photo by Olaf Growald
Brooke Hamblet
It’s easy to assume Brooke Hamblet knows a thing or two about balance — the notably confident, seemingly do-it-all entrepreneur has built a career running Indigo Yoga and the Brooke Hamblet Teacher Training School, not to mention teaching around the world and being a mother to her two sons.
But several years ago, Hamblet battled her own struggles behind the scenes, dealing with an alcoholic mother who eventually succumbed to an overdose. In an effort to understand her mother’s struggle, Hamblet reached out to MHMR of Tarrant County, an organization that offers services for mental health and addiction, to teach yoga to its clients.
Then, Hamblet’s classes took on a deeper purpose. MHMR began to notice a change in its clients; and through the Blue Butterfly Memorial Scholarship (offered through Hamblet’s outreach program, the Blue Butterfly Project) a few graduates of MHMR’s Pine Street Rehabilitation Center have qualified for teacher training at Hamblet’s school.
And through it all, Hamblet has learned a bit more about herself, what balance truly means, and how she plans to share that with others.
Q. You started Indigo Yoga out of a garage apartment 13 years ago. What would you say was your “big break” in business?
A. There have been a lot of turning points and tipping points in Indigo’s history. I think one of them was when I decided to be a Baptiste affiliate and not have all different styles of yoga. I had a great mentor who really guided me and said, “Brooke, pick one thing and be the best at it. And dive deep.” That’s when I knew I will be a Baptiste yoga teacher, a Baptiste affiliate, and we’re going to be the best one there is.
Q. What makes Baptiste yoga unique to others?
A. Logistically, what makes it unique is that it’s based on a sequence of poses called Journey Into Power, which was created by my teacher, Baron Baptiste. Most studios are heated anywhere from 96 to 100, give or take.
At the same time, we teach everywhere. We teach at Indigo; we also have a thriving outreach program, where we teach over 80 classes a month for MHMR of Tarrant County. We’re teaching in crisis respite units, alcohol and drug detox centers, veteran’s units, and adolescent crisis respite units. It’s not exclusive to a studio, and it’s not exclusive to a heated room. As my teacher often says, it’s a practice that was created to be accessible to everyone. It doesn’t really matter how good you are at it; it doesn’t matter if you’ve been doing it one day or 10 years. We want you to be a part of this.
Q. Tell me about the Blue Butterfly Project. I understand it was inspired by your mother?
A. My mother was an addict and an alcoholic. She died seven years ago. There were many, listen, many years that I didn’t understand it. I felt resentful and frustrated because, unfortunately, my mother never got any help. I decided, I’m going to understand this instead of fight it. We made a phone call down to the Billy Gregory Detox center — which is also commonly referred to as Pine Street, down off of Lancaster — and asked if they would like to have a yoga class.
We started teaching once a week. Then before we knew it, they were like, “Can you come every day, because whatever it is you’re doing in there, is working. What we’re noticing is, if our clients go to yoga class before they come to group session, they’re less combative, they’re more responsive, they get along better with the people in the session, they’re more open to feedback.” They wanted us more and more.
In a lot of ways, it’s like, just by shifting perspective, which I could’ve never done without all of my yoga training, I’m able to take a situation that was really hard and turn it into something that has a wide impact, that helps our community and gives people hope.
Q. How does yoga influence your daily life
in general?
A. That’s a really big question — because it’s in every moment. I can’t be one person at work, then another person with my kids, then another person at the yoga studio. I have to be the same. I’m either completely authentic in all places in my life, or I’m not. There’s really no gray area.
Q. What are the challenges of running Indigo Yoga, your teacher training school, and everything else in between?
A. I would say the biggest challenge is time. I look at how I’m managing it, and I’m doing a great job — but only because I have a great team. I have the most stellar, steadfast, loyal team. How do I do it all? I do it all with the help of others.
Q. Got a favorite yoga pose?
A. My favorite yoga pose is and always has been Upward-Facing Dog. Any time you’re back bending, there’s a sense of vulnerability, but there’s also this sense of power, because it takes a lot of upper body strength to do an Upward-Facing Dog.
Q. How are you working to build your personal brand, one that’s bigger than just yoga?
A. People come to yoga class initially just for the workout, just for the physical aspects of it, maybe for stress-coping skills, things like that. What they find is that there’s this shift in their whole life. All aspects of their life start changing, from their diet to the way they have conversations, to their relationships, to their health habits, their daily habits, their goals, their ambitions — it becomes this whole lifestyle. What I see myself really doing is being a leader of a movement of lifestyle change.
Brooke Hamblet's essential items
1. Doterra Peppermint Beadlets. Breath freshener made of essential oils. // 2. CliniqueFIT Workout 24-hour Mascara. Brooke swears by this mascara, saying it doesn’t run, smear, smudge, or clump — even after hot yoga. // 3. Under Armour Athlete Recovery Pajamas. The cooling fabric helps muscles recover after a workout. // 4. Paleo Magazine. Brooke has adopted a paleo eating lifestyle. // 5. Illesteva York Sunglasses (pine). // 6. Chef Tim Love’s Fueled With Love green juice (Back Down South Lemonade). Brooke’s post-yoga beverage. // 7. Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss No. 722. Her favorite shade. // 8. Phoenix Roze gold initial “B” necklace. // 9. Sweaty Betty Power Leggings. // 10. Lululemon “The Mat” mat.
