Okay, okay, I don’t think most yoga teachers are INTENTIONALLY being dishonest. However, I think some of us have bad habits when cueing movement related to the pelvis. We’re about to take a deep dive into all things related to your hips, but first we need to take a look at the pelvis, to understand …
Shifting Into Alignment
Happy New Year Everyone! Phew, and what a start we have had. So far, 2022 seems to be a continuation of all things 2020 and 2021. Like many of you, I have some goals and resolutions for this year. And I’ll be honest, some of them are to simply re-establish good habits that I have …
How Long Will That New Year’s Resolution Last?
Well, it depends on how much time and effort you put in to set yourself up for success!!! I started this blog a year ago. For the last 52 weeks I have managed to post something every 7 days. I’m not sure that was even the goal. I wanted to create the habit of writing. …
“I’m Not ______ Enough To Do Yoga”
I disagree. Whole-heartedly, 100 percent disagree with that statement. No matter what you filled in that blank with. You CAN practice yoga. In whatever body you have, wherever you are on your journey, there is a yoga practice that is right for you. I know that you all don’t believe me when I say that …
Yoga for every BODY
With the upcoming series: Yoga Where You Are burning in my brain, I wanted to go back to a few posts that I wrote earlier in the year. In part to share with those of you considering taking the course, but also as a reminder that yoga is not just a physical practice. It’s also …
Self Care: Holiday Survival Guide
In last week’s post (I am the Grinch) I shared a conversation with my husband about different types of anxiety, which led me down a path thinking about ways to KEEP the calm rather than have to restore it. Sort of like the old adage, “prevention is the best medicine,” I think self care works …
Gratitude Part 4: I Am the Grinch
I am grateful for a husband who makes me talk. That is a hard sentence to write and impossible to say out loud. Even as I’m typing it, I’m not 100% positive I believe it. Perhaps if I say it enough times it will make it true. He has good intentions. I am an introvert …
Gratitude Part 3: Free from disturbances
The 30 Days of gratitude challenge hasn’t been particularly difficult or taxing for me. I do spend a few more minutes each day actually writing down my thoughts. And I spend a few more minutes checking in on social media to read about what you all are grateful for. I am thoroughly enjoying finding small …
Gratitude, Part 2: My Husband is Better than your Husband.
No, seriously. He is. I’m still working on finding the beginner’s perspective in my teaching as I prepare for my upcoming course. And it’s a learning process. And I’m grateful to have an incredibly supportive husband who is helping me learn these lessons. My husband has amazingly agreed to be in several videos that I’m …
Gratitude, Part 1: I am a sleep nazi
My distaste for activities that keep me (and the children) out late is not a secret. I am a sleep nazi and I go to bed early. And my children go to bed early. Period. However, as they are starting to get a little older and have found interest in certain activities, I have had …
Perspective, Part 4: The Path to Empathy
My daughter has always been very empathetic. From the time she was 2 years old and in pre-school, teachers would comment on how understanding and kind she was to other children. As she’s gotten older, her skills in this area have only grown. She has a huge heart and sometimes it gets the best of …
Perspective: Part 3 — A Beginner’s Mindset
I was googling images of “beginner yoga poses” and was dumbfounded by what came up in the search results. Posture after posture, even posters full of “beginners poses” that contained very complex and difficult movements. My personal favorite was “easy seat” or sukhasana. It appears simple, so I understand why it’s included. It is a …
Perspective, Part Two: I Wouldn’t Change A Thing
If you could go back in time and give your younger self advice, what would it be? And would you want that advice to be taken, potentially altering the course of your life? After my trip down memory lane the other day while cleaning out the yoga studio, I began to go even farther back. …
Perspective, Part 1: Just Keep Swimming
I was walking the dog recently and had an interesting experience. We were at the school playground, a place we have been walking regularly since we got him over a year and a half ago. He loves to sniff and investigate all the new smells each time we go. As per usual, his nose was …
Girls trip!
I’m going on a girl’s trip! I haven’t gone anywhere for almost exactly two years. No really, I checked the calendar. We went on a family vacation in Florida in September of 2019. That was the last time I traveled. My last girls trip was August 2018. It’s TIME! I will be away from my …
The Struggle is Real: School Drop-Off and Pick-Up
The word vinyasa in Sanskrit means, “to place in a special way.” In a typical yoga class most people think of the vinyasa as the movements from plank to chaturanga to cobra to downward facing dog. And in fact, that is one example of a vinyasa. It’s a transition and a way to move from …
Wake Me Up When September Ends: Part 2 (a.k.a: Pivot!)
This first week of school sort of went down as I expected. Chaotically! My husband always goes to a handball tournament over Labor Day weekend. He usually leaves the Wednesday before and returns home late on the following Monday. Which also leaves me home alone as a “single parent” during the first week of school. …
Wake Me Up When September Ends: Part 1
I began writing this before the school year started. Before the mindfulness series ended. I wanted to have a post ready to share about transitions because I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately. And they are hard. And I wanted to share ways to help ease the transition into this particular school year. I …
Hard Lesson Learned
I rarely share such personal information about my family, especially about my kids. And I really try not to do it so close in time to when the event actually occurred. However, this was such a powerful moment and so relevant to the practice for the 8th Day of the series that I just have …
Everyone is Doing the Best They Can
I firmly believe that everyone, yes everyone, is doing the best they can. Really. They are doing the best they can with the information and resources they have available to them at that moment in time. Pause on that for a moment. Yes I even believe this about people whose words and actions offend me …
Conscious Breathing and Meditation Part 4: Dispelling Myths and Creating the Habit
Today’s post is the final article in this 4 week series. We’ve covered why the practice is beneficial, how it works in the body, and what it does (or doesn’t) have to look like. Today I want to offer my last bit of advice before the live/daily practice sessions begin. You could even print out …
Conscious Breathing and Meditation Part 3: WHAT is stillness?
We covered the WHY and the HOW of meditation over the last two weeks of posts. This week we delve into the WHAT. To begin, it may be a good idea to go back to my article from a few months ago about meditation as it relates to the 8 limbed path of yoga. I’d …
Conscious Breathing and Meditation Part 2: HOW does it work?
In Part 1 of this series, we took a look at reasons why someone would want to begin a mindfulness practice. If you haven’t read the first post, I would suggest starting there (WHY cultivate a mindfulness practice). In part 2, we are taking a deep dive into anatomy and physiology to help get a …
Conscious Breathing and Meditation Part 1: WHY do it?
I’ll be honest, I was already planning a series on mental health and mindfulness before it became such a hot topic at the Olympic games this year. Naomi Osaka, and now Simone Biles are setting the perfect examples of what self care looks like, and I am so glad they have raised this issue to …
#nofilter
As I may have mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been more present on social media over the last year. I don’t enjoy putting myself out there, but it became a way to continue teaching during the pandemic, and although things are opening back up, I think the online teaching may be here to stay. …
I’ll Take it Under Advisement
Are you all familiar with the book, Yes Day? It’s a short children’s book that is just about the worst thing you can let your kids read. I’m pretty sure they managed to make it into a movie (that I refuse to let the kids see). The premise is that for an entire day, the …
UGH…team sports…I mean, GO TEAM!!!
Yes. There are benefits to participating in team sports. Yes. My children will learn valuable life lessons by being involved in them. Yes. It is an important part of life, developing the skills to play and work well with others. Blah, blah, blah. Don’t get me wrong, I am one hundred percent on board with …
My children are not MY children
I can’t remember the conversation that we were having, or what prompted it at all, but I do remember my first yoga teacher sharing this poem with me and it has stuck with me ever since. After carefully considering its deeper meanings in preparation for writing this post, I’ve concluded that I don’t actually struggle …
Another Trip Around the Sun
I am not one to flaunt and celebrate and make a big deal out of my birthday. I don’t want to draw attention to myself, and it’s definitely not my birthday “month” to make the shenanigans last even longer. In fact, I don’t even have it on my social media pages ON PURPOSE, so don’t …
Life happens…..
I believe I had been practicing Mysore style Ashtanga Yoga for about 5 months when school started up again in the fall for my kids. I had been blissfully practicing in the studio three days a week that summer and arriving back home casually around 8:30. Swim practice didn’t start until 10:00 which gave me …
I Didn’t Mean to be a Homeschool Teacher (Part 2): But here’s HOW I did it!
I’m cheap and I didn’t buy ANY CURRICULUM! If you are a veteran homeschool parent and are cringing as you read this, sorry. I knew we weren’t in this for the long haul and I also didn’t want to spend a lot of money. I also didn’t want to “waste” weeks / months trying things …
I Didn’t Mean to be a Homeschool Teacher!
Let me preface this entire post with the fact that I am fully aware of my PRIVILEGE. I had the ability (due to time, money, resources, etc.) to homeschool my son this last year. The pandemic threw everyone under the bus, but some of us could duck and cover, others got run over by both …
Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
They say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. While this may be true in a lot of circumstances, I don’t find it to be accurate when it comes to having a consistent yoga practice. Particularly the type of yoga that I am currently …
The thing you want to do the least….
The thing you want to do the least is probably the thing you need the most. I usually think of this in terms of physical fitness and try to remind myself of this REGULARLY. We all have that one exercise or one yoga pose that we dread. If we’re taking a class with an instructor …
Ask Yourself: Why?
Oftentimes at the beginning of a yoga class you are asked to set an intention. Perhaps it is for your day or your week. Maybe it’s simply to focus on your breath throughout the practice, stay present. Teachers may have various reasons for asking students to set an intention, but I like to incorporate it …
Consenting Adults
I experienced my first post-Covid hug recently, and let me tell you, it was probably the best hug of my life. Really. And yes, if you’ve been reading this blog, I know what you’re thinking. Did she really just say she enjoyed the hug? She who doesn’t want pandemic era social norms and physical distancing …
I AM woman.
I am almost (*cough*) 40 years old. I have been living in this body for 40 years and experiencing the monthly hormone cycle for about 25 of them. I’ll be honest, I haven’t exactly enjoyed the process over the years, specifically when it comes to my actual period.. My periods have always tended to be …
Everything I need to know I learned from Hamilton: The 10 Life Commandments
Have I mentioned yet that I am obsessed with Hamilton? Like REALLY obsessed. I’m not sure exactly when I first listened to it, but from the moment I did, it took over my brain. You know those shirts that say, “my thoughts have been replaced with Hamilton lyrics”? It’s true. Early on in the pandemic …
Uno — The Zen Master
I’m not sure how my husband managed to pick the perfect dog for our family, but he did–he’s great at reading people, so perhaps this skill applies to dogs too. Uno, a 5(ish) year old hound mix, is our Covid rescue dog, and he is a genius. We have had him for almost exactly one …
Less is More
I am nervous. And I’m excited. But mostly, I think I’m nervous. Okay, I know I am nervous. As of the writing of this post I have received dose 1 of 2 of the Covid-19 Vaccine. As I stood in line at the CVS for my first dose I could feel my heart rate increasing. …
Rest is a 4 Letter Word
Why are rest days so hard? Anyone who is passionate about some sort of physical endeavor knows that proper rest is key. Especially when working towards building strength or stamina. We know this intellectually, but then our drive/desire/ego gets in the way and we push. And then we push harder. And before we know it, …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 8 — Recap)
As promised I want to do a quick recap of all the posts in this series, and show how the 8 limbs of yoga can be incorporated not only into every yoga class, but into almost any activity that you do. Yoga isn’t just a pretzelly arm balance on instragram, it can be a way …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 7 — Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi)
In yoga teacher training, one of our very first homework assignments was to find 5 minutes per day to just sit in silence and afterwards write a brief journal entry about whatever you experienced in those 5 minutes. As we progressed through the training, we were encouraged to slowly increase the amount of time. Let …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 6 — Pratyahara)
Have you ever been guided out of Savasana (corpse pose, the final resting posture at the end of a yoga class) and been a little startled by the teacher’s voice? Like, you kind of forgot they were there? You forgot you were in a space with 20 other people taking their rest too? That is …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 5 — Pranayama)
In case you couldn’t tell by the name of my business (Power in Breath Yoga) I’m a little obsessed with the breath — which is why I am SO excited about today’s topic. Pranayama is the 4th of the eight limbs and includes all of the breath control practices of yoga. If you want to …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 4 — Asana)
My husband, for his business, uses software called Asana. The software is designed to help companies organize work flow and project management. He, and MANY other people I know pronounce it “ah-SAH-na,” with the inflection on the second syllable. In yoga, the word asana is pronounced “AH-sa-na” with the inflection on the first syllable (How …
Two Years In — Anniversary Reflections on Teaching Yoga AND Starting a Business
I cannot believe that I have been teaching yoga for two years. I also cannot believe that I (unintentionally) started a business two years ago. The whole thing actually baffles me to be honest. As I look back on the last two years, for as much as I have personally learned and grown, I also …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 3 — Niyamas)
We talked about the general overview of the 8 limbed path (HERE) and covered the first limb last week – the Yamas (HERE). Today we will look at the second limb, the Niyamas, or the guidelines for how to treat yourself according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. As with the Yamas, there are also 5 guidelines …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 2 — The Yamas)
If you didn’t already read part 1 of this series, go back and check it out (Taking Yoga OFF the Mat: Part 1 — The 8 Limbed Path). It gives you a basic background on the 8 limbed path of yoga and will help you understand where we are headed for the next few weeks.* …
More Than Exercise: Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (part 1)
I TRY to incorporate yoga philosophy into the classes I teach. I have good intentions as I am creating themes and sequencing the asana portion. However, when it comes to the actual delivery, I tend to forget the important things I wanted to say. I get so wrapped up in making sure that people are …
I Have Anxiety
In a previous post I mentioned that we all need therapy. We all have our own “ish” to deal with that maybe other people know about, or perhaps it’s a complete secret to the world. With the pandemic I would be willing to bet that the number of people skyrocketed who could (for at least …
Self Care Is Hard Too
I get on my soapbox (a lot) about self-care, and I feel like I give pretty good advice to others, BUT when it comes to actually following my own advice, it’s HARD. I encourage others to take time for themselves, to fill their own buckets so they have something left to give others. To put …
Cultural Appropriation
Before we start, I want you to take a moment and consider something. Were you triggered by the image that I used? Was it hard to read those words, “White women killed yoga”?? It’s okay if that title isn’t sitting well with you — but let’s sit with that discomfort for a minute to find …
Transitions are hard!
I began teaching a new style of yoga just after the new year, and while the differences were minor, it was pointed out to me by several students that the transitions were what stood out to them. The number of them, the difficulty level, the energy required, and the overall challenge. When I was learning …
What is Yoga?
What is Yoga? Well, to answer that, let’s actually back it up a step and answer what it ISN’T: Yoga is not handstands and contorting your body and limbs into awkward shapes. Yoga is not just for (young, female, thin, flexible, white etc.) people. Yoga is not just exercise. Yoga is not a religion. Yoga …
Cheers to 2021
Well, it certainly has been a year we will never forget. All of us will look back on this time and experience different feelings and have different memories of the ways in which our lives were upended, but I hope that a little time and distance can offer us all some perspective. Dare I say …
Ashtanga Vs Vinyasa Yoga
New year, new yoga! For the majority of you reading this, vinyasa yoga is what you have been practicing with me for the last (almost) 2 years. During that time my personal practice has shifted primarily to Ashtanga yoga. I have slipped bits and pieces into our classes here and there but it’s beginning to …