Yoga With Paisley

One of the highest intentions of yoga is to bring the mind to clarity. With a calm mind we can focus on the presence of Spirit within and live a more peaceful and less reactive life. In this gentle yoga and breath practice we focus our attention inward so we can yoke to this indwelling presence.

Level: All

Props: Blanket (optional)

Duration: 46 minutes

When we experience stress or trauma, there is a human tendency to check out, distract ourselves or disconnect form our bodies. What is healing, however, is to stay by our own side when things get rough. It is a practice, and not something some of us are very good at —so we are practicing it here, in our yoga postures.

The poses in the sequence aren’t particularly complicated, but give us a chance to show up for ourselves and to check in with how we’re doing throughout. They are excellent for creating calming, grounding and ease in the body and mind, with the extra benefit of easing low back pain.

Duration: 45 minutes

Level: all

Props: block and yoga belt

When we find ourselves taxed and tired, the normal human tendency is to check out and distract ourselves further. Instead of becoming present and calm, we become more tired and frazzled. In this meditation, we draw our attention in and practice watching the mind, from a place of non-judgement, to create a sense of inner presence and calm.

Duration: 13 minutes

Leave: All levels

One of yoga’s highest goals is to unite us with the more subtle, deeper aspects of ourselves. This union connects all the different layers of our being, called the koshas. In asana, we begin with connecting to the physical body, or annamaya kosha. Over time, and as we become more intimate with our breath, we move from the gross to the subtle, connecting to the energetic presence within —the pranamaya kosha. In this class, we practice letting go of clenching and resistance, so we can line up with our inner body in a way that is more harmonious, relieves stress and illuminates the wise presence within.

Level: Level one-two postures, with specific attention to the inner body, which is often more challenging to feel for beginners.

Duration: 70 minutes

Props: 1 yoga block

During emotional or stressful times, we tend to breathe less. We tend to brace against the discomfort, and go on fighting the good fight. But if we don’t stop and nourish ourselves and come back to balance, we will burn out very quickly.

This breath practice is not so much a classical pranayama as it is a way to get the breath moving again. In doing so, we attend to our selves and our own needs, restoring the tank so we can continue with wherever our voice is needed in the world right now.

We begin with a very short yoga practice to prepare to sit and breathe, and we finish with a few moments rest, lying on the floor. No props are needed, unless you prefer to sit on a cushion when you sit on the ground.

During the Winter Solstice, the sun is at its lowest in the sky, leaving us with the longest night of the year. While we tend to associate the dark with “bad” or “scary,” it is better seen as a place of rest, renewal and quiet. Dark, in this sense, can be thought of as the fertile soil where we plant the seeds of what we wish to have blossom in the future.

While the Winter Solstice is a time of stillness, where the sun appears to hover in the sky, it is also a time to celebrate the return of the light. After today, the days begin to grow longer and the sun appears higher in the sky. Through our yoga practice, and this meditation, we practice sitting in the stillness, both looking back into the darkness and all the places we’ve been and what we’ve been through, while also letting go into the lightness of possibility and new growth.

Duration: 15 minutes

Looking from shadow to light : High Sierras, CA

So often when we have felt stressed, overwhelmed or traumatized, we retreat into our inner world, building behavior that protects rather than allowing us to engage openly in the world. While retreat and rest are vital to a balanced life, if it becomes a means of hiding, it can leave us exhausted and lonely.

In this practice we focus on building space from the inside out, so there is room to emerge in wholeness. We pay special attention to the shoulders in this yoga flow — building the vinyasa in intensity and speed — to burn away the urge to hide, while replacing it with lightness, space and inner strength.

Level: Advanced beginner and up

Duration: 75 minutes

Props: one yoga block

Crescent lunge with cactus arms: Red Rocks, NV

For this holiday season, I want to give you a gem of a tool to be used almost anywhere. This little meditation is only one minute long, but will help you find peace wherever you are and give you a resource to feel safe and loved.

Two days after the presidential election here in the US, we find ourselves in a state of radical change. Though change is something we all wanted, how we each envision arriving there is radically different.

Many people are relieved that Trump won the electoral vote, while others are devastated that Hillary won the popular vote but will not become the first Madame President.

I urge you not to turn away. No matter which side of the fence you stand on, and no matter how tired you are, I urge you to stay and fight for the change in which you believe.

Staying balanced while we shift may be the most challenging way to “go high.” This place of being centered is a moving target, changing minute by minute. When we find this midline, however, is when we step into the place of deeper opening, deeper understanding. This is where lasting change can occur…

In this practice we move through a variety of standing poses and a few arm balances to the rhythm of the breath. We do our best to remain present and centered through the flow of change and the asymmetry that, like a mirror, can show us our imbalances.

Often when we take the time to become present in life, there is some intensity that can come with that presence. Whether at work, ticking off tasks, or when facing the present brings up sensations or emotions from the past, the process can be intense.

Instead of resisting, which is a form of dvesha, or repulsion, here, we practice showing up and meeting the present with ease in the physical body.