Outdoor Yoga Pleasure!

We definitely are blessed to live in a gorgeous city! 32 of my splendid yoga students soaked up the setting sun and rising moon with me at Gasworks Park on Tuesday, July 15th for a 90 minute vinyasa flow yoga experience! While breathing and moving to an original music compilation I had made for this special yoga adventure (music is magical), we witnessed sailboats passing by...people watching and respecting our practice....views of the water and Space Needle...and feeling freedom and peace together! With our evening centering around "pleasure," we kept letting go of expectations for our outdoor encounter and kept looking for pleasure in our movements...in the moment...in being with others who loved to practice yoga!

And, of course, at the end of our class...after releasing fully into 10 minutes of savassana (relaxation), I offered everyone to enjoy the pleasure of dark, organic chocolates from Theo chocolates. What a sweet way to end a lovely evening of yoga together. Thank you, my wonderful students, for trying something new with your practice. Keep looking for pleasure. It's all around you!

GRATITUDE

Is there anything more wonderful to experience than love and gratitude? For ourselves...for those in our families...for faith and hope and love...for friends who hold our hands through good and bad...for mercy & forgiveness...for new beginnings...for a rainbow after the storm...for dark chocolate & red wine...for hugs and laughter...for a really good book...for the stranger who smiles in our direction...for a kind word...to be a cheerful giver without expecting much in return...for the smell of home-cooked/baked food...for the touch of the river on a hot day...for angelic music...for moments of solitude and reflection...for acceptance...and, yes, for our yoga practice (which we can take everywhere).

YOGA OFF THE MAT: What does it look like for you?

Live life with an attitude of gratitude....

Jessie's passion for yoga practice

"I hope you dance" is a song that always makes me smile. If you have the ability to do something, why not try it! Yoga is something I feel so passionate about. To the average person who feels they are "not flexible," trying yoga may seem intimidating. However....not all yogis begin their practice as flexy-bendy people. We start as we are...over-stressed, over-busy, somewhat stiff but wishing for some release. Barefooted, we meet our mats. Vulnerable, we find ourselves surrounded by other people in a yoga class who are in all different places in their practice. But if we try...if we are honest with ourselves...we find the joy in....
just being present
just being
being.

Ahh....and then comes the rush of letting go physically, emotionally and within our soul. This is the practice of yoga. Breathe. Let go. Enjoy YOU....Enjoy life. This is yoga. The poses (asanas) are just "added bonuses" to get us deeper into our strength, stretching and health. If anything, practice self-acceptance and that is the best lesson in doing yoga. Live with passion and treat yourself well. We are the vehicles to go through this journey of life, so maintain your vehicle with humor, grace, forgiveness and love. Love your yoga practice...love yourself!