Revive Yoga & Wellness

Try this ----> TENSE & RELEASE - An Exercise in Awareness

I shared a post last week about some of the misconceptions about yoga & meditation... that seemingly have an end goal of being "CALM"

A healthy, regulated nervous system is able to experience stressors in real time and restore balance in the body (homeostasis). It's not necessarily associated with being CALM, it's associated with capacity, resilience, and the ability to restore balance in any given situation.

This is a (free) short guided audio exercise I created to practice creating a small amount of tension (activation) in your nervous system, and gently inviting it to release.

For many of us in our current fast-paced world, going straight from "ON" to "OFF" is not realistic or the most supportive way to treat our bodies.

This exercise is not about maximum engagement or strong effort. It’s about exploring the contrast between engaging and softening, between activation and ease.

Give yourself 15 minutes of quiet time and enjoy!

🔹LINK IN COMMENTS BELOW 👇

If you feel stuck in some areas of your life, or certain patterns keep repeating themselves, it might be something ingrained in your subconscious mind, your body, and your nervous system.

With education, practice, intelligence, and awareness, it’s possible to tap into what’s happening beneath the surface and create lasting change.

Learning about Yoga Philosophy and modern science is a powerful way to understand yourself - and with this understanding, change your entire life from the inside out.

🔹 This course is for yoga teachers, passionate & curios students, and ANYONE ready for a deeper understanding of their body to live a more empowered life

🔹 20 Hours of Continuing Education Credits available with Yoga Alliance

🔹 Use this knowledge for yourself, the people you love, or the people you work with. Open the door to ongoing possibilities and learning…

🔹 See LINK IN COMMENTS BELOW 👇 or send me a message for more info

I've also heard it called "Adult Nap Time"... ✨😴

Here's a little insight into what restorative yoga is about, and why it can be so powerful beneath the surface.

If you find it hard to sit still and you’re trying to measure up against an impossible goal of being able to “Calm Down” - you are not alone! And it’s not you, it’s the intricacies of your biology and your nervous system!

🔹 TRUTH BOMB - Growing your window of tolerance, becoming less reactive, building resilience, and reducing the symptoms of stress isn’t just about learning to be CALM.

It’s about meeting yourself where you are, understanding WHY you feel the way you do, and learning to work WITH the intelligence of your body, not against it.

Of course I still believe with all my heart that yoga & meditation are valuable practices, but there’s more to it than that…

And it starts with learning about your nervous system, and what regulation really means.

EDUCATION = EMPOWERMENT 💙

If you’re curious to learn more, send me a message or see the LINK IN COMMENTS 👇👇for details on my upcoming course - Restorative Yoga & Nervous System Regulation.

Just re-posting an old favorite...

Still true ; )

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Sometimes (often) my ideal pace of life is SLOW.

And even though life keeps asking me to do more and go faster...

I need to pause, step into nature, and tune back into the whispers of my soul.

To feel the rhythm of the ocean and connect to the rhythm of my own breath.

To hear the sounds of the birds and the beating of my own heart.

To feel the cold water on my skin and remember the LIFE pulsing through my veins...

Although I am grateful for all the ways technology has brought us together
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I'm so thankful for these moments to step away. To slow down. To unplug.

TODAY (Oct 10) is World Mental Health Day.

Right now, most of us have been impacted by challenges with mental health - either within ourselves or someone we love (or both).

For me, one of the things that has helped is empowerment through education - understanding how my body, mind, nervous system, and all the parts of myself work together to influence how I think and feel...

🔹In case you find this helpful too - today, I'm sharing a guided meditation that moves you through the layers of your being - helping you understand yourself in a new way and experience space around your thoughts... and eventually the FREEDOM to just BE and feel it all.

Emotions are "energy in motion"... and if we can learn to anchor into other parts of ourselves, we can build the capacity to feel what we need to feel and LET GO.

🔹Give yourself 15 minutes of quiet space and enjoy this meditation!
(LINK IN COMMENTS BELOW)

Life moves fast these days. It seems like there’s always so much going on…

And technology is guiding our brains and our bodies to function way faster than our natural biological rhythms.

(I use tech too, I’m not bashing it - this is just something I’ve noticed)

I put together this Ebook with a few notes and simple guided practices to balance your nervous system and ground into your body.

All you need is 10-15 min and maybe some headphones 🎧

Enjoy!

And if you know anyone who might benefit from this, feel free to share.

Link in Comments (Below) 💙

Sometimes, there’s an assumption that ‘stress’ is something bad, and it should be avoided.

Really, stress is something that will always be part of life - as we learn, grow, & flow with the changes around us.

Instead of avoiding stress - you can build your capacity, increase your ability to adapt, and become more resilient in challenging situations.

✨ THIS IS THE WAY TO A TRUE AND LASTING SENSE OF SAFETY AND INNER PEACE.

By empowering yourself to remember your own strength and adaptability.

Reflections in Nature ✨

Feeling excited about spring and all that is coming to life…

Happy Friday ✨

See the link in the comments below 👇

or send me a message for more info

Wishing you a feeling of Balance & Harmony

Within yourself & with the world around you

Today, and every day.

Happy Equinox/First Day of Spring ✨

Lots of ancient teachings acknowledge that our perception of the world around us is a direct reflection of our inner state. ⁠
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Science is starting to show us how this all happens within our biology, our bodies, our minds… ⁠
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AND IT’S FASCINATING ✨⁠
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A few years ago when I started working deeply & intentionally on regulating my nervous system, my perception of reality totally changed. As I build my internal capacity & became more regulated in my body, the world around me completely shifted… ⁠
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Things that seemed impossible or terrifying became simple, easy tasks. Solutions appeared where I had only been able to see walls. ⁠
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It’s not magic, and it’s not a quick fix… it’s an intimate, honest, and inspiring journey inside. ⁠
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And sometimes, it’s hard work. ⁠
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But the outcome is a new, evolved, integrated version of yourself that only you have the power to become. ⁠
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If you’re going in circles, spinning in your mind looking for solutions… try shifting your attention to your body. ⁠
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IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR TOOLS, EDUCATION, AND SUPPORT - SEE THE LINKS IN MY BIO OR SEND ME A DM ✨⁠
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After experiencing the way these tools and practices can change your life, I’m excited to share. ⁠
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Have you ever paused to ask yourself this question?

If you’re trying to keep up, what are you trying to keep up with, and why?

Learning more about the human nervous system, paying attention to the cues from my body, and asking questions like this led to BIG shifts in my life 💙

My heart is full and I’m feeling grateful after a few days in the Tla-o-qui-aht territory at in Tofino! 💛
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Thank you so much to for setting up this Yin Yoga workshop and for all the ways you supported me while I was there.
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Thank you to everyone who came together for a weekend of curiosity, contemplation and conversation. I’m always learning and it’s the students and settings like this that push me to do more. To keep asking the hard questions and having important conversations.
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I’m always learning, more than teaching… Thank you ✨

YIN YOGA INTENSIVE - LEVEL 2 ⁠
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I've been leading 20 Hour Yin Yoga Teacher training weekends for a while. If you've done this training with me (or someone else), you know it's a lot of information to try to pack into 20 hours! 😅⁠
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and have inspired me, and helped me to create Yin Yoga Intensive - Level 2 to expand on what we learned in Level 1 and go into more depth. ⁠
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It's happening APRIL 22 - 24 at Coastal Bliss Yoga in Tofino! ⁠
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For Passionate and Curious Students, or Yoga teachers who want to expand their knowledge & understanding of the practice of Yin Yoga. ⁠
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We'll be talking about: ⁠
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▪️ Yin Yoga specific anatomy & physiology, including a deeper look at fascia and connective tissue ⁠
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▪️ Understanding emotional and self-recognition through heightened inner & outer awareness ⁠
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▪️ Language, sequencing strategies, holding space & setting boundaries ⁠
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▪️ The connection between Yin Yoga & the nervous system, with an introduction to pain science ⁠
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▪️ And more! ⁠
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If you're interested in giving yourself a weekend to experience slowing down, creating space, restoring balance, and connecting to a sense of ease from within - there are a few spaces left! ⁠
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This will probably be the last weekend training I will do (at least for a while) - so if you have been thinking about joining - get in touch. ⁠
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Send me a message for more info, or see the link in the comments to register 💛

Want to start your week with a cozy morning yoga practice from the comfort of your home?

I’ll be teaching on Zoom tomorrow morning from 7:45 - 8:45 am PST

Awaken Your Light - Morning Flow

Start your morning by connecting to your breath and waking up your body from the inside. We'll begin with a gentle breathing practice, followed by sun salutations and a combination of flowing movements to increase circulation, mobilize your joints, and energize your whole body. Generate heat from within and stoke your own fire.

See link in comments to register - and send me a message if you have any questions 💛

10 years ago at this time of year, something drew me to learn about Restorative yoga. In all my years of teaching it was never the most exciting or popular class - but this practice has been so healing for me on so many levels - including inspiring me to learn more about nervous system regulation & how to find balance in a fast-paced world.

Last year, helped me create an online course to share these teachings and make them available to you to use at home, on your own time and at your own pace.

If you’re curious, check out the below and register today for 40% off 💛

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🔥 Today only🔥 Use code "alwayslearning" for 40% off our course on Restorative Yoga & Nervous System Regulation 😍
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👩‍🎓 Our self-paced online course helps yoga practitioners & teachers anchor their Restorative Yoga practice and yoga philosophy knowledge in modern science, find more calm in everyday life, and elevate their teaching.
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🙋‍♀️ What's included?
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✓ 24+ video lectures with accompanying written material
✓ 10+ practices to embody your learning
✓ Access to a students-only community (off of noisy social media!)
✓ Additional resources to support your learning
✓ Opportunity to receive a 20-hour Yoga Alliance certification
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💜 Learn more and enroll 👉 shutupandyoga.com/restorative-course
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My soul is happy and my heart is full after some time on the unceded territory of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation 💛

Thank you so much to , .challenger and for welcoming me into your community to share a weekend of YIN YOGA in Tofino

And thank you to all the incredible students who joined. I’m always so humbled and grateful for these experiences.

Hope to see you again soon!

As the seasons change and we move through the fall equinox it feels like an important time to explore new ways of looking at paradox and contrast. ⁠
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Dark and Light ⁠
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Expansion and Contraction ⁠
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Yin and Yang ⁠
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This is everywhere in us, in nature, in our society, in our lives. (And in some contexts it feels really BIG right now). ⁠
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It helps me to remember these contrasts are opposing but complementary. That there are a thousand shades of grey, we all have our place in it, and everything is always changing (even if my mind or the media is trying to frame it another way). ⁠
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It always breaks my heart a little to say goodbye to summer, but the fall season reminds me of the beauty of change and transition. ⁠
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Of the power of letting go. ⁠
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Of not pushing back but learning to see the beauty in the good, the bad, and all of the elements that make us whole. ⁠
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This is a from , sharing an article I wrote about teaching (and practicing!) yoga in a way that considers where you & your students are at in your nervous system. Some ways to meet yourself (and your students if you’re a teacher) exactly as you are in any given moment 💛

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😎The nervous system is getting a lot of hype these days, both in the yoga community and in general. The world has experienced a whole new level of stress and anxiety since the global pandemic started, and most of us are still riding it out.
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🎢The ups and downs, the uncertainty, and trying to strategically plan for a bright future while the ground is being ripped out from under us have our circuits fried.
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🧘‍♀️One of the reasons that I teach yoga is because I want to help alleviate the burden of unnecessary stress in our world. I’m not here to position myself as an expert on anxiety, or to promise anyone that I know the answer. I’ve been riding out emotions and processing my own layers of experience for years now, and it’s life’s work.
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💕However, creating a growing level of understanding about how the nervous system works, and learning about what is happening inside my body has been a huge respite for me.
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👉 Learn about the nervous system, nervous system regulation, and how to use language and facilitate a practice that supports nervous system regulation in How to Use Yoga Cues to Help Balance the Nervous System by 🔥LINK IN BIO🔥
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Do you give yourself time out?

Time to come back to yourself?

1-5 minutes (or more) with little to no external stimulation?

A moment for your nervous system to reset without adding more activation?

Taking time to pause has been invaluable for me lately with so much information and energy all around...

What would happen if you take a few minutes to stop, drop, and rest? 💛

How does yoga help you reconnect to your source of personal power?

Yoga has been a healing practice for me on so many levels, which is why I'm passionate about sharing my experience and what I've learned with others who can benefit from this practice.

A yoga practice facilitates heightened awareness.

When it becomes clear how our suffering and challenges are linked to our own behavior and thinking; it's a natural and innate reaction to change harmful patterns and make more life-affirming choices.

Through practice, clarity and awareness, positive change is possible, regardless of where you're at right now.

This is a from , sharing an article I wrote for them. See the link in the comments to read it! 💛

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🧠 The nervous system is getting a lot of hype these days, both in the yoga community and in general. The world has experienced a whole new level of stress and anxiety 😖 since the global pandemic started, and most of us are still riding it out. The ups and downs, the uncertainty, and trying to strategically plan for a bright future while the ground is being ripped out from under us has our circuits fried.
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🙋‍♀️ One of the reasons that I teach yoga is because I want to help alleviate the burden of unnecessary stress in our world. I’m not here to position myself as an expert on anxiety, or to promise anyone that I know the answer. I’ve been riding out emotions and processing my own layers of experience for years now, and it’s life’s work. However, creating a growing level of understanding about how the nervous system works, and learning about what is happening inside my body has been a huge respite for me.
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🧘‍♀️ The ancient teachings of yoga passed down for thousands of years tell us that we are part of a holistic existence. That our mind, body, and spirit function as an integrated whole. We live in an exciting time where a growing body of research and scientific study shows how it all relates, bridging the gap between science and spirituality. I’ve known for years that yoga has the power to shift my perspective and my inner state, and recently, I’ve started to gain more of an understanding of HOW and WHY.
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👉 Read more in How to Use Yoga Cues to Help Balance the Nervous System by 🔥LINK IN BIO🔥
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👩‍🎨 Art by | ✍️ Edited by
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