What would you like more of?

In the new year I plan on adding what has somehow gotten lost from my life through much of this year to crappy stuff like family stresses and paperwork etc... 

It's Nature. There will be much more nature. 

ahhh...earth chi

Remember to do it.

Often and on purpose.

Nothing changes your physiology faster, and its right there under your nose.

I'm STOKED!

Projector? Check.

Pelvis and Baby Model? Check.

Yoga gear? Check.

Tons of studies backing up much of what you are going to learn from me this weekend? Check. 

I am all ready for the Yoga Conference and its is going to be fantastic because it always is. I feel so blessed and honoured to be sharing my knowledge on my two absolute favourite topics in this life.Yoga and Pregnancy/Birth. 

Today (Friday) is a very short workshop (Introduction) from 6pm-8pm and Sunday promises to be way more in-depth as we meet from 11:30am-6:30pm. 

Get ready to laugh, (maybe cry) and have LOADS of fun with me this weekend! Theres still room! I'm stoked. There is something for everyone at The Yoga Conference including a HUGE show floor that you can attend for free! Scroll down a few posts and you'll see free passes for the show. Just print them off. Hope to see you there xo

Are you trying to conceive? Trying for a baby?

While nothing is a guarantee...
Are you familiar with Yin Yoga? I just received 'another' email this morning from a SUPER happy momma-to-be who will be leaving my Yin class to attend one of my  Prenatal classes and she is convinced that it was the Yin practice that made it happen after trying all sorts of ways.. (**And it happens all the time)

While I don't believe there are any actual studies, Yin Yoga DOES target the areas primarily from the navel to the knees and opens things up and lubricates things like never before and for conception and implantation to take place we need to be open. And relaxed. The practice removes stagnation and encourages Chi (prana) into the pelvic region in particular (reproductive organs) which is VERY healthy for the organs. And again, it's VERY relaxing and gives you more time to meditate and go within and connect with yourself on a deeper level increasing your body awareness even more than a more active yoga practice. And its the same hormones that 'get baby in there' as get baby 'out of there' if you know what I mean (nudge nudge wink wink;).
I can't recommend Yin Yoga enough for all sorts of reasons but if you are trying to conceive come to class and we'll do a special fertility flow anytime you like.

A brand new session of Yin Yoga starts up on Thursday at The Roundhouse at the corner of Davie St @ Pacific Blvd. Its super casual and all you need is to bring yourself.
To register go to www.roundhouse.ca or call 604-713-1800 (press 2)

Have you registered yet? catch the early bird prices!

**Only $160 for 8 hrs of classes when you register before Sept 30!** 
Please join us on November 9-11 2012 for the Vancouver Yoga Conference and Show! 
at the Vancouver Convention Centre (under the sails)!

**I'm truly honoured to be presenting two workshops of my own as well on Prenatal Yoga.
They can be found on Page #10.  To register go to: 
http://www.theyogaconference.com/vancouver/
Hope to see you there! 

Hope your weekend is a little like this!

And if you missed the start of any of any of my new class sessions that started last week there is always time to register and join in anytime during a session at the lower price (or drop in)!

Costs are always prorated.

See you on the mat friends. Giv'er this weekend!

I know I've been a lazy blogger these past weeks...

posting lots of you tube video's and quotes and not much more but...here's another one! haha! I couldn't resist. A huge thank you to a long time student of mine I cherish beyond words Carol for bringing this video to my attention. I thought I'd share too. Miracles happen in yoga class every single day and yoga really is for e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y. It's all in finding the right class and practice for "you". Us yoga teachers get to see students blossom  in every single class, and thats what keeps us doing what we do (it sure isn't the money)! 


It's better than money. So much better than money. The only thing this video is missing is a scan of the guys brain. I'd love to see it. Weight loss completely aside, this guy got his life back. Yoga is self care in the highest sense of the word. Send yourself and the people you love to yoga. There's no reason to wait. 

Happy Earth Day friends.

"All the peace and happiness of the whole globe, 
the peace and happiness of societies, 
the peace and happiness of family, 
the peace and happiness in the individual persons' life, 
and the peace and happiness of even the animals and so forth, 
all depends on having loving kindness toward each other." 
Lama Zopa Rinpoche

New Mount Pleasant sessions with me start tomorrow and Wednesday!

So register away!

Mondays

Baby and Me Yoga 1045am-12pm

Daytime Yoga 1230-2pm

Wednesdays

Daytime Yoga 1230-2pm

Prenatal Yoga 630pm-745pm

Call 604-257-3080

Or go to www.mountpleasantcc.ca to register online.

See you on the mat!

Best video I have ever seen of our fine city.

Captures perfectly where we walk, ride, drive, and play each day. Fitting song too!

I for one shall be walking to work today. Check this out :)

If you've got 9 minutes and 19 seconds to spare you really want to watch this. And, show it to your loved ones too!

mmm...mmm....garden.

Have you planted your garlic yet? Its the easiest thing in the world.

And you can keep those vampires away this Halloween ;)

I like to stroll in my neighborhood.

Don't know of any better birth preparation than yoga

The practice involves not just exercise but mindfulness as well, opening both your body and mind to what lies ahead. A study of 74 first-time mothers in Thailand found that those who did prenatal yoga experienced less pain and a shorter labour.

The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic system, which is often identified with the fight-or-flight response, and the parasympathetic, which is identified with what's been called the relaxation response. When you do yoga - the deep breathing, the stretching, the movements that release muscle tension, the relaxed focus on being present in your body - you initiate a process that turns the fight-or-flight system off and the relaxation response on. That has a dramatic effect on the body. The heartbeat slows, respiration decreases, blood pressure decreases. The body seizes this chance to turn on the healing mechanisms. ~Richard Faulds

Going away is nice but coming back is really nice too...

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair- Khalil Gibran

I meet so many lovely people doing the work I do..

Some of us just practice together and share energy, which has its own quiet depth, and other times there are many heartfelt feelings shared, connections made, and even friendships built at times. I feel blessed every single day of my life. I do often receive correspondence through emails and cards and such, oftentimes speaking about how yoga has changed peoples lives, and I can certainly relate.On a whole bunch of levels.

This post is just to encourage anyone out there who has maybe given yoga a whirl and felt it just wasn't for them, to give it another go. There is a yoga class out there for you in your city. There really is. Find a good teacher and go.

I'll just share a tiny bit of an email I received from a student the other day

(I have the persons permission and am only including a small snippet.)

It goes:

"I also wanted to tell you that I really appreciate how you teach your classes. I went to a "by donation" yoga class last weekend and had a really bad experience. I left the class partway through. I'm glad that your class was the first one I tried when I was deciding about yoga... because I feel like you create a really accepting environment... that accepts wherever people are at, and lets them engage at a level that's appropriate for their body. I have come to find a sense of safety in your class... "

I am willing to bet that the class they walked out of last weekend was another persons "favourite" class. I have no idea who's class it was but that is how yoga sometimes goes. I am really glad that the person enjoys my class so much. *And this person really means the world to me* but the thing is, different classes/styles resonate with different people. I just can't encourage you enough to give yoga another chance if you have had a similar experience. (most of us have at one time or another). There have no doubt been people who my class hasn't resonated with. And thats perfectly ok. Normal even.There are so many different ways to discover yoga regardless of where you live. So many styles and levels. Its all there waiting for you. If its been a while, why not give yoga another chance?Somewhere there is a mat with your name written all over it.

I really hope you will.

Namaste.

Qigong, Yoga and Tai Chi have a great many similarities.

All three practices attempt to heal the body by unblocking energy restrictions.

I like when he says "You will feel different because you are different."

I think that any of us with a practice can attest to that.

Roger Jahnke "Health Patriot" from Omega Institute on Vimeo.

Hope you got to get outside and enjoy some nature! Lucky for us it's everywhere...

This weekend was the annual Brain Tumour Foundations Spring Sprint and it was a HUGE success! Thankfully the weather cooperated s well (For more info on this marvelous organization click here). The event was held once again at such a lovely spot. Burnaby Lake Park (Click here for a map). Each time I go there I vow to return more than once a year. If you love nature, photography, the outdoors, bird watching (it's a wildlife reserve), or going for a nice stroll or a run, you really must go. I know we are blessed beyond belief with the ocean, seawall and stanley park on our doorsteps right downtown but Burnaby Lake Park is sooo worth a visit. And its a 15 minute drive. I took countless pics. Here are some. You can click on any to enlarge. Namaste.