So, what about me? Did it all begin on the doorstep of a Buddhist temple?
Hardly! My journey began in, of all places, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where I grew up studying violin and piano. Dad was a composer, Mom was a music teacher. The heartland of America was about as far from ancient Eastern practices as one could get.
GOING EAST
I was drawn to Eastern culture from an early age when I went to an exhibit of visiting Chinese artists at The Art Institute of Chicago. Later, I began to discover ancient Eastern wisdom while living in China for the first time in college. I studied Chinese folk singing and honed my language skills by selling things like green-tea ice cream to local residents. They were stunned: Most had never seen nor tasted such a foreign food treat.
Since then, I’ve lived in China, traveled back and forth to Asia, and immersed myself in the philosophies and practices of this diverse and wonderful region. I learned that in ancient times, humans quieted their minds enough to hear and sense energy moving through the human body. Sounds abstract, but Western science and technology have proved its usefulness.
As the year 2000 approached, I began to transform my own way of living and working by using a series of experiments. It was so effective that I was inspired to start my business in 2004 when friends and colleagues noticed the monumental changes in me. Of course, they wanted to know the secrets. That’s when I knew I was on to something.
This Eastern stuff fascinates me, and I love to make it relevant to the way we live in the modern world.
TRUST ME, I LIVE THIS!
I’m not superhuman. I’ve simply figured out how to manage a career (and, yes, remain happy!) while being married with two wonderful young children and our beloved Labrador retriever. For me, it’s not about leaning in or doing more. Rather, it’s about easing up and simplifying. This way of being allows space to create a life that supports my values and my vision.
MY MOTIVATIONS?
I am passionate about teaching a more sustainable way of living and working—a simpler, more harmonious way that allows us to thrive (rather than just survive) while preserving what is most precious and important to us.
WHY ME AS YOUR COACH?
In a word, my expertise and experiences are unique. Unique because you will not find another coach who keenly integrates ancient Eastern philosophy and practices with the challenges of modern Western life.
I apply the wisdom of such ancient Eastern philosophies and practices as Yoga, Reiki, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Buddhism, and Taoism to the Western idea of performance. I draw on my professional experience, formal training, and my own personal practice. My “East-meets-West approach” blends the mysterious and spiritual with tangible, grounded and practical strategies.
CASE STUDY: A DAY IN MY LIFE
I walk my talk by practicing on a daily basis what I share with my clients. And I do this while living the life of my dreams.
My husband and I both do work we are passionate about. We are actively engaged in raising our two wonderful boys. We enjoy time cooking and eating healthy food, working out regularly, spending time with extended family and friends, and traveling as much as possible.
We love living in a super cool neighborhood in Philadelphia. And my perfect day begins with time to play with my children and eat a home-cooked breakfast (proper fuel is essential). Once they are off to school, a mindfulness practice sets the ideal tone for whatever lies ahead.
After working with three or four clients, I like to cap off the day with a Pilates class or a run through the nearby woods – love those rock- and root-filled curving trails. Then it’s dinnertime. My husband and I whip up a healthy meal, followed by some quality time with the family and maybe some reading (I just love those novels that weave in true history, characters and settings from other cultures). We also like to contemplate our blessings – we have a lot to be thankful for.
Also, I love learning to cook foods from all over the world! I was part of an international cooking club with dear friends in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, and that’s why each retreat I lead to Bali includes a Balinese cooking class and market tour.
My ultimate dream? To build an off-the-grid, solar-powered home in the mountains of Colorado, where we will live after our boys are off to college.
Erin Owen’s Credentials…
- M.B.A., Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
- Graduate Certificate, Chinese and International Studies, Hopkins-Nanjing Center, Nanjing, China
- B.A., Chinese Studies, Grinnell College
- Additional study and certifications in Quantum Coaching, Holistic Health Coaching (Institute for Integrative Nutrition), Total Leadership, Reiki, Mind/Body/Spirit Medicine, Comparative Eastern Religions and Philosophy, Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, Ayurveda, Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, Qigong and other Taoist practices, and more.
Erin Owen’s Work experience…
- I’ve run my own company for more than a decade. Prior to that I worked in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, in both Asia and North America, on projects in a huge range of industries, across Asia, Europe, and North America.
- I provide coaching support to business leaders and entrepreneurs, executives within domestic and international companies, MBA students in the Wharton Executive Coaching and Feedback Program, and women in leadership at the University of Cincinnati.
Now you know a little about me. I want to get to know you and help you get the most out of life.
Find A New Way of Living and Working, and rediscover your vibrant, joyful self!