#yogatidbits

active vs passive = practice both. there was a time i had an “oh, shit” moment learning active range of motion vs passive. i wrestled with movement for some time, even demonizing a lot of moves on the mat. i had to label something “bad” in order to share the “good.” our minds have a way of warping the perception of our truths, according to what’s “right” for us. it took me some time to figure out i don’t have to label something “bad” and push it away. instead, we can learn a helluva lot more by including “the thing” — understanding through curiosity and generosity. when it comes to active vs passive, we can practice both; each having purpose towards balance in the body. both can be taken to extremes and both can teach us what our work is. like the times we are living now, we don’t have demonize someone or something in order to justify our truths. we all have different experiences, influences, emotional states, and ideas of moving forward. if you find yourself in high states of adrenaline, hyperactivity making others out to be wrong — challenge yourself to look for what’s right. find the humanity in the human. this is our practice, this our our yoga. lead with curiosity and generosity, inclusion. see others in their highest selves and let’s see ourselves at our highest. to love humanity, is to love the human. #thisismyyoga #yogatidbits #yogamama #holywomanhood #howtoyoga #activevspassive #movementismedicine #feelyourway https://www.instagram.com/p/CADsfYUhn8W/?igshid=18j8ymtp9nph8

What we treat passively will always remain on idle. Don’t be surprised when you find yourself on loop of patterns of meeting the same people and experiences with different names and stations. It takes effort to step up and out of your own way. You’ll need discipline as your middle name to show up when you don’t want to. Say the hard things. And act on your own behalf. Much like our yoga practice. Whether treated casually or a priority. Same goes for our relationships. Tasks. Jobs. Etc. Focus is life. It matters where we are paying attention and to whom. Notice when you need to let go of bullsh!t, you’ll have to act and not sit back passively hoping sh!t will change. Hope is meaningless without action. If you want to change your life, you’ll need to challenge it. Rewire your mindset and get off your a$$. Every damn day. #notesfrommyjournal #theyouisme #writeclubnow #thisismyyoga #yogamama #holywomanhood #holymotherhood #yogaisawayoflife #yogatidbits https://www.instagram.com/p/B4X4EZfBNvr/?igshid=1c6kspb21udwr

I’ve shared FREE online classes on my website, link is in my bio. As of right now, my studio classes are beginning to cancel. I don’t know what tomorrow holds, or even the next hour. I’m doing my best to not worry. My son believes we are on spring break. We are creating a temporary normal. Extra snuggles, more sleep, not rushing our schedules, playing and staying home like one of those storms that would roll in when I was a child. We are safe. We are home. We are praying and playing. This is our normal for now. We can do this. We know we can. If anything, things like this show us how we can come together, take care of each other. I’ll be creating more online classes so you can keep showing up on your mat. Let me know how I can support you. I’m here. This is our temporary normal. We will be okay. More than okay. #freeyogaclasses #offeringseverywhere #thisismyyoga #yogatidbits #writeandflow #writeclubnow #holywomanhood #holymotherhood #communitynow https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zPakehSTA/?igshid=1fqvwsbsxw5ul

Butt stuff. Try these pulses. On that note, I updated my bio for some upcoming projects (ugh). I’m really in this mood for describing what I do in a snarky, funny way (I’ve not quite translated it the way I want just yet). But I also worry that if I described what I do and why, it would scare some people off. Sometimes I feel like I have to be good or sound like a certain way as a teacher and I’m really annoyed by that. I’m exhausted by the kind of pressure I put on myself. It makes me what to say F it all. The thing is — I don’t use big words yoga type words when I teach. I don’t want to be so serious all the time, where is the fun in that?! My most favorite moments connecting with others is sharing funny flubs and slips like, “armpit hookers” and “we gotta go in the butt” stuff. The times where there are sweaty high-fives and hugs. Where an entire room is singing an old school jam or there is a row of fun-loving hecklers that says what everyone else is thinking. The moments where we don’t care about being good, we care about being real. It’s the moments I see people and where I’ve dropped my guard and let others see me. The not so put together, weird, and funny me. Which is what the people in my life get to see all the time, whether they like it or not. I don’t know what I’m trying to say. I intended to write about butt stuff and give some fun tips on going in there (heh). All I know is this: I don’t want to be good, I am so done with goodness. I want more messy. I want more weird. I want more fun and funny business. More kindness. More love. More real sh*t. #buttstuff #writeclubnow #writeyourheart #idontwanttobegood #holywomanhood #yogamama #yogateaching #yogatidbits #thisismyyoga #holyandwholly https://www.instagram.com/p/BzjnaaYheeQ/?igshid=18f64aiogwf2i

#Yogatidbits: if skondasana is a little too tricky in your practice, try extended side angle or warrior 2 instead. Skondasana is tricky pose for me. At times, it pulls my inner thigh and groin area. If this pose is called in class, you may likely find me taking another variation or moving incredibly slow, like honey, into the pose or some variation. One variation you can also try is sitting on a block and taking on the leg shape. Trust your body when it cues you to change shape. Happy practicing, my friends! Teaching schedule: @solfirejstreet: Monday's 12pm Tuesday's 5:45pm & 7:15pm (subbing for the lovely, @janna_yoga) Thursday's 4:30pm & 5:45pm Saturday's 4:30pm @radiantyogaedh: Saturday's 8:15am * PS - this Monday, we are celebrating Sacramento's FREE DAY of YOGA and the Labor Day 12pm noon class is FREE! Join us for a midday breath and sweat, no cost to you. #thisismyyoga #howtoyoga

Practicing yoga off the gram. I'll start with the physical. I've shared this squat with the many names before. I believe it is important to focus on the target areas of the body, we can modify/adjust ourselves accordingly. It is opening the groin, inner thigh, hips, etc. It stretches the lower hamstrings, back, neck, and ankles. It can be a lot of compression for the ankles too (a bone thing!), which may be what prevents a student from dropping low. Pictured here are some "same-same but different" looks with similar targets. - you can roll a blanket/mat under your heels to relieve ankle compression. Or place it behind your knees for a squeeze. - sit on a bench or on blocks. - send your bum way back behind you, bringing your chest forward. - drop your knees wide, like you would for a toe-stretch. - or take the tops of your feet down, knees wide, for a chest-lifted child's pose variation. These all look slightly different (and there's more), when we focus on a target area, we can adjust. It doesn't mean we have to always go for a pictured pose, cue, or what our neighbor is doing in class. You are your best teacher, your body is your best cue. If you have to force it (harm), leave it. It will always give you feedback and a single posture can come with a family of shapes and variations. It's important for me, as a student and teacher, to dissect these poses. Alignment and anatomy are important, this is a practice of non-harming and designed to be sustainable as we go (grow) through life. We must know when/how to modify. There are many well-intentioned "do this/not this" or "good vs bad" posts on the square, there's so much more to explore than two examples given. Bodies in the real world need more than two examples of demonstration. In person, hands-on instruction, or tutorials with modifications as the rule can make the world of a difference in your practice. Talk to your teachers, take foundational workshops at studios, and/or work privately with someone that has a clear understanding that one pose doesn't fit all. Asana is a moving dialogue, let's keep it moving and long-living. #yoga #yogaoffthegram #yogatidbits