
Ahhh, handstands. I myself am still on the quest to master this posture! The best advice I can give on getting away from the wall, is to get away from the wall! It can be scary at first, but when we have the comfort of the wall behind us, we will always fall short of what we are really capable of achieving. We fall into habits of poor posture (banana backs) and kicking ourselves up into it because it is easier than using core strength.
Go outside, somewhere that is a little softer where you will feel ok falling, grass, sand, your yoga mat. Know how to fall out of it, I like to twist out on my hands like you would in a cartwheel, and don’t be afraid to fall! Once you can break past the fear of falling, you will find great liberation. Also, consistent practice is key. Just like anything in life, you must put in the work, and trust me, yoga works but only if you do the work. Last of all, have fun with it! It is good to have goals, but don’t beat yourself up over it if it doesn’t happen overnight because it’s not supposed to.
5. Your followers are always curious about your background. What is it? I am a Lebanese, Palestinian, Brazilian, first generation American. :)
6. You not only take gorgeous pictures, but also make breathtaking videos! Do you have any other hidden talents?
Thank you! Photography was my passion (and still is) before yoga, and videography is starting to become another. Cooking would be it! I am blessed to have been raised by my mother who I unwillingly had to help in the kitchen. I see this as a blessing in disguise, as I now love to cook and really enjoy learning about nutrition and applying it to making delicious and healthy meals. I am a total foodie! It gives me great pleasure to know that I am nourishing my body with healthy foods made from the heart.
7. What is your message to everyone who will read this?
My message to everyone who will read this is simple, have only love in your heart, unconditional love. The more you can learn to love yourself through the good and the bad, the more you are able to see the good in others and love them, and that is yoga.
8. What does your favorite breakfast look like?
It looks like a grand-slam from i-Hop, only healthier… haha I am slowly egging myself away from all animal products, but I am not vegan yet, so my favorite breakfast would be fresh fruit on top of a stack of pancakes, with a side of scrambled eggs and a cup of tea.
Recipe from Lamise: Chocolate Chia Pudding
- Cinnamon, 1 tbsp
- Raw honey, 1 tbsp
- Stir in a half cup or so of hot water
- Add 2 tbsp of chia seeds (if you don’t have coconut flour to use then double the amount of chia seeds here)
- Stir and let the seeds absorb some of the liquid
- Stir in 2 tbsp of unsweetened raw cacao powder. This is very important because most chocolate powders are not cacao, the original state of chocolate, and are processed with unnecessary things added in them therefore lacking all the amazing antioxidants and health benefits
- Stir in 1 tbsp of coconut flour, which will absorb the remaining liquid, this is where you go by your own judgement, adding more or less depending on how thick/liquidy you would like the pudding to be. You could also use raw rolled oats here instead or simply use more chia seeds.
- Mix it all well until you get your desired consistency
- Wash, chop, and throw in what ever fresh fruit you have, nuts like almonds are also a good
- Last and most important part of the recipe is to sit down, give thanks, and enjoy every bite. Have fun with it, this recipe is very versatile! Make sure to tag #lovelyandhealthy if you give it a try!