[Posted to Huffington Post Living, 13 March 2011] It took me thirteen years of teaching asana, and over seventeen years of practicing it, to finally take a seat for meditation. Until recently, if I managed to sit down to meditate, I felt the irresistible magnetism of the dishes, the inbox, laundry, and the cabinet to [...]
Recently received some genius bodywork from Zach Dacuk. He offers subtle fascial pathway work that makes my skin light up as though I’ve just taken 1000mg of flush niacin. He and I were catching up on all kinds of recent events that are making us feel alive, from business expansions to the delicious [...]
[Posted in Huffington Post Living, 10 December 2010] Allow me to preface this post: my intent here is to begin a dialogue. After receiving much-appreciated feedback on the first draft of this piece from trusted colleagues, it’s clear that this is an important distinction, and that I may not please everyone with my articulation. I [...]
[Posted to Huffington Post Living, 13 October 2010] There were two working titles for this piece: “Authoring Your Life” and “Raising Your Vibration.” I chose “authoring” because it’s a bit more accessible (and because it took me over 10 years to stop cringing when I heard the word “vibration” mentioned with regards to my energy or [...]
The Reality of Being is a newly released book of writings and talks of Madame Jeanne DeSalzmann, who was called upon to continue the teachings of the Work after Gurdjieff’s death. I’ll be quoting from this book for years to come. One bit [that I’ve been sharing with a number of my classes recently] hits [...]
At several points in my life, I’ve told myself a damaging lie: “As soon as I can be purified, cleared, cleansed of this or that thought, emotion, experience, or meal, I’ll be fine.” I’ve missed so many day-to-day riches in the name of that impending “purer” or “cleaner” moment. For years I was destroying myself [...]
First day I was satisfied with my parenting was a week ago, which is notable only because my child is almost 4, and I’ve been way too hard on myself for a long time. I’m currently doing some intense work with The Handel Group, with whom I’m mapping out my past, choices, secrets, exaggerations and lies. As [...]
Lately I’ve noticed that what we do is not nearly as important as our state while we’re doing it. And what we say is not nearly as important as our state while we’re saying it. Your state is your position, your situation, your status, your circumstances. Consider someone saying something when it’s decidedly not what they [...]
“my work… is mostly rejoicing… since all the ingredients are here… gratitude, to be given and mind and heart and these body-clothes…” from “The Messenger” by Mary Oliver In the past few weeks I’ve been tasked to authentically articulate my understanding of yoga with a camera rolling. Many of my peers are doing this; online [...]
I am grateful to you, Elena, for the invitation to breathe, love and move through life with intention and integrity. I’ve never before been so in love with my life and my body – both the light and the shadow.—