Angela Lindvall: The Mindful Supermodel
Issue 3 is available on newsstands now. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out when you can order your copy online.
In her Gucci shirt, Angela Lindvall radiates the California spirit—her magnetic aura floods the Los Angeles villa where we meet, infusing the room with her almost heavenly energy. A 39-year-old mother, her gait is self-assured and she exudes confidence, which makes sense given her track record. After a career traveling among the greatest models, her focus is now on exploring the realms of the mind. Ahead, she talks to us about her recent lifestyle pivot and why living well is now the name of her game.
How is Kundalini different from other types of yoga?
It combines all forms of yoga. It comes directly from Raja, a yoga that was secretly practiced for its intense power over consciousness. It came to California in the ’70s to help former junkies to get off drugs. It works primarily on breathing and influences the endocrine system by raising the energies from the base of the spine to the pineal gland, also called the third eye, which balances the nervous system.
How does it influence your everyday life?
It allows living in yourself—not always on the outside. It lets you find your identity outside of how others perceive you. I do not preach a perfect way of life where one must always remain Zen, but rather the possibility of making choices in daily life on how to react to those small events that impact us.
How do you start your day?
I wake up around 5:45 AM and do a prayer that comes from ancient traditions expressing gratitude and the joy of being alive. Then I meditate, where I try to have every cell of my body breathing simultaneously. I imagine an inner light that starts from my heart and goes back to my head to help me reach a higher state of consciousness. It may sound a little mystical, but it really is quite simple. After all that, I eat breakfast with my children. Sometimes I mix it up and start with a long walk or with a session in my sauna.
How do you manage to maintain this new way of life?
When I started as a teacher, I wanted to impose a strict rhythm based on a routine, without compromise. But I quickly realized that this way of functioning was counterintuitive. Sometimes the desires of everyday life take precedence and we must welcome them and embrace them without punishing ourselves. Of course, I allow myself wine, chocolate, and staying out late. When I go past my limits, I take five minutes and close my eyes and reconnect. Just as we charge our phones, I do that with my mind.
How do you take care of your body?
Yoga obviously plays a major role. I am also lucky to have a sauna at home. I go as much as I can to get rid of toxins and then I jump into an ice bath. When I have a shoot or an event, I apply ice cubes to my face to tone it. My physical well-being goes mostly through what I eat. I try to follow an essentially vegetal diet. I also consume a lot of superfoods, like maca powder or raw cacao in the morning.
Despite your success as a model, you've managed to stay grounded. What advice would you give to beginners?
Above all, do not get lost in the outside world or associate your worth with your modeling image, because it will always fluctuate depending on the trends. These two things have nothing to do with each other, but when you’re young, they’re often confused. We then begin to devalue ourselves if we feel like we do not correspond to the trend of the season.
Hair Jenny Cho
Makeup Lora Arellano
Photo Assistant Derec Patrick
Stylist Assistant Alizée Henot
