Rooted Heart

Spring photo dump! The last month has been full to the brim with beauty. But it's felt like a balancing act to accept and call that beauty in, in the midst of the horrors going on in the bigger world. Alas, here it is, at least some of that beauty. I hope you all got to enjoy some beautiful moments lately too! And if its been a while, here is your reminder to go sit outside for a few minutes, slow down, breathe deep, and lift your chin up 💚

Spring is here! Even if life is feeling extra busy, Even if you can only manage a 30 min speed walk, get out to the forest before these beauties are gone. This beauty is the fleeting kind. Once the trees leaf out, the forest floor will simmer down into the shaded heat of summer 🥰🌱
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Talk about sensations! Have you ever touched a Porcupine quill? I've only ever encountered porcupines from a distance (usually when they are resting high up in a tree). But on a recent forest walk I found a pile of quills in the ground beside a tree I was sitting with, and got a chance to explore them up close. Fascinatingly light and hollow little structures!
What have you noticed in the forest lately?

Looks like I've got a bit of a photo backlog to work through! This summer I visited Flowerpot Island off the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. It is such a beautiful place, full of amazing plants I don't get to see every day, and with such a rugged and unique landscape. I was I had had more time there. I'll definitely go back someday!
Photos left to right: Maidenhair Spleenwort fern, White Cedar and Yellow Birch, Rattlesnake Plantain, rocky trails, White Cedar bark patterns, Northern Holly Fern, limestone blocks, and last but not least - a shoreline 'flowerpot' 💚

Striped Maple, Moosewoos, Acer pensylvanicum. Every year there is a plant or two that really jumps out at me, ready to be noticed in a whole new way. This year, Striped Maple is definitely one of those!
This smaller, more northern Maple tree has the most gorgeous large leaves, and keys (seeds) that hang in chains like the tendrils of a handcrafted windchime. I am in awe, once again!
What have you been noticing?

Introducing Jamie! If you live around Peterborough you might know him from Camp Kawartha, where he teaches outdoor youth education programs 5 days a week. He's also a loving father to two great kids, a bit of a music buff, and has a real passion for learning about nature. I can't keep track of how many books he takes out of the library! But he always has some story to relay about why a birds wings are shaped the way they are, or where the best places to spot a beaver or a mink might be.
We've been hitting the trails together by foot, bike, canoe, and skis for about a year and a half now. Dreaming about all the ways we can support each other personally and through our shared love for nature.
This weekend, Jamie and I are joining forces to host a free local celebration! Come and join us! Meet us at 10am this Sunday, April 23 for a yoga class and litter clean up. More details on my link, eventbrite, and posters around town. Hope to see you there!
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Today's celebration was so lovely! Thank you to everyone who came out and those who sent messages of support 💚

The feeling of the air is shifting, and it's mushroom season -what a spectacular time to visit the forest 🍄❤️
Many of these were only spotted after having slowed down or stopped altogether on the trail. It's funny how hard it can be to see things when we're moving quickly!
If you could use a hand slowing down, come and hang out with me next Sunday, September 11 for a *free* yoga class or forest therapy walk in honour of Rooted Heart's 5 year anniversary! Details at link in bio!

Celebrating 5 Years of Rooted Heart! -

Celebrating 5 Years of Rooted Heart! Get in Touch for Details about a Special Paddling-Yoga-Nature Connection Opportunity coming to the Kawarthas this October! 

Rooted Heart is celebrating its 5 year anniversary this September! So many beautiful memories and connections have been made over these last 5 years, through all the seasons. Here's to the next 5 and beyond!

In celebration, I'll be hosting 2 FREE events next Sunday, September 11 at the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre in Peterborough / Nogojiwanong:

Gentle Flow Yoga: 12:30 - 1:30 pm
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/413313962187

Forest Therapy Walk: 2:00 - 4:00 pm
https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/413449748327

Please let me know if you'll be dropping by. Registration available through Eventbrite or DM

Hope to see you there!

This tiny trailing shrub took me by surprise! Trailing Arbutus grows naturally on our Canadian shield. Apparently not rare or uncommon, it is known for having highly specialized habitat needs and is likely often overlooked as its gorgeous blooms come out early in the season (these photos were taken in late April). If I hadn't taken some time to slow down and look closely, I surely would have missed it. And I wonder how many times I've missed it before!

Is it really June already? May is always a special time in the forest, with the fleeting beauty of flowers in bloom that will soon be shaded away by the growing canopy. The forest looks completely different now, on June 2nd than it did a few short weeks ago. On to the next season of special things to notice 🌸🌱

A walk in the woods always feels like a good way to clear my mind and open my heart up to new possibilities. Wishing you all a peaceful, healthy, and joy-filled 2022!

Everyone smiling for who keeps the good times rolling at The Gardens, even on her days off 💖

This afternoon's sitspot view.
This swamp is a very special place and I love how accessible it feels in the shoulder seasons when the bugs mellow out enough to let me enjoy stillness here 💚
Thanks and for letting me guide another forest meditation walk today!

I'll be guiding a free walk at Trent U this coming Wednesday! It will be kind of like a mini forest bathing session, leaving from Gzowski College to walk the Trent Nature Area trails near the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre. Rain or Shine! Registration required through Trent University Spiritual Affairs

Please share,!

Join us for our Forest Meditation Walk. Link is in the bio to register! Remember to dress warm and for the weather.

Today, I am mesmerized by Yew!
Taxus canadensis 🌿💚😍
Where should I begin? Yew is a soft and beautiful shrub, that kind of looks like a balsam fir that decided to carpet the forest floor instead of standing tall. And I think it doesn't mind taking a low position in the forest, because that makes it easier to show off its gorgeous fruit! A brilliant red berry with smooth and shiny skin. It hangs like a bell from golden handle that catches the light like foil. Wow! How is it possible that I'm just noticing these fruits for the first time? I was so glad to spend some time Yew in the forest today!
Have you been noticing Yew? What do you know about Yew? I am just getting to know Yew better, and I can't get over how beautiful they are!
Did I exhaust the use of you and Yew yet 🙄🧐😂?
Sorta silly video in my stories if you still want to hear more 😅

Where did you catch a breeze today?

*moonrise* ➡️
It's a rare gift to get to watch the full moon rise over a lake. But wherever you are, and whatever view you have access to, I would strongly recommend taking a few moments to pause, look up, and take a deep breath next time you have an opportunity to e outside at night 🌚
There is something special about watching the stars or the moon overhead. Nothing else makes me feel so connected in those quiet hours, knowing that the same stars and moon have been watching over this earth for millenia, and humans across space and time have enjoyed their beauty and wondered at their mystery.

The woods are a blooming!
From left to right: Leatherleaf, Round-lobed Hepatica, Barren Strawberry, Cinnamon Fern, Violet, and Blueberry 🌱💚

Flowers! Beautiful flowers everywhere! We might not be allowed to do much right now, but if you are able to, visit a local forest! They are really special at this tieof year when the ephemeral flowers bloom, right before the trees burst with leaves 🌸💚

Interesting article about Dr Susan Abookire and the work she is doing as a physician, researcher, and forest therapy guide!

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It's a good day to go outside and feel the sun on your face ❄️🌞

What patterns do you see in nature?

When I was having a particularly tough day earlier this week, I made the difficult decision to leave my cozy safety of my home and go visit one of my favourite forests. While I was there enjoying the greys and browns, I was reminded of many lessons from the trees.
I was also reminded of these words I pulled from a book recently, that have been saved on a sticky note on my phone for precisely these kind of moments.
It reads: "A sense of loneliness is for those who see the world as a dead place full of inanimate things, possessions, and dumb soulless creatures. We may walk a solitary path through the wildwood of the heart in some respects but we know that nothing we ever do is in isolation."
If you are facing some challenging days, I hope you can find the peace and quiet company of the many living beings that surround us ❤️

Ahhh... So peaceful! I am so glad to finally have some real space for my practice right at home... The kind of space that doesn't require me to move furniture around before I can roll out my yoga mat! Maybe it will even become a cozy little home studio where I can teach individuals and couples in the near future! But for the time being, it's just for me, and all the blankets 💜🧘‍♀️🙏

That morning light on the river 💙

Cheers to the old and the new!
This week, I moved to a new apartment in downtown Peterborough. Saying goodbye to my sweet tiny home and hello to a bigger space felt a little overwhelming at first. My most precious items were last to get packed and a little hard to see in boxes again. But there was a lot of time to reflect on the changes I've been through over the past two years. And this new home comes with new opportunities. I'm ready for it. A front porch (complete with rocking chairs) and ample space for yoga are both really exciting!
Stay tuned for more photos and info on private yoga sessions in my new home as my space evolves and comes together!