The Tyranny of Style, The Freedom of Inquiry

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....

The Value of Studentship

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....

Solstice Musings on Knowing Nothing

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 Value of Study for Yoga Students & Teachers

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....

Lakshmi and The Harvest Feast

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...

Coming Home: Creating Healthy Rhythms For Autumn and Winter

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.....

Moon Wisdom: Full Moon

Tonight the moon waxes to its most brilliant expression in the summer night sky, giving silvery adornment to the abundant beauty of this season. This is a time of purna or fullness, and represents a quality of perfection that is worthy of celebration. Just as the New Moon has a certain energetic pull on us, the Full Moon has a power that can support us in the most wonderful ways if we allow ourselves to attune to it....

Moon Wisdom: New Moon

The new moon is when the night sky is dark and the light of the moon can’t be seen. It’s a time when the energy current is below the surface, and in comparison to the bright and vibrant energy of a full moon, the days around the new moon are quiet and contemplative in nature....

Pancha Mahabhutas: The Five Great Elements of Life

Long before I became a student of yoga and Ayurveda I was fascinated by the elements of nature and inspired by the 5 elements systems used in many traditional systems of natural healing and spirituality. When I was younger I chose to spend a few years living off the grid (meaning no running water, no electricity!), and that time spent living in rhythm with nature has deeply informed my studies and my experience of the elements.....

The Freedom of Discipline

Yesterday afternoon I drove down the snowy road from Whistler…