Stephanie Spence's Blog, page 7

authenticityasana

YogaWisdomOfTheDay ~ authenticityasana = Use yoga to gain self-awareness by exploring your internal landscape. As you do, feel gratitude for all that is uniquely you. You are enough. You are perfect as is. #love #smile #yogajourney #yogalove #yogalife #yogainspiration #yogaislife #yogajournal #yogadaily #yogaasana #yogafam #yogagram #yogaaddict #yogisofinstagram #myyogalife #author #yogagirlsdaily #YogaWisdom #goals #lifegoals #quotes #inspiration #motivation

Go OM Yourself

After nine years of practicing yoga, Lynn McClintock decided to go “thug” and get her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Certification. She became passionate about the eight limbs of yoga and the chakras. One lovely day, she was putting together a sequence that focused around the throat chakra. On a whim, she decided to seek out different mudras that would stimulate the chakra center to give the flow a little flavor. At the time, she had no idea that the mudras themselves are a vast and powerful discipline under the yogic umbrella of philosophies. Lynn was instantly fascinated by their beauty and metaphysical capabilities. She began playing around with her favorites and decided she was a “total mudra gangster.” She threw down her mudra affiliation in her yoga practice, around the house, and sometimes behind the wheel (sending out the love OG style). Before long, she was inspired by the medicinal uses of the mudra by the Hindus, and the meditative approaches of the Buddhists. Lynn knew she needed to share her new-found mudra practice in a bigger way...but wasn't sure how. Aside from yoga, Lynn also has a passion for style and shopping. She keeps a casual yet edgy look. Anything rock and roll, or against the grain blows her skirt up. So, remaining true to her thug-like style parameters became almost impossible when I decided she wanted to identify herself as part of the yoga culture. The struggle was real. The yoga-inspired t-shirt market had failed to appeal to her. She had a love of the incantation of OM and respected the symbol, but needed a little more edge served with her OM symbol. And while dream catchers and breezy inspirations are great, they lacked the grit that identifies her. She continued to search for just one shirt that would brand her as a seeker, a yogi...a real practitioner of wellness. She wanted to identify, to be a part of, but her efforts came with no avail. One night in the wee hours, she attempted yet another Google search for the perfect yoga graphic tee that spoke to her. But once again, it turned out to be a time suck. It seemed like all that was out there were different variations of the same OM-symbolled shirt. Lynn was over it, and with much frustration she slammed her laptop shut and muttered, "Go Om Yourself!" The rest is history... or HERstory... Today the Go OM Yourself brand is a high-vibe line, inspired by the beauty of the mudras and modern street style. Go OM Yourself is for seekers, as we have zero answers and cannot solicit how to find your Zen…or what to do with it. Her goal for the line is to marry smart individuality and style with wellness, strength and serenity. It’s today’s answer to Zen wear for anyone who likes a little street cred’ with her spiritual insignia. The overall purpose of the line is to promote a lifestyle that overflows with the spiritual essentials of wellness, strength, and serenity... while the concepts of joy, bold originality and style merrily color that life. McClintock is slowly rocking and rolling her way into the yogi market, making new friends and having a blast. After meeting Lynn at the Yoga Expo in LA, we connected to talk about the business side of her yoga journey! SS: Tell me about the side of bringing something like this out into the world. Lynn: “For me creating the line was possible only if I could be accountable for every step process. It’s important that my customers are able to feel good about their purchase and wear our shirts knowing they were made with the planet and humanity in mind. When I started Go OM Yourself, working with a US-based manufacturer was important, but finding one that also embraces the same values as the brand was imperative. Keeping it local was a major added bonus…100% of the designing, cutting, dyeing and silk screening is done right here in California, in a sweat-shop free and Platinum WRAP certified factory. As a small business, I can honestly exhale, and feel good about doing the absolute maximum to minimize our ecological footprint. All production is eco conscious. In the manufacturing process, focus is on energy, water and waste reduction. The factory uses special dye machines which saves over 24 million gallons of water a week, and the facility itself produces almost zero landfill. Even our silk-screening is done with water-based ink, so no there is no possibility of toxic runoff. The only exception here is with our direct to garment “Find The OM” shirt, which I’ve discontinued for now. Yes, responsibility is that important! Here’s the thing, we are not just selling t-shirts. Of course, when I decided to do this, the aim was to create the coolest stuff ever! But it also had to offer deeper value than just having a nice shape and a cool design. And being accountable for our manufacturing is a natural part of the whole. The brand purpose is where my passion is anchored…it’s the heart of what I am trying to do. So yes, where eco-consciousness and responsible manufacturing will always be part of our brand mission. The other BIG piece of my mission is to share how empowering it can be to re-direct energy in the subtle body using the mudras, and to illustrate the eight limbs of yoga as a way of life. I am mystified and fascinated by the mudras. And well, the sutras within eight limbs are thousands of years old and have never been modified…that just blows me away! SS: Can you give me a little background into your method? Lynn: I have a devout respect for the Hindu and Buddhist theologies, which is where the eight limbs of yoga were birthed. These observances and restraints are so simple, yet mind blowing. I know nothing, but feel like the world could be a better place, with much happier, more reasonable folks in it, if more knew about the “sutras” of yoga and not just the “asana” part of it (the poses). SS: We have that as a shared passion. My dharma goes way beyond the poses. It is to educate and inspire. My book is not about how to do yoga poses, on purpose. Yoga is a body, mind and spirit practice. I love when you shared with me your thoughts about how this relates to your brand. Lynn: “Yes, as you know the Yamas (social restraints) and Niyamas (self-discipline) are the first and second limbs of the yoga sutras. Both limbs contain ethical human codes that dictate how one acts toward one’s self, as well as toward all living things (like the planet). It is there, within the Yamas and Niyamas, where the Go OM Yourself purpose and work ethic lives. Deep right? But not really… I just feel like we all have a purpose and the easiest way to find that purpose is to refer to these simple columns of truth. I encourage all my friends and customers to read up on the eight limbs. It’s so cool and makes so much sense. I mean, seriously…the world has so many unhappy, discontent souls in it searching for a bigger meaning of their existence. For me, finding the sutras was where I found my center. I’m not saying that I have found the meaning of life, dang…I wish. I am still a seeker, who has simply found purpose. We all have to continue seeking, truth and wonder every second. As it makes each day new and fascinating for our rock and roll yogi souls. Do I feel like the clothes we wear have a deeper meaning than what is visually apparent? Absolutely! What folks select to put on their bodies, if they are lucky enough to have a choice, is a direct relation to how they see themselves, and how they want to be seen by others. It is also a representation of what gets that electrical synapse within their cells clicking and popping…think of it like this. If you are looking at a painting and its colors aren’t appealing to you, the stroke work is meaningless to you, and you feel nothing from the piece but to move on to the next. The electrical charges in your cells were definitely not “going off.” But what if the next painting you walked up to has a GORGEOUS shade of blue that takes your breath away. Maybe the paint strokes of this one carried your eyes into the painting, to where you feel something…something more than just moving on to the next piece. In this place, your cells aretransferring those yummy delicious neurotransmitters from one cell to another, and it’s making you feel good. So good. My thinking is the same thing happens cellularly with prayer/meditation, music, laughter, love…all of it. It’s magic and science totally making out. That electrical charge…truly magic. Ooops, my mind has just blown…again. So yes, folks speak their truth, through the clothes they wear, whether they realize it or not. It’s like one day I’ll pull out a Motorhead shirt, because that roaring Lemmy vibe is channeling through me. But on the next day, I may be feeling softer, and my Fleetwood Mac shirt is what gets my gypsy vibes in check. So, yes! I definitely believe there is an intention or some organic process, behind each and every ensemble. That, or just a little cellular bumping and grinding happening. It has been such a fun few months putting together Go OM Yourself, and I feel like the next five years will be telling for the brand. I hope to have had some growth by then, maybe I’ll have my own store in Malibu, or a really amazing little store set up in Tulum. I don’t see Go Om Yourself being sold in major retail chains…it would be too easy to lose our purpose. But some wholesale accounts with a few like-minded shops would be awesome. For now, I think we have a good start. I really love having my pop-up, and truly enjoy meeting the people who purchase my shirts. Every person who comes into my pop-up seems like an old friend. It’s weird…but it feels right.” Go OM Yourself tees can be purchased online at www.goomyourself.comand through my store on Etsy. You can also find me at Los Angeles area markets, like the Melrose Trading Post on Sundays in the Fairfax/Hollywood area, or at the Abbot Kinney Artists and Fleas Market in Venice. If you see me, come say hi! I am also trying to work out details to have my pop-up at the Rose Bowl, watch my Insta feed for updates on that front. The first convention/expo show I did was just a few weeks ago at the Yoga Expo. I loved the energy of the space and left anxious for more yoga-centered events. So, I am really looking forward to Shakti Fest in Joshua Tree this May. Four days and nights in the desert camping under the stars…it’s going to be dreamy! Namaste Stephanie

I’m moving

Every great dream begins with a dreamer

Thanks for the great ride. Over the last twelve years we’ve come together here to share all things yoga. This blog was originally started at the prompting of my then college professor. After returning to college in my late 40’s I’m proud to say I graduated Magna Cum Laude at 50. Don’t let me fool you, re-inventing yourself at 50 is tough. But so are you. You’re stronger than you think.

After recalibrating my life, I dedicated myself to inspiring and empowering others. I achieved a lifelong dream of becoming a published author. My book, “Yoga Wisdom: Warrior Tales Inspiring You On And Off Your Mat” was born out of a 4,000 mile Yoga Road Trip I chronicled here on this blog; turning it into a video blog (vlog) for a short period of time.

As with all great goals, things evolve and grow. I’m now proud to say I’m moving this website to my new home: stephaniespence.com. It’s clear from the response of my book that I need to give you, my dear subscribers, more! I’ve been blown away at the response from my book. Thank You. I’m touched and honored by the outpouring of love and support. Following are a couple of the notes and reviews I’ve received as of today January 21, 2019:

‘Warrior Tales Inspiring You On and Off Your Mat’ is written on the hard cover and that’s exactly what it does. Stephanie Spence grabs your hand and takes you with her on her yoga road trip sharing her Warrior Tale. When I was reading her story it almost felt as if I was there with her in the background, a silent observer.

The book is split into 11 chapters. Each chapter begins with Stephanie sharing her story which then flows into short stories of other yoga teachers. Underneath the text of each teacher you will find a note from Stephanie. At the end of each chapter Stephanie shares her Warrior Wisdom with you, advice that helped her and is for you to take or leave. At the back of the book you can find information about each contributor.

Every story shares how the teacher started to follow yoga, what yoga taught them, their hardships, and sometimes their advice for you. If you think you are alone in the world going through an extremely hard time, think again. If you think or believe you can’t do anything about the situation you are in, think again. This book will show you you aren’t alone and shows how yoga has helped so many, the only thing you need to do is take action (wether that has to do with yoga or not is up to you) and if you bought this book, then that’s one step you took. Well done you!

I recommend this book because it’s a beautiful selection of stories from all kinds of people with Stephanie’s story as the main thread through the book. She has written down many yoga stories, you are bound to find one that resonates with you. Many made me laugh, many made me think, some didn’t resonate with me and others did, and a few stories made me shed some tears just because of what some of these shining lights have gone through in life and are now sharing their story, sharing who they have become through yoga, and are telling you that you can do the same. It’s not a book I’d pick up and read through in one go but a book I keep picking up now and again to read a few stories. Some of my favourite teachers in the book are Cindy Lusk, Jacoby Ballard, Melody Moore, Kelly Larson, Nikki Myers, Pete Guinosso, Tymi Howard, Eleonora Zampatti, and of course Stephanie Spence.

If I am nitpicking there are two changes I would make in the book. The first is that I would add in every teacher’s story (maybe underneath their name) their location, the country would be enough. At the back of the book you can sometimes find that information, sometimes not. I would have found it helpful to know straight away if that person is teaching closeby or not, especially if something inside me is telling me to contact this person. Of course, this might be me being absolutely lazy since there is information in the back and you can easily look for Google the person on the internet and hey this might have been done on purpose to get your ass into gear! The second thing that sometimes threw me was that Stephanie’s notes underneath the text of a teacher sometimes introduced the next teacher. This is just a visual thing, sometimes I thought I was reading about the person I just read about just because her note is underneath that text. Other than that it’s a gem in the world of yoga books.

It seems wrong not to share a few sentences so here you go. Stephanie writes: ‘Change is hard, but I was stronger than I knew. So are you. There’s an incredible moment when you realize that growth might be easier than you think’ (page 52). ‘The practice of yoga is not about adding anything. It’s about diminishing and perhaps removing obstacles, limiting thoughts, dis-ease, or behaviors that are a result of patterns that are holding you back from your authentic real self (page 177). Healthy, balanced, and positive things are in my life because of my relationship to yoga. I yearn for you to share in the wisdom and love. I trust and hope you will’ (page 204).

I trust and hope you will too.

Blessed Be Xx

Ingrid, New Zealand 

“So much wisdom in this book! Whether you’re a yoga student, teacher or someone seeking to make a change in your life, this book is for you. It is captivating, drawing you in from the first chapter, and keeping you seeking more. Stephanie shares with you her yoga journey on and off the mat which includes traveling (a good majority of the time alone in a motor home!), going from rags to riches, being married with two kids to divorced and all the challenges in between including dating and meeting her life partner. She interviews guru teachers from her travels that she sought out and practiced with, those interviews give us all “nuggets” to contemplate and share as does she. As a long time yoga practitioner and teacher, I highly recommend reading this book. You’ll be earmarking pages and highlighting quotes to come back to just like I did.” – Heidi Borsch, Yoga Teacher 

“This book definitely explores facets of wisdom gained from the practice of yoga. Yet it’s also a book about life at its core. It’s a very real and raw look at Stephanie’s journey towards healing and the power of the human spirit. Very touching and inspiring material.” – CEC

“I simply loved this book! Stephanie’s story is compelling. And I just loved meeting all the people she met along the way who helped her on her healing journey. I have been away from my own yoga practice since March 2017. After reading this book, I know it is time for me to get back on my mat and recommit myself to my practice. Even if you’ve never been to a yoga class (yet) this book is a must-read for anyone who is on a healing journey. Thank you, Stephanie, for your bravery and for telling your story so eloquently.

This book is a beautifully written tale of healing and perseverance. Not to be missed!” Tamerie 

“A Cornucopia of yogic wisdom.I will be incorporating these vignettes of wisdom in my teachings

” – Mary Yuter, Yoga Teacher 

“I found the wisdom and experiences related in this book to be among the most encouraging and hopeful influences I’ve ever had on my practice. Anyone who has tried yoga knows the importance of developing a community of trust and sharing in which you can experience both teachers’ and students’ love of this way of life, giving and gaining wisdom through them. And if you haven’t tried yoga, this book is a wonderful way to see what a yoga community can accomplish. Stephanie, through her desire to learn and enrich her and others’ practices—and with the help of a trusty RV—managed to expand her yoga community to the size of a continent and beyond. The combined wisdom of that wonderfully diverse group of people is offered here in beautiful detail. Over a hundred yoga teachers, each having learned something unique and beautiful from their yoga journey, share their thoughts on what yoga has meant to them and offer wisdom for all those seeking new inspiration; the advice ranges from the broadly spiritual to the practical and physical. You can use it to examine the big questions, like asking what kind of person you want to become, or small ones, like just how to get through the next five minutes. Stephanie ties them all together with her own experiences, explaining how she’s been able to apply each bit of wisdom to her own life. If anyone ever questioned the healing power of yoga, they have but to read Stephanie’s journey—its terrible lows boggled my mind and its new highs reinforced my hope—to see all the multifaceted good that yoga can do for a person. It also makes for a great once-a-day read; just five or ten minutes gets you through a new teacher’s wonderful contribution, something to carry with you through the day and keep you inspired, ready to live your practice in novel ways that will enrich your life and those around you. Can’t recommend enough.” – Walker McKnight, Writer and Screenwriter 

“Awesome even if you don’t do yoga. This is a gorgeous book filled with wisdom and guidance and most importantly, support. No matter what you’re going through in life, you’ll find at least one yogi who’s been there, done that, and can speak to your challenge. Most importantly, you get the sense that you don’t have to be alone–go to a yoga studio and find your tribe. Stephanie’s story, that weaves throughout, is so inspiring. I suggest getting the hardcover–it’s really a great coffee table book!” – Tina 

“A terrific tapestry of tales…this book offers new insights into the power of yoga—actually defining yoga in many relevant ways through the stories shared. It’s clearly not all about athletic poses and yoga pants. Yoga Wisdom is a must-read — whether you are new at yoga, an experienced veteran or someone simply traveling through life in search of healing, wholeness and peace. And who isn’t searching for that kind of bliss?” Jane Brust 

“This book drew me in and I didn’t want to leave! Life can throw some curve balls but I love the journey she took to healing and all the wisdom learned along the way!I am so inspired by Stephanie’s story” Nicole Roland

“Brave and inspiring! Stephanie was brave in her personal journey and even more so to share it with the world. She is an amazing teacher of resilience while also being a great student of yoga. The interlacing of other yoga warrior insights brings the reader to understand that life happens, yet there is refuge to be sought if you are willing to go within, on and off the mat. Definitely inspired me to return to my mat! Thank you Stephanie!” – Charlee

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“I love your book…………has taught me so much, afforded me more self-love as I am at a cross roads and it was so timely and offered me hope and inspiration!!!! From Facebook 

“Up at 3:33am this morning in Orlando, Florida after being away for almost 6 weeks. Between teaching in China & Christmas in Seattle, my body clock is a bit confused. Although it seems that no matter where I am in the world for me, 3:30am is my magical waking hour. I love these quiet hours before anyone gets up, (even the sun) to pray, meditate, read, roll on the lacrosse ball, stretch, and get busy work done so I can be present with my husband. On this magical morning I was excited (and nervous) to find that Stephanie Spence had sent a hard copy of her book, “Yoga Wisdom, Warrior Tales Inspiring You On and Off Your Mat”… Why was I nervous? When Stephanie asked me to be included I honestly thought, “Why me? Who am I?” As I flipped through the pages reading her own heroic story interwoven among the stories of so many teachers, peers, friends and mentors, I cried. It began with the internal tremble, wave of heat, and like a perfect storm of sorts, it erupted with tears of humility, gratitude, love, joy and inspiration!! Sh*t I’m crying now, writing this post! I actually began the heavy reflecting on 2018 back in October while in Bali, and Stephanie’s book came at the perfect time. I am currently at the crossroads of some major life decisions. (Hell, aren’t we all) and because of certain personality traits that I am fully aware of these decisions become even more challenging. I am my own worst critic. I am extremely competitive & demanding with mySelf and my body. I hold the weight of people’s happiness on my shoulders, even though I know it’s NOT my JOB. I choose silence over confrontation, even when it’s malicious and shrouded in darkness and ignorance. Unfortunately this withheld energy usually manifests in my body. I am fully aware and witness to all of it. I am currently sitting in that moment of pause between inhalation and exhalation where my humanness resides… that moment of choice. Thank you Stephanie, for providing this gift in the perfect moment.”- Tymi Howard

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I wish to extend the same heartfelt gratitude to you for reaching out and asking me to participate in the project. I ordered the book with no expectations and was blown away, humbled, and honored to have my story included alongside those of such luminaries as my teachers and my teachers’ teachers. Wow! Personally though, the most profound insights came from teachers I had never heard of before and am now touched by. I showed my mother the book with the hopes of opening an honest dialogue about my past, but it served to be too painful for her. At least the seeds are planted and maybe we can talk somewhere down the road. 

Thank you. I wish you continued self-care, love, ease, and success!

Best,

Ananda Tinio

“While reading “Yoga Wisdom” by @stephanieyogini, there is a section from  Seane Corn where she is processing the morphing of creative expression in yoga and how it expands and contracts, only to then ask herself if the role of yoga in the modern world is going to get diluted and become a parody of itself in the future. She reminds herself that yoga “has been around for thousands of years, and I’m only a small part of its pathway.” My thought as reading this was of being in the ocean and my hands up, fingers spreadm, pressing into each small wave as it passes, as if I somehow could stop such a powerful force while the water rushes by, pressing my entire body backward. 

Yoga is that oceanic force. Spiritual readings are that force. I’m not talking about religion, I’m talking about lessons of the soul. The words that connect you to the earth, to the universe, to the stardust that we are. If we want to have conversations about how yoga pants are a never ending trend that are going to bring down a 3,500+ year old philosophy, we are greatly underestimating this message or greatly overly self-aggrandizing. Likely we are doing both. When your mind goes there, and we all do, return to being in awe. It is time for us to sit with this massive responsibility to laugh from the belly, to smile with our eyes and to feel each heartbeat in each breath – and witness it in everyone and everything around us. This is the responsibility – to be alive – to act the part. – posted by @unionyogamonterey 

“Couldn’t put it down. Readers will find universal insights, comforting stories, and spiritually practical tips throughout Yoga Wisdom.” Sharon, Chicago Yoga Magazine 

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“It’s not your typical how-to-do-yoga book–it’s about how yoga helped the author to escape an abusive relationship and find herself, and mostly it’s packed with pieces from yogis giving advice on overcoming all of the everyday challenges we face.” Tina, The Seymour Agency

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“Takeaway: Stephanie Spence, a.k.a. Yoga Road Trip Girl, is here to inspire you to be a “warrior” yogi, full of love and light.” – YOGAPEDIA

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“Stephanie Spence is a woman living her yoga; she is asking questions, receiving lessons, finding her voice and learning how to share it. This book is a compilation of ways and whys to stay open, to choose love, and to dream big. I’m proud to add some thoughts to this very empowering collection of teachers who’ve helped grow the conversation and shift consciousness across the globe.” —Elena Brower, mama, yoga teacher, and author of Art of Attention: A Yoga Practice Workbook for Movement as Meditation

.”It’s a truly amazing and inspirational story and incredibly brave of you to put it out there. and the sheer number of contributions from all these great teachers you got is mind blowing! This is a movie” W. McK, Screenwriter

Dallas Yoga Magazine  – “Many of you know Stephanie Spence, The Traveling Yogini and beloved yoga teacher, not only as a yogi but as a social media and blogging guru. She has one of the most followed and popular yoga blogs and social media platforms in the country. Stephanie not only talks the talk, but she walks the walk. 

Laura Plumb“I am so excited for you and your beautiful book! It is such an impressive collection of stories and wisdom from so many amazing people. I love the way you wove your own voice through it, including personal anecdotes and insights. it really is a terrific accomplishment. congratulations!”

“Stephanie is not only an incredible author but also a person of the utmost integrity. She shows up in life in true SUPPORT of others. Her dharma is partly to be a loving Steward of the wisdom shared in community. 

So many often give lip service to community but she actually stands behind this in the work she offers the world. Her abundance mentality stands apart because she truly believes that by shining the light on the wisdom others have to share, we elevate the world. 

I highly recommend this book and look forward to her future books as well.”

Well, you’ve found one of the top-ranked yoga books this year! Yoga Wisdom: Warrior Tales Inspiring You On and Off Your Mat is an excellent work by Stephanie Spence that will lift your spirit and motivate your practice well beyond the asanas.” – ALBERTO G. GÜITRÓN

“Stephanie is not only an incredible author but also a person of the utmost integrity. She shows up in life in true SUPPORT of others. Her dharma is partly to be a loving Steward of the wisdom shared in community. 

So many often give lip service to community but she actually stands behind this in the work she offers the world. Her abundance mentality stands apart because she truly believes that by shining the light on the wisdom others have to share, we elevate the world. 

I highly recommend this book and look forward to her future books as well.”

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Three Unique Yoga Books

Actively showing up on your yoga mat is only the beginning. Change is a given. You can dwell in a solid place of celebrating the fact that you are taking good care of yourself and be content with that, like a strong Oak tree. Or, at the same time, enhance your current experience. Life is full of parallels, including the idea that you can be content, yet also hold in your thoughts and behaviors room for growth. It’s just like trees growing their branches to get more sunlight. Nature is the perfect place to look for inspiration to leverage the laws of nature. Nature wants everything in the universe to grow, including you. If you can adapt, add value and share, and be expansive you can grow. But what does this have to do with yoga books? As a writer, I see everything as a metaphor for everything else. Why not yoga? In that way you can take what you learn off your mat into your day and vice versa. Here’s my definition of the laws of nature: When you adapt to change, which is natural, you thrive, and if not you grow stagnant. When you add value (like plants creating oxygen and people creating carbon dioxide) it’s an exchange of energy. It’s sharing. By expanding, like the universe, you need to create more value (for yourself and others). I’ve just added three books to my ever-expanding yoga library that fit into this definition: Adapting to change can be rough for many people in midlife, but in Fearless After Fifty: How to Thrive with Grace, Grit and Yoga by Desiree Rumbaugh and Michelle Marchildon. The authors challenge you to question most of what you’ve been led to believe about fifty plus. This inspirational book is written in a conversational style that brings a sense of intimacy as if the co-authors have written it just for you. You are not alone. That’s important as the book points out our tendency to pull back as we age, thinking that the upcoming years are going to be daunting – limiting. Instead, the book illuminates a way to cultivate a fearlessness so that you can enjoy working smarter, not harder. It sat next to my favorite chair for quite some time as I would pick it up and dive back into it again and again, underlining my favorite reminders for later. Although I confess there wasn’t something groundbreaking or futurist in its ideas, I highly recommend this book none-the-less for this inspiring reminder that mentally we need new models of behavior midlife and beyond to keep us feeling limitless. Rumbaugh and Marchildon show how you, too, can look to a new level of practice and personal growth. This book is a perfect example of law number one, adapting to (and pushing past) change, thereby thriving. Adding value, the second law, comes very natural to Elena Brower. A dear friend, Elena continues to teach and bring all who come in contact with her or her work a huge amount of incredibly positive energy. She’s a force of nature with a heart of deep compassion and love. I’m a lifelong blank journal junkie, so I was delighted to see her invitation to become the author of a sacred text of your own design by providing people with her paperback journal Practice You. While Elena is holding your hand, you discover for yourself new attitudes and fresh perspectives. By utilizing this easy, but incredibly insightful tool for whatever amount of time you want to dedicate to discovering more about yourself and how you want to exist in the world, you certainly will dive deeper into a sacred opportunity for expanding your essence and energy in your life and in the world. This is a perfect gift for yourself when you’re searching for a new tool of self-transformation. And, the good news is Elena continues to share in new and unique ways. I can’t wait to get her Practice You Awakening Deck that is the compliment to the journal. Looking to the idea of expansion, it’s not a far stretch to see how expansion doesn’t always come easy – in nature or in our human experience. In Sex, Drugs & (mostly) Yoga by my authentic friend from New Zealand, Kara-Leah Grant, the reader is taken through the authors turbulent narrative of intimate, stream of consciousness ride, with vulnerability and newfound clarity – flaws and all. This deep dive into her challenges and triumphs will keep you turning the page, curious to know more. Our universal need to know more is unique, and valuable. This book is for anyone who is struggling to understand why everyone else seems to have life figured out, that they somehow were absent the day the handbook was handed out at school. In the author sharing her own journey (that real spiritual awakening has little to do with expectations or “rules” society has given us about how you should feel and any currently held notions of self) – then her own journey of transformation could inspire you to use yoga in your ever expanding life. This is a messy ride that might seem unrelatable to read if you’ve never done drugs, but this is so much more about ideas that may be new or unknown to some told through a personal narrative that is raw on the page. Her raw. Her real. What does it all mean? You, the reader, must decide. You’ll go from her self-described “grip on reality” to her “consciousness evolving and her psyche breaking open as a part of her healing and growth process.” This notion fits nicely with my last idea of the law of nature because Grant uses yoga, and her uproarious journey, in a way that shares ideas of suffering and transformation that will illuminate the way for others. Namaste - Stephanie

10 Dharma books Everyone Should Have

Buddhism A-Z~ selected by the editors of  Shambhala Sun  (now Lion’s Roar) If your looking to up your Dharma knowledge game, I highly recommend each and everyone of these great books. After the Ecstasy, the Laundry
by Jack Kornfield
(Bantam, 2000) According to Jack Kornfield, enlightenment does exist and is even pretty common. The rub is that after achieving it, day-to-day tasks and troubles still await you. This is a guide to translating our spiritual awakenings into our imperfect lives. A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation
by Rod Meade Sperry and the editors of the Shambhala Sun
(Shambhala, 2014) Advice and inspiration from Buddhism’s most renowned teachers, including many Shambhala Sun readers’ favorites like Pema Chödrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, the Dalai Lama, Norman Fischer, Judy Lief, and many more. Being-Peace
by Thich Nhat Hanh
(Parallax, 1987) Addresses both personal awakening and engaging compassionately in the world. Using anecdotes from his own life, as well as poems and fables, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches his key practices for dwelling in the present moment. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism
by Chögyam Trungpa
(Shambhala, 1973) Based on the highest view of the Vajrayana school, it defines basic principles not only of Buddhism but of spiritual practice altogether. Always contemporary and relevant, a profound influence on how Buddhism is understood today. Happiness Is an Inside Job
by Sylvia Boorstein
(Ballantine, 2007) With her characteristic warmth, Sylvia Boorstein teaches how practicing right mindfulness, concentration, and effort leads us away from anger, anxiety, and confusion and into calmness, clarity, and joy. Mindfulness in Plain English
by Bhante Gunaratana
(Wisdom, 1992) Perfect for anyone interested in mindfulness, Buddhist or not. This classic of the Theravada tradition explains what mindfulness is and isn’t, how to practice it, and how to work with distractions and other obstacles. Real Happiness
by Sharon Salzberg
(Workman, 2010) Using almost no Buddhist-specific terms, this helpful little book nonetheless hits all the right notes when it comes to how to do basic meditation and related practices that can help us cultivate more kindness, connection, and contentment in our everyday lives. What Makes You Not a Buddhist
by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse
(Shambhala, 2008) A precise delineation of the key tenets that define Buddhism, versus what is superfluous, merely cultural, or not Buddhist at all. A good book to read if you’re deciding whether or not you’re a Buddhist, or just want to know what Buddhism really is. When Things Fall Apart
by Pema Chödrön
(Shambhala, 1997) If you’re facing a challenging time in life, this is the book you want. It shows how to develop loving-kindness toward yourself and then cultivate a fearlessly compassionate attitude toward your own pain and that of others. Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind
by Shunryu Suzuki
(Weatherhill, 1973; fortieth anniversary edition, 2013, Shambhala) Though covering Zen basics like zazen posture, bowing, intention, and so on, Suzuki Roshi’s masterwork is hardly just for Zen people—or just for beginners, for that matter. It skillfully introduces important Buddhist concepts like non-attachment, emptiness, and enlightenment. Namaste - Stephanie

Three Mistakes New Yoga Teachers Make

As a teacher myself, I too have made mistakes from time to time, but I often see newer teachers fall into these habits more often than not. Talking too much, demonstrating too less We know you’re excited, but you may be overwhelming people with talking to much. Balance that with SHOWING them how to do the poses correctly. All of the great wisdom and other 8 limbs of yoga “education” are important and it’s critical that you give them EVERYTHING – and you will… but try and keep it simple. If you aren’t teaching a beginner class, the greatest challenge is to address the beginner study all the way through the advanced. There is an art to this, but you can do it. Demonstrate the pose FROM beginner to advanced– suggest the more advance posture “if it is available to them that day”. Remind them each day we begin as if it was the first day. Help them cultivate beginner mind. New people are still showing up with that New Year’s resolution. We can’t loose them now. They are hungry for the “real deal” – give it to them. Believe that a mix of alignment cues (and/or hands on beginner adjustments if they have agreed to that), your unique teaching style/voice, philosophy and general concern that the person has a positive experience go a long way. Trust that you are giving them everything, but keep suggesting they talk with you after class with any questions/concerns they may have. Pushing people to their edge Yes, we are a goal-oriented culture here in the west. A ton of people who are drawn to asana are high achievers. Yes, there is a “healthy edge” that you can go to and explore, but I’ve seen a huge increase in pushing past that. You KNOW yoga is about living a life of vitality grounded in the present moment, self-aware and grateful for all your gifts… You will teach them that too. You will loose them, though, if they get injured and don’t come back. The gym near my house has added a hot yoga room. The sequencing is dangerous. They are trying, but failing. Don’t fail your students. Check in with them. Trying to be everything for everybody This might seem to contradict what I’ve been saying, but it can all be wrapped up in JUST BE YOU. Your unique contribution will touch and shape and inspire – I just know it. I’ve been finishing a book on yoga I’ve been working on for years. I’ve interviewed some amazing yoga teachers. I am in awe of how loving and smart and caring they are. Be THAT teacher they fondly remember that set them on a life-long journey of health and vitality. Namaste ~ Stephanie

Yoga Back to Basics

Simply because yogis on social media are shown doing exotic poses does not mean they are safe nor that they are anatomically correct for the human body. If I see one more photograph of a head twisted to look at the camera in a pose where you should NEVER turn your head, or a compressed spine that should be elongated, or with an anorexic looking person trying to out pose someone else in a Cirque du Soleil gymnastic move calling it yoga I’m just going to scream. You may be thinking, “take a chill pill lady”… If so, read on. Yoga poses have always been around. Wrong. In only the last 100 years or so this 1000’s-of-years-old-science of living have the physical asanas been added. Although yoga philosophy dates back five or six thousand years, recent academic research* shows that many yoga poses originated in the first half of the Twentieth Century, and are more European in origin. The Yoga Pradipika, written in the fifteenth century, showed 32 yoga poses, half of them seated, and did not include sun salutations, inversions, revolved triangle, downward dog or pushups. In the last hundred years, yoga poses as we know them today were created as part of a global movement that combined religion and spirituality with western ideas of Athletic and physical training.  Many modern yoga poses were created from a mix of western contortionism, military drills, and women’s gymnastics, combined with ancient yoga philosophy texts such as the Yoga Sutras and the Upanishads. The Indian yogis Krishnamacharya and Kuvalayanda, influenced by the western ideas of exercise and athleticism, established the health and fitness regime that dominates the yoga industry today. Yoga, as practiced today more and more in studios across America, is simply a product of that “physical culture” movement. My fear is that this yoga, this “exerciseasana”, is going to be a fad when the next fitness craze comes along and all those who could have benefitted from this amazing life enhancing tool will lose out. It’s a body, mind and spirit practice. If you’re only doing the “body part” you’re missing out on all the real magic: all the things you heard about that you REALLY want. The strong and flexible body is the bonus. So, what to do? I’m working on my second book to address this problem. Stay tuned Yogis. It’s not a fad, yoga is a way of life. Some are debating if yoga is being ruined by classes with titles like beer yoga and goat yoga. “One valid criticism is that it’s currently rather selfish and narcissistic so people are adding a socially compassionate dimension and trying to combine it with social work. That would be a nice development: it’s not all about you, but trying to use a practice to develop compassion rather than make yourself beautiful.” Dr James Mallinson, a senior lecturer in Sanskrit and Classical Indian Civilisation at SOAS University of London, who co-authored a book on the topic entitled Roots of Yoga. For an inspiring look into combining yoga with social work, check out this academic paper; “Yoga, Meditation in Social Work: A Journey from Edges to the Mainstream” *Check out Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern PosturePractice by Mark Singleton(Oxford University Press) Namaste - Stephanie

Yoga and a Healthy You.

Smile Damit It's Good For You! There have been times in my life where sadness or anger challenged my ability to see past the heavy stuff that was weighing me down. But I can always reach back to my trusted Yoga Relationship to ground me to what really is important. There have been times in my life where sadness or anger challenged my ability to see past the heavy stuff that was weighing me down. like the ocean, life moves in and out away from the shore – the sturdy shore that seems safe (even when it actually may not be) but the waves eventually wash away the troubles because we stay curious and persist in the quest to design a meaningful life. i do not run from the darkness like i used to, i step back and see it for what it is – just old patterns that no longer serve me. I participate in daily rituals, like writing and yoga, that remind me that feelings are not who i am. behaviors are not who i am. i am light and love and strong and silly and free, like the waves. Namaste ~ Stephanie

Yoga Wisdom of the Day - self-loveasana

Self-Care Cheat Sheet - In the world we live in today, we all need a little self-care now and then. So why not right now? Putting yourself first, taking great care of yourself, is healthy and required to live a healthy life. So here is my self-care cheat sheet– 1. Get Some Rest – naps work too - alone or with ? 2. Fuel Your Body – and don’t forget WATER 3. Move - Yoga anyone? 4. Be Still – take 10 minutes every day and just breathe 5. Speak Up – declare what you need, stand up for yourself when necessary, be the friend you deserve 6. Enjoy Yourself – Have fun ! Don’t know how? Learn. Laugh. Smile. Namaste - Stephanie

So you want to try Yin Yoga?

Initially called “Daoist” yoga, this style of yoga targets the deep connective tissues of the body (vs. the superficial tissues) and the fascia that covers the body; this Daoist yoga is to help regulate the flow of energy in the body.What is Yin Yoga? Yin Yoga postures are more passive postures, mainly on the floor and the majority of postures equal only about three dozen or so, much less than the yang like practices. Yin Yoga is unique in that you are asked to relax in the posture, soften the muscle and move closer to the bone. While yang-like yoga practices are more superficial, Yin offers a much deeper access to the body. It is not uncommon to see postures held for three to five minutes, even 20 minutes at a time. The time spent in these postures is much like time spent in meditation, and teachers often talk students through the postures as if they were trying to meditate. While in a Yin class you might notice similar postures to a yang class except they are called something else, on a basic level this is to help the students mind shift form yang to yin, active to passive. This concept of Yin yoga has been around for thousands of years and some of the older text, such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika notes only sixteen postures in its text, which is far less than the millions of postures practiced in today’s yoga. In addition, having read much of these text and also cliff notes from various teachers it would appear that these “postures” were more yin like to help promote meditation and long periods of pranayama and sitting. So what exactly is Yin yoga? It is a more meditative approach with a physical focus much deeper than Yang like practices. Here the practitioner is trying to access the deeper tissues such as the connective tissue and fascia and many of the postures focus on areas that encompass a joint (hips, sacrum, spine). As one ages flexibility in the joints decreases and Yin yoga is a wonderful way to maintain that flexibility, something that for many don’t seem to be too concerned about until they notice it is gone. This intimate practice of yoga requires students to be ready to get intimate with the self, with feelings, sensations, and emotions, something of which I have noticed can be easy to avoid in a fast paced yoga practice. Yin yoga is often used in programs that deal with addictions, eating disorders, anxiety and deep pain or trauma. While on my first Yoga Road Trip I tried Yin yoga and found that the recovery process I had been going through after an injury apparently needed some more work and WOW did Yin point that out to me. This translated into a focus I was dealing with at the time, struggling with being alone, sitting with feelings and sensations and found it challenging to face myself and the rawness of my new life and who I was in that moment. This concept, in practice, allowed me a greater mental stability ~ something much of which is a benefit of meditation but I can’t always access unless after a sweaty power yoga class or Ashtanga. Yin showed me I could sit with what I was feeling. Yin has dug deeper than I could have ever gotten otherwise. If you try a Yin class try it three or four times to really make a decision about the practice. Many find immediate benefits like more open hips, a more relaxed body and centered mind. To me, I don’t think one practice is better than the other (I love Kundalini, Yoga Nidra and Guided Visualization too), but what I would see as beneficial is for the practitioner to see the benefit in each and that there is a need for learning what works for you. Possibly one benefiting more than the other at times in your life. Some of the benefits of Yin yoga are: Calming and balancing to the mind and body Regulates energy in the body Increases mobility in the body, especially the joints and hips Lowering of stress levels (no one needs that) Greater stamina Better lubrication and protection of joints More flexibility in joints & connective tissue Release of fascia throughout the body Help with TMJ and migraines Deeper Relaxation A great coping for anxiety and stress Better ability to sit for meditation Ultimately you will have a better Yang practice I really do believe that if you incorporate a little of both will create a more well-rounded practice as well as a better-rounded version of the awesome you! If you take a peek at a Yin-Yang symbol, it is suggesting that no matter what, we should take a “tiny bit” and put it in the heart of its opposite. Yin yoga as taught me to truly be still, to really come face to face with myself, even more than my past practice has; and because of this I am now able to bring what Yin has taught me into my more Yang like practices and ultimately my life as a whole. Yin yoga teaches you how to really listen, you don’t get the opportunity to go in and out, jump around and find a distracted version of stillness within your practice. Yin is such a great compliment to other styles and your own personal life, because it brings long periods of time in an uncomfortable position, which then asks you to learn to “be” to “accept what is” in that given moment. Something we can all benefit from daily. For me, when I was treated for PTSD I did not know how to be in my own company, I did not like to FEEL or be or anything that required me to have an emotion. There is something so deep about Yin that will tap into a part of you in a way only unique to Yin. And for me a healthy Yin practice has poured over into a healthier Yang practice and a healthier life as a whole. And I wish that for everyone. Namaste ~ Stephanie