Yin, to me, is similar to the psychological concept of rapprochement. It’s learning that you can always come home to grounded security, peace, and compassion. Far too often in this world, we stray from “home” (i.e., our true selves), much like an infant exploring his or her surroundings.
Read MoreExcited to be presenting this Yin Series on Saturdays at Yoga on 7th! You can read more here about the event and reservations can be made here. Classes are 12-6pm and includes the manual in the full series. Please ask any questions you might have and reach out about payment plans or work trade. Open to make this work for you. Yin Love!
Read MoreThe Great Climate Race is a walk/ run to crowdfund for renewable energy projects.
Our first project is a solar installation for the Stanley Park Ecology Society at Lost Lagoon
Read More
Hey Yogis!
This is a call to action to the yoga community. Vote, vote together. Bend the VOTE. Put the yoga into action and lets make the best decisions to create the greatest change. This is a call to teachers to include in their intentions and themes a reminder to vote, and a reminder to check to see all is well with registration. Check here! Lets talk about voting in the studios, lets gather our yoga friends and go and vote together. Vote together while drinking a kombucha on your way to class. And hey studio owners and managers, maybe you could help Bend the VOTE by offering up a discount or free class to those that have voted in a grow of 5 or more? Or vote and come and join Tank Gyal and me at Fortune on October 19th for Revolution themed Reggae Yoga: Sound Salutations. Boom. We will celebrating the fall of the Harper Regime together for certain, so get your yoga selves out to the election polls. And engage your community. Talk to your neighbours, bring vegan gluten free cookies to volunteer door knockers in the swing ridings. Check out your resources like Vote Together, make a mantra for political change, chant VOTTTTEEEEEEE instead of OM until the 20th.
Bend the VOTE. Not voting is really a vote for Harper. Remember...its not always what we do that counts....what we don't do counts often more, we yogis know this!
I would love to hear your thoughts? I was surprised to find out how many of my fellow leaders in the yoga community don't vote cause they don't believe in the system. Agreed, I live and abide outside mainstream as much as I can...but last I checked we are all in this planet together and living in the systems. Lets bend those systems and shape shift the ways things have been going.
Bend the Vote!
Guest Blogger: Emily Walker, best known for I'm Fat Vancouver, Get Over It
I took a yin class for the first time in 2009 in a yoga studio near my parent’s house in Southwest Portland. I was taking yoga classes three to four days a week, not because I necessarily wanted to, but because I was seeing a low-cost therapist who told me I needed to start making goals around leaving the house. With a recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder and my confidence, pride and independence in tatters all over the floor, I forced myself to go to this therapist and talk because I was existing in two states: awake and asleep. Sometimes they were two parallel roads but other times they looked like a venn diagram. Showers were too hard. Putting on clothes that weren’t pajamas before 7pm was out of the question. Leaving my parent’s basement was too complex. Some days I would set my therapy appointments for 10am so I could say see, I got out bed like a normal person, and come home and immediately crawl back into bed until dinner, and then go back to bed after that. This therapist, a doctoral candidate at the low-cost university training center, made me make a list of things I liked to besides writing, reading, watching hockey or drinking. I only put one thing on the list. One time I took a yoga class when I was 18. I kind of liked that.
So I was taking beginner hatha courses, and then advanced up to vinyasa, and tried Iyengar, Kundalini, and Anusara. One night I walked into a yin class, kind of by accident and immediately discounted it for being restorative—a bore fest in my opinion. This wasn’t going to help keep my body busy enough for my mind not to interfere with its constant soundtrack of thoughts and doubts. But then we started in and after a few poses we moved into pigeon pose and I felt this shifting inside: I like this, this feels great, and whoa this is actually hard.
When you’re bipolar, there is nothing harder in the world than keeping your brain as still as possible while your body also is.
I’m also fat, which adds a whole other dimension to this journey with yin and yoga in general. I say the word fat in the context of the body positivity movement. I’ve written extensively about my experience within that movement and I try whenever possible to reclaim that word. But it’s worth noting when you are labeled as fat, feelings around your body are often discounted. You are often told every failing with your body is a byproduct of you. You created this problem—you not only need to live with it, you need to face the music that your life is complete shit because of your body. But, you must never complain. You must never acknowledge the pain, the aches, the signals it tells you, whether weight has anything to do with it or not. You didn’t do your job, you must live with the consequences. You deserve all of this. Push through.
I worked as a stagehand for several years in Vancouver, Canada. Before that I did several years of event production jobs in Portland, OR. When I finally had my worst meltdown and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I worked for only 90 days in a book-distribution warehouse throwing around large boxes of books for hours and hours at a time. Local crew jobs replicate the rapid-cycling bipolar folk best—three or four 16+ hours days with a week off in between. That book warehouse was five days a week, eight hours a day and it almost killed me. These jobs were almost always male-dominated professions. If I didn’t pull my weight on the job while also carrying mine, it was because I was the weak girl. My mantra became never stop, don’t let them see you bend. You certainly must not break. I’m stubborn about all the wrong things. I have a permanently destroyed shoulder because I walked around with it separated for 16 months straight. I was 17 when I finally started physical therapy for it.
I think that’s why yin was so revolutionary for me-- for once I was told it was okay for me not to push everything 100% and dial everything up to 11. For once I was told listen to what your body is telling you. I didn’t even know what that meant. I was never allowed to stop and listen. For once I was told your hips may hurt for more of a reason than the weight you carry and maybe it’s not your fucking fault. It could be because you had an alcoholic, undiagnosed-bipolar, military dad who told you at six years old to “man-up” on the daily. And that’s a really freeing feeling—to comfortably test your limits-- to comfortably say no and to comfortably say yes. Forget being a fat woman—to have someone say “you can say no” is devastating and such a relief at the same time as a woman the first time you hear it.
I see yin as an amazing metaphor—push yourself in small doses and if you do that you will go deeper and farther in the long run. I’m a contradiction—I’m completely stubborn but I’m also a professional quitter. I’ve quit everything I’ve ever loved when I was no longer “good” at it or the minute something got “hard”. Yin is amazing for the fact that a pose can feel boring or easy for the first five minutes and increase in difficulty the further you dig in. It can also go the other way. Yin was what finally made me realize that sometimes shit can be difficult and uncomfortable to begin with, but the longer you sit there in the muck the less likely that feeling of anxiety is to kill you. I try to move that into my daily life—sit here in the haze of uncomfortable, wait for it to pass, but if it gets to be too much you can back out for awhile and try again later. But you can also push back really hard, and sometimes you’ll knock down that wall for good, forever.
Guest Blogger: Lisa Melton
I feel dark today. I’ve woken up with a heaviness in my body; my skin constricting my happiness. I go to the washroom and can’t even look at the “You are beautiful” sticker that is fused to my mirror. My first thought this morning? Wishing I had a knife so I could carve out my insides and start afresh. I crave lightness, to feel good in my skin, to feel calm in my mind. My distaste for this increasing heaviness pushes me to question why I fill myself with unhealth. I know my being is too full. I know I am uncomfortable. Yet I continue. I have done this my whole life. I have always hidden it and yet, today, it feels unbearable and as though I am experiencing it on a new level.
For some reason I am taken back to my first day of Yin Yoga Teacher Training (YYTT). I was so shy and embarrassed by my body. I convinced myself that everyone would laugh at me because I wasn’t skinny and wearing Lululemon. I was convinced everyone would judge me for invading their sacred space with my old yoga pants and my used, two dollar flip-flops. I never imagined that I could ever teach a class. Me? Stand in front of all these thin, powerful women and try teach THEM something? To have them listen to me speak and have them give a shit? right. Don’t get me wrong, I have done some serious work on myself in regards to dealing with and overcoming my life’s experience to date. Somehow, I was gifted with an incredible chance to experience this YYTT. But I was terrified. But, I went.
For four days I was essentially a mute, frozen by my fear. I was overwhelmed by information that was spoken in a language I hadn’t really heard before. I was floored by the amazing women I met. One woman was from Iran and I was struck by her tenacious articulation. Another woman possessed her Master’s in Divinity, she struck me with her ability to express what she needed in any moment. Yet another woman was a badass,tree hugging, animal activist who always graced me with her smile and her willingness to listen. These women, among the others in the group, helped me to begin feeling like my voice mattered… like I mattered.
Day after day, everything got heavier and more challenging. By day four I was raw. I was exhausted. But, I went. From day four on I wept every day. And for the first time, I didn’t judge myself for it. I wept in front of others and they respected my need to do so. They just sat with me or handed me a box of tissues. They allowed me to have that moment with myself – what a gift! Day after day, things began to change inside. I no longer weighed myself upon waking. I no longer worried about my clothes not being expensive enough or ‘yoga’ enough. I stopped looking in the mirror. Not because I couldn’t look at myself but because I was now able to see myself so much clearer without it. I began to feel good in my skin and I no longer woke up feeling as though I wanted to scrape my insides out.
Our incredibly inspirational yoga guide gifted us all a yoga pillow that she made. I, for whatever reason, used it to cover my eyes during our morning Asana sessions. I loved the way it removed my sense of sight and how it helped me delve deeper into my body. Suddenly it occurred to me, having the yoga pillow over my eyes allowed me to quiet the acute hyper-awareness I had utilized as a way to survive in this life of mine. In that moment, I no longer needed that comfort and protection. In that moment, I was ok without it. When i removed the yoga pillow from my eyes I fully embraced this new vision, a new way of looking at the world and my position in it. This was when it happened. We were asked to teach the class. Gulp!
Nervously, I stepped out in front of my peers. I was to teach them two of my favourite shapes. I was terrified. But, I did it. In the beginning, I stumbled over my words as though rocks had been sporadically placed beneath my feet. My first shape was feet up the wall. I had always loved how I would feel tingles down my legs, as though the stars were filling me up with hope inside. The next pose was a supported heart opener with the yoga pillow over the eyes and a sandbag across the stomach. At this moment, Olafur’s ‘Tomorrow Song’ came on my iPod. For some reason, unknown to me at the time, I hopped up and grabbed my journal. I began reading a piece of writing I had done on what Yin means to me. Suddenly I felt confident in my words, calm in my delivery and my heart was truly open. This moment changed my life. My voice mattered. My life experience mattered. My ability to connect with these breathtaking souls mattered. The song finished and I quietly went back to my mat. After collecting themselves, one woman said it was like she could feel me, another said I felt really authentic, another mouthed the words, “I love you”. This moment changed my life.
My life has been a messy mural of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Two failed marriages. Drug and alcohol addictions. And a level of self-hatred and hopelessness that, in many life questioning moments, I never thought I could overcome. I have always searched for love, thinking that in hearing those three words I would be saved from myself. And here, in this moment, a stranger only had to mouth those words for me to hear a voice arise from inside myself. I didn’t need to actually hear her say those words to me – I could hear my voice in my ears. This is the first moment that I thought, Yes! I could be a teacher. From that day on, whenever I said, “I’m not a teacher” at least one woman would say ‘Yet!’. And then I too began saying ‘yet’.
So, I bring you back to present day. The day where I awoke to a life of darkness, another day where I wished I could take that knife and carve out my insides as a means of cleansing myself. This day where I find myself restricting my tears in spite of this quiet soul’s whisper that says “It’s ok, it’s just a little healing”. Truth be told, I have not done Yin since I completed the teacher training. Boy, do I feel a difference! Sharing my experience here has helped me to understand that I have been given a gift. For me, to teach Yin would be a radical act of surrender and self-love. Teacher training changed my life. My eyes have been opened to what I am capable of feeling and I can no longer go back to my old self soothing patterns of over-consumption on any level. That first teaching experience, combined with a number of experiences since, has shown me that I can be a teacher. Because I matter. Because my existence in this life matters. My wounds can be my weapons and I can share my experiences so others can ignite their own self-love.
I used to think that in order for my life to matter, I had to die in the name of something honorable. Today, as I write this, I believe that in order for my life to matter, I need to live in the name of something honorable. That something is me.
I loved my time at Wanderlust! Not for the advertising, the shine or the big bang of the yoga business; not for the market of plastic wrapped samples, or even the commercialism of an industry exploding. I love it for the people. ALL the PEOPLE.
I can’t even express to you the beauty of seeing over 500 bodies move at once. Yes, Seane’s classes as the event headliner are packed. And yes, I know one assistant in a room isn’t much, but it really does call for people to be honest with where they are and to show up none the less. Assisting in the classes over the weekend meant I got moments with new yogis curious about the glitter of a festival:, men brought by their wives and rocked on the mat for the first time;. women that were due in a few weeks, bodies of many levels and sizes. Experienced teachers and famous musicians;, kids reading books on mats while mama practiced;, teens in groups giggling;, completely advanced students doing mind blowing things; and, other people that couldn’t keep their left straight from their right.
One of my greatest moments of the weekend was working with a man in a wheelchair in a Vinyasa class. No feeling or use of his legs, and in fact, Seane and I met him at Wanderlust three years ago and supported him in class. There are no words to express the moments of humanity, between he and I as we worked together to rock a yoga practice that was seated and support and creative enough to get some serious stretching on! We were grateful for each other, our stubbornness to find a solution together, while laughing and caring deeply, between strangers sharing over this practice of adaptable yoga.
Me and my yoga hOMies spend time chilling in nature, bathing in the river, introducing each other to out of town friends and ruminating on yoga and life. We meet international artists, hung out backstage with rock stars that are really just happy, but tried traveling people. I feel this is the deep practice of yoga, like its meaning intended; union, to gather and connect. Yoga; to create strong bonds that not only change the world, but our view of the world. I give thanks to those that make it work and gather there.
I also feel a deep honour to meet and get to know the crew and staff, the musicians, the event crew and everyone else from behind the scenes. As I love to produce my own events, I love to know the team behind the scenes. I am curious about how a festival with a dream grew huge, expanded internationally and recently added a media company to their offerings. Thats a big and beautiful reach, so the question is... what are we really saying to the collective?
I spoke to many powers that be about there being a way to be wayyy more plastic free and to include more diverse community. To connect to local resources and progress businesses that BC really works. I had some really interesting conversations with people to hear about the bigger view and vision of their projects. It’s pretty amazing, and it's a privilege to be in the conversation. If we think about yoga and systems of oppression and structural troubles, we do have to enter the system with our privilege as a tool, that our voices will be heard in the shifting of the course.
I have attended this event every single year it’s been in BC. I have taught once, and all other times assisted my friend and teacher Seane Corn. I know the grassroots rebel yogis in my community always think it's strange that I would show up and support a big box event. I know, I at times feel that same way. But I go not for the shine, but for the multiple opportunities to connect to people. It’s an honour and a privilege to spend time with my teacher, and mentor in the yoga industry that I look up to. Her work in the world is major -spiritually speaking- and her deep call for humans to rise up and participate in the bigger knowing of life is revolutionary. And this is actually it. We can spend all our hours judging and wanting things to be different. Great change requires great action. Deep change requires numbers of people to step outside their daily lives and look upon the world with bigger eyes.
It’s way too easy to judge, complain and interpret from the outside. We must participate, communicate and show up in the world if we want to see change occur. We need to meet each other where we are on the path and offer up compassion and guidance before judgement and criticism.
These events call the masses from all over to be together in ways we can’t even imagine. I have met and maintained friendships from all over the world that created new projects and inspirations. I have received invites to come and share my skills all over the world and also share moments when we realize this crazy world is a small miracle.
What I am trying to say is that my attitude toward big box yoga events changed this year: We have a powerful system, hating from the outside doesn’t always affect change. Let’s use this system to harness the change we want. There are so many good things happening here. There are people and exchanges happening. Affecting change from the inside can be more potent than criticizing from the outside. There are many roads to Nirvana. Rise up, step in and participate with a bigger picture in mind, with courage to hold steady, and to embody the principles of a teacher. Not everyone is where we want them to be in their evolution. And many need guidance, or at least a chance to see another option. Rocking out your authentic nature with solid and true values is really how you can be the change you want to see in the world. So hold steady world, get on the battlefield Arjuna and step up and be the best you, with your greatest tools, to make the most profound change.
Recently I’ve been getting curious questions and glamorous praise for the homesteading, seed saving, salve-making natural life posts I’ve been making. It’s so interesting to me that this move to natural-living is becoming ‘trendy’ and ‘modern’, and there is a deep desire to know more about it. I feel honoured at the number of messages I receive from people wanting more info on how to make their own powerful natural things. Canning, drying, planning, compost, making natural goods –these are all actually our roots. I believe these things are actually just in our bones.
And yes, it’s a lot of work. I choose to haul fruits home in 50-pound loads to dry on my Saturday, post-market day. I could also go out and blast those funds on drinks and party. I don’t. I crank music, chill with myself, prep this magical fruit in a few different ways, knowing I am making my own medicine, honouring organic and local farmers, and prepping for the seasons ahead. It makes me reflect on my ends, where I spend my time, and what I consider important in my life.
Hey, and the good news is I am self-taught, meaning you can be too! I’ve spent loads of time just sifting through methods, finding what is right, honouring that this knowledge is all out and about, just within your reach. I also experimented. A lot. I tried many things, asked loads of questions, read books, looked on the Internet, but mostly I trust my intuition. Yes, that is all “new age”, but it worked when I transitioned over to being the main farmer at our house about 3 years ago. Meaning I had to set up my game to plant, grow, seed save, compost, preserve, plan, and make. I trusted that I could and would know what would work. I know now, after so much watching and learning what every little sprout coming up in my garden is and its time. I have been staring at the same backyard farm for 7 years, longer than I have ever lived anywhere before. The medicine making and all other parts of natural living came in time.
Looking for a place to start? Start now. Do anything! Decide what you want to grow and read charts to see when to plant it. And remember: nature was a boss ruler before we came into control and wrangle. Plants want to grow, flowers want to flourish, and bees want to snack. Things have cycles –we just interpret them to make it better for us.
The best thing I learned was to watch the cycles of plants; from seed, to sprout, to plant, to flower or fruit, to seed, to drop, to decay. It’s amazing. It also means that you can let it do its thing –and let seeds fall and it will grow. My farm is a kale and swiss chard sanctuary. Some planting, but most on its own cycles. Did you know seeds stay dormant under the soil for seasons, even years? Kinda like waiting for just the right moment to sprout up and rejoice! I have watched many of these ‘volunteer’ plants show up and produce amazing flowers and foods, pretty much on their own!
Tea: I make a lot of own teas. I save and dry mint, sage, lemon balm, rose petals, yarrow and calendula as main yums! Its easy –you just watch for when the leaves are ready. Collect, dry and spread them out on an old screen from a window, or a straw mat, and boom. Tea. Dry it completely and store in jars. My trick is I put them in baskets on top of my dehydrator, and you have a warm and fast drying space.
Drying: I have 2 dehydrators, including an old, yet badass Excalibur. The last few years I have been drying peaches, pears, plums and apricots. I aim to dry enough to make it until the spring, when fruit is back in season. It’s a lot of money and time in the beginning, but worth it. And in Vancouver, people have fruit trees that they don’t harvest. So don’t let money be the deterrent. Wild Forge, call out, hunt for fruit. I can’t tell you how thick to cut the fruit because it depends on what you like. I sometimes do half an apricot, for longer drying time. Or sometimes I do thin slices, faster drying. Depends on what you want, and you still have to keep them in until they are all and completely dry, so you gotta watch and trust.
Seed saving: My fav! I love, love, love to let food follow its natural cycle, produce seeds that birds eat, some that drop to become volunteer plants later, and some I save for the day I have my own massive organic yoga farm school! Dream and save now! It becomes clear when seeds are down, when the plant lives its full cycle and essentially dies in the process of changing to a seed making plant. Think seeds, just like the fruit or greens of a plant, need to go through its full cycle to complete. I dry seeds –keep them clean and dry in jars and label with the name of the plant and the year. I currently have in my seed saving cellar: kale, swiss chard, sage, mint, beets, shiso, basil, calendula, borage, lettuce, sorrel, cilantro, nasturtium, poppies, lemon balm and lots of flowers. I think there are more, but this is just off the top of my head!
Canning: This one is a bit tricky at first, mostly because of fear of the unknown bacteria. There are tons of online resources on how to do it. It depends on what you are canning. I do pickled peppers, beets, and other veggies. I can salsa, tomato sauce and pesto. I rock out canned pears, jams and berries. Once I realized how easy it is, I can’t stop. It’s so yummy. But still, it’s a process that requires effort, and requires tools. But I can’t explain the feeling of accomplishment when you crack open canned pears in the middle of winter. It’s summer in a jar, pure food medicine: local, organic and not sitting in chemicals in a plastic lined can. I mean, really food is so, so much healthier jarred. You can do it! I recently got a pressure cooker at a garage sale for $10, ordered the missing part for $15 and boom! My next step is to learn how to rock it. Good thing I have some serious homesteading friends to ask! For now, I actually love the process of cleaning and heating jars, creating the culinary contents, processing in hot water bath to jar, cooling it and looking at its post canning glory. And yes, it requires time. I often party solo on a Saturday night with my canning supplies: dehydrator, good tunes, nice vibes and vegan chocolate chips on the side for inspiration. Canning is my favourite meditation practice. Cut, dry, cook, can. Great mantras!
Salves: I adore making my own beauty products. I haven’t touched a snip of makeup since the late 90’s. I don’t use synthetic chemical anything in, on or near my body –it’s my temple. What touches it should be it praises and offerings instead. I make salves and potions with a shea butter base and have made my own toothpaste and deodorant. All these recipes are on the internet; you can copy one or gather pieces from many and trust your kitchen witching intuition will guide you.
I hope this post inspires you to trust that you have the knowledge and skills to do these things, it’s in your bones from your grandmother’s past! Trust your intuition and learn from your mistakes. I have had so many request for my vegan recipes over the years, I promise I will be making more food loving blog posts!
I would love to know the things you need support or making, or even share up your favourite recipes in the comments below.
Friends! It’s been a busy and excellent summer with our Yin Teacher Training offering at Yoga on 7th. What an amazing and diverse group. It’s a deep honour to gather teachers that call people to a space to create great things together. The idea of yoga as union, or community, is in full action. Great things get birthed when we show up, honour each other, support one another's growth and do our best to acknowledge the beauty of our healing. THANK YOU! That was one of my most memorable and beautiful opportunities as a teacher to witness this group transform and connect. I feel the rumbles and waves cultivated from this look at yin yoga as a social practice with deep power to heal and transform our communities. Give thanks to the warriors of light that force the darkness with open hearts. LOVE
We loved our time at this little studio in East Van so much, I have decided to offer up a weekly session of yin classes starting Tuesday, September 8th, 7:30pm, at Yoga on 7th. This 90-minute class will involve longer holds and my new super yin love –sandbags. The beautiful part of offering up yin in an Iyengar studio is that there are more props than your average space. Come along to this class that will utilize longer holds, more props and insight into another realm of yin. I am stoked to share some deeper variations and an opportunity to experience yin with more attention to props and also a place to experience with a safe depth that a regular public class passes. Excited to have another weekly yin class when I am in town and I promise when I am away, you’ll have an excellent prop-loving teacher. Let’s build this yin vibration together for a more relaxed fall. I give thanks for all the yin love and the requests for more offerings. Drop in rate is $15 for 90 minutes, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Stay tuned for the end of October for more Yin studies. We will be offering 6 weeks of Saturday sessions to dive into the yin world of educational studies with the amazing Love Light Yoga team of RMTs, TCMs and other amazing healers that really propel our natural health understanding to new levels. This series will count as continuing education credits or towards a 200 YYTT. Looking forward to heading back to school!
Guest Blogger, Dr. Tanya Hollo, ND
Everybody loves vacations. But not everyone comes back from their vacation feeling rested & restored, like they’ve learned something new about themselves & the universe, and healthier than when they left. There’s this amazing kind of vacation that actually accomplishes those things: allow me to introduce the healing retreat.
The first healing retreat I went on blew my mind. My entire life has changed because of it. I’ll tell you a bit about my experience before I talk about all the amazing things a retreat can offer you, and there are many.
A few years ago, I went to the Jungle, for an ayahuasca group retreat with Gabor Maté. Maybe some of you have seen TJ Dawe’s play, Medicine, which he’s touring at the Saskatoon Fringe festival this summer, or the Nature of Things documentary, that the lovely Robin McKenna helped to make. Both of these featured Gabor’s work in bridging Amazonian plant medicine with modern stress and addiction theory, where nighttime ceremony experiences are coupled with daytime group psychotherapy. The goal is to help uncover patterns of behaviour and the origins of those patterns in childhood traumatic experiences.
Everyone has experienced some level of trauma, some more severe than others. The idea is that chronic stress and addictive behaviours develop out of a learned suppression of emotions, and a need to escape the pain. It’s not a conscious choice: behaviours that developed as coping mechanisms in early childhood are still being activated in the present, so it’s like the mind/body is reacting to something that happened a long time ago as if it is still happening.
Uncovering these patterns becomes a pathway to healing. Now, I’m not entirely sure how it got uncovered – Gabor is a notorious laser-beam when it comes to pointing out tension and suppressed emotions – but it went something like this.
We all went around the circle, and each person shared why they were at the retreat. I went last. Somehow it came out in my speaking that I feel in colours.
Gabor: You feel in colours?
Me: Yes? (Thinking "doesn't everyone?")
Gabor: Can you describe that?
Me: Well, whenever I have an emotion or feel a physical sensation (and I'm being generous here; there's no way I was that articulate back then), I see a colour. It’s always there when I close my eyes, but sometimes, if the feeling is strong enough, I see it out loud. Like with my eyes open.
Gabor: That's kind of weird.
And there it was: my entire worldview shifted. Not because I had been called weird (truthfully, I still wear that as a badge of pride in my heart), but because the only thing I had ever known, the only way I had ever experienced the world had just been called into question. Not everyone sees things the same way I do.
Fundamentally, this is true for everyone. Everyone has a view from which they experience the world, and that view was shaped early on in life. For me, there’s a beautiful, rainbow-like, actual visual effect in the way I see things, and not everyone has that, but the principle is the same.
(On an awesome note, it turns out this phenomenon of seeing colours when I have feelings or hear sounds (that happens too) is called synesthesia. I’ve known about synesthesia for a long time, and always thought it was so cool, without ever even considering the fact that I might have it.)
“I felt the most connected to people when there was a subconscious belief that they understood me, that they were speaking my language.”
Over the course of the week, we took the discoveries deeper. It turns out that not only did I see colours when I had feelings, I learned at a very young age to suppress this side of myself, to not talk about it, because people didn’t understand when I did. Underneath the beautiful rainbows was a deep sense of loneliness that I felt as a result of not being able to express myself.
I had one experience in ceremony where I got to look at all these experiences I had, in conversations with others, where the focus was on colours. All of my favourite people has talked colours with me at one time or another; there was this one game I loved to play where a friend and I would name a colour, then by talking about all the things associated with it, the colour would take on a personality. Like red, the kind of passionate, strong, fierce one; or white, the kind of peaceful, calm, accepting one.
I felt the most connected to people when there was a subconscious belief that they understood me, that they were speaking my language: the language of colour. As I said before, I wasn’t exactly emotionally articulate back then, and speaking in colours allowed me to express, or at least feel, these emotions.
10 Reasons Why Retreats Are Awesome
These discoveries were incredibly liberating for me, and I truly don’t believe it would have been possible for me to achieve the depth of understanding that I did had it not been for the retreat setting.
Let’s look at some of the things that a retreat has that daily life (generally) does not:
Nature - It is so good for you to get out into nature. Things move slower, air is cleaner, and being in nature actually lowers your cortisol levels. (Cortisol is your main stress hormone.) And whether you believe it or not, plants have an intelligence and a soothing presence; whether you believe that’s through consciousness or just through their lovely smell is up to you to decide.
A group - There are many benefits to working through your stuff in a group setting. The group serves as a big, ugly mirror, and helps you see that your problems are really similar to other people’s problems, that you’re not alone, and that humans are really amazing and wonderful and lovable. Plus you get to make new friends who are interested in bettering themselves. Pretty sweet.
A facilitator - A facilitator is literally someone who helps make things easier. How wonderful would it be if life always came with someone to help you see things clearer?
Intention - It’s possible for life to always have an intentional focus, but it’s much more common for us to forget what and why we’re doing things. At a retreat, there is a constant reminder of why you’re there, and who you’re there for: yourself.
The food is taken care of - Really, it’s just so nice to have someone else prepare your meals for a period of time, especially if they’re healthy and nice and made with love, as they often are on retreat.
And some of the things that a retreat doesn’t have, that daily life generally does:
The mundane & little stressors - Like driving and traffic, waiting in line for things, emails, phone calls, groceries, picking up kids,
Constant computers and cell phones - It’s so good for your brain to put down the internet for a while. And when you’re on retreat, you get to put down the internet and submerse yourself in nature, allowing your brain to relax and focus on something with a bit more temporality to it.
People who want things from you - Bosses, kids, husbands, wives, moms, clients, students, etc. While having most of these people in your life is generally a very good thing, getting away from them all for a while can help you really appreciate having them around when you do.
Familiarity - There’s something about stepping outside of your comfort zone and the places you know that serves as a catalyst for healing and transformation.
Overstimulation - Let’s face it: Western society is nuts. There’s so much going on, all the time, that it’s hard to relax and take a real break.
I’ve since gone on several retreats, both in the same setting and in different contexts. I’ve discovered much, much more about myself, the way I relate to the world, and where it all comes from.
I believe there’s more available in a healing retreat than there is in a regular visit to a doctor’s (or therapist’s) office, and there doesn’t need to be ayahuasca there for you to have profound healing. Even more gentle retreats achieve significant health effects, by taking a little break from life and creating a community goal of self-betterment.
I strongly encourage anyone facing health challenges, or anyone who has stress in their life, to consider a retreat for their next vacation.
Dr. Tanya Hollo is licensed to practice naturopathic medicine in British Columbia. She is a member in good standing of the BCNA and the CAND, and currently practices in Gastown, Vancouver. She is excited to be co-leading the first Moon Medicines retreat on Salt Spring Island at the end of August (with Danielle Hoogenboom). Later this year, she will be returning to the Jungle to study with her soon to be father-in-law, Gabor Maté, so that she can further incorporate techniques of deep healing and integration into her medical practice. She lives with her almost-husband, Daniel, in a basement suite in East Van. You can find out more about naturopathic medicine and how to book an appointment at www.drtanyahollo.com.
Hey there. My name is Mya. I am an earth loving, tree hugging, talk-to-the-plants-and-the-animals kind of punk rock yogi witch activist, and I’d love to take this space to share some thoughts with you about my current adventures in yogic study.
So first off, I want to acknowledge that I write this from unceded Coast Salish Territory, specifically the land of the Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam, and Squamish nations. I give thanks for the ability to be here on this land while realizing that there was no permission given for settler presence here, and as a settler here I give my commitment to participate as fully as I can in anti-colonial struggles that seek to bring harmony back to this land and her people. I also want to state that I am not an academic, I’m someone writing just from the heart, and though I do know very well the limitations felt under sexism and classism, I can only attempt to understand other struggles and the interconnections of oppression that they face, so if I say anything here, please know that I’m still in the process to know more / do better / be better and am open if you need to let me know about something, k? Thanks.
So, right now, I’m participating in Love Light Yoga’s Yin immersion, and it is PHENOMENAL. I’ve been a student of yoga for about 9 years, and a teacher / guide for the past 2, and one thing that is always super important to me is that we pay tribute to the incredible roots and culture of the lineage by learning everything to better serve in every way possible. Another thing that’s really important to me is accessibility to yoga. Yes, the practice of yoga was indeed shared with the west multiple times in the hopes that we could better find our centres, quiet our minds, and find that oneness that is all pervading instead of being so disillusioned by the ego. The yogis that brought the teachings here certainly wanted folks here to adopt a more in-depth practice, as the practice of yoga in it’s full form (think 8 limbs of Patanjali) is incredibly healing. And holy cats, will it change your life. But... what’s happening in the west is the commodification of yogic study that alienates many folks. So for me, a lot of my work as both a teacher and a student is to listen to voices who are being marginalized by a practice that is supposed to teach us to love all/serve all, integrate everything I learn into my own practice and teaching, and then seek out (or create) those safer spaces where yoga is still accessible for folks facing multiple barriers. It’s often a challenge, but when you meet those folks who are doing BADASS work to welcome all, to serve all, to bow and respect the needs of ALL BODIES, then I feel like it’s not too late.
So here’s where I get into Danielle Hoogenboom and Love Light Yoga. Granted, she’s been a friend for years, so I’m a bit biased as I talk her training up, but here’s the thing: I’ve always found so much healing work in the practice of Yin, especially coming in with a lot of past trauma. But I had no idea that this training would be so freakin’ revolutionary. First off, the training is packed with amazing, amazing people talking about amazing stuff. We’ve had social justice activists talking about white privilege in yoga, Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors teaching us about meridians, Doctor musicians making connections between meridians, elements and music, body workers, healers, etc… they all make appearances, setting this beautiful tone for everyone to learn as a community.
When Danielle is teaching us, she is on FIRE. She brings social justice into every bit of the teachings, and draws the most phenomenal metaphors between interconnections in the body - think fascial tissues and how they connect and link so many things - and those same interconnections in our society. When one part of the body is stressed, how the rest of the body feels it. And so with our society. You know that saying (it’s one of my favorites…), “until all are free, none are free”? Well we’ve spent all week talking about how this statement is a reality, both inside the body and outside in the world today.
I’ll get a bit anecdotal here for a minute…. So on our first day, we were talking about anatomy and the idea that everyone’s bones are different. Now that sounds pretty common sense, right? But this is a fairly new discovery for the medical community. Anyway, as we gazed at photographs of bones, and thought about how they connect and move, we segued right into body politics and now so many teaching styles aren’t honouring the fact that all bodies are super unique and move in their own specific way.
And so it goes with every bit of the training. The teaching is done in a way that works for all the students, not just some. So many different options are offered so that each student gets what they need, and we all have a chance to see how to do this for our own students. Everyone has space to talk or not talk, space to move, space to rest, space to get up and leave if something super intense has come up, and space to be themselves and to be loved and appreciated for bringing their awesomeness to the table. We’ve learned and are continuing to dive deep into the fact that Yin is badass as hell.
Yin yoga breaks all the rules, is doesn’t conform, it offers options and space and choices, and it heals. Oh geez, does it heal! Yin gives us the chance to face our wounds and use them as weapons (Danielle’s words, not mine, hehe) as we learn to sit with what is uncomfortable, burning through the dust that keeps us from shining the brightest. And isn’t that a metaphor for life? If we run every time the going gets tough, then we don’t get the opportunity to grow. Now acknowledging the fact that often we do need to run and fast, Yin gives us that safe space to “sit in our shit” (thanks, D) and work through everything that has been harming us. And from there, who knows? The best part of Yin is that there’s no expectation, so we each take what we can from the practice. And to have a space where we can be ourselves, do our own thing, work at our own pace, learn in whatever way we learn, and not have to achieve something dictated to us by a governing body? That is revolutionary, indeed.
by Yogi, Healer, Traveller, Activist, and Dreamer Jolene McGill
Here we go again. Giving this writing thing another shot. Maybe you noticed and maybe you didn’t but I have not written a blog in almost a year’s time. I am not sure why I deny myself the pleasure of writing to you as I journey down this road to a plastic free life and ultimately a world that is free of the heavy use of fossil fuels, but yet I do.
So here I am after jet setting around the globe and travelling in one very beautiful but complicated Veg oil bus. I find myself writing to you from Cape Breton Island, my home for the summer.
As I get settled in to my life here I begin yet again to collect all my plastic waste. Something I started doing while I was living and travelling in our veg oil bus that I mentioned above. I got this idea from Beth Terry, The author of Plastic Free: How I kicked the plastic habit and you can too. She offers it up as a way of becoming aware of the amount of plastic waste that you generate. I find it is a simple way to shed light on exactly how much plastic is used and for what. My hope is that through collecting my plastic waste I will begin to become a more conscious consumer and ultimately use less. Ah the dream!
So I have picked up an old cardboard box from my work and decided that all the plastic that both Kyle and I use will go in there. Then once a week I will empty out the contents for recycling and document them here with you.
The results for this week are in:
My thoughts on this:
At first I was upset with myself for not being more conscious while I shop. Considering I just came from Central America where it is very evident that we have a plastic addiction. I mean It is literally everywhere down there. It covers the streets, beaches and roadsides. You can’t even take a step without seeing at least 10 (and believe me it is much more than 10) pieces of plastic trash. Our throw away culture strikes again. Hurray Humanity!
Plastic waste collected on small isolated island off the coast of Belize. Collected all of this in 5 mins in under 10ft.
Ok, ok, I know there are a lot of us out there trying. Myself included but the problem does not seem to be going anywhere. Plastic trash is gong to keep piling up throughout the world, and unfortunately in our oceans until we wake up and shift away from this disposable culture we have created.
Then I thought back to a teaching I found through yoga. When we practice yoga we aim for complete awareness. When we are aware of our impact on the world and the power that our individual choices have then I believe we can begin to wield that power and create change.
I think a big part of creating that change comes from cultivating acceptance about how things are here and now. Accepting that we are human and that life has purpose above and beyond our control. And once we can fully and completely honour this life and accept it and ourselves for all that we are then maybe we have a chance. And maybe, just maybe if we approach our plastic culture with acceptance, curiosity and interest, rather than self-judgment we can begin to awaken great change in the heart of humanity on a level that we cannot even fathom. I mean after all if we are all one and all connected then when we DO make these changes in ourselves we are in fact making them in each other.
Monday July 6th: Dr.Tanya Gee, Dr.TCM is a registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Vancouver, BC. She is the founder of the Bodhi Tree Healing Centre, a multi-disciplinary medical clinic devoted to serving all of humanity. Best described as a story teller, belly laugher, international educator and speaker as she inspires by example and encourages everyone to live simply and with consciousness. Dr.Gee has over 20 years of clinical experience in the field of Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine and esoteric studies of the Tao, Buddhism and more. What interests her the most is the unlimited power of love and the triumph of the human spirit.
Wednesday July 8th: Harmony Shire RMT is a fascial therapist focusing on the realignment of connective tissue. Practicing for eight years, she has found her passion in teaching the benefits and awareness of the fascial body and it's effect on daily living. An early advocate for fascial therapy, Harmony's knowledge of this understudied tissue is connecting and informing the yoga world, and shifting the way we view our practice. She has a full massage practice on Bowen Island and Vancouver, as well as co-teaching workshops.
Thursday July 9th: Muscles and Meridians Workshop by Obediya Jones-Darrell. Obediya is the head therapist of Superior Martial Arts. He has had the opportunity to work with high level athletes such as Olympians, Yoga teachers and Professional Dancers to the general population who participate in the activities of daily living. Obediya helps these people do efficient stretching for injury prevention. In this workshop, Obediya introduces specific stretching techniques and how to do some thai yoga based assists. Through a guided discussion he demonstrates how traditional concepts of yin and yang, the foundation of Acupuncture, and scientific principles from anatomy and physiology can work together to help you and your clients achieve balance during your practice.
Friday July 10th: Dia Penning is yoga activist and Director of Curriculum and Training at World Trust Education Services in Oakland, CA. Through education rooted in love and justice, World Trust serves over 30,000 people each year. Using her 25 year foundation in the arts, social justice and yoga and challenging dominate paradigms through film, story and dialogue, Dia encourages deep reflection about how yogis approach service; within the yoga community AND out in the world. Please visit her website or Facebook for additional information.
Monday July 13th: Tanya Hollo is uniquely skilled in guiding people in the discovery of magic in everyday life. Weaving a strong scientific background with years of experience in various spiritual traditions and the healing arts, she loves empowering people to heal and transform themselves in a fun and accessible way. She believes that Yin yoga is a profound tool for self-discovery, and that through practice and integration, the skills learned in Yin can be used to transform the planet, one shape at a time. Tanya works as a naturopathic doctor in Gastown, Vancouver, where she is consistently humbled to witness patients on their healing paths.
Tuesday July 14th: Nicole Marcia has been a yoga teacher, therapist and trainer since 2004. In 2009, she was awarded a master’s degree with a specialization in yoga therapy from Lesley University in Boston, MA. Since then, she has been employed by Vancouver Coastal Health at their Burnaby Centre for Mental Health and Addictions, where she developed a comprehensive yoga therapy program for in-patient clients in various stages of recovery from mental health and addiction issues. She also serves as the director of training at Yoga Outreach, a not-for-profit organization providing volunteer yoga teachers to marginalized populations. In 2010, she completed the Trauma Sensitive Yoga Training at the Trauma Center in Boston, MA, and a course on the fundamentals of teaching yoga and meditation in military communities conducted by Warriors at Ease in Silver Spring, MD. She is a faculty member at Stenberg College, Ajna Yoga and Langara College Continuing Studies.
Thursday July 16th: Dr. Elisabeth Ormandy was introduced to yoga by her Grandfather when she was young. She officially started her yoga journey in 2002 with the practice of Ashtanga. Four years later Elisabeth travelled the ocean from Edinburgh to Vancouver where she nestled among the mountains and started to explore other yoga styles and philosophies. With inspiration from Anusara, Iyengar, and Yin-trained teachers, Rajanaka Tantra philosophy, and the human body, she settled into her own yoga rhythm. Elisabeth’s focus on wellness-based, ethically conscious living feeds her passion for yoga as a practice that goes beyond physical asana. In addition to teaching yoga, Elisabeth is a lecturer at the University of British Columbia where she teaches undergraduate classes in ethics, political theory, and animal welfare. She is Co-founder and Executive Director of the Animals in Science Policy Institute, a research consultant for the British Columbia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BC SPCA), and a volunteer researcher for the David Suzuki Foundation. Elisabeth lives in Vancouver with her partner, Oliver, and together they are preparing to turn their tiny house dreams into a reality.
Join us for two weeks of Yin bliss! Tickets and info are here.
Monday July 6, 2015
9am-12pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Introductions, Intention Setting and Yin Overview
1:30pm-4:30pm
Dr. Tanya Gee: Yin, Yang and the Dao. Mysticism and Medicine
Tuesday July, 2015
9am-12pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Poses, Placement and Form
1:30pm-4:30pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Pose Variations and Props. Working with Diverse Populations
Wednesday July 8, 2015
9am-12pm
Harmony Shire: Anatomy: Fascia and Function
1:30pm-4:30pm
Harmony Shire: Anatomy: Bones, Organs, Muscles
Thursday July 9, 2015
9am-12pm
Obediya Jones Darrell: Meridians and Muscles from Eastern and Western Views
1:30pm-4:30pm
Obediya Jones Darrell: Assisted Yin, Partner Work and Thai Massage
Friday July 10, 2015
9am-12pm
Dia Penning: The Business of Yoga & Navigating Politics
1:30pm-4:30pm
Dia Penning: Systems, Privilege and Karma Yoga: Yoga off the Mat
Saturday July 11, 2015
9am-12pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Elements and Understanding: Learning to Un-Sequence
1:30pm-4:30pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Variations and Long Holds: Dissecting an Inner Practice
Sunday July 12, 2015
9am-12pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Group Teaching and Body Feedback: Learning together
1:30pm-4:30pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Emotional Wellness and Class Themes
Monday July 13, 2015
9am-12pm
Dr. Tanya Hollo: Organs and Emotions
1:30pm-4:30pm
Dr. Tanya Hollo: Natural Health and Nature's ConnectedCycles
Tuesday July 14, 2015
9am-12pm
Nicole Marcia: Trauma Sensitive Yoga for Mind, Body, Spirit
1:30pm-4:30pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Word, Sound, Power: Finding your Unique Voice
Wednesday July 15, 2015
9am-12pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Asana Lab and Practice Teaching
1:30pm-4:30pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Presentations, Group Reasonings and Future Resources
Thursday July 16, 2015
9am-12pm
Danielle Hoogenboom: Spiritually Speaking: Sacred Modern Living
1:30pm-4:30pm
Dr. Elizabeth Ormandy: Ethics in to the World. Living Yoga to Create Change
Woot, I have made it 33 years on this crazy planet, and I find myself bowing to all that I have seen, been, and achieved in this short time. I dream about the future, and can only imagine the beauty and lessons this world still has to offer me.
I have lived a minimal, non consumer lifestyle for a long time. I have been a vegetarian since I was 12 years old, and got into the habit of making and carrying my own organic, animal free foods everywhere I go in reusable containers. I feel guilt when I purchase something in plastic that is single-use or disposable. I ask myself, “where did this come from, where will it go, am I living my values and voting with my actions and dollars by purchasing this product?”
TINY BITS OF PLASTIC ON THE BEACH
Our house has excellent recycling for when we lax on our efforts, or receive gifts. I am not perfect, but I go without, make efforts to distinguish between my needs and desires. Join me! Do you think you could shift to look at each disposable object as a metaphor for our relationship with earth, or how this world values some people more than others? Can we see our purchases and choices as a direct reflection of what we support and know to be true? I see a deep story in every plastic lid or fork that people consume. Can you imagine a world with less plastic? We have to start imagining this world to make it true.
Removing single use plastic means shopping at places that support programs like bringing your own fabric bags and jars. The stores that I have shopped at for over a decade in Vancouver love that I make the effort, and gives me a discount for not using their bags. I look for products sold in paper, grab things loose, and shop at the farmers market. I have gotten good at preserving food over the years: drying, canning, and freezing things so that I can eat local all year round with minimal waste.
When plastic waste does come into my life, I save it, and every few months bring it to the “mobile plastic recycling centre” in my hood. If you live in East Van, it happens the 3rd Saturday of every month in the parking lot at Britannia. They take all the plastics that the City won't recycle. On that note, did you know that many things you put in the city recycling bin aren't supposed to go there? Check recycling numbers. It takes effort to redirect the waste you create. We have a huge 3 part worm bin at our house and urban farm in the city
I like to make and carry hemp or cotton produce bags (let me know if you need a few, or check them out at the Van Farmers Markets). I also pretty much always have a mason jar or two, because over the course of a day I need liquids and it’s good to carry your own vessels. Plan ahead, buy in bulk, and cook at home. It’s easy if we can all share with each other to stay inspired!
So this is my birthday wish for you. Can you make the effort to consume less and create less waste? Can you stop for a hot second and consider the effects of the products you buy on your natural environment? It takes serious practice and training to learn to stand on your hands in yoga, we practice discomfort and peace in these movements. Expanding our practice way beyond the mat is an ode to our honour for our earth and home.
Plastic Free Yogi is a challenge to start the process of making no new plastic waste. It is hard! Really HARD! We live in a world that packages most things in single-use plastics, but small actions by conscientious individuals can have widespread effects. I’m sending love and honour to those who tread lightly and to those who aim to leave this natural environment healed and supported. May we remember each year that we have the power to inspire great actions and small miracles with our love and intention.
Love and bows!
It is truly an honour and a privilege to support, learn, grow and maintain a friendship with teacher, leader and community activist, Seane Corn. Her career spans decades –she has taught for nearly 25 years internationally doing teaching workshops, trainings, master classes and large scale yoga festivals.
Over the years, I have assisted her in Jamaica, California, Vancouver and Whistler. It is amazing to see a yoga class from the perspective of support. She moves and weaves through the room to support those who are struggling, offering suggestions for safety, ease and alignment. To witness the entirety of a room without being responsible for holding the full space is a deep honour, as is participating in asana classes for the more intellectual parts of my teaching and the energy of the room.
I find supporting a teacher and leader is an amazing opportunity to express my devotion to that person: making sure they have tea, taking them for good healthy food in quiet places between classes, working the space so they can leave in a timely way post-class, and offering a sounding board for the room. The experience is beneficial for me, both as a devoted teacher and student, and also as a one-woman show in my own right.
I look up to Seane as a woman that has set an example of what it means to live your yoga off your mat. She is continuously committed to her path of yoga culture. People think that these ‘yoga-lebrities’ are not real people, who have often have two sides. The focus, effort and intention it takes to hold, guide and alchemize energy in these rooms all over the world is really a super-human power, in my eyes. I know personally from teaching groups that it is equal parts fuelling and exhausting. To see my mentor as a human-being, experiencing the same feelings as I have for business, intensity and burn-out is humanizing and inspiring.
I loved watching my teacher grow and shift in this industry of culture change. It is refreshing and enlightening to talk about the shifts that we have both seen in our communities over the years. It is thought provoking and fire blazing, and takes me back to when I first met her about six years ago and recognized a kindred spirit on the mat. Her commitment to spirit is unwavering, and her edge is unmatched. I knew I had a teacher and friend for the long term in this powerful (yet petite) woman, who can pray publicly like no other I have ever met. She is a thoughtful friend with an amazing memory and the mouth of a fucking trucker. That blend of sugar and spice, her call to action in the world, and her ability to make a whole room break down in sobs make her a woman who will continue to fuel and inspire me for the long haul.
In this crazy world of yoga, it is an honour to have Seane as a friend and mentor. Someone who can listen, mirror and reflect the struggles of balancing personal and private lives, of teaching and leadership. To have someone to riff off of the challenges of the culture at large and the ways we support and participate in it.
Assisting her during the last vinyasa teacher training in Vancouver was a great way for me to show love and devotion to my friend, my teacher, and my community. It was great to support the energy in the room while silently dancing across the mats to balance that energy. Learning to read Seane’s signs and signals has heightened my intuition of shared space in a teaching room. It is so humbling and inspiring to know that the same questions about space, the same frustrations and fatigues, and the same overwhelming joy of service runs through the veins of all teachers, both old and new. The challenges and celebrations we face daily are mirrored by our choice of teachers and communities. Assisting one another on this path of this life is the key to sustainable and authentic offerings. It has been a deep honour to continue to learn and grow with my mentor and friend, Seane. Many bows!
It's very easy to preach and preach, but when put into action, practice and self reflection are what affect community change. Yin is more than a style of yoga, its a vibration, an essence. This feeling of slowing down and moving more mindfully allows the cycles of life to do their thing. With the energy of spring all around us, it’s easy to get caught up in the energy of growth. If we are the ones that direct our attention and intention, nothing could be more potent than stopping and stilling. Think of it as nurturing the nature of the foundation of future growth.
I have spent the last few months shifting, traveling, working, writing, planning, supporting, building and shifting. The winds continue to change for me, a self employed young woman building a small product and service empire on the road. Although I practice daily contemplation, meditation, and take solo time to reflect, it seems my asana shifts in the spring. There are so many things happening and many things on the spring cleaning, planting and sorting list. It’s hard to rein in your own energy at times, when in fact this is the exact time to do it.
There is pulsation to go go go, move move move. This is when our practice is needed the most. When the world is shifting and changing, when the pressures of the outside world grow heavier, it is time to retreat inwards to set the tone for future endeavors.
I use gardening as a metaphor for this process: Time is of the essence, nothing can be rushed and we must use our senses and inner nature to feel into the right timing. There is no map or plan to gardening, just like no map to life. Prepping the soil, making the lists so all the timings are just right for seeds, for starts and for the planning of future outcomes. All of these things take a moment to step back and sort.
The great thing about your Yin Practice is that it will always be there for you to return to. Now is the time. Stop drop and YIN! Simplify the moment, take an easy shape and slow it all down. Connect to the beating of your heart, and use the power of your breath to slow your systems. Link up with the vibrancy of the inner worlds, feel their potency move through you, and shift. In this place, we can make peace with change.
YES YES! What an honour to have some yoga cameos in this amazing video from my good friend Jah9. You can have a peak here at some of the shoots we did at Kingston Dub club for your Yoga on Dub class, and some other great shots of me rocking out yoga in the hills of St. Ann.
I am also honoured and stoked to have Jah9 rocking my drop bottoms and racer back tank in the beginning of the video, sporting the unisexy pants in the youth class outside, and then the new hoodie being rocked in her Yoga on Dub class in Malta. My name and biz name arrives in the credits, what an excellent surprise!
The best part of being part of this video (minus the whole OMG teenage dream to be in a reggae video since I sorted sporting dreadlocks 16 years ago!) is that its authentic and based on my personal and professional friends with both Jah9 as an artist, but the rest of the team of creative rebels showcased in that video. These are my friends in this video, their dreams and visions are fruiting just like mine. There is a saying in Jamaica, "iron sharpens iron' and its true. We need our friends and community to reach these amazing dreams and to shout out to the world all the big badass things that are happening that don't always get exposure. Love and Honour to all the dreamers out there, keep dreaming!
Supine Twist with Weighted Assists:
Boom! Have you ever been in a yoga class and the teacher adds slight pressure to your pose? Using a weighted pillow, you can get a similar feeling and also add an extra something to the body in an attempt to release muscles and deep tissues.
Starting on your back, shift your hips to the right and then drop your knees to the left. Let the hips, knees and ankles make a 90 degree angle, or mimic the shape of a chair fallen over on its side. Tuck your shoulder blades underneath your body and make sure that bottom bony parts of your hip feels comfy if you are practicing in a non grassy place. Add the pillow to the top leg to increase sensation on the top outer hip. Add the other prop to the arm to increase the sensation in the upper chest and arms. Breath deep into the belly in this shape. Imagine each exhale is ringing you out and cleaning out the things that don’t serve you. Imagine the weight of the props getting heavier and heavier with each exhale, as you sink deep into the earth to remember where you came from and where you will return to.
Supported Butterfly Fold:
In this pose, I love adding a prop under my ankles. It gives softness and the space to shift as the buckwheat contents of the pillow shift. Folding the second pillow in half and using it as a head (or dread) support tends to move the stress and stretch to a different part of the back body. Like all variations in Yin, you can move the heels closer to the pelvis or further away. You can also shift the tilt of the pelvis, which is one of the super important adjustments you can make in a Yin shape. Remember of the excellent mantras. If you are feeling it, you are enduring it! Be aware, breath slowly, and allow your intuition and your body to guide what feels best for you.
This shape is great for the outer hips, the lower back, the inner thighs, the spine and the belly. Like the principles of Yin and interconnected-ness, see if you can feel how subtle adjustments to your limbs and the way you construct this shape change your experience.
Supported Tight Shoelace with a Fold:
This one will take you back to the good stuff in your practice. Take this as a moment to surrender to the beauty of change when we pause the struggle and feel deep gratitude in letting go. Let go of those old stories, unneeded tension and our addiction to keeping it all together. Melt and the face of challenge of deep change.
Use the pillows in different shapes so the body can feel supported and relaxed. Sink into the props as you communicate with all of your tissues, issues, muscles and bones to soften and allow energy to flow into new places. This shape can also be done on your back with the pillows supporting your pelvis as you reach for your ankles, calves, or even grab the back of the thighs. Still not working out? Try this shape on your back, with your feet on the wall and the pillows supporting your pelvis. Hunt for the tightest tension in these shapes by moving the position of the ankles and knees. Be gentle with yourself and listen to your body. Release all of the tension that arises in these hip poses into the earth like anger compost. The earth will consider it a gift, and you get to let it go and seep back to the soil below you!
In solidarity with #WhoMadeMyClothes we practice local manufacturing, supporting safe, quality jobs to local (mostly) women in the Vancouver garment industry.
Inspired by the 1133 people who were killed and 2500+ people injured on April 24, 2013 when the Rana Plaza factory complex collapsed in Dhaka, Bangladesh, #FashRev says enough is enough. We invite you to meet the people who made your Love Light Yoga clothes.
Show us who makes your clothes by posting a photo of your inside out locally made clothing via @lovelightyoga on Instagram and email it to us to get yourself a voucher for 10% off Love Light Yoga clothing or 50% off our next Reggae Yoga event happening Apr. 26! Email it to us at danielle@lovelightyoga.com. Extra points for LoveLightYoga wear! Please note, the 10% off voucher for Love Light Yoga Clothing expires end of Sunday, April 26.
Tag us in a tweet @lovelightyoga or post your photo on our Facebook wall.
With gratitude,
Danielle
