What is yoga?
A 4-year-old explains…
“OK, so yoga is just… you breathe in and out like this, then you start doing slow karate.”
My yoga journey returned me to my memory of a young lady fresh out of school with disposable income to explore the vast wide world of spirituality. Books, workshops and yes, yoga. I did not get yoga. In fact, I did not like yoga at all. It was too slow, too long, too painful. The promise that wisdom and all of life’s answers can be found working-in, on the mat, was impossibly nuanced for a goal-getter who relished the adrenaline rush of a sprint uphill. More than 20 years ago, a walk in the jungle was a work-out counting the steps and beating a previous record.
Unsurprisingly it was the intensity of Ashtanga yoga that later reconnected me with the mat. The practice that took my breath away opened the world of svadhyahya, or self-study. Long story short, in the fervent search for The Teacher who did not exist, I left the practice that broke a shoulder and found much more. I have shown up dedicatedly on the yoga mat for 10 years now. Every morning I rise and sit on my magic carpet. I connect up and tune in. I pray, chant, move my body and sit in silence. Swathes of silence so I hear all that is going on inside, in my blood, veins and bones, and the incredible chatter in my head.
Have you heard this noise in your head? It is deafening in the quiet of the ambrosial hour. My magic carpet is a great illuminator. I create space in my body every darned day so I have room to step many steps back and breathe when the external world is fiery.
You see, it took a loooong time before I arrived in this space of a soft, quiet life. The more I pour myself into the physical practice of yoga, the more I appreciate its subtleties. Yin yoga is more than an antidote to our masculine, task-oriented lifestyle, or prescription for “issues in the tissues”, so succinctly put by Bernie Clark. As a teacher and energy medicine practitioner who is passionate about self-empowerment and self-healing, the slow practice that eluded my youthful insolent self now returns as the perfect meditation tool to tune into the intricacies [Y]inside.
Yin yoga is the art of deep listening. How we navigate the sensations on the mat is how we listen to the stories inside that are longing to be heard. We want to cultivate this sensitivity on the mat so we can bring this refined awareness off the mat, into our lives.
You know what? I am not concerned with you touching your toes or attaining the perfect symmetry. I wish to know if you, blessed with this beautifully complex gift of a human body, can touch your core to find your way h[om]e, to your unique you.
Come join my new in-person classes at The Wise Life Co., to live a little lighter, a little more tenderly. Come own your magic:
Yin & Crystals by Candlelight
Tuesday, 7 – 8:15pm
Come join this 75-minute class where I will take you through the art of deep listening with nourishing long-held Yin poses paired with crystals. Does it sound magical? It is. The crystals speak to me and my hands are guided to place them on and around your body. It is all intuitive and curative. I want you to know my classes are never about nailing the perfect asana. I like that they are rooted in self-empowerment, with self-inquiry and self-understanding paving the way for courageous, heart-centered living. The way I like to practice Yin is gently, contemplatively, centered in the practice of surrendering with grace to find our way h[om]e. In a cozy, candlelit space supported by the vibrations of crystals, I will guide you to navigate sensations on the mat to listen in. Do know this relaxing secular practice is accessible to all levels of practitioners.
Self-Reiki
Saturday 5:30 – 6:30pm
I am also teaching self-healing techniques with the beautiful and gentle energy of Reiki. With Reiki, everyone can have the gift of healing hands. Did you know? Reiki, the most mainstream energy medicine today is a safe and simple way to self-heal. This universal energy is known to promote post-surgery recovery, induce a deep sense of calm and balance, and relieve conditions ranging from insomnia and anxiety to eczema and muscle tension. With consistent practice, Reiki heals beyond the physical and brings balance and harmony to every aspect of life. Reiki is the perfect foundation to deeper energy work.
In this guided class, I am going to show you how to connect and awaken the body’s innate ability to balance and restore itself with the energy of Reiki. This hands-on practical session empowers you to self-heal with your hands and leaves you relaxed and recharged. This gentle and soothing session is suitable for all ages.
I am right here waiting for you. All you have to do is to register here.
Yoga for Nervous System still happens online every Saturday morning. Personal Reiki workshops, Inner Child therapy, Akash and Angel meditations, and energy healing with Light beings and Tibetan singing bowls are by appointment.
