SonoranDevi

Read that again....

If you could do one thing TODAY that brings you more Peace, what would that be?

Meditate? Donate to a cause? Hug a loved one? Block a toxic relationship? Make that doctors appointment? Clean a closet? Go for a walk? Fight the patriarchy? Water your plants? (see where I'm going here, self care comes in many shapes!)

Then ask yourself, can you incorporate more of that into your daily life? (Hint: the answer is yes.)

Start small and do the work for the sake of the work itself, not the fruit of your labor. Peace is found in the practice, (work) not the pose (fruit).

🔥Saturday Morning Yoga🔥

WHO: EVERYBODY

WHAT: YOGAHOUR

WHEN: 10AM SATURDAYS

WHERE: PLAYGROUND BAR ROOFTOP

Join me and your friends every Saturday morning for the best views in town for only $10!!! (Views also include an hour of fun flowy yoga, my hand curated playlists, a bulldog named and jokes by me that may or may not be funny....)

📆 REGISTER ONLINE or link in my bio!!!!

"Stress is caused by being "here" but wanting to be "there."
- Eckhart Tolle

Practice being "here" today by sitting quietly for just 5 minutes. If it is safe to do so, close your eyes and simply.... breathe.

IT'S RODEO WEEKEND IN TUCSON!!

In honor of our unique celebration, here is Vatayanasana 🐴 (Horse Face Pose) 🐴 A pose that reminds us to find equanimity in the face of chaos.

📆 I'll be teaching THIS Saturday! Join me at 10am for Yogahour on the rooftop of

🖱 Register Online $10 or use the link in my bio!

Shirt from our friends in Atlanta 🐍

Day 12 of the challenge with ❤

Standing Backbend - Dropback Prep in my livingroom, photo by my husband 😉

Yeowza, this is a beast of a pose. The most common missalignment in backbends for me is almost always my toes turning out (even a little here!)

My main focus is always lift up - root down, pause and adjust, lift up - root down again thennnnn go back. I haven't practiced drop backs in quite a few years so I must admit this pose was a little scaring and even a little more challenging for me today.

What was encouraging though was that even with limited practice of this specific pose, the rest of my practice has carried me safely to this place where all the poses work together in opening me up to something more.

The proof is in the practice.

Day 12 of the challenge with ❤

Wild Thing!

I LOVE this pose!!! Years ago I was in a class with discussing the benefits of backbends and something that has stayed with me is how backbaneds can in theory, help us live longer. As we age, our natural tendency is to start slouching forward, closing off our once open heart. As our posture changes over time we can even start to feel like we are shrinking! 😳

BKS Iyengar says that the spine is like the express way to the brain and by keeping the spine erect (think in seated meditation) we can keep the pathway open allowing energy to flow freely, hense keeping the mind active and alert.

Backbends strengthen our spine and by doing so, we can literally stand a little taller a little longer, keeping ourselves alert and active well into our later years!! We could call this the "Fountain of Youth Pose"!

Side note, I found that going upside down also works well for an instant "face lift" effect 🤣 (swipe to see results) so from now on, I'll only be taking pictures from this angle. That is all.

Day 9 of the challenge with

Naginyasana 2 - Mermaid Pose

I find this pose in particular to be very beautiful and Instagram post worthy 🤣💕 Mermaid pose often gets a lot of "ooohs and ahhhs" in public classes and online. And I can totally see why!

A lot of yoga postures are beautiful to look at and when done with a deeper awareness, the internal flame burns bright as they come to life with equal ease and effort in a multitude of variations. When done only for the sake of the photo or focused purely on the shape and external qualities (the ego!) the poses fall flat and loose their luster.

This practice is a reminder that it is the inner work that allows expansion beyond the body and mind in order to experience feeling, emotion and thought without attachment or resistance.

Day 8 of the with

Ardha Supta Virasana - Half Reclined Hero Pose (with blocks!)

I'm a huge fan of Marvel movies so anytime I hear the word hero I think of my favorite superheroes... Ironman and Dr. Strange to be specific 😉

This pose, can come to the rescue of tight quads and this variation with the block is delightful in my upper back!! But like superheroes, this is not a "one size fits all" kinda pose! What is a lovely quad, hip flexor, belly and chest stretch for some, can equally be precarious for others. Luckily there are many other less intense poses that offer the same benefits. (Think a different superhero for everyone!)

Day 6 of with

Ustrasana - Camel Pose

I am not a deep backbender by nature. I find backbends to be much like eating broccoli, it's not my favorite but I know it's good for me! 🤣 I spent years with severe unidentifiable low back pain, sometimes to the point of being unable to walk for periods of time. I avoided backbends like the plaugue, terrified they would aggravate my already painful low back. It wasn't until a time in a teacher training with my teacher that I had a breakthrough.

After a back spasm in Urdhva Dhanurasana left me floored with Sam literally standing over me preventing me from moving while she continued to instruct the other backbenders through the pose, I knew I either had to learn the poses with a deeper awareness or face opting out of them altogether.

I started from the beginning, belly down backbends to strengthen, props for support, in depth action cues and tough (on my ego!) alignment adjustments. Over time, the pain subsided, I got stronger and began to open up slowly over time..... with lots of hard work. I still have a difficult relationship with backbends but I am no longer afraid of them.

Sam often says the heart opening aspects of backbends sound so lovely, "open heart 😍" but the reality is that it's often more like "breaking your heart open 💔". (Something like that)

For anyone who's ever had a broken heart, you know the feeling.

Day 5 of with

I subbed this photo of Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) in for Fallen Triangle today.

I took this photo in Point Reyes, California while studying with and Amanda Giacomini] over the summer where I met lifelong friend 🤗💕 As I post this and notice all the people I've tagged in a single photo, I'm reminded of how expansive this yoga community can become!!

Triangle pose is such a great example of pulling inward to extend back out!

(also may I note how absolutely stunning this mural is by Amanda Giacomini]) 🤯💕