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...