- May 18, 2023
Bringing Back The Home Practice
I have been practicing yoga for over 25 years (teaching for over 18 years) and I have seen the trends come and go. When I was in my early 20s, my first yoga class was in a loud and chilly community recreation centre. It wasn’t very zen-like, but something about the practice had me intrigued. I continued to deepen my knowledge of yoga in small yoga studios. There weren’t many to choose from. This was well before the “big box” type of studio. Usually, you worked closely with one teacher and attended a small class once per week. The trajectory …
- April 30, 2023
Saying Goodbye To Our Sunny Studio
Hello all, although this is difficult to share, I expect that it will not be a surprise. As you know, last year I decided that it was time for me to close the studio portion of Creating Space. After 15 years and then finally getting through the difficult and exhausting pandemic years, I knew it was time for me to step away from the responsibility of running the physical studio space. My personal life was shifting and it was time for me to create more space in my personal day-to-day to let the next ideas come to life. Last …
- August 24, 2022
“Feldenkrais” What Is It?
A few years ago, a fellow yoga teacher asked me if I’d like to come along and try something new – a Feldenkrais class. I’d never heard of it before. I went along, and the class was a little different than anything I’d ever done, with unusual movements, but all done gradually, gently and quietly. And at the end of the class, I felt so different—invigorated and delighted. I walked out of there standing taller and more relaxed, feeling great. That was about 10 years ago, and I’ve continued to study this movement system as a student; then, two years …
November 3, 2021S.T.O.P
In the past few weeks in our Thursday evening Yoga & Mindfulness class, we have been exploring the STOP practice. It is a powerful, yet surprisingly simple strategy to help you feel more focused, alert, relaxed, and more grounded in the moment. Simply put, it’s a four-step mental checklist to use anytime you want to slow down and reconnect with your creativity and calm, or to deepen your insight into whatever is going on. The whole idea behind it is that by taking a very brief break—even less than one minute—you can determine the very best action to take at the moment. …
September 3, 20215 Ways To Reduce Worrying
Schedule “worry time” on your calendar…it may sound strange to create time in your day to worry. But if you become disciplined with this practice, you can give your worries a space to be. Then just like putting down the glass of water, once your worry time is up, you move on with the rest of your day. When inevitably, those worried thoughts re-emerge later in the day, you can confidently not allow your mind to go there. You have set aside time for worry and you can go there later. Practice meditation… meditation isn’t about pushing worries away, clearing …
August 3, 2021Book Nook
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: One Year of Seasonal Eating, by Barbara Kingsolver I love this book (just as I love most of Barbara Kingsolver’s books). I love the commitment that she and her family made to a year of seasonal eating. If you are interested in homesteading, growing your own food, cooking, and eating; she will inspire you just as she did to me. (I’ve read this a few times!!) The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, by Peter Wohlleben I think anyone who loves and spends time in nature knows that trees communicate. I loved learning …
August 3, 2021The Healing Nature of Trees
Japanese “forest bathing” is the science of nature to heal yourself, wherever you are. Science and research have finally proven something that mankind has known innately for centuries, that trees and nature have healing powers. It has been discovered that trees release antimicrobial essential oils, called phytoncides. These phytoncides protect the trees from germs and have a host of health benefits for people. The oils boost mood and immune system function; reduce blood pressure, heart rate, stress, anxiety, and confusion; improve sleep and creativity, and may even help fight cancer and depression. I think most of us that spend any amount of …
June 14, 2021The Importance of Emotional Endurance
We all know the importance of physical fitness and how it impacts our health. During the pandemic, most of us valued the importance of getting outside for simple walks and staying active. When we are physically fit, we enjoy the ability to live, move and play with a level of freedom and endurance that feeds both the body and the mind. This year we also saw an increase dialogue around mental health and we were encouraged to reach out and ask for help when needed. When we are mentally fit, we are able to be in touch with ourselves, …
May 11, 2021Are You Languishing?
I usually greet each of the students as they log into our zoom classes in the morning with the familiar greeting, “How are you?”. What has been interesting over the course of this past year, is that it seems we are becoming more honest or revealing with our answers to this common greeting. Most days, one of my students will reply “meh” to that question. Meaning, “I’m alright. I’m not great, but I am here, and for that I am fortunate.” Recently, I came across an interesting article in the NY Times and it has been circling around on social media the …
May 5, 2021How To Inspire Creativity
Do you consider yourself a creative being? Or do you believe that you don’t have a creative bone in your body? Regardless of how you answer the questions above, every one of us requires creativity to exist in our daily lives. (Some just live with a little flair more than others.) 😉 As students of mindfulness, we learn to lean into many of the same qualities that enhance a creative process in our daily lives. Skills that generally support creativity are the ability to observe, intentionally acting with awareness and undivided attention, the ability to describe and relay ideas …
