24th November 2023
Gratitude is the Attitude
It's that time of year again. The time when we Americans gather for Thanksgiving. Like many holidays, Thanksgiving has its roots in conflict and myths about its origins. Whatever your feelings about Thanksgiving, it's a time when Americans put a pause on everyday life and find another rhythm.
17th November 2023
No Shame
The shame around not feeling well is a disease. Shame infects us because we weren't listened to in the past. Shame infects us because we can't afford or find help. Shame infects us because of our fear of burdening loved ones or because of our perceived damage.
10th November 2023
In Praise of Frustration
The F word arises in yoga practice more than we like to admit. Frustration. Frustration with ourselves, perceived limitations, and struggles. Frustration is the unseen culprit that causes us to turn away from what we enjoy and what inspires us.
3rd November 2023
Like a Turtle
When I first started practicing Iyengar yoga, at nineteen years old, it was something I did for myself. Right away I experienced, what Guruji Iyengar called involution, the internal shift of the mind, away from the outer world. This shift, more than the joy of movement or ease of relaxation, that felt like a gift.
27th October 2023
Our Human Practice
The sadness we carry weighs us down. It sits on our shoulders, messes with digestion, disturbs sleep, and grips our back. Sadness isolates us from life and make us angry. It overloads our nervous system and overtime flattens us or spins us out of control.
20th October 2023
The Urgent Task
I'm a chatter. As a kid, I used to get in trouble because I had a hard time keeping my mouth shut. I had to learn to stop talking all the time and to listen more. Some of us weren't taught how to listen. How to be quiet and to open our ears and eyes to see and hear what's around and inside of us.
13th October 2023
Yoga in Times of Darkness
It's hard to write. The past days and weeks have proven to be devastating and heartbreaking. Between the massive earthquakes in Morocco and Afghanistan, the horrific violence in Israel and Gaza, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, many of us are struggling to find any peace or stability.
6th October 2023
Being Seasoned
During September, we were blessed in Berlin, with warm and sunny autumn days, softening the transition into winter. But now it seems that the air is getting crisper and the days shorter. Growing up, the start of a new school year made autumn always fell full of promise. The winding down of the lazy days of summer, gave autumn the feel of brimming with possibilities.