Dec 1, 2020 - In the Bhagavada Gita (Ch. 6, V. 20) it says, "When the mind becomes still and quiet, the Self reveals itself." Seems pretty straight up, right? Well, let's try it! In this class we actually let the mind be free, as a way to quiet the mind..enjoy!

Dec. 3, 2020 - Today I woke up and looked at the news..a reminder of the dire state of COVID in the US. I was feeling pretty sad about things, but then I saw an uplifting article about someone who asked somebody to marry them. It was a reminder that there is always good in the world, even in th...

Dec. 7, 2020 - Today I'm really feeling very lucky to have found yoga. It is a practice that is inherently good, focusing on caring for yourself and for others -- aren't we so lucky to have this practice! Enjoy this gentle, focused class.

Dec 4, 2020 - Today we open up the body for deep, expanding breathing. Breathing into the front, sides, and back of the ribs, and even imagining the whole body as one big lung. Ahhhhh....feels good to breath. :-)

Dec 9, 2020 - Lisa Feldman Barrett, In her book "Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain", talks about how important positive language is for mental as well as physical health. It truly can change the brain the better, and make the body healthier. So, enjoy today's positive filled practice!

Dec 8, 2020 - In the Bhakti Narda Sutra, as found in Exquisite Love by Bill Mahony, sutra #76 says..."Teachings on Bhakti should be reflected on, practices that awaken it should be undertaken." Bhakti can be translated as love...so, if you want to feel love, turn toward teachings about it (like...

Dec 10, 2020 - I have a really hard time with winter, particularly the darkness...but I've been talking walks outside and it's been great. It almost makes me think winter could be fun! What's important about that is the more you do something and think it's fun, the more you mind tells you it ac...

Dec 11, 2020 - I took my dog, Dewey, for a walk yesterday. Because I didn't have anything else to do for the rest of the day, I walked at his pace; enjoying the smells, looking around, taking it all in. It was wonderful to be that present. There is a sutra from the Radiance Sutras that in part...

Dec 14, 2020 - This class was done on a Monday morning...a good time to ground yourself. We'll find a sense of presence and grounding by connecting to the legs and the breath, as a way to really find ourselves in ourselves and in our practice.

Dec 16, 2020 - In the philosophy of the teachings in the "Vijñānabhairava", it speaks to the idea that we can't separate ourselves of goodness and light, just like water can't be separated from wetness. Isn't that awesome! I love that idea. So, we'll celebrate our light today as we connect to ...

Dec 15, 2020 - My tea/coffee cupboard has been totally chaos. I decided to add another shelf to see if that helped. It did! This morning I up the cupboard to get the stuff to make coffee, and I had a rush of "aahhhh". It was so nice! To change life for the better it doesn't need to be huge......

Dec 17, 2020 - It makes a difference who you spend time with. It's so much easier in life to have people who support you and who you are. Living in Vermont, it feels like a community of good company, particularly during COVID and our caring response as a state. Wherever you live, it's good to f...

Dec 18, 2020 - Growing up my parents demonstrated often practicing acts of kindness..so much so that they even gave a few of our cars away to people more in need than ourselves. Yes, that's a bit overboard! In the yoga practice, we have the opportunity to practice acts of kindness with ourselve...

Dec 21, 2020 - It's the Winter Solstice! Yay. :-) Today is a chance to let go of bad habits and negative feelings, and bring in hope and positivity. Choosing one thing to let go off and one thing to bring in is wonderful. There is definitely a lot to let go of, and also a lot to look forward t...

Dec 23, 2020 - Something that has been uncomfortable for me, and the thing that has helped me grow the most, is learning about teaching yoga. I see growth with students at the University of Vermont that are clearly "uncomfortable", but at the same time, coming back for more because they are grow...

Dec 22, 2020 - Yesterday I was talking about moving into the Light and beyond Darkness. Today, class is about embracing what we have learned from the darkness. This has been an incredible, hopefully once in a lifetime experience, and there is value in taking forward lessons we have learned. No...

Dec. 29, 2020 - I am on a semi-break from teaching at UVM. I always look forward to these breaks, but inevitably it's too much free time, and I long for structure - ironic. And, this is true in yoga, too. I feel in yoga that it would be great to not worry about alignment (structure) of body an...

Dec 28, 2020 - I subscribe to a create Facebook page, Heather Cox Richardson. At the end of each day she takes all the news from the day and puts it into clear perspective, with an emphasis on history...she's a history perspective. There is an article about her in the New York Times, and a quot...

Dec 31, 2020 - On this last day of the year, it's nice to be present. Not looking back. Not looking forward. Just being present. I listened to a story from "On Point" interviewing Margaret Heffernan who wrote a book called "Uncharted". The book is all about the impossibility of knowing what th...

Dec 30, 2020 - Today I woke up with a deep sense of happiness, and in thinking about it, I realized it all came down to community. I looked online about why community is important, and found this great explanation of what community is and why it matters. It's from nami.org. -- "Community can be ...