Mercedes de la Rosa

Biography

I studied Journalism and International Relations and started working at 21, after having lived in Italy and London. I dedicated myself to writing reports on social issues (the kind that are hard to read and digest: wars, childhood sexual abuse, etc.) in different parts of the world. I traveled a lot, and that helped open my eyes to different realities. I used to dance a lot, but with the life I was leading, it was very complicated to have a routine, and I discovered yoga. Little by little, I began to see how the practice made me more conscious. I learned to take care of myself from the inside out, and to trust. And it was life that led me to become an entrepreneur and a yogi. I had no plans or training for this; my school has been (and continues to be) that of learning through observation, effort, and intuition.


Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur and create Zentro Urban Yoga?

This project started in Barcelona in 2005. Back then, there were hardly any studios. Yoga was still something very "freaky," and my partner—who was the one who proposed setting it up—and I decided to bring this practice to people as something urban, as a physical and mental tool to integrate into our lives, without the need to stop eating meat, drinking wine, or having to dress in white.


We had practiced yoga in the US, London, etc. They were places where you saw people with their mats on the street, and we wanted to see the same thing here. We started organizing yoga masterclasses for 3,000 people in iconic places around the cities (Plaza Mayor, Paseo del Prado, etc.) so that people could see that it wasn't for weird people, and yoga gradually began to expand.


What is the philosophy of this project?

Our philosophy is to provide tools to live life with as much health, fullness, and awareness as possible. As far as we know, we have this life; why not try to make it a wonderful journey? Most of them are ancient tools adapted to our reality, but they still work, and very well!


What does yoga mean to you?

One of the meanings of the word “yoga” is union. And for me, yoga is just that. It is union with myself, but also with everyone and everything that surrounds me. It has taught me to listen to myself, to respect myself, to take care of myself, and to live from a different place, with much more acceptance, compassion, and awareness.

“Our philosophy is to provide tools to live life with as much health, fullness, and awareness as possible”

Would you recommend everyone to try it and be consistent over time? What are the benefits?

Without a doubt! The good thing about yoga is that everyone, of any age or condition, can practice it. From children, pregnant women, athletes, people who have never exercised, seniors… And the benefits are unlimited! I always think that when I list them all, nobody believes me (hahaha), so if they ask me, what I usually say is: “Better try it, and then you tell me what you felt.”


To simplify, the benefits can be grouped into two large blocks: physical/organic and mental. And I have seen very profound transformations in both. On a physical level: it tones the body's muscles, provides more flexibility, strength, and endurance, allows for the oxygenation and mobilization of all cells and organs in the body, and balances all systems: circulatory, nervous, digestive, endocrine, etc. It teaches us to listen to the body, how it is, and what it needs. And as a consequence of the practice, you feel lighter, stronger, and many ailments (contractures, tension, etc.) that we probably live with and didn't even know about disappear. On a mental level: it teaches us to bring the mind to the present, to the here and now, through breathing, to stop wandering between the past and the future, which is what causes us stress, anxiety, and makes it difficult for us to live fully. If we practice yoga regularly, stress levels decrease along with all the symptoms associated with these states: lack of attention, concentration, agitation, insomnia, etc., allowing us to feel more serene and live more present and happy lives.


Do you think people are aware of the need to connect with oneself through sports?

I think that when you do some sport or practice, there is something in you that tells you that it makes you feel good, so you want more of that. And I do think that little by little we are listening to ourselves and understanding ourselves more, and connecting with different physical, mental, and emotional aspects. But for that, you have to start!

“The good thing about yoga is that everyone, of any age or condition, can practice it”

How has your life changed internally and externally since you started practicing it?

A lot! Physically, I thought I was very fit because I had danced a lot for years, but yoga has given me much more strength (physical and mental), toning, flexibility, and agility. Besides, I suffered from insomnia—the kind where you don't sleep even an hour—and thanks to yoga, I understood many things that allowed me to sleep again. Yoga has taught me to live in another way. From a different place. To accept life as it comes, and it has given me tools to be able to enjoy any circumstance: the good, the bad, the regular... I think we are not aware of many things that we are and have in our lives, and the practice of yoga and meditation makes you become aware and allows you to live it with more consciousness and love.


In the long term, where do you see yourself?

I don't usually think much about the future. I do have a clear direction, and I trust that what comes is for the best. In the long run, I would love to live in the countryside, and I know that I will continue to dedicate myself to this. In what format and how? Life will tell me.

-Relationship with beauty:


What is beauty to you and how do you live it in your routine?

For me, beauty is harmony. And it is always born from a balance, from a serenity, from an order. I need a routine; with my practices, with my hours of sleep, with healthy eating, with contact with nature and the people I love. That is what allows me to feel good inside and out.


What or who inspires you in your day-to-day?

So many people! To start with, my mother. She is an incredible example of so many things! But also friends, my husband, my sister, my team. I am not a hero-worshipper at all, but I am lucky to have wonderful and very inspiring people around me. I love listening to them and learning from them.


Who are your beauty icons?

For me, beauty is not perfection; I like intelligent women who convey harmony and serenity in different aspects of their lives, and who know how to embrace and accept the passage of time, without fighting against it. It saddens me a lot to see women who stop being themselves so as not to have wrinkles or sagging. I think that as public figures, Audrey Hepburn, Caroline of Monaco, or Caroline de Maigret are good examples of that, as well as actresses like Naomi Watts, Cate Blanchett, or Julianne Moore.


What is the best advice you have ever been given?

Don't be afraid to be yourself.

-Beauty Questionnaire:


What is your care routine?

My routine is not sophisticated at all, and it consists of eating dinner and going to bed early, sleeping a minimum of 7 hours, practicing yoga and meditation every day, washing my face morning and night (twice), moisturizing, exfoliating my skin a couple of times a week, eating healthily (I haven't consumed refined products, sugar, or meat for 25 years), drinking water, taking some supplements, and being as happy as possible.


An infallible trick or product

Perhaps because I suffered from insomnia, I think that sleeping is key, because it makes you feel good and able to see life from another perspective. On the other hand, I have recently discovered retinol and I love it.

 
How do you take care of your beauty from the inside?

Clearly, beauty is born from within, and I think that stress and anxiety are the ultimate disruptors. That is why the practice of yoga and meditation is so important to me, because it helps to lower all the tension we live with. And that relaxation is immediately noticeable on the face, on the skin, in what we radiate. I also need to be in nature and to give and receive love from the people I love.


Pending task (as far as beauty is concerned)

I am a disaster at getting treatments (both facial and body), but the few times I have managed to, I have seen wonderful results. So I think I should find a slot to get them done.

MERCEDES' favorites: