Another school year has begun here in Austin. Whether you are tethered to the schedule of a young person, you work in the school system, or neither of these things, you can likely feel the electricity in the air as students, teachers, staff, and administrators head back into the classroom for a fresh start and a new beginning. 

Right now in Online Yoga Membership, we are doing a series called “In One Word.” In this series, the whole supporting theme is one word. Often I use stories, affirmations, quotes, or text as the inspiration for our heart theme, but this is much more concise. It’s one word. How does each word reveal itself through repetition? How does it feel to embody that word? What are the layers of the word as we delve deeper into it through breath, movement, contemplation, and sound? 

The first word was ONE. 

The second word was GRACE.

Tuesday’s word was BEGIN.

It has been a really profound experience to...

It’s finally arrived! The time to take our first born off to college. Needless to say, this has put quite a load on this week’s to-do list. But I didn’t want this week to go by without giving you a yoga to-do list. Not all tasks need to be drudgery!

First,

This week’s podcast episode is the culmination of our “season of delight” on Jess on the Mountain, and the message is essential to your health and wellness. In it, I explore how an open and blooming sahasrara, the crown chakra, involves being part of a community, how as yoga therapists we’re trained to make sure our clients are connected to one, and why it makes such a difference to our overall well being, and a life that is healthy and delightful.

“Sahasrara is where we open to that deep sense of connection to a greater power–whether that’s god, humanity, consciousness, whatever. I’m saying that in many ways, it’s the combination of those present that...

Do you have a practice around the way you see the world? Are you a glass half full, half empty, or overflowing glass kinda person? Because the way we see things is what dictates how we respond to situations, how we feel about situations, how we think and how we engage with others, it is exceedingly important to investigate, and hopefully improve, the way we see the world. 

When I was doing my yoga teacher training back in NYC in 2003, it was in the lineage of Anusara Yoga, developed by John Friend, who came out of the Iyengar tradition. In this particular way of teaching, there is a great importance placed on the theme of the class. It was a heart-based practice that also had a very strong alignment component. Basically, we were to facilitate awakening the hearts of our students to beauty and grace, and help their whole body, mind, and spirit come into alignment with that awakening. It was a really beautiful style of teaching and learning. 

And it changed the...

Are you feeling your schedule ramp up? My mind is spinning with all the plates--but they're all good plates!

It's times like this I try to step it up a bit. Not do more--rather, see it all from a higher perspective. I have to remind myself that it all will get done, and if it doesn't, it'll be ok. My eyes must stay on the prize of being present, enjoying my loved ones and finding meaning in my work.

This is what I consider embodying Sahasrara, the crown chakra.

Embodying Sahasrara is also about cultivating a connection to Source through prayer, ritual, gratitude, and service. It’s about seeing divine lessons everywhere, and you know they are there for your growth and expansion–but it doesn't make them easy. Or even clear!

Not too long ago I learned a divine lesson in a surprising way. It was in service to the unhoused here in Austin. Because I have a heart for the homeless, that’s where I tend to focus my service and charity. Every other month my son, Nate,...

One of my favorite things to think, talk, and teach about is embodiment. As a dancer and yogini, I truly believe that our physical bodies play a crucial role in shaping our experiences, perceptions, and understanding of the world around us. There is a tangible interplay between the physical and the mental, and the mind cannot be entirely separated from the body. 

So often in life and in yoga we think of moving in an upward and outward direction; that progress goes in the direction of liberation and expansion. But there is an equally beautiful flow in the inward and downward direction, towards the body, towards our root. It’s the way to avoid being “so heavenly focused that we’re no earthly good!” 

This season, for the next few months, we will be focusing on embodiment in everything we do. We will be walking, talking, and practicing being embodied, present, and grounded in the here and now. So get out your calendars, because...

I'm home!! After three and a half weeks on the road visiting friends and relatives, I'm happily back in my home studio with Georgia (our Fiddle Leaf Fig), my yoga mat, and other creature comforts I missed during my travels. I'm slowly and surely getting back into the swing of things, which is why this blog is a day late. There is simply a lot to do after a trip like that! I'm giving myself the grace this week to move at the tempo I need as we gear up for fall and all the events we have in store. I hope you can do the same if you need that as well. 

I'll admit to you right now, I'm not great about practicing yoga when I travel. Between the irregular schedule, small spaces, and days filled with sightseeing or sitting and talking, my down dog gets neglected. So when last week I taught from our family cottage on Lake Okoboji, Iowa, it felt like an early homecoming when I took child's pose on my mat. I felt my shoulders melt, my breath slow down, and my eyes water as I...

When you hear the word community, what is your response? Does it call to mind great friends?  Positive organizations? Unwanted drama? Overcommitment? Refuge? Anxiety? Neutrality? Likely it depends on the group, and more than one of these often applies. 

But here's the thing: Community is necessary for our health and well-being.

When I was training to be a Yoga Therapist, I was surprised to find out that this is one of the components of a new client intake.  Regardless of the reason for requesting a session, part of our conversation is about the client's connection to community.  This is considered an important piece of the puzzle when working towards systemic balance, happiness, and a long life.  

In the yogic pancha maya kosha model, we are made of five layers, or sheaths: body, energy, mind, personality, and spirit.  (Different lineages express this differently, but the overall ideas...