Story & Lesson Highlights with Emily Cummings

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Emily Cummings. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Emily, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first thing I do when I wake up before doing anything else is meditate for 20 minutes. This is a great way for me to ground and center my energy for the day before tuning in to the noise of the outside world. I get up and make breakfast (oatmeal with butter, honey. chia seeds, and blueberries) and I eat my breakfast in bed. I know this horrifies some people but it brings me so my joy and pleasure- I will probably never change. My bedroom is a beautiful light filled magical nook with big windows overlooking the Hollywood Hills, why wouldn’t I want to slowly rise and spend as much time as possible here? After finishing my breakfast I get up and tidy the house and prepare for my day. Some days I workout at home doing 30 minutes of cardio on my trampoline, followed by dancing and conditioning exercises on my dance pole. My mornings are sacred to me. I love being able to take my time before heading out for the day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Emily Cummings and I was born and raised in LA. I grew up dancing, training quite rigorously for many years to be a professional ballerina. Life however, lead me on several detours and while dance always remained an essential form of self expression and creative outlet for me, my career focus shifted towards art direction, clothing design, and brand management. After practicing yoga for many years life handed me the opportunity to head to Tulum Mexico and study for my 200 hour teaching certification. My time on the beach changed my life and I knew I was meant to step into the role of teacher and share my love of movement with the world once again. I started teaching in LA and have taught at many studios all over the city over the past 10 years, as well as music festivals like Desert Hearts and Burning Man, special events, and studios across the country. About five years ago I added my 500 hour Pilates comprehensive certification to my arsenal and have been teaching Pilates ever since. I currently work alongside my mentor Maria Leone, a master instructor and leader in the Pilates industry. Through a stroke of fate I have found myself working with clients who have suffered traumatic brain injuries – and it has been absolutely incredible to witness the ways this work can change people’s lives. I also have my own clothing brand – a line of bodysuits that are all designed by me, sourced and produced in Los Angeles in small batch limited production runs. I am always looking for new ways to grow and expand as an artist and creator – as you can probably tell it’s hard for me to define myself by just one thing.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I had a client ask me once what it was like growing up doing ballet, and while I know everyone’s experience is subjective one of the things I found the most challenging to navigate was constantly being told in a myriad of ways that I “wasn’t good enough”. You don’t really realize until hindsight much later, how impactful that actually was to hear through your most impressionable young years. It’s crazy to have a dream that you are so passionate about when you are so young and to feel so unworthy of it in so many ways. I’m able to see the ways those beliefs have impacted me throughout my life whether it be through perfectionism that I am always working to overcome, or beliefs of unworthiness that have spilled over into other areas of my life – it’s been a life long labor of love to overcome these beliefs and truly believe in my self and my worth once again.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has absolutely taught me humility. It has taught me to be grateful and present with the moment and all of the abundance that surrounds me. Suffering has taught me patience, and the power of slow and steady growth over the allure of instant gratification. Suffering has made me a more compassionate, empathetic, and understanding person. It has taught me to prioritize my peace and well being above all else. Suffering has taught me how to let go, it has shown me the wisdom I needed to acquire in order to grow into my greatest potential. Suffering has been one of my greatest teachers.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
Unfortunately this truth often makes people mad when I share it, but the truth is human beings are meant to be sovereign. We are meant to draw our power directly from source, from creator, from the universe, from within ourselves. We live in a system that has very intricately programmed us to believe that we need to outsource our power to systems outside of ourselves. Most people look to others for answers, whether it be religion, media, government – few know how to look within in and trust what they find there. Freedom is our natural birth right, but it is something that will always have to be fought for and defended – most have been convinced to trade their freedom for a perceived sense of comfort and security. I am hopeful that more people will continue to awaken to their own divinity.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel the most at peace when I am at home with my two cats Ozzie and Charlie. My home is my sanctuary filled with intentional artwork that I’ve collected over the years, and many plants that I love to tend to. I love to create interesting and warm lighting concepts, one of my favorite pieces in my house is a diamond shaped laser cut chandelier by Hybycozo that projects geometric flowers all over the walls of my house. I love to cook, and take pleasure in cleaning and resetting the energy of my space. I often get out my sound healing instruments and fill my house with healing sound frequencies. I love to take baths and light candles, listen to music, and lay in my bed on my giant heating pad. Relaxing is one of my favorite things and I have to say I think I do it pretty well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.astateofemily.com
• Instagram: @astateofemily
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@astateofemily

Image Credits
Koltin Sullivan, Ryan Vermilion, Mara McGinley