Courage to Explore. Wisdom to Know the Way.
Everything moves to a rhythm. From the revolution of galaxies and stars to the vibration of atoms. The equinoxes and solstices offer us a chance to reflect on the rhythm of the seasons. You might have noticed that yoga instructors tend to bring up these seasonal events, as well as the monthly pulse of the …
Continue reading "Autumnal Equinox: Transitioning with Curiosity and Joy"
Let's talk the chakras. First, let's get grounded in the truth of the matter. The chakra system that has taken hold in the West is probably familiar to you: seven "wheels" of energy aligned along the column of the body (actually, six plus the crown perched atop the head) colored according to the rainbow. There's …
Tada drastuh svarupe avasthanam Tada = "then", drastuh = "the Seer", svarupe = in one's own nature/form (sva--in one's own, rupe--form/nature) avasthanam = "abides/resides" "Then the seer [Self] abides in its own true nature" Aaaand... we get to our first verb: abides. [Who can hear the word "abide" and not think of the Big Lebowski? Anyone? Dating myself here?] With "abide", …
Like many instructors, I've often drawn from holidays to inspire a yoga class. Valentine's Day naturally lends itself to heart-opening sequences. However, Valentine's Day is not all about heart chakras. The love celebrated on February 14th has a lot to do with sensuality (dark chocolate, red wine, sexy underwear) and that is sacral charka territory. …
We are just coming off the thrill of the Super Blue Blood Moon, so let's get lunar. Super Blue Blood Snow Moon. As spectacular as that sounds, "blue" has nothing to do with color. It's called "blue" because we ended up with two full moons in a single calendar month which happens every 2-3 years. …
Over the holidays, I got hit with a nasty ear infection that ended up perforating my eardrum. For two days I was more or less bedridden. When I finally emerged, my muscles ached from the inertia, but what could I do? With the damage to my inner ear, inversions were out; I couldn't even manage a …
January is the perfect time to rediscover the things we often take for granted, to look at them with fresh eyes. Today let's address an old yet enduring question: Q: What differentiates yoga from a stretching class? A: Well, on a purely physical level, yoga incorporates strengthening as well. Follow-up Q: So what differentiates yoga …
This video is less a How-to and more a chat about the wacky poses we often see in yoga--and in memes making fun of yoga. Bound twists, arm balances, upside-down and sideways--I thought yoga was about de-stressing and zoning out! https://youtu.be/2_0PnGRtuVo Actually, yoga is rarely about zoning out, even though that might happen now and …
Since we are pretty much smack-dab between Canada's and America's Thanksgivings, I thought I'd put up a short gentle sequence of poses designed to bring out the gratitude. https://youtu.be/wfrFX6HPCS4 Gratitude gets us out from under the pressure of the ego. The ego is the eternal critic: you’re not good enough, fast enough, you’re not …
