Responsibility, what's the deal w/ it anyway?

Let’s expand our vocabulary…

Mrs. Webster (you know, Miriam) defines the quality or state of being responsible as accountability, reliability and trustworthiness.

In the heat of the moment it’s often tempting to victimize ourselves which is disempowering and often largely untrue. Gathering evidence such as who or what brought troubles upon us only reinforces a victim mindset. Catching these sorts of automatic thinking patterns is key in changing our view of the world and how we interact with it.

Suffering has been done for us, and we have done plenty of our own since, but it’s no longer necessary. Pain is inevitable, misery is a choice. Discomfort can be enough to teach us contrast. Contrast is the nature of the world we live in and how we experience life. Contrast offers clarity. Knowing details of what we DON’T want, is sometimes necessary in order for us to better understand what we DO want. Looking at the nature of our discomfort shifts our perspective from victimhood to scientist. Not just any scientist, THE scientist, the one and ONLY scientist who could ever, possibly, help you with yourself. That’s is to say… it’s YOU! With your little doctor robe on, goggles, maybe holding a beaker lol look at you, getting after it!

First experiment- become the observer. Perceive/experience, the world around you as data, rather than circumstances to which you find yourself repeatedly victim to.

Rather than compiling a list of how a person has wronged you, consider why it matters to you at all. Ruminating on all you’ve been triggered by and are reactive to is popping a squat in the valley of the shadow of death. Nothing new there, it’s all too familiar, those are easy finds, low hanging fruit. Reach further to gather quality data! You will eventually gather enough data to start making moves. Here is where responsibility comes in.

Shifting this approach empowers you to be the victor. Suddenly you’re not triggered, you’re curious.You’re not reactive, you’re responsive.

Having personal responsibility takes the patience and diligence to get to know yourself. To catch negative thought patterns and get out of self destructive behavior loops. Knowing who you are offers a unique sense of peace. Having a solid sense of who you are better enables you to BE the peace, even in the eye of the storm- there is peace. There is peace in personal responsibility that replaces reactivity with an ABILITY to RESPOND! Reacting is the past on repeat, RESPONDing is deliberate, intentional and on purpose.

Whatever bass ackwards story is being created in the mind, is woven by the inner dialogue and rooted in your beliefs. Beliefs you might not have even realized you formed or adopted. Early childhood experiences taught us actions have consequences. Consequences we may not realize we have formed rules and beliefs around. As you reflect and begin gathering information, avoid slipping into automatic thinking. You’re not on a hunt for reasons to get down on yourself or even excuse yourself or others. In this practice your intention is to gather information and the ‘why’ is so that you can modify and adjust where necessary, in order to attain a more balanced experience.

By shifting your perspective and becoming the observer of your thoughts and feelings, you bring a stop to the continuation of false narratives. As the observer, you’re able to meet parts of yourself. Various characters in the role of you, manifested through experiences. Some helped build the wheels you have found yourself on, or laid out paths you have so easily allowed your thoughts to follow but they did that to protect you. Honor how capable you are, how effective you were in conjuring up these roles in order to endure and survive. Because, here you are, so it worked! But now, it may be time to let a few of those characters know, they’re in the way. Have compassion- They may not know they’re obstructing your path to contentment, they just want you to succeed. Honor their efforts and tenderly let them know they can step aside. Spend time getting to know parts of yourself, and loving them! It can be an immensely helpful part of the self healing process.

In closing, personal responsibility is a profound act of self-liberation. By shifting from victimhood to curiosity, from reactivity to responsiveness, and from judgment to observation, we gain the ability to rewrite the narratives that shape our lives. This process is not about blame—neither of ourselves nor others—but about empowerment. It’s about recognizing the roles we’ve played, honoring the parts of ourselves that have protected us, and consciously choosing to step into the role of creator in our lives.

As we gather data, meet ourselves with compassion, and intentionally adjust our beliefs and actions, we uncover a peace that comes from truly knowing and accepting ourselves. This peace becomes a steady foundation, allowing us to navigate life’s contrasts with grace and purpose.

So, put on your scientist’s goggles, grab your metaphorical beaker, and keep experimenting. The journey to understanding and healing yourself is not only possible—it’s transformative. And the best part? It’s entirely within your power.

Ahimsa (non-violence)

WHAT IS AHIMSA?

The Yamas (Sanskrit: यम) meaning "reining in" or "controls", are a series of ethical guidelines, the first of which is Ahimsa, non-violence. When we hear non-violence we think gross motor violence 🤕, but negative self talk, gossip, judgement, “cheat days” 🍕when you know you won’t feel good after, these are all violent behaviors. When you’re on your mat and force yourself to the progression of a posture, even though the phase you were in was still wobbly, or tight, that is violent behavior driven by the ego. A wise man builds his house on stone, not sand🏠.

Ahimsa is a multidimensional concept, inspired by the premise that all living beings have the spark🔥of divine spiritual energy; to hurt another is to hurt oneself- How many times have you won an argument and only felt worse for it🤦🏻‍♀️? When we win, we lose.

But how do we PRACTICE Ahimsa? Speaking the truth in love! Be impeccable with your word, speak with integrity, sobriety and humility. 🙊 Say only what you mean, to yourself and to others, without arrogance or harshness. Slow down, use patience, consider the affect of your actions 🤔.

SELF LOVE

What does it look like to love yourself? Practicing Ahimsa/non-violence, we must first start with ourselves 👥. I’ve struggled with this one my entire life. I’ve struggled to understand the difference between self love, and arrogance. I believed I needed to be selfless to be, “a good person”. Abused as a child, I have subconsciously questioned my worth my entire life 🤔, a belief which lead me into unhealthy relationships and behaviors 💔. My worth lied in how well I could care for others, it was really just codependency in disguise😈. I’ve made these realizations through practicing awareness of my mind, my beliefs and my emotions. I find the more detailed I can be at describing the texture, and density of these, the more separate from them I feel, and that is a wonderful thing 👏🏼 Because it means I am being the observer 👩🏻‍🔬, a benefit of which is that I am able to identify thoughts without emotionally reacting to them 🙈🙉🙊.

As I observe my internal dialogue I identify the different characters 👩‍👩‍👧- there is the child, naïve and innocent, there is a fairly entitled teenager, vigilant and protective, and there is a young woman, whose ambition cannot be extinguished, but she is impulsive and often careless. I assure the child, “I love you, you’re safe now”, I tell the teenager, “I know you’re trying to help and in the past you did, but I have it under control now”, and to the eager young woman I say, “you’re about to have everything you’ve ever dreamed, you’ve worked so hard, and now it’s time for me to figure things out”. 💗 As the negative self talk arises, I identify ‘who’ it is so that I can more easily get to the root of the issue, beliefs attached to the thoughts 💭 . When I root out beliefs that no longer serve me, I make space for newer, healthier beliefs 🌿🌱🌷. Beliefs that I am good enough, that I am intelligent 🙇🏻‍♀️, that taking care of myself is not selfish, that I do not have to reflect everyone back to themselves in order to be liked, that I am lovable. These reflections are all part of my development process, 🧘🏻‍♀️yoga practice and meditations. Just one of the ways I practice Ahimsa 🙏🏼.

AHIMSA ON THE MAT

🙏🏼 Honoring ourselves is part of the practice of Ahimsa, non-violence. When students come to yoga and DON’T grab a block it’s typically because they either simply don’t know how/why to use them 🤷🏻‍♀️ or they believe they’re beyond using a block 🙄. I like to encourage everyone to use one, because it’s not a crutch, it’s not a neon sign saying you’re unable to do a thing, quite the opposite. A prop alongside your mat is a show of wisdom 🙇🏻‍♀️, a prop can help you get deeper into a posture🧘🏻‍♀️, make postures accessible to you, or allow you to soften in a pose such as a backbend 👎🏼 aka front extension 👍🏼. The rest of life is the same way, we may not always need boundaries, but it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!

On the mat we learn our reactions to resistance, and practice compassion🧘🏻‍♀️, we strengthen this ability then move off the mat and into the world, where we practice being compassionate with others 👩‍❤️‍👩. When you’re on your mat, allow yourself to build your practice on a solid foundation, release any expectations you have of yourself 🦋, enjoy the process of growth. As I say in class, “each posture prepares you for the following posture and there is ALWAYS a following posture. There is no finish line🚫, so let’s just enjoy where we are.” 🙏🏼

INTEND AHIMSA

Ahimsa is about intent, rather than just action 🙇🏻‍♀️. Patanjali defined Ahimsa for the readers of the Yoga Sutras 📜 , as the first of the restraints, what one should not do❌, building blocks for a long lasting and healthy relationship with ourselves and the world around us💞. The term became a bit more mainstream when Mahatma Gandhi lead a non-violent resistance for India’s political emancipation from Britain🧘🏻‍♂️. The popularization of Ahimsa eventually faded, spiritualists were criticized, instead of being a right living human being👫, those who practiced were ‘dirty hippies’, ‘bible thumpers’ or ‘out of touch with the real world’. Aren’t we glad though, of the ever ebbing tides 🌊 , global consciousness is shifting 🌎 . Technology helps us see the prevalence of subcultures and communities 📱. Now that the practice of Yoga is mainstream, it’s time to move deeper, beyond asana (posture). Let’s remember the difference between laying on the floor and laying in savasana (final resting pose), INTENT 💭 . Intent can transform our actions and reactions 🎩 .

Live intentionally today, practice Ahimsa 🙏🏼. 

My Master Class Practice

I have just begun my practice of the Advanced Hatha series, only once a week as only one local studio offers it and its a 30min drive from home, but worth it! In this class we practice the traditional Gosh 26 posture series, with additional ‘master’ postures. This series moves faster than the usual 90 minute class, as the postures are connected by breath, in a bit of a flow. There are no holds for time as you would expect in the 26 posture series, so focus and attention is important, to be sure you maximize your opportunity to BE the posture. Although there are a few postures that are so advanced, the teacher often allows Yogis choice for a few minutes so we can all work on the variations of the postures we are currently practicing.

With no time to think of anything else, the time flies and you find yourself submerged in the moment. I love this series, the science behind the sequence, in the order it’s in, is so incredible! This Master Class will work every muscle, ligament, and tendon, while flushing your lymph system and boosting detox, immunity, and the flow of your vital life energy.

☝🏼One of the postures you’ll be guided through in the advanced hatha series is Paripurna Navasana Sanskrit, “paripurna” 💯means full, or complete, “nava” 🚤 means boat, and “asana” 🧘🏻‍♀️means pose; hence, the English name: Full Boat Pose. It tones muscles, improves balance and digestion, strengthens your spine and hip flexors, stimulates the kidneys, thyroid prostate glands, and intestines all while clearly improving flexibility 🤸🏻‍♀️and relaxation 💆🏻‍♀️. The lists of posture benefits always go on and on.

The beauty of yoga is how effective and efficient it is ✅. I love having a set series of hatha postures to practice because it gives me a fixed variable 👩🏻‍🔬 in which to help identify areas I’m improving over time and areas that need more attention🕵🏻‍♀️. I find these things harder to identify when classes are always flying by the seat of the teachers yoga pants. Although there are times where I need to feel my body in a different way, a way I’m not expecting 🙈. This is why I’m happy of the prevalence of Yoga these days, you can tailor your practice to your needs.

It’s important to be able to surrender to the teacher, to not always know what you’re getting yourself into 🤲🏻, rather than auto pilot you’re having to hang off their words, it can help you stay present. I admit I sometimes think of other things, (often the next meal I’ll have lol) while in a traditional hatha class 😝 my active monkey mind.

This advanced series is SO exciting for me though😃! To feel like a brand new student again, being exposed to postures that seem to defy all physics and human capability 🤯, that’s inspiring and motivating! After two hours of class yesterday😅, my shoulder doesn’t hurt at all! The series was so intelligently and intentionally developed, to work every muscle, organ and gland in a meticulous order, each posture a preparation for the following, making each more effective. 🥰 So thankful to still be discovering new depths of my practice, ten years later! 

I have heard testimonials of people recovering from broken backs, by practicing this series a few times a week. I too have broken my back, multiple times as a matter of fact, and I ALWAYS leave my mat feeling better than when I laid it out. There’s no reason to be hesitant, we all start somewhere and this time next year, you’ll wish you’d started today!

Why Surrender

Want to know how I see it? Yoga is a form of surrender. Releasing expectations of ourselves, removing the many hats we wear day-to-day, and allowing a childlike curiosity to lead the exploration of our depths. No pressure, force or criticism, just an honest and genuine curiosity of where we are today, in this moment. There’s a humility in my practice, as I encounter challenges and successes, I observe my reactions, I learn my tendencies. Through this fearless inventory I have the opportunity to meet parts of myself for the first time 🤝. Right then, in that moment of introduction, that moment of realization, of awareness, I get to decide if what I have encountered is serving me. Physically, mentally, emotionally, Yoga helps us to release what isn’t serving us. To disengage what is only wasting our energy 🚮. From engaging a muscle to engaging in conversation. Through shedding the weight of these, possibly once helpful layers, we begin reconnecting to who we truly are. Through surrender, we are strengthened! 

✨Surrender✨

“When one holds a dream independent of the environment, that’s greatness; overcoming the environment is inextricably linked with overcoming the body and time. In Gandhi’s case, he was not swayed by what was happening in his outer world (environment), he didn’t worry about how he felt and what would happen to him (body) , and he didn’t care how long it would take to realize the dream of freedom (time). He simply knew that all of these elements would sooner or later bend to his intentions. “ Dr. Joe Dispenza

How to Manifest

Want to know a secret?!? You can manifest your desires! How? Neuropsychologist Dr. Amy Palmer brings our attention to the Reticular Activating System. The RAS is a bundle of neurons with several functions, including being the gatekeeper that decides what information is brought into your conscious awareness, it’s how the brain filters out irrelevant information. You can help your RAS know what is important by using visualization to keep your goals in the forefront of your conscious awareness. By using visualization daily, your brain will more readily allow any opportunities to meet your goals into your conscious awareness.

There are plenty of other ways that the power of visualization helps you to manifest your desires, but for today, let’s focus on our RAS. 3 ways to strengthen your manifestation through the use of your RAS? 🎯Be Specific- Make your visualization as real as possible!; 😂 Be Emotional- we tap into our brain’s limbic system, making our visualization even more powerful; ✔️Be Frequent- To keep your goals front and center in your brain’s conscious and unconscious awareness, I recommend visualization at least twice a day. 

The Psoas

Almost everyone I know complains of hip pain, either from sitting too much 👨🏼‍💻👩🏻‍💻, or overuse 🤕. The psoas is the only muscle to connect the spine with the legs making it the messenger of the central nervous system, so it quite literally carries a great deal of responsibility. It’s also known as “the muscle of the soul” in spiritual philosophies. Having a tight psoas interferes with movement of fluids, constructs organs, creates pressure on certain nerves, impairs the diaphragm and disrupts breathing 😤. Not only is breathing modulated here, but it is also the area where physical symptoms related to fear manifest themselves.😱 The psoas has a direct link to the most ancient and instinctual part of our brain stem and spinal cord, referred to as the ‘reptilian brain,’ 🦖which houses our survival instincts. A tight psoas keeps our mentality in a constant state of fight, flight🤺 or freeze. This stretch, even when modified to a low lunge with the back knee on a fluffy prop, can be enough to offer relief. 😅 Need help with another pain point? 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m here to help!

2019 Intentions

Growing entails getting grounded while simultaneously expanding and elevating. 🌱 One typically seems easier than the other. In yoga we practice this balance, this equanimity. ⚖️ We begin to master the observance of this tug of war, without a stake in the win, nor the loss, of either side. ☯️ A tie would be the best outcome. 🏆 Rooting myself into place often feels much easier than reaching for more, there’s a safety and security in what “is”, what is tangible. 💑👠🎓🏠 I chose, rather, to use the physical to gain the non-physical. ⛪️💓🙏🏼☮️ I continue to use my yoga practice to find harmony between my heart ♥️ and mind 🙇🏻‍♀️ and to connect with Source energy, with God ✝️. My intention this year is to practice staying in the vortex 🧘🏻‍♀️, and using every incident which brings me out 🤕, as a positive reminder that I have more work to do 🤗. As my vibration increases 💪🏼, those people and opportunities that are not in alignment with my higher living fall away 🚷 and I begin to have only relationships and experiences that best serve me. What is your intention🤷🏻‍♀️? “It's motive alone that gives character to the actions of men.” Jean de la Bruyere

Who is Your Avatar?

Sharing a smile is an easy way to change the world for the better. I only ever want to post what I believe will make a positive impact. We portray our lives on social media, the way we want it to be seen, which is human nature, it’s the way we live life as a whole, with the desire to make good impressions. Nothing is wrong with that, but it is important to align yourself with the person you make your avatar out to be, or you could begin to feel like you’re living double lives. Practice what you preach, talk the talk and walk the walk. I typically do media fasts in the fall and don’t spend too much time on it to begin with but I’ve been spending even less time on social media lately, and I’ve felt so free! Rather than allowing myself to be pulled into various rabbit holes, I’ve found myself doing research and continuing education. For most of us, social media is simply part of our career, and in that case I encourage you to level up your avatar by leveling up your life. Because eventually, social media will die, taking your avatar with it, and you want to be sure YOU still exist when it does. 

Famous Vegans

Anyone can eat poorly, vegan or not. 💁🏻‍♀️While veganism alone isn’t going to turn you into an athlete, it sure won’t hurt! 9x Olympic Track Athlete, 🥇Carl Lewis, has been vegan for 18 years! He says, 🏃🏾‍♂️"My best year of track competition was the first year I ate a vegan diet." MMA UFC fighter 🤼‍♂️ Mac Danzig testifies, “being vegan I feel great; I was only going to control myself and what I ate I wasn’t going to Live my life contributing to those animal industries.” ❌ There are countless vegan role models out there, proving you can be a lean vegan dancer 💃🏻 or a massive vegan bodybuilder, 🏋🏻‍♂️all while sparing millions of lives, human and animal alike. 🐝 It takes 280lbs of grain to make 1lb of beef, 🐄 if you fed that grain 🌾directly to people, famine could end. Plant based diets can reverse heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and prostrate cancer, as well as prevent 14 of the 15 leading causes of death. (Please fact check me and anyone else you hear speak on this, you’ll be happy to learn there’s an easy way to help! Psst, it’s by going vegan 🤫) Don’t you think it’s odd we have spend the more on healthcare than any other country but we don’t have better outcomes?! 🤷🏻‍♀️Why not start with the intention to take better care of yourself, with a single commitment that is better for all of man kind, better for the earth and all the creatures on it?!

“Where do you get your protein!?!” The first question I’m asked when people learn I’m vegan.😋Common nutrition beliefs are dated, consider how technology changed since the 90’s, science didn’t stop there! We know a lot more about nutrition these days you just have to be willing to learn!🙋🏻‍♀️In 2018 Men's Health Magazine named 51-year-old vegan and ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll the 'Fittest Vegan On Earth'. Having struggled with junk food addiction 🍭 , substance abuse, and his weight, Roll is now an accomplished author 📝, athlete 🏃🏼‍♂️and pod cast host👨🏼‍💻. But he’s not the only one that proves going green won’t hinder your passions or dreams🙇🏻‍♀️. Among top-performing athletes who eat plant-based 🌱 are the NHL’s Zdeno Chara, accomplished strongman Patrik Baboumian 🏋️‍♀️ , pro-surfer Tia Blanco 🏄🏻‍♀️ , and Meagan Duhamel, figure skater and Olympic gold medallist ⛸🏅 Baboumian wrote the book ‘V is The New Alpha’ 📖 subtitled, Real Strength Needs No Victims’ and I couldn’t agree more! What is holding you back from the lifestyle change? 🤷🏻‍♀️ Will you at least commit to cutting back one meat meal per day? ☝🏻Or even per week? We can change the world, one meal at a time. 🍴 If you need help transitioning or find yourself struggling with nutrition, visit the website in my bio and reach out to me ✉️ . I wasn’t always a vegan, I coach my clients knowing full well what the challenges are 😅but I give them every tool they could need and hold them accountable to their dreams 💕because in the end, they know that living a plant based life 🍒not only gets them in the best shape of their lives💃🏻🕺🏻, but raises their vibration on every level, because it is pure🥰. If you are what you eat and you eat with compassion for your fellow humans 👩‍❤️‍👩and the whole of earth 🌎you embody dignity and grace. Only YOU can give that to yourself, let me help you do it! 

🐷🐮🐥 Need help with the transition? Just ask! I’ll help you every step of the way. In the meantime, any questions? Id love to hear them! 👇🏼

Men do Yoga Too

This moment was pretty funny. A couple passed while Blake took a photo of me in crow on this rock 📸. The gal said, “want me to take one of both of you?” 🙂 the guy kinda joked, “yeah, haha, doing the same thing”. 😆 Then @kbyogablake joined me and popped right up to crow pose (Bakāsana). I heard the guy say, “wow”, 😯 to himself and I felt vindicated 🥳. The general public seems to believe men don’t do yoga 🤔either because they think it’s all about flexibility, or not about strength. Yoga is an equanimity of both! ☯️ Guys (just honing in on those interested in athletics here) often like to play sports 🤾🏻‍♂️⛹🏼‍♂️🏋🏻‍♂️. Well, flexibility prevents injury. 🤸‍♀️Well-stretched yoga muscles heal and recover more quickly after working out or getting strained, 🤕 meaning bigger gains, more quickly! 💪🏼Yoga reduces stress 🧘🏻‍♂️teaching you self soothing techniques and practices of self awareness so you can nip things in the bud before they develop into aggression or frustration. Yoga is a great place to meet like minded people 😉 and if you’re already married, these relaxation and breathing techniques increase your sensitivity while the physical practice helps with sexual endurance (brown-chicken-brown-cow). Yoga helps you detox 🦠 and balances out your hormones, making you literally smell better! 😅 Studies found that women are attracted to the musk of men with higher testosterone (it’s science!). The list 📝 goes on and on.... above all, yoga helps you to develop awareness, with which you can create balance. 🙏🏼 You may think you have it all figured out, but there is always room for improvement. 👌🏼We must ebb and flow, as the rest of existence does. We must be willing to bend and grow 🌱. In working with my clients 1:1 I’ve seen that, more often than not, a mans energy tends to flow toward his career 💻 and his reputation, believing a clear trajectory in both will help him successfully provide for the people he loves. 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Yoga helps to clear that path, by first developing your self awareness, understanding where you are, right here and now. In order to get directions anywhere you must first enter your current location. 🗺 Where are you?

Play

How do we go from speaking our mind, 📢 to saying what we believe others want to hear? Why do we go from joyfully playing 🤹🏻‍♀️to acting out a role we believe we must filled? 🤷🏻‍♀️ It often starts with the best of intentions, our concern for others. Parents teach their children consideration for the thoughts, feelings and needs of others, an important trait for individuals in order to build and maintain a loving community. 💑 Unfortunately, this consideration can be amplified to be what’s often referred to as “people pleasing” or more negatively put “codependency”. 👥 As we mature we tend to embrace ourselves less, choosing to reflect our community back to them for the sake of acceptance. There is, thankfully, a balance we can achieve. ⚖️ As Plato said “courage is knowing what not to fear”, if we function from a place of self love and love of others, 💚 there’s no need to fear what others will think of our actions. We can teach our children how to rather than what to think, 🏫 but first we must practice what we preach. Children may not be able to quote the adults around them but they never fail to imitate them. We must learn to bravely and lovingly be ourselves, 🙋🏻‍♀️ remembering that though we have an impact, we are not responsible for the feelings of others🚫. Epictetus tells us to make the best use of what’s in your power and take the rest as it happens. 🤸🏻‍♂️ When children are at play, they are deeply present. To play, is to learn, to learn is to live, when we have stopped learning we have stopped living.👩🏻‍🎓 “This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. 🧘🏻‍♀️ And instead of calling it work 💼, realize it is play”, 

Reiki Training

I have been unknowingly practicing Reiki for decades, but had always wanted formal training. 🙌🏼 I finally graduated from an intensive with a divinely assembled group, organized by @yoga__faith who guided us through the very personal and powerful experience of placement 👩🏻‍🎓👨🏼‍🎓. “Reiki” (pronounced “ray-key”), is “Universal Life Energy.” Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. There is one energy, this energy is all around us and we can all channel it. ✨Reiki works with the subtle energy field proven to be around (auras) and within (Chakras) the body. In the times of stress or injury, I practice on myself; we have practiced on clients, family and friends. I have sent reiki across distances to those who needed healing and even practice reiki on my plants 🌱 . I’m so excited to now offer Reiki Healing to all my clients! 🥰 “A healer's power stems not from any special ability, but from maintaining the courage and awareness to embody and express the universal healing power that every human being naturally possesses.” Eric Micha'el Leventhal

Be the Change

“Be the change”, but if starting with the man in the mirror 🎶 is too daunting, than start with the TP roll 😆, take out the trash🗑 or organize your desk 📚. They say effective change starts at the dinner table, in essence, global change starts in the home 🏠. If we are unwilling to invest the energy to create a peaceful home, how can we expect others to help us create a peaceful planet 🌎? It’s easier to muster through the chaos of the world when you have a sanctuary to return to. Make your place your palace 🏰, or your lodge🏔, or bungalow🌅, wherever you’d want to be most, create that energy at home. How luxurious does it feel when you’ve got an early morning but you prepped your coffee the night before 🙌🏼☕️, or laid out your clothes in advance 💁🏻‍♀️👖🧥? I love peeling back the covers and crawling into a nicely made bed 🛏. Taking care of ourselves is the first step in taking care of anyone else, doing what we need to do to feel good 😃, so our vibrations stay high and our energy field is less vulnerable to the negativity of others 🤺, rather uplifting those fields in which we overlap throughout the day. It has been proven that the energetic field of the heart ❤️ is FIVE THOUSAND TIMES GREATER than that of the brain 🧠 The heartbeat📈 is created by the pacemaker cells which then build an electrical charge💡. The nature of pacemaker cells are to beat in unison 👯‍♀️, your first heart syncopation was with your mother while in the womb. These cells have been, and will be, reaching to unite with those around us, as long as we live. WE are like these cells, always trying to find Union. We accelerate EMF charge through bonding, then things get even more scientifically fascinating👩🏻‍🔬! I could elaborate but I’ll leave that for now and recommend you take a look at the HeartMath Research Center, pretty astounding stuff! For now, take care of you!

Float Tank

The day prior, I’d done 90mins, awake and aware I was awake for most of it, I’d play with the buoyancy, try to do happy baby and flip over, I was busy thinking, let’s just say that. Thinking for 90mins, my body felt great but my mind didn’t get a rest. I’ve figured out a few things by now, almost like my before bed routine. On this day I got my things in order, closed the lid, and turned the light off. Very faintly I could hear the strum of music, I was aware of a rhythm. I tried to make out what was playing but drifted off into inner space, unaware that I had. Unaware of anything really, or everything, I’m still not sure. I was just, there, just present. Then, what felt a moment later, I was surprised how well I could hear the end of session music play from the pod in the room next to mine, before I realized, an hour had passed. I immediately sat up, as though I had a mission, rinsed off and got out of there. I moved too quickly, I didn’t give myself a chance to enjoy the experience, I got on with my day. I didn’t continue to just exist. I started doing, I started doing a lot, and I felt that effort chip away at the powerful, effortless being that I innately am. You live you learn, as they say, so I’m looking forward to today’s float. I know now that my after float rituals are just as important as my before float rituals. Wake up slowly, take my time, float, breathe, stretch. Meditation has become a higher priority for me, in three floats. The pod has helped me dive deeper into a meditative state and shown me what I could experience independently if I were to only give myself the opportunity. I’m learning a lot here, hope you are too!

Birthday Intentions

It’s that time, for me to set some Birthday intentions. 🎂 Tomorrow I begin a new year. 💫 I remember thinking I knew everything as a teen 🤦🏻‍♀️, then I got to my twenties and realized I hadn’t a clue. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Early in life I felt light years ahead of my peers, but after tragedies and setbacks, I felt ages behind. Now, I simply feel connected. 🌎 We are all so deep in our human experience, no one is ahead or behind the other. We all have, and always will, fall short of glory. How magnificent it is though, to rest in the knowing that it is not our works that will save us from suffering, but Grace?!?! 🙌🏼 As I move forward and start this new chapter, I allow myself to receive the Grace my God has given me. 🎁 Putting my faith in Grace I am better able to connect with The cosmic consciousness, because in Grace there is no shame. If I try to approach Oneness while carrying the weight of shame on my shoulders, I feel unworthy, but once I release that, I can experience Unity so swiftly. On my mat, in the mountains, chatting with a stranger.... When I am living in Grace I am no longer living in comparison, or in separation. ☯️ I no longer have to avoid connection, because in Grace, in Unity, I cannot be less than. 💖I intend to appreciate the contrast that this life continues to display, to love the dark moments, as they enhance the bright. 🌓 I will continue to strive for a deeper sense of connection, a patient tolerance for that outside my preference, and an ever growing expansion of my comfort zone. I will continue to feed my spirit, by practicing and teaching of the Unity that is available to us. I give myself grace and receive the gift of Grace that has been given to me!

Media Fast

After spending a few weeks away on a social media fast, I’m happy to return refreshed and revived! 😁
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In my time away, I have moved to a new city 🏙, where I started practicing at a new yoga studio, #sol_yoga_seattle and had to develop a whole new daily routine.
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During this transition, I thought 🤔 back to all that I’ve learned about personal growth from Dr. Joe Dispenza. .
Yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️ and mindfulness is the only way to great Self change and development.

If you want to change your personal reality and reshape your destiny, you must first change your personality. .
Some may assume this is impossible, as though our personalities are innate but they are not, they are formed by our environment and our response to it. .
In order to align with the life you’re longing to lead, you must first change the way you think act and feel, and you will be able to create it. .
You will reshape your Self. 😊
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If you interpret everything through your familiar experiences or events, your brain exists in autopilot. ✈
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By pushing your mind to reach for the un-experienced and forcing your Self to co-create with an intelligence larger than your physical body, you actually shift at the genetic level! .
What is it that you would like to co-create in your life❓

Contentment

✨“Every posture has a posture that follows it, so enjoy where you’re at!” ~Sammie✨ This is side plank, some of you may recognize the tree pose, with flexed foot, flexed to act as a hook in an arm balance, this could easily transition to wild thing, flying lizard or even wheel, and if it sounds like I’m just saying random words (#archer) that’s because I am lol the bottom line is that we are 🌟 PURE POTENTIALITY. 🌟 You’ll hear me encourage students NOT to progress, at least three times per class, because laying a strong foundation and understanding where we are so we can get where we want to be, is a fundamental Yogic principal, and equally as fundamental throughout life. Can you get directions anywhere without first entering your current location? 🤔 If we don’t shift our perspective, the goal post will always be moving, but once we learn to accept and appreciate the moment, we settle into contentment, the only state worth existing in. It IS possible to have contentment without complacency. To feel abundance while remaining driven. So put a little music on and do a-bun-dance! 💃🏻 🎼 🎶 🎵 🙏🏽✨💪🏽👏🏽 

Talk Less

My name, Samantha, means Listener of God. As I dive deeper into my yoga practice, I consider my lifestyle and the things that aid or hinder it. I’m vegan, I don’t drink, I workout regularly, I go to bed early and wake up early, but all of these are external. I devour personal development material like its water, but still, how am I applying it? Since I’ve been taking time to meditate, I have realized that one of my biggest problems is talkativeness. There are so many reasons to speak, but oftentimes, there are more reasons to listen, yet our selfishness and desires outweigh our ability to graciously and lovingly allow others the opportunity to communicate. When we are quiet and still we allow opportunity to connect, to receive guidance from that which is NOT our ego. Waiting until you’re asked for your opinion before you volunteer it, committing to saying only affirming or positive remarks and eliminating criticism or judgements, listening to someone’s story without relating it back to your own experiences.... Today, how can you speak less, and listen more?

Hot Yoga

Sweat daily! My preferred method? Hot yoga! Detoxify the body, work every one of your muscles, ligaments and tendons, increase your pulse and metabolism, allowing your blood vessels to become more flexible, which in turn makes circulation easier and increases blood flow to the limbs, helping to prevent injury and heal previous ones. The intensity prevents the mind from wandering, as the initial focus is staying alive lol once you’ve given yourself time to adapt to the heat after hot classes in succession, the heat simply becomes an added element, a tool to strengthen you. We cannot build strength without resistance. I’m curious, what form of resistance training do you do, or what practice do you have that strengthens you, either mind, body or soul?

Heart Openers

The HeartMath Institute confirmed that when one is in heart coherence, the heart radiates more coherent electromagnetic signals, detected by the nervous systems of people and animals. I could go on endlessly on the science of the heart chakra, but I encourage you to look into it independently. In the meantime, take my word for it and practice front extensions/backbends. Heart openers release heavy emotions, those you may not know have even been stored. Expanding the sternum improves blood flow, oxygen and nerve circulation to mentally and physically invigorate. We tend to rest in a defeated slump (poor posture), causing a cascade of discomfort and disability. So open your heart, create a cascade of positivity, washing over you. To love unconditionally is to be in harmony with life itself.