Journal
Here you'll find writing on mindfulness, neuroscience, mental health, physical wellbeing, and yoga.
These topics often overlap: attention, behaviour and embodiment are all part of the same ecosystem of experience, and the aim here is to explore those connections in a thoughtful and practical way. Some posts draw from research, others from lived experience and teaching. The intention is to share ideas that are useful, considered, and occasionally a bit different from what is typically said.
April 4, 2020
The lower back can be a cranky place. It's the focal point of compression and a hub of movement, and when it's upset, regular day-to-day motions can be painful. In this yoga practice, you will learn a series a gentle movements to release compression, strengthen, and reset your lower back.
April 4, 2020
This short flow will get you moving (mindfully)! Warm your muscles, stimulate circulation, deepen the breath, awaken your energetic potential, and clear your mind through steady, guided movement.
April 3, 2020
The bija mantras are resonant syllables that are in tune with each of the six major chakras along the spinal channel (save the crown chakra, where the syllable is silence). The meaning of bija is "seed". In chanting the seed mantras, we are aligning with the source energy of each chakra, and balancing our attention between them.
April 2, 2020
This is a strong and well-rounded All Levels Hatha class that guides you through foundational postures. There is emphasis on slow, steady breathing (but don't worry about breathing at your own pace, if the guided breath feels too deep!). It's a class we teach to our Yoga Teacher Trainees, as it contains all the core postures we study in the program. It's perfect for a daily home practice!
April 2, 2020
Loosen up the stiff places in your body with guided movement and stretches. This class goes through a reclined joint mobilization series, followed by some gentle load bearing postures, and finishes with hip opening and spinal release poses.
April 2, 2020
Yogic breathing, called pranayama, is a broad field of techniques that serves to shift our energetic, mental, and physical states. In this video, you will learn a set of four breathing exercises, called the Four Purifications, that come from the Hatha yoga tradition. These exercises are best done in the morning, to wake up your body's purification processes (digestion and elimination), and to clear your mind for the day ahead.
April 2, 2020
Release your body slowly into supported stretches. Give yourself time to ease into sensation, and relax tension.
April 2, 2020
With slow, breath-guided movements, explore the joints and soft tissues of your body, disentangle tension, and settle your nervous system.
April 2, 2020
Sahana vavatu is an invocation to inspire open-minded, community-based, cooperative learning. It connects us to timeless wisdom, and the history of teachers who support and inspire us. Together, we open ourselves to nourishment, protection, inspiration, and support of each other in community.
April 2, 2020
This is a gentle yoga class that uses a chair to sit on and as support while standing. This class will strengthen and stretch your body. Let Heather, who is truly passionate about chair yoga, guide you to softly connect with your body.
April 2, 2020
Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu is a mantra in Sanskrit wishing peace and well-being for the inhabitants of all worlds. Join Chris and Karen to chant it 108 times as japa practice, a meditative repetition of sounds or syllables to help connect to the meaning and power of the mantra.
April 2, 2020
Strong glutes help you stand and move with confidence and stability. They promote good standing balance, and support your lower back. Stretching out your back body (including your glutes and hamstrings) helps to decompress your spine, and calms the nervous system. In this class, you will be guided through movement- and alignment- based postures to stabilize and open your glutes, hamstrings and lower back.
April 2, 2020
Chris will guide you through four breathing exercises called the Four Purifications, with less instruction and longer practices; making it is suitable for those with some experience with them. The Four Purifications are a complete series of pranayama practices to wake up your bodily processes, regulate the nervous system and focus your attention.
April 2, 2020
The front of our hips and torso can get tight and weak from extended periods of sitting. In this therapeutic yoga class, you will learn about the primary movers of hip flexion, and practice yoga postures to release tension and strengthen the iliopsoas muscle.
April 2, 2020
For the health of your spine and whole body. This short video will move you through the six basic directions of movement of your spine to ensure you're not stuck in one position most of the day.
April 2, 2020
The Gayatri mantra comes from the oldest sacred text in the Indo-European languages: the Rigveda. In this chant, we connect to the sunrise principle Savitur, the primary mover of daily existence. We open to the gift of this precious life; with humility we honour the ancient, the present, and the future.
April 2, 2020
Whether from chronic posture imbalances or injury, our upper back, neck and shoulders can become tight and weak. In this class, you will practice yoga exercises to reset your posture, release tension, and decompress your upper back and neck.
April 2, 2020
In this practice you will be guided through stretches to release compression in the lower back, hips and knees; joints that are impacted by running. You will also explore the range of motion of your joints, to develop mobility and balance out habitual alignment patterns brought on my repetitive movement.
April 1, 2020
An all-body alignment-based practice with precise guidance, giving you time and space to breathe into the subtler levels of experience. Through lunges, twists, and hip openers, you will warm your body, release tightness, and return to mental steadiness.
March 31, 2020
Sun salutations, known as surya namaskar in Sanskrit, are a warm-up sequence of breath-guided movements that increase your circulation, release compression in your joints, stretch out your body, and awaken your mind for the day. In this 10-minute practice, you will be guided through three styles of sun salutations.