Thoughts on Embodiment
Bound To Change
Edward (not his real name) had been practicing with us at Mission for a while. Struggling with the isolation of early adulthood, he was determined to uncover a better way to move through the world. Edward is tall and lithe, intelligent and perhaps a bit...
A Slow Yoga Revolution
You have probably heard of the Slow Food movement. Our fast food nation is faced with a health, heart, and planetary crisis that slow food can help heal. If we eat what grows locally, and cook that fresh and local produce at home, we not only eat healthier food,...
After The Yoga Glow Has Faded; Coping With Burnout
Lots of people tell the story about how they were dragged to yoga class and hated it at first. They either begrudgingly continued on or didn't try it again for years. At some point they felt a shift, things clicked, and yoga made sense to them and seemed good for...
Grace
Yoga is a discipline, a series of actions and inquiries done with consistent effort and attention. It is easy for the western mind, raised on the false idea that we are broken,to fixate on the external practices as a way to prove and earn our worthiness. Practice...
Hold Still; A Brief Guide for Growing Stuff
Excerpt from Desert Notes by Barry Lopez: "Explanations will occur to you, seeming to clarify; but they can be a kind of trick. You will think you have hold of the idea when you only have hold of its clothing. Feel how still it is. You can become impatient here,...
The Season of the Sun
The Season of the Sun At this moment I am camped out on the back deck watching my son stack shells while my partner tends the grill. I'm hot but the breeze and the shade provide the perfect amount of relief to keep me satisfied and glued to my seat. Speaking of seats,...
The Layers
Don't push or chase after change. Change is always happening anyways....to you and all the objects/humans/celestial bodies around you. Impermanence is an immutable law that is impossible to avoid. Your JOB isn't to chase the yogic transformation from ignorance...
Winter’s Gift
Winter's Gift December 21st is the darkest day of the year and signals the start of the winter season. The solstice is considered the most Yin day of the year and Winter is the most Yin season. You have opportunities or obstacles to face depending on your orientation....
The Most Wonderful Time of The Year….
As a young adult I gave little energy to the holiday season. My family dynamics were complicated and I wanted to distance myself from any sense of loss by devaluing this time of year entirely. There is a speech I have memorized for every major holiday about...
On Grieving and Pumpkin Spice
I crane my neck to see the bride come through the doorway. She is petite in stature with a big toothy grin and fierce eyes. As she passes our small enclave of family we all take a collective breath and hold it. There are tears. We are happy for my niece Allison but...