I was recently reminded that we are all creative creators. Yep! That means you are too.  

I don’t mean all are able to draw, or paint, or sculpt, although I’m sure some in this community are brilliant at those things.  I mean make something happen from nothing. Everyone can move the material world from a void, to a vision, to a manifestation.  I’m just here to remind you, because I was recently reminded. 

Last week I interviewed my dear friend Kelly Emmert for Jess on the Mountain, episode 11. She is the visionary and energy behind The Art Garage here in Austin, Texas, and she reminded me how much the creative process is part of all of us.  She had a vision of her art studio from an early age, and with persistence and patience she has brought it into the world for creative hands of all ages to make art, have fun, and relax.  

Creativity--creation-- is a chakra two endeavor. This energetic center located at your...

I have some WonderFULL news for my yoginis out there! 

Nope–that’s not a typo. That is the name of my upcoming retreat, and my hope for all who attend this Women’s Retreat for Full Moon Radiance. 

It’s happening October 27-29, 2023 at the spectacular Retreat Ranch in Marble Falls, Texas. 

I’m over the moon excited about this! 

This weekend retreat is your chance to pause, have some fun, refresh your spirit, and pamper your soul. Beneath October's full moon and surrounded by the beauty of the Texas Hill Country, we will tune into the rhythms of nature with yoga, meditation, labyrinth, and play. Our own personal chef is creating a custom menu for full bellies and nourished bodies. Relaxing wading pools, nature trails, and glamping at its finest makes this retreat a one-of-a-kind experience to remind you just how radiant you are!

Earlier this year, Angela and I went all over the Hill Country seeking out the BEST...

Do you ever consider your fear, guilt, or shame as something to be thankful for? It's a weird question, I know, but sometimes I like to flip normal thinking and behavior on its head and consider those things in ourselves that we'd rather resist as, well, gifts.

Whenever I work with people one-on-one with their frustrating blocks, patterns, and shadows (like fear, guilt, and shame), I always encourage a gratitude practice.  After all, this impediment, or way of being, somehow helped and protected them to get to this point. Their system believed it was necessary for survival or success. In some way, I’m sure it was. But has outlasted its expiration date–it’s time for them to let it go because it has become more of a hindrance than a help. 

I like to think of unhelpful patterns and habits as dutiful soldiers. They are showing up to fight the good fight and protect you in a way that has worked in the past. But once you see the pattern, the war...

How is April treating you so far? For me, this year has been one of those off-to-the-races kind of start. Thankfully, I've learned from the past to double down on things that slow me down in order to stay afloat and be happy. 

However, there was a time in my life when there was simply too much going on to feel energetically abundant.  My husband and I had just opened a restaurant, we had two small kids, and I had a full teaching load as I was working towards my advanced teaching certification.  I felt like I had a handle on it, but my body disagreed.  I had lower back pain, but it was strange–I didn’t pull a muscle or hurt it by doing something. It didn’t feel muscular or skeletal. It felt like my kidneys were sore! I was losing my zest for life. I was tired.  

Lucky for me, one of the teachers at the school of Oriental Medicine across the street was in my class. He’s the BEST.  After class I asked if he would...

Do you have a favorite song to play in the car when the weather is beautiful?  Just the other evening it was so lovely out that it my trip home from HEB a delight.  I was rockin' the 'burbs with windows down, sunroof open, and blaring Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion. I was transported back to my teen years, also rockin' Aerosmith in the 'burbs, but in my mom's big 1974 Chevy Caprice Classic convertible. It was AWESOME.

But now I'm a yoga teacher instead of a teen, so I hear things differently.  I realized this time that "sweet emotion" is a perfect phrase for chakra 2!  Svadyaya is the Sanskrit word for the second chakra, and it's where we can connect to our emotional selves as well as the pleasure principle.  Being able to delight in life and get information from your emotions is what svadhisthana is all about!

I don't know if this is what Aerosmith had in mind, but I think they captured it perfectly. 

Emotions are such an integral part...

I hope you don't find the title of this blog post offensive--but it's true! Everything I've been working on these days is highly body-oriented.

You might be thinking, "Well of course, Jess! You're a yoga teacher!" And that's true! But believe it or not, to me the yoga asana (postures) are more of a means to an end than an end themselves. And that's not just my opinion. That's in the texts as well. There is no Yoga Sutra that says,

"True happiness will be found in the perfection of a triangle pose."

You WILL find text that says happiness is found in friendliness, compassion, delight, and equanimity though. (Learn more about the "Locks and Keys" to happiness HERE.) These days, however, I'm thinking about these same words and themes as directed towards the body. Better said, towards my body, or you towards your body.

Considering our body as an entity worthy of loving attention, rather than submission or disregard, is a chakra one, muladhara, issue.

My three...

Have you ever thought about how much is required to keep these bodies going? There are so many doctors, trainers, therapists, and instructors out there ready to help us keep this "earth suit" in tip-top shape!  And I'm so glad for all of them.  (Are you a wellness professional? Please take this SURVEY--I'd love to know!)

Personally, I love to strike a balance between knowing what I need in order to fix it myself, and putting myself in the hands of a pro that's ready to guide me to feeling better and knowing more. I don't intend to learn acupuncture, but I sure love the way it makes me feel! So I outsource that for sure. I have big thoughts and questions about my relationship with God, so I have a spiritual director for that. I also don't do blood work and I can't reach the tightness between my shoulderblades, so I have a doctor and massage therapist I see when the need is there.

My expertise is in yoga, specifically the chakras. So if I have an issue that I...

"I'm ok."

How often do you use this phrase, and what do you mean when you do?

I was recently in an enlightening conversation about how many ways these two sweet little letters come together and create meaning. I know I've said, or signed, OK a million times, but taking a pause about it showed me something new.

The conversation started at our weekly team meeting when we did a little check-in.  The simple question, "How are you?" was met with a pause and a hand on the heart.

"I'm ok," was the response.

This little 'ok' meant "Yes, I'm ok. Also, there's some stuff that's so not ok." It's the pause that said, "Hold on, checking in...this is not the time to totally share, but I'm in my body, I'm present, I'm safe."

That pause is a pause of self awareness. (Listen to my podcast episode, What is Self Awareness?) In a different time or place she might have told the whole story, beginning to end, because that's what that moment and audience called for. It...

I was inspired last week by my dental hygienist, and so naturally I want to share it here. Consider it my Valentine to you

I've been going to the same dentist for about 15 years, but this hygienist has been in the office for the last 3. She's a machine. She has a full schedule every day the office is open, so she's doing cleanings, x-rays, treatment plans, and trouble shooting with dozens of patients each week. She's fast, friendly, a little rough sometimes but not too bad. She's always in a good mood!

I am no one to judge someone else's career path, but cleaning teeth has never seemed that tantalizing to me. So I asked her point blank, "Do you enjoy it?" She says, "Of course! I've been doing this for 18 years! I better enjoy it!"

Naturally that led me to ask, "What do you enjoy about it?" as I pictured her staring into mouth after mouth in varying degrees of sanitation.

"Are you kidding me?? Patient care!! To help someone come up with a plan to make...

January is in the can, February is off and running! This month makes me think of chilly weather, my lifelong friend Kelly (happy birthday!), and other people’s Valentine’s Day.  You see, when you own a restaurant, Valentine’s Day is one of the biggest and busiest days of the year.  It also means never celebrating Valentine’s Day ON the day!  So to me, February feels more like Valentine’s season.  A season of celebrating love and relationships of all kinds.  It might even be celebrating your relationship with your favorite football team (go Chiefs!). 

What better way to have fun and celebrate the season of cupid than with partner yoga? We sold out last year, had a great time, and can’t wait to do it again. It’s this Sunday, February 12, from 2-4, so plenty of time before Super Bowl kickoff.  This is an annual event for friends, partners, and spouses to have some time for connection, release,...