Shieri Shelly Yamafuji

What do you think in each fleeting moment?

Your thoughts are seeds, reality they’ll grow.

We are not perfect,
And cannot always hold the light—
But when you’re caught in darker thoughts,
Shift your view, gently, over time,
Not all at once, but with quiet intention.

Small steps ripple into great waves,
Trust your inner compass,
And do not doubt the path you’re on.

✨Recenter & Release✨

10 Days of Daily Movement Rituals Challenge from tomorrow August 19th to 28th 🌟

Join me for 10 days of mindful movement, where we’ll stretch, breathe, and reset the body and mind. Each day will focus on a different part of the body, helping you release tension and find balance. These quick and powerful routines are perfect for anyone looking to ground themselves during busy times—especially during Mercury Retrograde. 🌙

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced mover, these 10-15minute daily rituals will help you reconnect with your body and release what no longer serves you.

Let’s flow together, restore balance, and feel renewed! 🌿

🔗 in Bio 🙏

“Terrified to tears each time,
Yet, the longing persists.
A ceaseless battle within.

Before I begin, I kick and scream,
Fearful, unwilling.
But the waves call, and I must answer.”

The second picture is ME before I start—freaking out and saying I don’t want to. 😂


#毎回いちからのスタート

“Impermanence is a principle of harmony. When we don’t struggle against it, we are in harmony with reality.”

– Pema Chödrön

Standing in front of this beautiful wall with its gentle transition from white to blue, I’m reminded of the natural flow of life. Just as colors blend seamlessly, so too do our experiences and moments. Embracing change allows us to find peace and balance in the ever-evolving journey. Let’s celebrate the beauty of impermanence and live each moment fully.

Join the Summer Cleansing: Living Yoga 5 Days YAMA Challenge from tomorrow! 🙌🏼🎉

Transform your practice and life by embracing the principles of the YAMAs. Over 5 days, we’ll explore:

Day 1️⃣ Ahimsa (Non-violence): Gentle movements and self-compassion.
Day 2️⃣ Satya (Truthfulness): Authenticity on and off the mat.
Day 3️⃣ Asteya (Non-stealing): Gratitude and abundance.
Day 4️⃣Brahmacharya (Moderation): Finding balance in all things.
Day 5️⃣Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness): Letting go and creating space.

Each day includes a dedicated yoga practice and a simple, thoughtful prompt to deepen your understanding and integration of these timeless teachings.

Subscribe my YouTube Channel now and start your journey towards a more mindful, balanced life this summer! ✨🌊

Energize Your Summer: Yoga & Pilates 5 Day Challenge July 8th to July 12th on YouTube + Reel 🎉☀️

Let’s build a body that can withstand the heat and travel fatigue! While summer vacations can be relaxing, it might be challenging to find time for self-care. Are you making time to quietly listen to your body’s needs and meditate?

Join me “Energize Your Summer: Yoga & Pilates 5 Day Challenge” to refresh and rejuvenate your body and mind. Each day, we’ll guide you through a series of yoga and Pilates routines designed to enhance your flexibility, strength, and overall well-being. Perfect for all fitness levels, this challenge will help you embrace the summer with renewed energy and vitality🙏

What to Expect:

Day 1️⃣: Energizing Flow – Kickstart your journey with a blend of invigorating yoga and Pilates moves.
Day 2️⃣: Core Strength – Focus on building a strong and stable core.
Day 3️⃣: Flexibility & Balance – Enhance your flexibility and improve your balance with targeted exercises.
Day 4️⃣: Full Body Workout – A comprehensive routine to tone and strengthen your entire body.
Day 5️⃣: Mind & Body Relaxation – Conclude your challenge with calming stretches and mindful breathing exercises.

Join me for this transformative summer journey ✨Let’s get moving and make this summer your healthiest yet! Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell so you don’t miss a single day of the challenge.🧘🏼‍♀️☀️🧘🏾

Link in Bio 🔗

Practicing yoga isn’t just about striking intense poses or stretching. When I first started, I focused on the physical aspect, striving to master even more challenging postures.

But my understanding of advanced yoga truly shifted when I delved into Krishnamacharya’s Yoga Therapy.

Even in my private sessions nowadays, though clients often come with specific goals like alleviating pain or strengthening certain areas, and aspiring to achieve particular poses, I’ve realized that while foundational basics are crucial, true focus ultimately lies in the deeper adjustments, in uncovering emotions unexpressed through movement and breath, and in drawing out untapped potentials that may have been suppressed.

I will start the ‘Strength & Softness for Better Balance 10-Day Challenge’ on my YouTube channel starting today!
We may move, but we also cultivate our routines. At the very least, this challenge will encourage you to pay attention to your body and mind, fostering mindfulness in your daily life.

“Yoga is the process of replacing old patterns with new, and more appropriate patterns” - T. Krishnamacharya

How’s the quality of your sleep?

It’s a question I consistently pose to my private clients. Did you know that your sleep quality directly impacts your energy levels?

Quality sleep is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. So, how can we improve it?

Here are some simple things you can start :

• Avoid screen time right before bedtime.
• Engage in gentle grounding movements.
• Practice simple breathing techniques.
• Keep a gratitude journal.

Feeling it’s challenging to do on your own?

Join my 7-day evening routine for a better sleep challenge starting from tomorrow, the full moon day. 🌝 Sign up for my mailing list, and you’ll receive a gratitude sheet.📝

For this challenge, watch my video at least an hour before bedtime, ensuring you steer clear of screen time right before sleep. After the practice, grab your journal or gratitude list sheet and pen. Write down what you’re grateful for. Let’s turn restlessness into restfulness and make it a habit!

I have decided to embrace a slower way of living. Taking the time to feel and dedicating sufficient time to various things. Avoiding a hectic schedule, having a sense of ease is where I’m headed this year.

How about you?

✨“New Year New Body” 10-Day Pilates Challenge ✨

I made a new challenge 🤭Transform your body and mind in just 10 days with my invigorating 15-20 minute Pilates videos! 💪✨

🔥 Get ready to sculpt, tone, and strengthen as I guide you through dynamic, and also therapeutic Pilates routines designed for all fitness levels. Whether you’re a beginner or a Pilates pro, these quick sessions are perfect to kickstart your pilates journey.

📅 Starting from Day 1 which will be tomorrow, each workout builds on the previous one, ensuring a progressive and effective challenge. Consistency is key, and we’re here to support you every step of the way! 👍

🎥 Subscribe to my YouTube channel for daily Pilates videos that you can easily follow from the comfort of your home. Let’s make this New Year the beginning of a healthier, stronger, and more energized you!

🚀 Join the challenge, share your progress, and connect with my community using . Together, let’s embrace the journey to a fitter, happier you! 💙

Are you ready? Let’s do this! 💫

I’ll post one before the year changes in Japan. 🇯🇵

How was the year 2023? What kind of feeling do you have about 2024? In the end, I caught the flu, there’s nothing left undone. 🙄😆

2023年はどんな年だったでしょうか？そして2024年はどんな年になりそうな予感がしてますか？私は最後の最後でインフルエンザにもかかり、やり残したことはありません。笑

良いお年を💕Happy New Year🎉✨

Welcome to the final day, Day 5, of our transformative 5-Day Niyama Challenge! Congratulations 🎉✨

Today, we explore Ishvarapranidhana, the practice of Surrender. In this session, we return to the basics with slow, breath-based movements to cultivate a sense of surrender and connection.

Your Assignments for Day 5:

Surrender Reflection:
During the practice, reflect on moments in your life where surrender led to growth. How can you apply the principle of surrender off the mat?

Gratitude Journaling:
After the session, take a moment to jot down three things you’re grateful for 2023. Embracing gratitude is a form of surrender to the positive aspects of life.

Intention Setting:
As we conclude the challenge, set an intention for how you can incorporate the essence of surrender into your daily life moving forward 2024. Express gratitude for the lessons learned during this Niyama Challenge journey.

In these slow, deliberate movements, find the beauty of surrender and the power it brings to your practice and life.

Subscribe for more yoga inspiration, and thank you for joining me on this Niyama Challenge journey! ✨💕

Day 4 of our 5-Day NIYAMA challenge brings us to Svadhyaya, the practice of self-study and self-reflection. Despite being under the weather with the flu and unable to move, I’m excited to guide you through this journey with my voice. Today, I’ll introduce the Ayur mantra, a chant dedicated to health.

Your Assignments for Day 4:

1. Ayur Mantra Chant: Join me in chanting the Ayur mantra. Feel the vibrations and set an intention for health and well-being.
2. Mindful Meditation: Close your eyes and listen to your breaths. Tune into your thoughts and emotions without judgment.
3. Creative Expression: Use any form of creative expression (drawing, writing, etc.) to represent your current state of health and your aspirations for well-being. Even in moments of stillness, there’s room for growth.

Embrace Svadhyaya, reflect on your inner self, and let’s continue this transformative journey. Subscribe for daily inspiration, and let’s conquer the NIYAMA challenge together! 🧘‍♀️🌿

Day 3 of our 5-Day NIYAMA challenge brings us to Tapas, which translates as a heat or self-discipline. In a humorous twist, I’m navigating this theme with an unexpected fever – talk about perfect timing! 🤣 No new videos today, but let’s turn this challenge into an opportunity for reflection and discipline.

Your Assignments for Day 3:

1. Video Selection: Choose 2 videos from my past content. Reflect on why you selected these particular ones and observe how you feel while practicing them.
2. Mindful Breathing: Practice deep and intentional breathing for 5 minutes. Channel the discipline to stay present and focused.
3. Gratitude Practice: Despite any challenges, list three things you’re grateful for today.

Tap into the fire of self-discipline, find strength in unexpected moments, and let’s continue this transformative journey together. Subscribe for daily inspiration, and let’s conquer the NIYAMA challenge! 🧘‍♂️🔥

Welcome to Day 2 of our transformative 5-Day NIYAMA challenge! Today, we immerse ourselves in Santosha, the practice of contentment. Join me for a deeply soothing session that centers on very gentle chest and heart-opening stretches. Each movement is slow and mindful, allowing you to connect with your breath and cultivate a sense of inner peace.

Day 2 Assignments:

1. Santosha Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on moments of contentment in your life, both on and off the mat.
2. Gratitude Journaling: Grab your journal and jot down three things you’re grateful for today.
3. Mindful Breathing: Practice slow and intentional breathing, focusing on the present moment.

As we wind down, I’ll share the intention for today: ‘I am grateful for what I have; I have everything.’ Let’s cultivate contentment together on this journey of self-discovery and mindfulness. Subscribe for daily inspiration, and let’s continue to embrace the NIYAMA challenge! 🧘‍♀️✨

”

Welcome to Day 1 of our 5-day NIYAMA challenge! ✨

Today, immerse yourself in the essence of “Sauca” (Saucha), focusing on cleanliness. Join me in a simple sequence targeting core strength, Gentle twist movements, pranayama, Conclude with meditation of your choice.

Your assignments for today 📝

1. Reflection: Contemplate what ‘cleanliness’ means to you on and off the mat.
2. Action: Clean your room or desk whenever you think it’s a mess. Also, drink more water than usual.
3. Journaling: Jot down three things you’re grateful for after practice.

🎥Subscribe for daily inspiration and holistic well-being. Ready to embark on this transformative yoga journey together?

”

How can you spend your time in the rest of 2023? Do you want to just wait for the new year? Or do you want to get prepared? Or do you want to take action to change things from where you are to where you want to be?

Join the 5-Day Niyama Challenge starting tomorrow! 🌟 I’ve been doing this since last year, and I’m excited to continue the tradition with a new twist – this year, I’m sharing the challenge on my YouTube channel!

Niyama is the second limb of the Eight Limbs of Yoga, as outlined by the sage Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. The Eight Limbs provide a comprehensive guide for living a meaningful and purposeful life. Niyama consists of five ethical principles or observances that guide personal conduct and inner discipline. These principles are meant to be followed for self-purification and the development of a positive and harmonious lifestyle.

I’ll be giving you bite-sized assignments each day, so give it a try whenever you can! It’s all free, check it out my YouTube channel 🎥📝 Get ready for lots of fun content coming your way next year! 🌈 Let’s embrace the Niyama journey together! 💫Link in Bio🩷

Let your spirit shine as brightly as holiday lights, spreading warmth and joy to all around you.

Happy Holidays..:+*🔮

I am currently in a very quiet moment. Until a few days ago, I was busy doing various things, but I started to feel a bit overwhelmed. During those times, I meditated several times a day. There are moments when emotions seem to get caught up in the intense flow of the world, but practices like yoga and Pilates, taking time to connect with my body, always bring me back to peace within myself.

Today was the mid-term day for teacher training. Even though I was in the position to give feedback, I learned a lot. I truly felt that everyone is amazing.

It was a day that made me reflect on how to spend the remaining days of 2023 and how to face myself.

Embarking on a decade-long odyssey in sword fighting and film action training, I set out to conquer my ego, negativity, and weakness. Unexpectedly, the treasures of this journey extend beyond strength—revealing the profound significance of compassion and teamwork.

In my pursuit of embodying strength, I uncovered the exquisite beauty of vulnerability. Whether guiding yoga or performing on stage or camera, my unfolding journey gracefully navigates the intricate dance between resilience and authenticity.

I just want to thank everyone who supports me always 🙏❤️✨⚔️


🤣

“World peace must develop from inner peace. Peace is not just mere absence of violence. Peace is, I think, the manifestation of human compassion.” - Dalai Lama

As a yoga practitioner, I wholeheartedly believe in the power of inner peace and compassion. Yoga is a journey to cultivate that inner harmony and understanding.

Let’s remember that true peace starts within ourselves, and it ripples out into the world. When we find compassion within, we’re better equipped to share it with others.

Take a moment to breathe deeply, nurturing your inner peace and let it radiate outwards, contributing to a more peaceful world.

Ireland Trip 🇮🇪 ✨

I was able to attend the wedding of my dear friend Lanetta, with whom I studied 500hours Yoga Teacher Training.

Thank you for inviting me🥰 I was so happy that I set out on a journey alone… ✈️ I met many people, had various conversations, and drank a lot of Irish beer 🍻🤣

Yoga is about relationships 🫶🏼

Happy Fall Equinox🍁🪵

Do you know / practice prāṇāyāma, which translates to breathing techniques? (Prāna: Life force, Life energy, āyāma: to extend, stretch.. )
Honestly, I didn’t enjoy prāṇāyāma when I first started practicing yoga. It made me feel anxious. Perhaps I was simply afraid of changing my pattern or venturing into the unknown. I might have already sensed its deep power. Obviously it is.

Meditation is particularly beneficial this season, a time ripe with “Transition” and “Change”. And prāṇāyāma is also amazing preparation for meditation.

Having taught prāṇāyāma portion in today’s Teacher Training, I’m eager to share a quote by Desikachar on the subject.

“The breath relates directly to the mind and to our prāṇa, but we should not therefore imagine that as we inhale, prāṇa simply flows into us. This is not the case. Prāṇa enters the body in the moment when there is a positive change in the mind.”

🍂🍂🍂

During my 500-hour yoga teacher training, I knew I wanted to dive into yoga therapy training. Since then, I’ve been deep into studying Krishnamacharya TKV Desikachar’s lineage of yoga therapy training, all virtual from India. I worked on so many case studies and got to help people with all kinds of body challenges.

But life threw its challenges at me between the end of 2020 and early 2022. I had to step back from my training and take a moment to breathe. Letting go of my passion was very difficult, especially when continuing felt so overwhelming amidst my circumstances. But I had no other choice…

Today, in the heart of NY, I finally met my therapy training teacher/mentor in person for the first time. Words can’t capture the emotion. Immensely grateful for our face-to-face reunion and for the beautiful souls I’ve connected with through her and this amazing lineage.

Sometimes life makes us choose paths that feel off. But in the end, all the dots connect, revealing why things had to happen the way they did.

Told her straight from my heart:
“I want to keep studying. I want to learn from you more. I want to be back in India and meet you there.”

She just smiled, gave me a big hug, and said, “Hold onto that intention. It’ll come true”

I’ve journeyed back to my origins, reflecting deeply on the purpose that drives my actions today.

Happy July 🏝️🎉🦄

Exciting Collaboration 🧘🏻‍♀️🌊🧘🏼‍♀️
July 16th Sunday 10-11:15am
Pilates + Vinyasa + Meditation
with Polina .alliswithin and Shieri

📍Rockaway Beach
We will meet up at Locals Collective Cafe around 9:45am. Take A train, and get off Beach 67th street station.

🏝️Bring your own mat or towel
🏝️Water
🏝️Small towel for savāsana (Optional)
🏝️Sunscreen

🏝️$20 Cash or Venmo
Please RSVP from the link in Bio🙏🏼

Hope to see you there 🩵🩴🌊✨

Happy June 🎉

I’m thrilled to announce about next 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training at Dou 🙏🏼

Our teacher training will be back this fall From September until January, you can take part in this empowering and fulfilling yoga teacher program, led by wonderful team Yuuki, Kate and Me.. also amazing guest teachers. I’m so honored to organize this training and be part of the team again.

You will learn the foundations of physical anatomy, yoga philosophy, fundamentals of teaching, as well as mental and emotional awareness and more… We have the best, earliest bird pricing until June 15th - more info is on my link in bio.

“By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you've achieved - and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses - you actually can enhance everything about you. Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.” - Jack Canfield

🫶🏻🫶🏽🫶🏿

“I release fear, and I embrace joy”

It’s my intention for this week.

One of my student shared with me something interesting yesterday.

“Before I come here I was angry about something.. And you shared your intention in the class… “I release fear.. “, and I suddenly realized that I wasn’t “angry”, actually I was “afraid” of something…” he said.

I’m glad that he enjoyed the practice. There are always great energy & clarity exchange… I am super grateful for that.

If you want to create the life of your dreams, then you are going to have to take 100% responsibility for your life as well.

Don’t worry about failures, worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.

-Jack Canfield

✨✨✨

ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् पूर्णात् पूर्णमुदच्यते |
पूर्णस्य पूर्णमादाय पूर्णमेवावशिष्यते ||
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ||

oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidam pūrṇāt pūrṇamudacyate .
pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate .
oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ

That is complete and this is complete.
From that completeness come this completeness. If we take away this completeness from that completeness, Only completeness remains.

Let there be Peace, Peace, Peace.

Hello November🍁🌾

“I let go of the things I can’t control, I am aligned with universe.”