Haunani @AlohaAcuYogi

Are you a podcast junkie like me?! 🙋🏻‍♀️ If you are, I'd love to hear from you. I was on my first podcast 🤗🤗🤗 Seriously, when you find something you LOVE to share, time disappears. This podcast interview felt like 10 minutes! My friend @anniepeguero_ is launching her new brand UNSTUCKED and we chatted about the importance of self-care and healing for the busy woman. Check it out. 👂 From Annie: The U N S T U C K E D! Podcast is on Apple Podcasts and Stitcher. [formerly The Freedom Core Podcast] My latest episode is with Modern Medicine Woman Haunani Drake @alohaacuyogi ⭐️ and she shared such valuable, heart felt SOUL STEPS for self care for the busy woman with a vision. What’s your go-to weekend self care routine? Share with me 🌸 . . . . #podcastjunkie #selfcaretips #balanceinsideandout #healingispossible #yourbodyrevealseverything #yourbodyiswise #leadwithloveandcuriosity #youarewhole https://www.instagram.com/p/B_yHvnMnjNE/?igshid=171y9xg0lo3w4

I can't believe I completely forgot to post Asian Medicine Spring Wisdom. Here it is...a few weeks late. Then again, does anyone know what day it is?? 🤪🤔 Guess what Yogi, I bet you do and incorporate A LOT of Ayurveda wisdom in your life ALREADY!!!! 🤗 That's the beauty of these two systems. They acknowledge and always have at the root of their practices YOUR WHOLENESS is complete. 💯 The reality is: WE GET IN OUR OWN WAY...sadly, a lot 😔 Let's uncover some wisdom your beloved True Nature already understands and your mind will begin to align with. Today, I'll start with Ayurveda and #kapha. Stay tuned and make sure to check my stories too. I have an acupressure point today 🍃 The next few posts will be about Asian Medicine wisdom for Spring. Spring = Kapha time (Ayurveda speak) Spring = Wood (Chinese Medicine speak) Ayurveda wisdom for Spring:🌱 Kapha is characterized by cold, heavy, wet, stable, and cloudy. What this means for you Yogi??? Create balance in your day to day life by bringing the OPPOSITE qualities into your life. Opposite of cold ➡️ warm or hot Heavy ➡️ Light Wet ➡️ Dry Stable ➡️ Moving Cloudy ➡️ Clear Yes, in as many ways as you can, it's time to bring more warm, light, moving, dry and clear energy into your life. Bring these qualities into your foods, Asana, Pranayama, essential oils, work schedule, and music. Example of warm, moving, light Asana practice: warm (not too hot) vinyasa flow. You do want to sweat 😅, just not buckets🥵. Example of warm, light, and drying foods: Millet, cinnamon, honey, steamed or sauteed greens. Example of essential oils: cinnamon, myrrh, juniper And music....this one is for you to fill in. What music makes you want to mooove, feel light in body, mind, and heart, clears the cloudiness and cobwebs away, and warms your heart??? There is no right or wrong answer. Remember, your True Nature already knows. Share your song below...hint: it's probably one of your favorite "dance party" songs. You know, that song that will make you want to dance like no one is watching 😉💃🏻🕺 . . . . #ayurveda #yogaoffthemat #ayurvedaforyogateachers #ayurvedalifestyle #springwisdom #alignyourlife (at Yomitan-son Nakagami-gun, Okinawa, Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-hJjzpnReb/?igshid=sl3hoywhxmny

Your commUNITY needs you. Put the perfectionist aside (just for now 😉😊) and decide to make a ripple of harmony, balance, less stress, and optimism. All that practice on the mat was for THIS. Let your presence be your gift to yourself, others, and the World. #presenceoverperfection (at Yomitan-son Nakagami-gun, Okinawa, Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-bpdRnnKtO/?igshid=1ettuljxma1xd

I love words. There are so many hidden messages EVERY💓WHERE💓 if you stop to notice. ✨ Yoga literally means yoking or union. All you yogis out there, THIS is what you've been practicing for. ✨ I believe in all of us to step up, heal the sounds of our past and hearts that keep us in fear, and recognize our common UNITY. ✨ #commUNITY #yogaoffthemat #yogaheals #yogaisawayoflife #bethechange #lovingkindness #healingispossible #oneglobalfamily #weareallinthistogether #weareallone #breathe #liveconnected #shifthappens #nourishinglife (at Okinawa, Japan 沖縄) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-HkyM_ngKK/?igshid=1i6l36w44a3nj

I love this post by @6babebeauty and the beautiful illustration by @mixedricezines. It reminded me to take a break from the 👅 obsession to learn about another amazing way our body's talk to us and tell us SOOOOOO MUCH INFORMATION. 🤍🤍🤍The PULSE 〰️〰️〰️ . . . Every healing system I have studied has incorporated the pulse as part of the information gathered about the "internal vibration" or coherence of the internal body and state of prana/qi of the person. While I feel like I still have 10,000 more pulses to feel before I will truly UNDERSTAND them, it is a beautiful representation of the heart's rhythm 💓 and story it has to share with the practitioner who is willing and ready to listen. The pulse is so humbling as a practitioner in my opinion. What are your thoughts about the pulse #acupuncturist #acupuncturestudent #ayurvedapractitioner ??? . . . If you aren't already following @6babebeauty go follow her now! She is one of my favorite #acupuncturistsofinstagram and absolutely loved learning one-to-one with her 🤗 From her original post: 🤍 I loved learning about pulse diagnosis in school, I think I was fascinated by the very subtle intricacies of it all. We check for the nature of the pulse - how does it feel? Is it deep? Superficial? fast/slow? Tight? Rolling??? We have so many words to describe a pulse and it’s an amazing window to check on the status of one’s organ functionality. 🤍 . . . . #acupuncturelife #pulse #pulsediagnosis #yourbodyrevealseverything #yourbodyiswise #chinesemedicine #chinesemedicinewisdom #traditionalchinesemedicine #chinesemedicinestudent #acupuncture #ayurvedicmedicine #modernmedicinewoman #nourishinglife #ayurvedaforyogateachers #yogateacherlife #yogateachercontinuingeducation https://www.instagram.com/p/B9L_gQ4nA_R/?igshid=hbb3vvoxf83o

Sometimes life seems in focus until you look back and realize "YIKES 😳😬, I wish I had someone who could have pointed this out to me." 🌸 We have ALL been there 🙋‍♀️ Really, it's science. It's Inertia. Life starts happening and we stop paying attention. And as one of my teacher Z'ev Rosenburg always says, "When you stop paying attention, illness arises." I'm not saying your sick. I'm asking, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION? Are you listening to the messages your body is giving you? If you are, do you know what to do with those messages? Are you the type to just wait until it's really debilitating before you look for answers? 🌸 If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I want you to pay attention to these 5 areas of your day: 1. Digestion and appetite - Do you have an appetite or eat because the clock tells you to? Do you have a daily, easy to pass, formed 💩? 2. Sleep - Are you getting a minimum of 6 hours of sleep? Is it easy to fall asleep? Do you feel rested when you wake? 3. Energy - How long does it take you to feel "awake" in the morning WITHOUT coffee or a stimulant? When do you get tired? 4. Movement and Sweat - Are you moving your body in a diversity of ways? Are you sweating daily? 5. Digestion of the Mind stuff - What do you do to let go of your mental stuff from the day? 🌸 The FOUNDATION of your daily habits IS self-care. When you pay attention and align your daily habits to bring these five areas into regular habits, then you are likely to be in a good preventative place of health. However, even if one of these is neglected or ignored or troublesome, this is a sign from your body that it needs some attention. 🌸 I'll be writing about each of these 5 areas coming up so stay tuned-in. Haha, better yet, get off your device and go into nature 😁🤗🙌. Until then, I invite you to slow down today and begin listening to your body. What is it telling you? No judgement. No expectations. What is your body trying to tell you? 🌸 If you have any questions DM me or ask below ⬇️. 💞 Create a day you love! 😘 (at 名護城址) https://www.instagram.com/p/B79SqH_nH02/?igshid=1qkwrojqc7mrw

Yoga Asana prepare the body to be able to sit with ease. To sit with ease in the body. To sit with ease with one's self. To be able to look in the mirror and not be judgy or hard on ourselves but to just sit and notice. Sit and be with what is -- the good, the bad, the messy -- all of it. Sit and notice how FRICKIN' amazing and divine you are as part of a cosmic whole. To sit. To sit with ease with one's self. 🧘🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♂️ Way easier said than done. That's why it is called a practice. If it were easy everyone would be doing it. Tapping into the essence of who you truly are is the greatest journey you'll ever take. And it's not all about DOING to figure this out. Yes there is a lot of "work" in this process but most it happens when you sit. When you stop the doing to just sit with yourself. When the inertia is shifted from running from one thing to the next as a part of "who you are" to slowing down, reflecting, and allowing the truth of who you are to reveal itself this begins the inner work (a "work-in" as I recently heard a teacher call it) rather than a work-out. 🧘🏻‍♂️🧘🏻‍♀️ Next time you step on your mat, I encourage you to notice how your Asana feel. Can you feel like you are sitting with steadiness and ease in each of your postures? Or are you in the inertia of DOING? How is your posture? seated posture? Standing posture? What does your posture reveal? 🧘🏻‍♂️🧘🏻‍♀️ Final note, Asana the postures are just a tool, not the end goal. To sit with ease is just a step to the infinite possibilities that happen when you can sit with ease with one's self. #sitwithease #meditation #yogateacher #foodforthought #svadhyaya #asana #yogateachercontinuingeducation #yogawisdom #ayurveda #chairpose #utkatasana #sitwithyourself #holisticmindset #yogamom https://www.instagram.com/p/B5TbZXEnfUx/?igshid=n4qvc1zde7rr

The work, the journey, the practice never ends. It's a choice. Abhyasa & Vairagya Practice & Non-attachment Yoga Sutra 1.12 #abhyasa #vairagya #yoga #yogaandayurveda #ayurvedaforyogateachers #yogateachercontinuingeducation #practicenotperfection #presenceoverperfection #geeyouareyou #bodymindspirit #yogaheals (at Okinawa, Okinawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3_mQlRH_EB/?igshid=fzcimz5m4iou

A little love note from my 💓 to yours...because YOU ARE enough! 💞 Create a day you love 😘🙏🏼✨ #youareenough #youareamazing #youareworthit #believeinyourself #empoweringwomen #commUNITY #bethechange #beyou (at Okinawa, Okinawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B35kLqKnH09/?igshid=2icdlzn596r5

Never underestimate the power of your smile 🙂😃😁😆😊 . . . . . . #smile #positiveintentions #bethechange #youareamazing #youareworthit #yourbodyiswise #trustyourpath #trustyourbody #qiandprana #ayurveda #ayurvedaforyogateachers #ayurvedalifestyle #acupuncturist #acupuncturistsofinstagram #acupuncturistlife #yinyanglife #okinawayoga #bahrainyoga #travelingyogi https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SYqqTnwcx/?igshid=16dkikk23orp6

Raise your hands high if you love cupping 🙋🏻‍♀️ . . . Raise your hands high if you've been wanting to try cupping but haven't yet 🙋🏻‍♀️ . . . Reposted from my favorite 🔥 cup company @lovecupping 📸@seedoflifeacupuncture #lovecupping https://www.instagram.com/p/B2BlAE9n-4r/?igshid=rqybk52mxkye

#tbt to finding balance ❄️ in a desert 🏜️ Late Summer is an extra season described in the five element theory of Chinese Medicine. Not everyone will experience a late summer in their environment characterized by humid, damp heat, but many people may feel this internally...from the joys of summer fun and play, ehemmmmm too many heavy meals, BBQs, and indulging in extra ice cream and sweets. Notice if you are experiencing signs of late summer imbalance: - bloating - feeling uncomfortably hot - nausea - smellier..... sweat, 💩, urine, breath - discomfort after eating - lower appetite - sensation of heaviness (body and mind) - tired or burned out - super sluggish mornings If you are shaking your head yes, yes, yes, it's time to spend some time balancing your beautiful divine self. Recommendations: -cut back on the heavy greasy meals - eat very bland for 2-3 days -avoid ice cold and sweet foods and beverages until you feel better - move your body to a sweat and finish with a nice long savasanas - add ginger to your meals and teas - eat more greens (the bitter taste will cut through the damp) Gotta run, my kids are screaming 😵🤪 From my heart to yours Aloha & Namaste . . . . . #natureheals #chinesemedicinewisdom #latesummerwisdom #acupuncturistlife #acupuncture #findyourbalance #yinyang #ayurveda #ayurvedaokinawa #ayurvedaaroundtheworld #ayurvedaforyogateachers #yogateacherlife #yogateachercontinuingeducation https://www.instagram.com/p/B1ubQ_xni9d/?igshid=z0ma45np497e

No mud, no lotus . . Just a friendly reminder that mud, shit, and decay have a very divine place in this world too. 💩 happens...a lot. Just remember: No mud, no louts. . . . . . #nomudnolotus #positiveintentions #selfgrowth #theuniversehasyourback #youaremagic #practicenotperfection #yogalife #mindfulliving #trusttheprocess (at Okinawa, Okinawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1lX3thHYp5/?igshid=89d2wbh47rio

What color is your tongue? 🤔 . . Before you assume it's red, throw that assumption out the window. 😬 . . In natural lighting, stick out your tongue and look at it. What color is it? 😛 . . Try to look past the coating (we'll talk about that in a future post) and try to look at the color of your tongue. Look at the tip of the tongue. Is it the same color as the sides? As the rear? As the center? What color(s) do you see? 😯 . . This is a great practice to begin becoming familiar with your tongue. The color can range anywhere from a white through shades of pink and red. Some tongues may even look or have hues of blue, purple, grey, or black. 🤗 . . The color of your tongue is a reflection of your blood and the qi that feeds your internal organs. The color helps us have a better idea of the internal dynamics of temperature (too cold, too hot, or somewhere in between) and condition of your blood (healthy, stagnant, deficient). 🤓 . . I don't want to get too geeky too soon. But take this week and look at your tongue every day and throughout the day. What color(s) do you see? 👅 . . . . #knowyourtongue #igtongues #tonguesofig #tonguesofinstagram #tcmtonguediagnosis #tcmtongues #acupuncturistlife #acupuncturistsofinstagram #acupuncturestudent #acupuncturist #chinesemedicinestudent #chinesemedicine #ayurvedatongueanalysis https://www.instagram.com/p/B1c-tLXH3GW/?igshid=j4kggm7vtqsf

It wasn't always this easy to open my arms to my self or my own life. I always have had a "sunny disposition" but underneath that 😁 was a lot of chaos 😵. This journey of yoga and ayurveda has been unexpected, touch and go, mysterious, forced, opening, doubtful, committed, scary af, connecting, heart opening, mind blowing, and all through it I always felt it was SACRED. Even though life felt very up and down for about a decade, I always felt like I was slowly coming back to a sense of myself, a sacred part of my life that felt kinder, more compassionate, loving, accepting (this is a huge one for the perfectionist in me), and grateful for all of it--the good aaaand the messy. That is why Sacred Return Yoga was my very first website back in 2008 (which I eventually ditched). Lesson: vata imbalance can be really unhelpful for sustainability and longevity🥴. Life is cyclical though😊 and the minute I realized I was putting this Yoga & Ayurveda training together, I knew it would be called Sacred Return. 💫 At a time when a lot of the yoga tradition has been watered down or so niched down, I will forever hold and teach these practices (yes, there is sooooo much more beyond the postures) as a SACRED RETURN. 💫 Maybe I'm getting older. Maybe it's my kids. But maybe it's just part of my meeting of karma and dharma in this lifetime but I am feeling very called to encourage humanity to embrace the SACREDNESS of life a little more. Slow down. Watch how amazing this all is. Slow down. Watch how amazing YOU ARE! 💫 If you're a #yogi in Okinawa who resonates with this post, check out Sacred Return Yoga & Ayurveda Teacher Training (link in bio⤴️). It begins in September 2019. Feel free to DM me. We will be having an Open House for you to meet me and ask questions on 4 August at The Yoga Tree Okinawa. RSVP to @theyogatreeokinawa 💫 From my heart to yours, Aloha & Namaste . . . #yogaokinawa #okinawajapan #okinawalife #okinawayoga #okinawa #ayurvedaokinawa #mindbodyspirit #yogateachertraining #yogacontinuingeducation #yogaandayurveda #ayurvedaaroundtheworld #yogaaroundtheworld #sacredreturnyoga #qiandprana #empoweringwomen #youareworthit #youareamazing (at Okinawa, Okinawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0W-OFiH89X/?igshid=qlfeazxt33jf

Kintsugi is a process, a journey. It is not a quick fix. It is about observing, defining edges, smoothing edges, making deeper edges before the whole gets mended and sealed. Then layer after layer of careful application of the natural lacquer. More waiting. Technically you can use it after the lacquer has dried (1-2 months depending on the size and depth of the cracks) but we add gold or silver to highlight the beauty in the cracks. . . . . These are my first, but not my last, Kintsugi pieces. These are handmade bowls from Turkey from Bahrain that now have a touch of Okinawa in them. The whole process of mending these bowls has been medicine for my soul. Not because I really liked these bowls (in fact, I was about to throw them out) but because Kintsugi speaks to my heart. I feel like I found a craft that really, really, really resonates with my whole being. Maybe, just maybe, I now know what my mom feels about Hawaiian quilting. Maybe. That's a hard one to compare. . . . . I love all the metaphors of Kintsugi. It is such a beautiful process and art. I feel so deeply honored to learn the traditional way from one of four Kintsugi Masters in Okinawa. Sensei is very busy but he took the time to teach us and he has assured me I can do it. Hahaha. I have a lot to learn still but I will be ordering my supplies soon. Tad is excited to accidentally break our dishes and now I'm pretty convinced the kids can start washing allllll the dishes from now and forever 😅. . . . Kampai...to all our cracks and rough edges...each a potential for something greater. 🍻 . . . #kintsugi #kintsukuroi #kintsugiart #kintsugirepair #kinstugihealing #healingisajourney #soulwork #drakesaroundtheworld #myokinawalife (at Okinawa, Okinawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0S4IbTni5k/?igshid=ua1mvp5r6ybf

This is a total when stars align moment🌌 I am so excited to announce that Sacred Return Yoga & Ayurveda Immersion and Teacher Training found a hOMe at @theyogatreeokinawa 🤗😍😃I was so content keeping this training small and doing it at my house but guess what...I'm starting to feel like Universe has a different plan. It might still stay small but having it at a beautiful studio with a very heart-centered Yoga + Healing studio is sooooo in alignment with the vision of this training 🥰 🌌 So all you yogis and yoga teachers in Okinawa🤙👋 who have been looking for an immersion, teacher training, or continuing education that will take you into the heart of yoga and the heart of your own life, this is THAT type of training 😊 Find the link in my bio for more details. I would be so happy to connect and answer any questions you might have. 🌌 OPEN HOUSE EVENT - Come meet me in person and learn more about the training on 4 Aug 12:30pm at The Yoga Tree Okinawa. I look forward to meeting you in person. 🌌 You do not have to wait until the Open House to learn more. Simply click the link above and read about the training on my website. If you still feel aligned with it, then shoot me a message. I'll make sure to answer all your questions. I really want to make sure this training will be a good fit for you. 🌌 Also, you can check out some of my classes on YouTube. Check out the Inspiration for Teachers, Meditation, and last links in bio. 🌌 One more thing, don't forget to share this with someone who might be interested. 🙏🏼✨✨✨ I look forward to hearing from you! . . . . . . . . #yogateachertraining #yogateachercontinuingeducation #yogaandayurveda #okinawayoga (at Okinawa, Okinawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0E1vXxnXLm/?igshid=8647lxfny4nh