THE PERFECT TIME TO JOIN
50% OFF MEMBERSHIP

We use cookies to provide and improve our services. By using our site, you consent to cookies.

Cookie Image

These 5 Highly Successful Celebrities and Executives Use Yoga and Meditation to Thrive

What do basketball phenom LeBron James and Queer Eye superstar Jonathan Van Ness have in common? Well, besides powerful platforms and incredible careers, you can add the practices of yoga and meditation to the list.

Like many other major names in sports, entertainment, and business, both LeBron James and Jonathan Van Ness have harnessed the benefits of yoga and meditation to dive deeper into their respective crafts.

Are you curious to learn more about some of the world’s most successful people, and their relationship to yoga and meditation? Read on!
 
 

Here Are 5 Celebrities Who Meditate to Stay at the Top of Their Game:

 

1. LeBron James

LeBron James

@kingjames

As mentioned, LA Lakers forward and NBA legend LeBron James has been open for many years about his relationship with yoga. In fact, in 2009, James said, “Yoga isn’t just about the body, it’s also about the mind and it’s a technique that has really helped me.”

Since that time, a range of media outlets including the Miami Herald and Sports Illustrated have all discussed LeBron’s use of both Pilates and yoga to remain at the top of his game on the court.

However, most recently, a 2019 article by GQ Magazine revealed that James has also started to implement daily meditation into his regimen.

According to his trainer Mike Mancias, James will either practice first thing in the morning or in the evening when he’s preparing for bed. He also utilizes apps like Calm to help him achieve better sleep.
 

 
 

2. Jonathan Van Ness

Jonathan Van Ness

@jvn

If you’ve ever watched an episode of the Netflix series Queer Eye, then you’ve likely come to know (and more than likely come to love) the personality that is Jonathan Van Ness.

Aside from helping men and women feel more confident through self-care, self-love, and a great haircut, Van Ness also occasionally offers tips he’s learned from yoga.

Hit the Reset Button With These 7 Self-Care Rituals to Refresh and Revitalize Mind + Body

With a personal practice that spans over a decade, Jonathan has been outspoken about the role yoga plays in his life, making him one of our favorite celebrities who meditate.

In fact, in an interview with LA Yoga, he even revealed how yoga helped him during his audition for the hit television series reboot.

According to Van Ness, auditioning was so nerve-wracking that he had to channel what he’d learned about being uncomfortable through practicing yoga:

“I explored the answer to the age-old question of how to tell the difference between the dull ache of discomfort that you can just sit through and the sharp shooting pain that you just have to tap out of. Learning to sit in discomfort and keep breathing is always key.”

Today, you can often find videos of the energetic Van Ness dancing, doing gymnastics, ice skating, and of course, practicing yoga on his personal Instagram account.
 

3. Oprah

Oprah

@oprah

As an avid practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, Oprah Winfrey has been quoted saying she views meditation as a way to “connect with that which is God.”

And while hosting meditation challenges alongside major names like Deepak Chopra undoubtedly indicates a level of devotion to her practice, it is far from what makes her story of success so unique.

Known globally as a television producer, talk show host, actress, and all around media mogul, Oprah Winfrey hasn’t just used her personal meditation practice to excel in her field. Instead, she has reshaped that field on a major scale to bring the exploration of spirituality to each and every member of her community.

From her Super Soul Sunday talk show to best-selling books and most recently, a 2020 Vision tour, Oprah truly walks the talk and is utilizing it to empower millions of men and women across the globe.

Offering healers, spiritual leaders, and wellness gurus a platform to both share and teach, Oprah continues to be as much a student as the rest of us. Luckily, however, she’s using some pretty incredible connections and a love for her practice, to bring us information worthy of sharing.

Oprah isn’t the only celebrity who meditates or one to help bring yoga to the mainstream! Tom Hanks Endorses Yoga
 

4. Arianna Huffington

Arianna Huffington

@ariannahuff

Arianna Huffington, renowned business woman and president of the Huffington Post Media Group, has spent decades rising as one of the world’s most prominent voices in media.

Growing up in Athens, Greece, Arianna was taught from an early age to value the practice of yoga, a tool she even credits in helping her give birth to her children.

However, despite Arianna’s personal experience with yoga, it wasn’t until a collapse from exhaustion in 2007 that she was motivated to rethink her approach to work.

Since that time Arianna has become an active proponent for incorporating wellness into one’s everyday routine.

In August 2016, she launched Thrive Global, “a corporate and consumer well-being and productivity platform with the mission of changing the way we work and live by ending the collective delusion that burnout is the price we must pay for success.”

In addition to an emphasis on sleep and stepping away from digital devices, Huffington also stresses the importance of yoga, mindfulness, and meditation – all of which are practices she uses daily to maintain balance in both her work and personal life.
 

 
 

5. Jeff Weiner

Jeff Weiner

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3H-YDzh1g9/

In 2013, Arianna’s media child, The Huffington Post, published an article titled “The New Favorite Pastime of the Business Elite (Hint: It’s Not Golf).”

Within the piece, the author Carolyn Gregoire mentioned a number of business leaders who are utilizing the practice of meditation to improve both their work and their lives. One such individual is tech entrepreneur and LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner.

Open about his reliance on meditation, Weiner has written many guest blog posts on the networking site regarding how he utilizes ancient texts and practices to help him lead with compassion.

In other articles such as one published by CNBC, Weiner also noted that maintaining a routine of daily exercise and meditation helps him to stay focused while balancing professional responsibilities.

But these aren’t the only celebrities who meditate and practice yoga! This is Kate Hudson’s Quarantine Workout Routine That Keeps Her Looking and Feeling OM-Amazing
 
 

The Takeaway on Celebrities Who Meditate

If there’s one lesson we can garner from this list of moguls, it is that showing up as the best, most balanced version of yourself, will eventually lead to success.

And while what success looks like may be different for all of us, finding a practice you love and sticking to it regularly is key.

Who are your favorite celebrities who meditate? Please let us know in the comments below!

Main Image source: Instagram @kingjames

This article has been read 447 times. Share it and spread the love!

Comments

wonderful comments!

Kate Hudson's Quarantine Workout Routine That Keeps Her Looking and Feeling OM-Amazing
To find her OM at home, Kate Hudson’s fitness practice of choice is yoga. In a recent Insta post, she showed off some of her poses and her super toned body.
Read »

Samantha Maracic

Sam Maracic is a freelance wellness writer and yoga teacher based in New York. Her work has been featured on CBS, MindBodyGreen, Bustle and more. Sam's first book "We Are Like Wells" is available now on Amazon.com.

sammaracic.com

This Month's Letter
From the Editor

Monthly motivation and food for
thought from our founder.

READ THE LETTER
Mind, body & life wellness in your inbox.
iPhone

Get the
YA Classes App

No WiFi? No Problem! Download
classes and take them without an
internet connection.

2k+
Download YA Classes app on the Apple App Store
Download YA Classes app on the Google Play Store

Also available in Apple TV , Mac and Amazon apps.

Send this to a friend
Follow us on Close

Create Your FREE Account

Woohoo! You’re about to unlock unlimited articles, exclusive
community content, and select on-demand yoga and fitness classes.

OR USE THE FORM BELOW

Lost password?