Symmetry Of The Mind, Body And Spirit: The Chin Twin’s Are Ideal Yogini’s.
Byline: Yasmine Rimawi
It’s no coincidence that many of the qualities that Kimberly Hise and Cristen Barker encapsulate as twin sisters translate seamlessly into the qualities innate to yoga practitioners: a unification with another soul, symmetry of the external body and the internal mind, an intense spiritual connection and a love that radiates pure light. Yoga practice beckons interconnectedness with life, much like twin sisters- equal parts, but when combined, make a greater whole.
Being yogini’s is an all-encompassing lifestyle, Hise stated, “Yoga is a connection of mind, body, and spirit, but as we go through our daily lives, we become very disconnected. You lose the ability to hear your inner-voice, your intuition, and you’re not in the flow. If you just take an hour a day on your mat, you can reconnect with your inner self.”
Besides the spiritual connection, yoga practice enriches the physical self as well, Hise stated, “Physically you’re opening up all of these energy channels,” while Barker echoed similar sentiments, stating, “certain twists and positions can help detoxify yourself. Obviously, you’ll build muscles and have a nice six-pack for summer, but internally you’re actually helping your digestive system.”
Miles Apart, But Reunited One Upload At A Time:
The twins’ lifestyles differ geographically, over 1,050 miles to approximate, but distance creates no adversary over the Chin Twins’ bond. Barker resides in urban, fast-paced New York, while Hise nestles in the milieu of rural Alabama, (the twins’ hometown.) Though palpably apart, the sisters have taken up a virtual residency on their joint instagram platform (@ChinTwins). Where they’ve been publicly sharing their art for the past year and half, amassing over 39,000 awe-inspired followers.
With miles between them, both Hise and Barker use the social media site to mirror poses of one another. Distinguishing their posts with #Kimmy and #Crissy hashtag’s, they create synchronous reflections to showcase they aren’t affected by spatial disparity.
Beyond being self-therapeutic, sharing their photos publicly has been rewarding. They find joy in being able to connect with another human regardless of anonymity. “Some days it’s very lighthearted and then other days it’s very introspective. But I think if we can somehow relate an image to our words, offer a bit of enlightenment just to give that person a digital hug throughout the day,” stated Barker. Which is exactly what they’ve done: their captivating photos are paired with inspirational idioms, offering their followers a visual and verbal reassurance.
When they aren’t filling our insta-feed with anjaneyasana and powerful standing poses, the twin’s practice yoga by other means. While Cristen has her husband and fashion photographer, Nigel Barker to capture her daily poses, she also attends a slew of classes that the big city has to offer. Describing the class atmosphere, Barker stated, “There’s something very strong about being in a room full of people doing [yoga]. To be in a room filled with 20 other people doing the same pose and breathing in unison; it’s very empowering.”
Travel southward and you’ll find Hise living a holistic yogi lifestyle, instructing yoga at Kula Community Yoga and teaching preschoolers’ ballet at Mobile Ballet. The older twin of three minutes stated, “I do workshops on the weekends, teach a couple of classes throughout the week, and I even make time for practice at home.”
When they find the time to bridge the gap between them, the twin’s set aside time to practice yoga together. Planning photoshoots for instagram purposes, the twins set out with Nigel Barker and work as a triad to execute shoots. While the husband and brother-in-law directs behind the lens; the twins are choosing the locale, their clothing and planning every detail, intimately.
While Hise expresses her love of backbends because they expose the heart and release tender emotions, Barker stated, “I find that there’s a certain sense of flight that you feel and a sense of freedom- where you’re almost suspended in air. It’s a bit of rush.” Hise interjected mid thought with an overwhelming amount of admiration for Barker’s response. Throughout the conversations entirety there was no shortage of encouragement between the two, as support reverberated upon each response.
As sisters, they’ve mirrored one another throughout epochal phases, from ballet classes in their youth to rocking a ‘Boy George’ sartorial aesthetic in high school, then later pursuing a dual modeling career in their early 20’s. Long before yoga, birth initiated their bond, though the practice now helps solidify the distance. Hise stated, “We kind of compliment each other, like when I’m holding back, Crissy will step in and just take over; it’s like a yin and a yang relationship.” Barker then includes, “We’re always morphing,” while Hise repeated the sentiment in melodic agreement.
Each stage of their lives has contributed to their contemporary yoga forms. While dance transitioned into modeling, and modeling morphed into yoga, the twins have perfected the art moving the body. They’ve created self-awareness that cultivated cross-epochs, now evident throughout each instragram upload. With an eye for intricate detail, the twins have mastered the point of toe, the arch of back, and the precise tilt of head; which not only strengthens their performance, but also creates some ethereal photography.
