Remember When I Quit Teaching Yoga?

Forgive me WordPress readers, it’s been…10 months since my last confession. I mean, since my last blog. “Fearless” was a rather brief, mid-winter explosion that came just one month after – in the previous blog and all over social media – I announced that I’d quit teaching yoga. “Fearless” disclosed how unsafe I’d been feeling in…

Yoga Class Focus: The Freedom to Heal

Make space. Clear the way. Widen the paths. And in this liberation…heal. The theme of my July classes was FREEDOM; and we kicked off our month of focused practices with a special “Declaration of Independence” workshop.  I teach this July 4th workshop annually; and each year, I’ve approached the session with a hint of motivational speaker…

Deflated Balloons & Silver Linings

I once heard an elder in recovery share that, when consumed by great emotion, it’s essential to “stick a pin in it” by sharing. I’ve followed suit ever since. For me, to harbor negative emotions is to go toward a drink. As a recovering addict, to drink is to die. So, being open and honest is essential….

Kids These Days

It seems that Trayvon Martin is on everyone’s mind today.  Who is on my mind?  Children much closer to me.  And Trayvon.  But mostly, the kids directly around me. *  *  * The 1st session of summer music/yoga camp wrapped up last week. As you may have guessed, when teaching, I tend to gravitate toward…

Namaste: A Journey From Resentment To Relief

Namaste. I honor you. All of you. The good and the bad. The light and the dark. The divine and the human. I honor every part of you. The parts that doubt. The parts that feel certain. The parts that don’t know. The parts that leave. The parts that stay. The parts that hide. I…

Back to Basics: Real Yoga Doesn’t Hurt (Revisited)

“Tadaasana, Pranayama, Sankalpa.” There is a reason I repeat these three words each time we regroup at the top of the mat between Sun Salutations.  For me, these three elements – The Pose, The Breath and The Intention – are the basics of yoga.  Although mentioned as three unique parts of yoga’s eight-limbed system, in…

Peace Tools: Gaining Counsel

Clearly it is my life practice to find the tools to: pause, assess, gain counsel, decide, then communicate. Rather than cutting and running. Yup. Trying. – Day 94 of Ahimsa Now: 100 Days of Intention *  *  * For the final quarter of my 100-day exploration of Ahimsa (for a brief background, see “The Roots…

Ahimsa Now: 100 Days Of Intention – The Halfway Mark

Back in April, I launched a 100-day exploration of “Ahimsa” – the Sanskrit word for “avoidance of violence” or “avoidance of harm.”  Each morning, I light a stick of incense and say, “Ahimsa Now” – the name of my envisioned non-profit organization.  Ahimsa Now’s mission is to use yoga and related practices to address emotional…

Healing Kids’ Scars With Yoga

I grew up in the suburbs of Washington, DC – Potomac, MD to be exact. Potomac was once known as “The Beverly Hills of the East Coast.”  The town was quite wealthy and had its own brand of celebrities – diplomats, politicians, famous doctors.  Yet there were some plain-old middle class neighborhoods, as well.  That’s…