This post is for every woman but I wrote it with my women friends who practice and teach yoga in mind. It represents some of my observations and practices in supporting my own menstrual health and honouring the sacred wisdom of my cycles….
My primary creative focus this last week has been to prepare my classes for Wanderlust, which will begin in just a few days. This process of setting intentions, pulling together threads of inspiration, and creating a structure which can hold it all is a fascinating process to me and one that I often get asked about so I thought I would share some of my thoughts here….
There is one question that has always challenged me as a teacher of yoga, and that question is “what style do you teach?” It is an innocent enough question for people to ask, I get that, but I have always found it a challenge to answer and it always seems like a test I am bound to fail….
I feel very fortunate that when I began my journey as a yoga student my teachers were quite traditional and laid out clear guidelines for me on how I was expected to act in a class, in the shared space of the studio, and in relationship to my personal practice. These teachings were given to me in order to maximize my ability to learn, as well as to support the learning environment for others, and if hadn’t receive them early on I may not be the student and teacher I am today….
To celebrate the solstice is to honor the dance of time, and the cycles of life. This year in particular I am struck by how this dance takes us in and out of beauty and sadness. In and out of joy and confusion. In and out of faith and fear. I find myself humbled once again by the realization that there are cycles that exist in our lives that are so much larger than us, and that despite our goals and intentions there are tides that will sweep us up and carry us away before we know it….
The practices of hatha yoga are so captivating with their emphasis on physical movement, deep breathing, meditation, sound and imagery. They also take a fair bit of time and energy to practice so that they become part of our body of experience. So it’s no wonder that many students of yoga find there is little time left at the end of the day for study. But without study the physical practices can lose context….
Thanksgiving is a true Lakshmi holiday. Lakshmi is the Indian goddess of beauty, order, material pleasure, abundance, and sensual delight. We invoke her when we take time to savor the simple pleasures of our physical existence such as a warm sweaters on a cold day, the comfort of a fresh cup of tea, or the smell of burning leaves in the air. And we honor her when we express our gratitude for all the blessings that we receive each day…
I have often said that autumn is my favorite season and I think it is because it is the season where I come back to myself. I love the sensual delights of this season. The particular quality of sunlight that we get on these crisp cool days, the brilliant colors of the trees as they turn, the smells of woodsmoke and leaves burning in the air , and the tastes of autumn spices on my tongue. But what I truly love is the way that this season invites me back into rhythm with myself and reminds me of what I value most…..
This is an article I have been meaning to write for a long time as I think it may help students in asking some hard and valuable questions before they sign up for yoga teacher training. Training to be a yoga teacher is a huge investment of both time and money and I believe it is best to be sure of why you are doing it, as well as who you want to do it with rather than just jumping in….
Summer is the season of Fire & Water, or Pitta, according to Ayurveda and so cooling summer treats are on the menu in my house. Coconut is considered a cooling food and so is ideal for the summer diet. It is also high in good quality fat, is a source of protein, and is naturally sweet which is fantastic….
