FINDING YOUR
OM HOME
TATTOOED YOGI MAMA
NIKKI EIKENESS
NIKKI EIKENESS
By Sheri Hawkins
FINDING
YOUR
OM
HOME
YOUR
OM
HOME
TATTOOED YOGI MAMA
NIKKI EIKENESS
NIKKI EIKENESS
By Sheri Hawkins
Meet Nikki,
Tattooed Yogi Mama
Tattooed Yogi Mama
Meet Nikki,
Tattooed Yogi Mama
Tattooed Yogi Mama
You might think the first thing I noticed about Nikki was her athletic frame adorned with a colorful, vibrant blend of extraordinary body art. It’s not an exaggeration; her body truly is a “work of art”. There is an exquisite beauty to Nikki’s physique, not only in the way her neck gracefully slopes into the lean, muscular curves of her arms and shoulders, but in the kaleidoscopic array of color that pops off her pale, translucent skin.
With her jumble of short, white-blond curls twirled loosely around her face, one can’t help but be transfixed by the tinges of viridian, pink and turquoise that are emblazoned around her neck. Her tattoos — all of which were done by the ever talented Lloyd Woodrome — possess both masculine and feminine qualities that are simultaneously delicate and powerful. As a result, they evoke a peculiar combination of emotions.
This is a woman who is strong and vulnerable, fierce and gentle.
This is a woman who is strong and vulnerable, fierce and gentle.
… and I wanted to hug her and arm wrestle her at the same time. As fascinated as I was by Nikki’s body art, as unlikely as it may seem, it wasn’t the first thing I noticed about her. It was her smile that immediately captivated me. There is an undeniable warmth and soft, calming energy that encompasses her features when she smiles. I literally “felt” her good vibes. Her smile radiates love and light. Much like her beautiful floral tattoos, Nikki is a rose fully in bloom.
Finding your om home
Finding your
om home
om home
Nikki is a mother to three beautiful children, Hayden (10), Aubree (7) and Kila (6). Her connection to her kids is undeniable. There is an innocence and purity to her that I instantly recognized would create strong soul connections between her and children in general. Therefore, it came as no surprise to me when she shared that her biggest passion was working with children.
Nikki currently teaches a program for children based on the principles of visually-led meditation. A strong advocate for meditation, she refers to it as “the cornerstone of good physical and mental health”.
It is so important, for children in particular, to be able to disengage with the outside world,
and to be able to digest their emotions in a sacred place within themselves” – Nikki.
and to be able to digest their emotions in a sacred place within themselves” – Nikki.
Hayden, Nikki’s oldest son, is on the Autism spectrum. He was non-verbal until the age of five. Up until then he would use sign and other methods, like grunting mostly, to communicate with Nikki. But it was music that first started to unlock his eye contact, and then movement. Recognizing this Nikki began to use yoga and music in conjunction as a tool to communicate and interact with him and noticed that the yoga mat created a stimulus where “things could happen.” And it was at the age of five Hayden began to speak.
Nikki now teaches a class of children, ranging in ages from 4-8, the importance of “finding your OM Home”. Your OM Home is inside you, a safe place created by your imagination where you can go whenever you are feeling anxious, fearful or afraid of “the outside world”. No one can enter your OM Home except for you, and the secret password? “OM”.
How brilliant is that?
Finding Her Practice
Finding her
Practice
Practice
In 2005, Nikki first taught herself yoga when she was in college. After spending fourteen years as a ballet and modern dance teacher, she connected with Katy Palmer, a Buti Yoga® instructor on Instagram. Now, in addition to her children’s program, Nikki also teaches a variety of Buti Yoga®, regular yoga and meditation classes for adults, including a program called “Flex and Engage”, which teaches isometric modifications.
Healing through pain
Healing through pain
As a self-proclaimed empath, Nikki had discovered from an early age that she had the ability to tune into people’s energy, which has allowed her to establish strong connections with others. Now as a 33-year old woman, having suffered with fibromyalgia for the past seven years, Nikki is able to use her pain as a vehicle to connect with her older students. In her “Flex and Engage” class, she can intuitively modify her movements to, not only alleviate her own pain, but ensure her students are able to perform the exercises that will help improve their ADLs (Activities of Daily Living) with the least amount of physical discomfort.
Fibromyalgia has been a gift to me because it has allowed me to help others. The important thing is to learn what the pain is trying to teach you. – Nikki
Fibromyalgia has been a gift to me because it has allowed me to help others. The important thing is to learn what the pain is trying to teach you. – Nikki
One of the most interesting things I learnt about Nikki was her eclectic taste in music. The early 50’s genre makes her feel “at home”, as if she were a reincarnation from that generation. She listens to Latin pop when she has high energy and wants to move her hips, and Hozier when she’s in a serious, philosophical frame of mind. She refers to “Florence and the Machine” as her “lyrical sandals.” In particular, she connects with the song, “Dog Days Are Over”.
Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father. Run for your children for your sisters and brothers. Leave all your love and longing behind you. Can’t Carry it with you if you want to survive
– Dog Days Are Over | Florence and the Machine
Nikki is the pure embodiment of inner and outer beauty. Without question, her outer shell is beautifully crafted. She has invested years into building her body to a peak level of fitness, and countless hours in a chair at the tattoo parlor, allowing gifted artists to transform her body into an intriguing storybook. However, it is Nikki’s inner beauty that truly shines through her. I feel honored to have been given the opportunity to soak up a bit of her kindness and positive energy, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for this spirited and inspiring “Tattooed Yogi Mama”!
Yogi Yoga Wear is proud to announce that Nikki is joining our team of affiliates! Be sure to Follow Nikki’s journey on Facebook@NikkiEikeness / Facebook@TattooedYogiMama and connect with her on Instagram@TattooedYogiMama
Interested in some new digs?
Check out the featured gear that @TattooedYogiMama was rockin.
Check out the featured gear that @TattooedYogiMama was rockin.
$47.00
$47.00
