This is one of my favorite pages on the membership: a full page devoted to practices where we do no physical yoga asana. Instead, we focus on breathing and meditation practices. If you are someone who has been practicing for a long time but has not yet integrated a sitting practice, I am so glad that you are starting now. This is where the magic of yoga really starts to kick in. Meditation, when committed to in consistency, really has the power to change our whole world.
As a member, you have exclusive access to my month-long meditation course. This course was offered for free to the public for the month of November 2021, but as a member, you can access this course at any time here.
This is a great, structured program to help you establish a consistent meditation practice.
This week's new class is something different: a walking meditation. Did you know that if you login to the membership on your phone web browser, you can hit play on a video but then turn the screen off and put it in your pocket and the audio still plays?? Grab some headphones, put on your walking shoes (or go barefoot if that's your jam), and join me for this super accessible form of meditation that doesn't require you to be still. We can access the quality of a calmer mind even while in motion, especially when we are in relationship to the earth and the sky.
If the video does pause when you turn off the screen, you can just light the screen back up and you should see the video as more of an audio option and can hit play from there, then turn the screen off again.
I have had some requests lately to bring some support around the ideas of self love, self embrace, and self acceptance. Join me for a seated conversation around some of these ideas through the lens of a Tantric yoga concept called Radical Affirmation. I do get quite vulnerable with this share in my own experience, as a way of connecting with you. This Dharma talk ends with a 5-or-so minute guided meditation. Grab your favorite cuppa and maybe your journal to reflect as you listen.
This might be my favorite sitting practice I have recorded for the membership yet..! We take our time immersing ourselves into an extended breathwork (pranayama) session and move our way into a deep, centering dhyana (meditation) practice. I take a moment at the beginning to breakdown the difference between breathwork and meditation, and you might experience through practice how the breath is really an amazing tool towards finding the meditative state of simply being. I offer an opportunity to journal or reflect at the end as well. Lastly, Dante my kitty shows up a bit at the beginning and at the end - his cute little chirps and flops don't intrude on the meditation itself :) I've been feeling when he visits class, it only adds, just like when sweet little Friday used to visit us in older videos.
Metta Meditation is a type of meditation where we cultivate loving kindness towards ourselves, and slowly build that loving kindness outward towards all beings. This is a very powerful meditation technique to help us cultivate more empathy, collective care, a positive mindset, and has even been proven to reduce anxiety and generally improve mental health. While I love doing this type of meditation during the full moon, you can practice this meditation any time you feel you could amplify the power of love and kindness in your life.
Mudras are such a special part of the yogic path. Join me for a short and sweet breakdown of what mudras are, and some meditative practice of my top 3 mudras for grounding down. Great for times of overwhlem, stress, busy schedules, excitement, or any time you feel you just need a pause and to connect to the earth.
I am so glad to be growing the collection of moon-related classes here on the yoga membership! Lunar living is an incredible way of grounding into the cycles of nature, and can help us feel more connected to the whole web of life. Join me for this 15 minute guided meditation, all around the energies of the new moon phase, the dark moon phase, the magic of the void.
In this guided meditation and breathing practice, we focus on cultivating inner warmth. This is a lovely meditation for chilly days, or any time you feel you could use some access to warm glow, heavy times where you want to feel warmer and lighter, some soft joy, or sweet guided visualization practice. You'll want a candle for this class.
Meditation is one of our greatest tools in helping us find support from inside of ourselves, rather than always seeking it outside of ourselves. Join me for this seated meditation practice and contemplation around finding stability within, especially during times of uncertainty, change and transition. Which is pretty much always, right? My wish is for you to leave this class feeling a bit more grounded and resourced.
Join me for this guided meditation where we explore our connection to our body in the way of Tantra. That is, to embrace the body as a celebration rather than a punishment. This meditation is great for anyone dealing with body image insecurities (I mean... I think that's most of us right?!). A bit of vulnerability here: I come from an eating disorder history, and practicing this Tantric view of the body absolutely helped me heal from this part of my past. I share this meditation from a tender place of care, to help you find love for your body no matter what current stage of fluctuation it is currently at, and to ultimately recognize we are more than our bodies. Our bodies are homes for our souls.
This is a lovely seated practice where we use the breath as a vehicle to travel to the inner quiet space in our hearts. If you struggle to “meditate”, breathwork is an amazing bridge to traverse the gap of struggle. This practice is great for pretty much any moment: If you’re feeling anxious, excited, sad, happy, tired, feeling torn in making a decision, processing emotions… really it’s just a great practice for any time. I ended practice feeling really soft and spacious in the mind.
Soft, Easy & Kind: These three words have been visiting me consistently in my own personal meditation practice recently. I have found them to be grounding and nourishing as 2022 draws to a close, as a way of easing up as I walk into 2023, so I wanted to share them with you in the form of a seated guided meditation practice. Join me for 15 minutes of breathing, meditation, and coming back to the true, kind nature of our hearts.
Feeling stressed out? Anxious? Need to release some extra energetic tension but don’t feel like you can sit still? Tune in to this short and sweet seated breathing practice where we use Pranic washes to release pent up energy. This is one of my favorite releasing techniques and I hope you enjoy!
Do you find yourself drawn to the benefits of meditation, but also find it really hard to sit still? Try out this short class where we explore a few moving meditation techniques to clear the way towards presence and breath connection. All levels friendly, even to those who have never meditated before!
In this *almost* 5-minute video, I explain the benefits and contraindications of this unique breathing practice called Kapalabhati Pranayama, also known as the breath of fire. While many of the breathing practices we do are meant to be more calming, this one is meant to be more energizing and piercing. This is a great practice to include in a morning routine to feel more clear, confident, focused, and alive for the coming day.
Bringing you something a little different today: a grounding seated meditation and breathwork practice. This is such a great practice for when your life has been hectic and you need to come back down to the earth for some connection to self and your journey so far. We do one of my favorite mudras called Bhumi Sparsha. This is also the first video I’ve done a voiceover for, but I decided to keep the background sounds of the park in as well. Enjoy!
New to meditation or breathwork? If so, this is a great mini practice for you! Even if you’re experienced with meditation, sometimes it can feel nice to be held by someone else’s instruction as you explore your breath. Join me for seven minutes of simple sitting practice as we explore Sama Vritti Pranayama, better known as equal fluctuation breath.
Today I am bringing you a special type of pranayama that is potent for those time when it’s hard to access a deep, full breath. Whether you are recovering from illness, dealing with high stress, or just need some sweet breaths, this is a great practice to turn to.
This is a short, sweet, and simple guided meditation practice to find your sparkle for the new year. Connecting to the breath for even just a few moments can have a tremendous impact on our minds, our hearts, and our perspective. *Note: There is a ~20 second window right before the video ends where there is no audio, I silenced this part because there was some loud recycling happening outside my apartment building. The sound resumes again to close :)
Here is another 14 minute guided meditation practice, since so many of you loved the last one and have been requesting more! In this practice we have more visualization to help you ground in to yourself and cultivate a sense of harmony within the natural cycles of nature and personal life.
This is a short guided meditation around the Heart Chakra, also known as Anahata. A great meditation for calming the anxieties in our outer world and diving in to our boundless hearts. We call in more compassion, joy, and unconditional love in your world. In this guided meditation I also include a sound bath element with my crystal singing bowl, which is tuned to the key of F for heart chakra expansion.
This was intended for the final week of the month long meditation challenge, but like all the other videos can be great stand alone. This is just a short, casual chat where I share my profound experience with self-guided meditation and encourage you to embark on your own journey of guiding yourself in meditation.
We can all acknowledge that meditation is not an easy practice to cultivate! In this short video I share a few of my top tips and tricks to help you find more ease in your meditation journey.
Savasana... that pose at the end of class many of us rush out of. This video is solely dedicated to Savasana, Corpse Pose, and the magical ways it helps us integrate and heal. The beginning of the video I explain the importance of not skipping over this posture, then we dive in to about a 10 minute guided Savasana. You can use this after one of my classes that don’t include Savasana, after your own exercise routine, or even just on its own for some truly relaxing connection to yourself and the Earth beneath you.
Here's a breathing practice I recently learned called Chi Building Breath. It's simultaneously very grounding yet expansive. Pranayama is a wonderful tool for calming the nervous system, connecting to the body and mind, and opening our eyes to how beautiful our lives truly are. I hope you enjoy!
This meditation method is one of my absolute favorites, and it is my honor to share it with you. I learned this from one of my beloved teachers, Sianna Sherman, but it’s been traced back to being practiced as early as the 15th century. Trataka meditation with a candle is best done in a dark room. So get cozy, hit the lights, and grab a candle to begin!
I hope you have all been enjoying the variety of meditation styles I’ve been bringing you. There are many ways to mediate, and usually it requires trying all those different ways to find what resonates with you. Today I bring you a body-scan as a form of meditation. Show up as you are and drop into physical sensation as a way to ground into your being. All levels, no movement, seated or reclined practice.
It’s been a minute since we practiced a seated meditation together! Join me for a little chat and meditation all about practicing loving kindness towards ourselves and those around us.
If you have never tried lymphatic drainage massage, I highly encourage you to try it out with this short and sweet class. This is a practice my massage therapist encouraged me to dive into with my chronic neck and trapezius/shoulder tension. I was shocked at how much this practice helped me ease my tension not just physically, but also energetically. Great for times when you feel you are getting a little sick, when you're stressed, or any time you could use some gentle kindness towards yourself and your body. Doing regular lymphatic drainage massage is great for improving immune function, stress recovery, and for feeling more grounded yet light. This is a seated class with no actual yoga practice, but it is a great supplement to a yoga practice.
I spontaneously felt the call to provide a special guided meditation to help nourish and ground you during these turbulent times. Join me for these 15 minutes of breathing and visualization. Let me carry you just as you are. Let yourself nourish and fill yourself up. We’ve got this.
Join me for another special guided mediation, inspired by my favorite goddess Lakshmi. This can be done any time of day, but I feel it is especially potent to start the day from the perspective of beauty and graciousness offered in this mediation.
This is a short, 15 minute pranayama (breathing) practice to help you ground down at any time of day you may need. Breathing practice is one of the most amazing tools we can use in times of stress, anxiety, change, excitement, and overwhelm.
I am am so glad to be adding another Yoga Nidra class to the membership library. Yoga Nidra is closer to meditation than it is physical practice, but it is done lying down. In my own experience, Yoga Nidra is hands-down the most restorative, renewing, and replenishing yogic practice. Back when I had Long Covid, Yoga Nidra was my saving grace as I faced mountains of fatigue. Yoga Nidra is also great for anytime you are just generally tired, maybe a bit stressed, tense in the body, didn't get a good night of sleep, feeling ill, or any time you feel you just need to ground and be held by the earth. This particular practice is inspired by the healing energy of the Ocean. Get comfy and let yourself be washed clean in this guided rest.
Have you heard the buzz about Yoga Nidra (sometimes called Non Sleep Deep Rest)? Yoga Nidra has been practiced for thousands of years for its immense health benefits on the body and mind. Yoga Nidra is incredible for restoring our energy in an afternoon slump or after not sleeping so great, it's a potent tool to calm down when anxious, it's literally great for your brain and heart, it can help align your spine and ease upper and lower back pain, and it can help us access an increased sense of focus, presence, and energy for the rest of the day. Tune in to learn more and practice to see the benefits of this restoration for yourself.
In this 20 minute sitting practice, I offer tidbits around the idea of compassion, and the importance of bringing more radical compassion into our world. Get cozy and enjoy a little chat, some mantra (chanting/song), and a brief contemplation/meditation/reflection moment. This class is definitely getting into more of the philosophical and spiritual side of yoga, with teachings from the beloved Ram Dass.
Words to the song we chant:
Om Mani Mani Padme Hum / Om Mani Om Mani Padme Hum
There's a jewel in the lotus flower / unfolding deep within my soul / to be a jewel in the lotus flower / unfolding is the highest goal
This isn’t your typical yoga class! We don’t do any physical asana (poses), and instead opt for a more restorative approach. We start with gentle guided facial massage, do some alternate nostril breathing, and bathe in a mini meditation / savasana at the end. This class is so calming for the nervous system, and is great for any time you need to connect to YOU. Great for when recovering from injury and you can’t move but still want some embodiment. Great for when you just need to feel held. Whole class can be done seated, laying on the floor, or even laying in bed. Having some lavender or other calming essential oil would be helpful but isn’t totally required. Can’t recommend this one enough honestly.
Here is a bit of a different format for class today! This was originally intended for the month-long meditation challenge, but it’s honestly such a great stand alone practice. Class begins with more of a conversation around the benefits of a mantra and mudra practice, and then we carve out time to practice different mudras and a mantra to invoke the grounding energy of Ganesha. Tune in, dive deep, and ground down in under 30 minutes of rich content.
What does it mean to "ground your energy"? How is it helpful? What are some techniques you can use to ground in? Tune in to this short class for answers to these questions via a little chat, some guided meditation, breathwork, mudra, and a handful of low-to-the-earth yoga postures to help you feel grounded and centered. All levels friendly, including level 1.
In this brief seated practice we chant one of my favorite mantras. Join me in calling the energy of the Goddess into your own life through this mantra. We can call the energy of the Goddess in for guidance, radiance, strength, grace, inspiration, support, and hope. Unfortunately, the closing moments somehow got cut out of the video. Luckily you don’t miss any of the chanting itself, just my closing statements inviting you to pause and bathe in the feeling the mantra just cultivated within you. I have included the words below:
Praises for the MahaShakti:
yā devī sarva-bhuteṣu śakti-rūpeṇa saṃsthitā
namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namaḥ
yā devī sarva-bhuteṣu cetana-rūpeṇa saṁsthitā
namas tasyai namas tasyai namas tasyai namo namaḥ
These are heavy times that definitely require a profound pause. This class offers such a pause to process and heal both within and as a collective. We spend the first 15 minutes of class in a seat contemplating with breathing and mantra, then the rest of class is spent nourishing our bodies in a few yin postures. Below I have included the words to the two mantras if you would like to learn them yourself. Sending you all love. I am here for you.
Medicine Buddha Mantra:
Tayata Om Bhekandze
Bekhandze Maha Bhekandze
Randza Sumudgate Soha
May All Beings be Happy & Free Mantra:
Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
This week I have something different for you: a slow and special ritual to come home to yourself. This is great for times of stress, times when you need to practice letting go, times when you are showing up a lot for others but maybe not quite enough for yourself, times when you are in need of some sweet self care. We access many of the limbs of yoga beyond asana as we do breathwork (pranayama), mudra (hand gestures), mantra (chanting), intention setting, some gentle asana (poses), abhyanga (self massage with oil), and dhyana (meditation). I have included the words to the mantra below in case you feel like learning it. Lastly, I filmed this during a wind storm! If the windy sounds bother you, you can pop on my Slower Days playlist.
Medicine Buddha Mantra:
tayatha om bekandze bekandze maha bekandze radza samudgate soha