The pressure to become disconnects us from our ability to love If my neighbor would turn her music down, then I could meditate. If I could lose ten pounds, then I'd get a date. If I didn't have so much trouble with anger, then I'd have more friends. If I was younger... if if if, then then then. We've become so obsessed with self-improvement that we've forgotten how to love in the here and now. And what about those things that will never change?  “Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.”  ― Pema Chödrön What can keep us from changing is an inability to see ourselves clearly. The truth about ourselves is far less difficult to swallow than our fear of looking. Because what do we do if we finally see and then still don't get what we want?  “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.”  ― W.P. Kinsella If we are constantly looking for more from this person, this moment, this object, we are not seeing anything clearly. We are seeing only what we believe we are lacking. The practice of yoga and meditation is what has enabled me to see myself, with all my outdated/outmoded survival tools, and keep seeing it until I can smile at my own folly.  Just for today, practice the art of being content.

Restorative Yoga, now at Chelsea Piers

"All yoga is restorative," one of my teachers says.

And so it's true. Yet classes can be designed especially to promote well-being.

The class I'm now thrilled to offer at Chelsea Piers combines movement, self-massage, aromatherapy, meditation and breathwork, all designed to bring you to a state of harmony within your body.

Classes are at 10:30am on Monday and Thursday. See you there.

Namaste.

The end of summer, a time for reflection

I met a woman in Trivandrum who told me she was a "yoga therapist," meaning that she combined yoga postures with therapy. At the time I thought, well, isn't that kinda like the department of redundancy department? In my experience, yoga has been like therapy, just without the talking part. The physical practice of yoga (asana) has made it possible for me to clear emotional, mental and spiritual hurdles that kept me stuck for many years. This works because all our experiences imprint us just as physically as they do mentally. Put another way, as my Guruji said, "Sister, there is no mind apart from the foot."

Understanding this arose from regular meditation practice. Living it would undoubtedly come from more meditation practice, and I do my best. But the fact is, I still do the majority of my meditation on my yoga mat.


Gomateshwara at a Jain temple in Karnataka, one of the largest monolithic statues in the world, one of the seven wonders of India.

Let's face it, asana is hard work. It's just not normal to engage the breath and energy locks while simultaneously exerting and relaxing oneself. During practice I go into a kind of a trance. This has allowed me to see how it's possible off the mat to be having two separate experiences--a person might challenge me in some way that is not relevant to our interaction. To move toward my goal of finding the best in every person I encounter (lofty? yes. doable? well, not so yet and maybe never, but that's ok, too), I need to find a way to stay in our interaction without letting the weight of my personal history interfere. 

This time of year is the perfect example. I dread the end of summer, and so, as the days get shorter, I'll be focusing interactions. How we work with each other, and as a meditative reflection during postures.

Hope to see you in class!

Namaste.

Get Bliss on a New York City Rooftop*

In TWO sessions--WEDNESDAYS, June 24 and July 1--we'll work with visualization, aromatherapy and restorative yoga postures to find bliss on a New York City rooftop.*

In these workshops I'll show you ways to relax on and off your mat. Expect to sweat (a little). Prepare to de-stress (a lot). Class size is limited!

$30 for Printing House members/$45 for nonmembers covers BOTH classes. Register at the desk or by calling.

*Unlike this pic, if it's raining we'll go inside!