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July 24, 2014

image of Vegan Colcannon

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vegan colcannon

Posted: July 24, 2014 by sasha nelson

vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, sugar-free, soy-free

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hi, i’m sasha

enchanté

thanks for joining me

Through the pillars of mind (meditation and mindfulness), body (yoga and functional movement), and planet (eco-conscious living), I support clients in cultivating and implementing holistic, time-tested practices into their modern day life.

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Weekend nervous system care: 48 hours off social m

Weekend nervous system care: 48 hours off social media, (recommend), reading, first homemade focaccia (with green olives and rosemary🤌🏻), a walk through old Nice and a quiet visit inside one of its iconic churches (a favorite thing to do in Europe), yoga at home, seaside strolls in Mediterranean wind, meditation, cashew coconut date ball from impromptu homemade cashew mylk 👍🏻

Hope you’re doing whatever you need to feel balanced and nourished 🤍

Take care,

S

“There’s a lot going on right now” is a phra

“There’s a lot going on right now” is a phrase I find myself and others saying lately, which is especially exhausting to hear at the start of a new and hopeful year - or anytime, I guess…

I grew up in the LA area, and over the past week, I’ve witnessed friends and family (thankfully all safe) go above and beyond to support people in their communities who lost everything, while also working through their own waves of fear and grief.

In 2017, wildfires swept through my teenage hometown in Northern California, wiping out homes of several friends and a large percentage of my neighborhood. My parents’ house was one of a few on their block left standing.

I was thankful to be able to fly back from Brooklyn at that time to help distribute donations and be with my family, but when I returned to the East Coast, I was unsure how to go about my daily life when so many people I knew would be struggling to rebuild for months and years ahead.

It’s contradictory in so many ways, because even if it feels innate to “keep going,” it also sometimes feels unfair to live your life “normally” when so many people close to you - or in the world in general - are suffering.

So how do we allow ourselves to go about our day / to still feel happiness and joy while recognizing that others are suffering - especially if we know the one(s) who suffer?

Also - has there always been a lot going on in the world, and now we’re just hyper-connected to it all via virtual devices?

Is it maybe because it’s all captured on video and available all over the internet for us to see on a regular basis?

There may not be “right” answers to any of my questions, but over the years - and especially now - various spiritual and holistic practices have helped me navigate this emotional overwhelm.

For what it’s worth 🤍

Final wisdom nugget from @danharris to uplift any unsteady spirits: “Action absorbs anxiety.”

Read “What Do I Do With All of These Feelings?” on @substack — link in bio ✌🏻

Take good care,

S

📷: Northern California sunset hikes, December 2024 🌅

Sending soothing sunrise vibes, rejuvenating breat

Sending soothing sunrise vibes, rejuvenating breaths, and this poem to whoever needs it right now 🤍

“The blessing of the morning light to you,
may it find you even in your invisible
appearances, may you be seen to have risen
from some other place you know and have known
in the darkness and that that carries all you need.
May you see what is hidden in you
as a place of hospitality and shadowed shelter,
may what is hidden in you become your gift to give,
may you hold that shadow to the light
and the silence of that shelter to the word of the light,
may you join every previous disappearance
with this new appearance, this new morning,
this being seen again, new and newly alive.”

Blessing for the Morning Light
For John O’Donohue
by @davidjwhyte 🙏🏻

Take good care,

S

Although I take studying and teaching yoga serious

Although I take studying and teaching yoga seriously, there wouldn’t be much joy in it without a sense of play.

By cultivating a sweet spot between discipline and playfulness in our work, relationships, and everyday lives, we can become less rigid without losing sight of what matters most to us.

This balance teaches us to embrace the benefits of discipline - like focus, consistency, and growth - while still allowing necessary space for joy and fluidity.

Discipline & Structure can look like:
•Setting a schedule - even a flexible one - or identifying desired outcomes 🗓️
•Noting and taking consistent, aligned action steps towards your desires, or having
non-negotiables like physical activity or mindfulness rituals 🙏🏻
•Setting healthy boundaries - practicing moderation and avoiding extremes (and forgiving ourselves if we don’t do either of these things 😜)

Fun & Play can look like:
•Allowing space for free time and play time - even if it leads to boredom 🤸🏼‍♀️
•Giving ourselves grace if we over indulge or leapfrog over the discipline piece 🫠
•Purposefully engaging in beloved familiar and newfound activities, whether spontaneous or planned - sometimes even scheduling play can be a disciplinary act of self care 💃🏼

This is an ongoing work in progress with no fixed destination other than our unique sense of physical and mental equanimity.

Read “The Sweet Spot of Structure & Play” on @substack (includes a few resources to support those affected by the LA wildfires) — link in bio ✌🏻

How do you infuse structure and play into your daily life, and in what area(s) do you feel you could use more or less of one or the other?

Take good care,

S

🎥: Playing at @ballyseedecastle with yoga / dance bbs @amberrenegregory @annaroweenjewelry @emilygiovine celebrating our bb @sarahgirardyoga ✨

NorCal nature highlights ☀️ “Listen patientl

NorCal nature highlights ☀️ “Listen patiently, quietly and reverently to the lessons, one by one, which Mother Nature has to teach, shedding light on that which was before a mystery, so that all who will, may see and know.” - Luther Burbank

Bodega Bay 🌊
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park 🐞
Lake Tahoe 🏔️
Annadel State Park 🌅
Occidental 🦉
Armstrong Redwood State Reserve 🌲

Merci Cali 🤍

Stability and mobility / fluidity are 2 concepts I

Stability and mobility / fluidity are 2 concepts I bring up in probably every class I teach, because they’re always applicable and always important — both individually and as a unit.

Without stability, we are like loose, unhinged noodles without a backbone for physical or mental steadiness.

Without mobility, we are stiff Tin-Man-like humans without the fluidity we need to feel creative and spacious in our bodies and minds.

Geeta Iyengar summarized it beautifully:

“Stability is not stagnation. It has to remain flowing like the river water constantly.”

I developed a class called Yoga Core — a blend of yoga, Pilates, and functional movement — to meet a demand for Pilates at a community center where I live in Nice, in which stability and mobility are the main players.

The students are mostly retired and / or over 50 years old, but they are some of the most resilient and enthusiastic people I’ve had the pleasure of teaching — they inspire me to adopt their ongoing willingness and curiosity to embody the steadiness and spaciousness concepts I love to share.

*Explore over 20 on-demand yoga classes I created in various styles, lengths, and levels — link in bio :)

As we welcome in the new year, my hope is that we can do whatever we need to do to cultivate the physical, mental, and emotional stability and mobility we need for mind-body wellbeing — whether via movement, community gatherings, mindfulness practices, or whatever else makes us feel calm and aware.

Maybe that equanimity can be a ripple effect into 2025 and beyond 🤍

In what ways do you cultivate physical, mental, and emotional stability and mobility?

Take good care and happy 2025,

S

Mind-body wellbeing and equilibrium is especially

Mind-body wellbeing and equilibrium is especially crucial if we aim to exit the holiday season with grace and enter into a new year with steadiness and a calm sense of awareness.

In that sense, physical and mental restoration is imperative for mind-body wellbeing — whether you’re recovering from the holidays or a long week, preparing for a new year or implementing a new self-care routine, navigating grief or discomfort, or are just craving deep relaxation.

You don’t necessarily need a ton of props, and you can use things you have at home like blankets and pillows, so restorative postures are accessible almost anywhere :)

Whether you’re new to restorative yoga or just need some ideas for your practice, consider starting with poses like the ones in this video, all of which work well for me personally.

The postures shown in this clip and other restorative yoga poses can help to:

•Circulate the breath and optimize lung capacity 🌀
•Create a sense of support and safety physically and emotionally, which positively impacts the nervous system as a whole 🙏🏻
•Release muscle and joint tension — whether chronic pain or post-physical exertion ☺️
•Improve your ability to remain both calm and alert, which can relieve symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, overthinking, and more✌🏻
•Benefit longevity by giving the body the space it needs to restore 🤍

*I share 5 private links to virtual restorative classes — plus more insights and tips on restorative yoga — in “Giving Your Mind & Body a Break is a Gift” on @substack 👍🏻

Let me know of any questions or if you need personal modifications.

Enjoy exploring these and other restorative yoga poses to improve your personal life — and potentially even your professional performance to boot.

How do you care for and restore your body and mind?

Take good care,

S

Yoga constantly reminds me that two seemingly cont

Yoga constantly reminds me that two seemingly contradictory things can be true at the same time:

•Stability and mobility can coexist;
•We can have a goal and also release expectations;
•We can feel challenged in a pose while also infusing a sense of ease (and humor) into our experience;
•Etc etc…

…All of which are good reminders as we wrap up the holiday season :)

These reminders have served me well since I first started practicing yoga regularly in 2009 and took my first teacher training in 2011, especially when I began teaching in a foreign language in 2019 🇫🇷

It’s no easy feat to have expectations and release the outcome — something I’ve been working on personally — but I can tell you from experience that sometimes things work out even better than expected, and if not then it wasn’t meant to be (even if we don’t know why in the moment) 💁🏼‍♀️

In the spirit of relinquishing holiday and new years expectations (in hopes of also relinquishing potential stress or disappointment), I’m considering these words from a Celtic poem shared by Elizabeth Gilbert on an episode of the Tim Ferriss Show podcast (worth a listen).

She mentioned that the poem is in reference to meeting new people, or interacting with / approaching others in a new way.

I felt this was apropos post-US election, during the holidays, and pre-new year…

(In this same podcast interview, one of them mentions a quote that was something along the lines of: “The key to happiness is the release of expectations.”)

For what it’s worth 🤍

“I will honor your gods.
I will drink from your well.
I bring an undefended heart to our meeting place.
I will not negotiate by withholding.
I am not subject to disappointment.
I have no cherished outcome.”

Happy Christmas to all who celebrate - May you cherish those you love, and may your non-cherished outcome(s) be merry and bright 🎄✨

Take good care,

S

The holiday season is an optimal time to shift our

The holiday season is an optimal time to shift our perspective when we’re feeling overwhelmed, to practice finding comfort in uncomfortable moments, to play within a sense of structure and stability, and to cultivate a sense of balance before we enter a new year ✨

Yoga asana arm balances and inversions can help us do all of those things and more — and whether you’re a longtime practitioner or beginner, there are many modifications to suit your needs that can still deliver many physiological benefits.

•Digestion off after holiday eats? Invert and let gravity refresh your organs 🤸🏼‍♀️
•Need a physical / emotional boost? Hold a plank pose 💪🏻
•Want to get out of your head? Balance on it, or turn it upside down 🙃
•Feeling sluggish? Do a downdog, kick up into a handstand, or stick a few side planks 👍🏻
•Tired, anxious, or jet lagged (or everything)? Lay on your back and swing your legs up the wall ✌🏻

Practice for yourself to feel a few of the benefits:

•Improved circulation.
•Enhanced balance.
•Strengthened shoulders and legs.
•Toned abdomen.
•Energized and calm body and mind.
•Confidence and physical / mental stability.
•A shift in perspective.
•Joy ☺️

Consult a trusted yoga teacher or medical professional if you are working with any injuries or conditions; if you are pregnant or post partum.

*Link in bio for classes and instructional videos on YouTube, including private links to 2 free vinyasa classes and tips in “Sometimes Going Upside Down Can Make You Feel Rightside Up” on @substack 🙏🏻

Please let me know of any questions or modifications — reach out if you’re seeking more personalized support.

How do you remain balanced from all angles and shift your perspective?

Take good care,

S

📷 : @patryk_rozniecki & @krecikdzio in Nice 🤍

If you need an empowering mood and energy boost du

If you need an empowering mood and energy boost during the holidays, try going upside down / balancing on your arms instead of your legs 🤸🏼‍♀️

Similarly — if you need to get out of your head and into your body / into the present moment, invert your head and shift your literal perspective 🙃

If you think you’re not strong or fearless enough to try arm balances or inversions, know that physical and mental strength and confidence can be built with practice, like the prep poses in this lil video 👍🏻

And the more we practice difficult things, the more we can actually have fun in challenging moments (maybe, sometimes, hopefully) 🤪

There are also always modifications, so know that you have options if you have any contraindications ✌🏻

Have fun exploring different yoga postures that get you physically and mentally grounded and empowered ☺️

*Link in bio for this short instructional headstand video on YouTube.

Let me know what you like to practice and what you tend to avoid (I love headstands and handstands; I avoid drop backs — all in time 🫠)

Take good care,

S

🎥 : @espace.rancher in Nice 🇫🇷

Backbends are lovely during the holidays because t

Backbends are lovely during the holidays because they create a steady spine while opening the physical and energetic heart space — similar to the quote from Roshi Joan Halifax and Brené Brown: “Strong back, soft front, wild heart.”

In other words: Give and receive from the heart without compromising your physical or mental health.

Sometimes “heart opening” can feel natural; other times it can take exploration and commitment depending on your mood, environment, or the people around you (Ram Dass famously said, “If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family.”)

Backbends can be a deeply therapeutic and rejuvenating component of a yoga practice — like twisting postures, they also have the power to mobilize, stabilize, and energize when practiced with both attention and curiosity.

The stabilizing piece has been really useful for me personally after years of dance-related excessive spine mobility — it’s also helpful in other cases where the back is stiff or the chest feels compressed.

When practiced mindfully, backbends offer a blend of physical, mental, and energetic benefits:

•Improved Spinal Health
•Abdominal Support
•Joint Stability
•Increased Circulation and Breath
•Cultivating a better internal understanding of the back
•Physical and Emotional Heart Expansion
•Energized Body and Mind
•Preparation for Inversions

Consult with a trusted yoga teacher or physical therapist for modifications during menstruation or pregnancy, sacroiliac or spinal disc issues, or injury recovery.

*Link in bio for 2 virtual yoga practices and more backbend insights in my Substack post “Open Your Heart Without Breaking Your Back.”

Let me know of any questions, or if you need personal modifications.

Enjoy your exploration backbending — it can be so much fun to take care of ourselves!

How do you open up your heart space and keep a strong, steady backbone?

Take good care,

S

📷: @patryk_rozniecki & @krecikdzio 🤍

Twisting postures teach us how to revolve around a

Twisting postures teach us how to revolve around a steady central axis and help us to develop awareness from the outside, in — tip top timing for the holiday season ✨

Adequate alignment information can drastically enhance a yoga pose — especially twists and backbends because of how the spine is articulated.

Two simple component parts to assist your twists (including backbends) and receive their benefits are:

1. The placement of the shoulder blades on the upper back — an alignment cue that warrants similar results is to widen the collar bones or roll the shoulders back.

2. The steadiness of the thigh bone in the hip socket — this supports the stability and mobility of the spine as it rotates and revolves.

When these two areas are well-placed, the spine has a greater capacity to lift and turn without constricting the shoulders, abdomen, and back.

This also ensures that the breath can flow fluidly, and will both strengthen and mobilize the spine.

When practiced with attention, benefits of twists include:

•Spinal strength and stability.
•Abdominal release / relief.
•Toning the abdomen and obliques.
•Energizing and rejuvenating the body and mind.
•Cultivating a better understanding of the midline.
•Centering and grounding the attention.
•Preparing for or restoring after back bending or forward bending postures.

Consult with a physical therapist or experienced yoga teacher privately for insights on twists during pregnancy, menstruation, or when working with a specific injury.

*Link in bio for on demand classes on my website, and free short classes on YouTube ✌🏻

Let me know of any questions or if you need personal modifications.

Have fun exploring the variety of twists, and enjoy taking care of your body and mind in this way!

Take good care,

S

📷: @patryk_rozniecki & @krecikdzio 🤍 (I could open my left collar bone a bit more here 🙃)

Standing poses are ideal for grounding yourself as

Standing poses are ideal for grounding yourself as the month begins, creating literal and metaphorical roots for your body and mind in anticipation of the new year.

Whether you’re a yoga teacher, a student, or someone with an entirely different lifestyle and movement practice, the impact and importance of standing poses are worth considering at any and every stage of your life.

Standing poses are often rushed through in a fast-paced class with little focus on alignment, which can diminish the many benefits these poses have to offer - from a healthy spine to functional knees, to a stable and mobile pelvis.

When practiced with care, standing poses can:

•Elevate our mood: Feel grounded, balanced, capable, powerful, and expansive.

•Foster stability and mobility: Build strength and fluidity in body and mind.

•Enhance your yoga practice: Lessons from standing poses apply to other postures.

•Support longevity: A foundation of stability and mobility benefits every age.

Learning to balance these qualities in all areas of your life can be incredibly transformative, empowering, and of course grounding.

Read “a month of yoga for holiday equanimity” on @substack — link in bio✌🏻

*The full post includes private links to virtual classes, plus short videos with a few pointers.

**Most if not all of these tips are applicable to forward bending poses, too 👍🏻

Enjoy taking care of your body in this way — don’t hesitate to reach out if you seek more personalized support.

What yoga postures, activities, or mindfulness practices help you feel grounded?

Take good care,

S

📷: @patryk_rozniecki @krecikdzio 🤍✨

The lovely @carrieowerko wrote in one of her newsl

The lovely @carrieowerko wrote in one of her newsletters that repetition is one of the best teachers (she is also an amazing teacher!), and also that “repetition and variety help us get our essential movement/mind nutrients.”

For many of us there can often be a sense of repetition in the last month of the year, especially if you are a lover of holiday traditions.

It’s also a nice time to experiment with variety, try new things, and build new physical and mental muscles before we enter a new year.

One of the reasons I love yoga is for the opportunity to explore both repetition and variety, because there is always something new to learn from each of them.

The more we repeat something — whether movement or cooking or a language — the more natural it starts to feel, even if it’s difficult (finding ease within effort, or “sukha / sthira”).

The more we explore variety, the more we expand our physical and mental capacity to learn, grow, maintain brain plasticity, and cultivate a sense of awareness as we focus on building a new skill.

Surya Namaskar A and B are go-to practices for me when I know I want to move my body, but don’t have a lot of time or don’t necessarily know where to begin, so I begin with repeating what I know and go from there.

(The nice thing is that yoga postures can be modified based on what you need or how you’re feeling — you don’t have to do one hundred chatturangas for this sequence to be effective.)

Sometimes it’s also nice to throw a monkey wrench into my comfort zone and vary the way I move, think, and act.

In all of these ways, yoga can be a really great sidekick for our physical and mental wellbeing — or “movement/mind nutrients” :)

Reach out if you want personalized support as you repeat and vary your own practices ✌🏻

Thoughts on this?

Take good care,

S

In one of her classes not too long ago, @nikki_cos

In one of her classes not too long ago, @nikki_costello said something about how when everything is in motion, the anchor has to be internal.

Jon Kabat-Zinn also wrote a book about how you can’t escape yourself, no matter where you are and what / who is moving around you (“Wherever You Go, There You Are.”).

I’ve often been reminded of all of this as I’ve slowly learned to take longer and tougher bike rides — why the journey matters more than the destination because we are always with ourselves along the way, even if the locations and people around us change.

And if we’re not anchored in ourselves amongst the internal and external movement, then we might not reap the benefits (or at least learn the lessons) that the journey has to offer.

To me, the upcoming holidays are a really good opportunity to:

•Get as anchored as possible — movement, nature, and meditation all help with this.
•Be a good companion to ourselves.
•Enjoy the very fleeting journey as much as we can.

Reach out if you need personalized support — links in bio.

Thoughts on this?

Take good care,

S

🎥: Descending down Mont Chauve d’Aspremont north of Nice, France.

🤍 Shout out to my sweet bicycle Azzura who was unfortunately stolen a few weeks ago — she was a beauty and got me through some milestone moments.

Nature is so resilient - transforming through each

Nature is so resilient - transforming through each season from moderate to extreme weather conditions, always persevering in the end 🍁❄️

And She will continue to persevere, as long as we take care of Her…

(Same goes for our body and mind.)

We can care for ourselves, each other, and our planet during the upcoming holiday season and beyond by celebrating with more mindful, ecologically-forward gifts made from more earth-friendly materials.

Please enjoy my updated free Ecological Gift Guide: products and brands that prioritize the health of people and planet.

Link in bio 🌎 🎁✌🏻

Don’t forget to reap the healing benefits from nature this season, too:

•Bundle up and go outside whenever possible.
•Breathe in the fresh winter air.
•Notice the sky above and feel the ground below.
•Watch animals bustling around or plants waiting patiently for spring.
•Allow your nervous system to settle and restore.

[Insert data and studies on the benefits of forest bathing, salt water and cold water exposure, fresh air, sunlight, “earthing,” and nature’s overall positive effect on the immune system.] 🌱

How might you practice physical, mental, and ecological care this season?

Take good care of yourselves and our Mother Earth,

S

📷: A magical fairy stream bath (read: ice plunge) during an Alpine hike in July 2024 ⛰️

(Working title: Back To My Roots 🧚🏻✨)

So grateful to have access to such incredible natural surroundings in les Alpes-Maritimes ☀️🌲🌊

Sono Italiana 🤍🇮🇹 A bit about my Italian

Sono Italiana 🤍🇮🇹 A bit about my Italian grandparents, Dee and Frank:

My grandmother Adeline (Dee) was born in Chicago as a first generation American; her parents came over from Naples when they were younger.

Her mother Theresa owned a bakery in Chicago, sold bread to the Mob, gave bread away during the Great Depression, and was the first woman in her neighborhood to drive a delivery truck.

My grandfather Francesco (Frank) was born in Naples, and around age 7 came to America by boat via Ellis Island with his mother and siblings.

They joined his father Pasquale in Chicago, where he had already been working for a printing company (he was also a clarinet player in an Italian marching band).

My grandpa quickly learned English so he could interact with other kids; he met my grandma in their neighborhood when they were teens (he claimed early on he would marry her).

He renounced his Italian citizenship to serve as an infantryman in WWII for the US; my grandma worked as a secretary for an army colonel in downtown Chicago.

He was awarded a Purple Heart after the war, had 4 kids with my grandma, and moved the family (plus my grandma’s charismatic Neapolitan parents) to California — there he became a respected dentist, beloved faculty member, and prolific researcher at UCLA.

My grandparents, my mom, and her brothers celebrated Italian holidays with us growing up — especially feast of the 7 fishes on Christmas Eve, with Rat Pack music on repeat.

Most of my memories of them are food-related, naturally: pizzelle at Christmas, Easter cake (pigna di pasqua) and cookies, rectangle pan pizzas which nana cut into squares with scissors, meatballs, chicken soup with orzo and many spoonfuls of parmesan, lasagna, my grandpa peeling fruit after dinner with a small knife and passing it around the table for everyone to share.

They were so proud to be both American and Italian; they welcomed our friends like their own extended family (alongside their church and golf club communities, of course).

Continued in comments 👇🏻

food is a universal cultural anchor, and - as hipp

food is a universal cultural anchor, and - as hippocrates reminds us - is also medicinal, so it’s no surprise that a nourishing meal is so physically and emotionally soothing.

this is especially true during transformative times like autumn, and all throughout the colder months when you want to bundle up under a blanket with a warm beverage.

over the years of studying, health coaching, and experimenting with different holistic modalities and diets for my own healing, i’ve found that healthy, nourishing food doesn’t have to be overly complicated or highly restrictive.

as i explored different recipes and techniques - which, like any skill, is an ongoing process - cooking started to come more naturally to me; i learned that throwing together a satisfying meal could be creative, simple, and fun.

because fall and winter are times to turn inward and into the kitchen for mind-body nourishment, i’m happy to share what i’ve learned and what i’ve eaten that tasted really good, just like when i turn to my personal arsenal of chefs and cooks for tips.

here are some autumnal eats that kept me feeling fueled and anchored in good times and strange transitional times; on warm sunny days and crispy windy days, etc etc.

recipes i lightly followed are in the substack post / on my website “simple & nourishing autumnal eats” — links in bio ✌🏻

brief descriptions in comments 👇🏻🥞🍁🧈🥖🍳🍝

what meals have been nourishing you so far this season?

take good care,

s

as i come out of my self-proclaimed mindful mornin

as i come out of my self-proclaimed mindful morning month, i am reflecting on how i generally desire to feel throughout the day in general — especially after an intense political race in the US, including the more cheerful intensity of the upcoming winter holidays and new year.

something i have been aiming for lately (maybe for my whole life?) is how to be a light; how to offer light in darkness; how to shine a light on what needs to be seen for the wellbeing of the mind, the body, and the planet.

for what it’s worth, here are daily, year-round, lifelong lessons from an inspiring spiritually hungry summer podcast episode by the lovely @monicarberg74 and @michaelberg (thanks for being a light!) 🪟✨

“be like a window” (my interpretation) :

•allow things to shine through you — let your gifts, your talents, and your authentic self shine fully 🌟

•don’t take ownership of it — share and give, and don’t let your gifts, talents, intelligence (etc) define you ✌🏻

•clear out the blocks, and keep the window clean to let light shine clearly — if and when your ego or other physical / mental obstacles get in the way, clean it up and keep shining 💡

how do you let the light in and let yourself shine?

take good care,

s

over the last 5.5 years of living in france, i’v

over the last 5.5 years of living in france, i’ve learned a lot about slowing down and savoring – especially as it relates to food (fact: bread and butter soothe the soul).

and after the past election-related anxiety-provoking months (among other global concerns), we could all probably use something as soothing as a cozy french meal.

here are a few ways to enjoy a french-inspired mindful morning – whether you’re somewhere in france, or at home binging @emilyinparis …

if you try my mindful morning virtual workshop, you can schedule a 45-minute consultation with me to curate your own morning rituals to optimize your mood, energy, and physical / emotional wellbeing.

download my free mindful morning self-care ebook for more customizable recipes and morning ritual tips to nourish the body, mind, and planet.

*all links in bio ✨

(fun fact: the word “mindful” in french can generally be translated as “reflection,” “full / complete consciousness,” or “attention.”)

what country or culture inspires you to slow down and savor your mornings?

take good care,

s

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Weekend nervous system care: 48 hours off social m

Weekend nervous system care: 48 hours off social media, (recommend), reading, first homemade focaccia (with green olives and rosemary🤌🏻), a walk through old Nice and a quiet visit inside one of its iconic churches (a favorite thing to do in Europe), yoga at home, seaside strolls in Mediterranean wind, meditation, cashew coconut date ball from impromptu homemade cashew mylk 👍🏻

Hope you’re doing whatever you need to feel balanced and nourished 🤍

Take care,

S

“There’s a lot going on right now” is a phra

“There’s a lot going on right now” is a phrase I find myself and others saying lately, which is especially exhausting to hear at the start of a new and hopeful year - or anytime, I guess…

I grew up in the LA area, and over the past week, I’ve witnessed friends and family (thankfully all safe) go above and beyond to support people in their communities who lost everything, while also working through their own waves of fear and grief.

In 2017, wildfires swept through my teenage hometown in Northern California, wiping out homes of several friends and a large percentage of my neighborhood. My parents’ house was one of a few on their block left standing.

I was thankful to be able to fly back from Brooklyn at that time to help distribute donations and be with my family, but when I returned to the East Coast, I was unsure how to go about my daily life when so many people I knew would be struggling to rebuild for months and years ahead.

It’s contradictory in so many ways, because even if it feels innate to “keep going,” it also sometimes feels unfair to live your life “normally” when so many people close to you - or in the world in general - are suffering.

So how do we allow ourselves to go about our day / to still feel happiness and joy while recognizing that others are suffering - especially if we know the one(s) who suffer?

Also - has there always been a lot going on in the world, and now we’re just hyper-connected to it all via virtual devices?

Is it maybe because it’s all captured on video and available all over the internet for us to see on a regular basis?

There may not be “right” answers to any of my questions, but over the years - and especially now - various spiritual and holistic practices have helped me navigate this emotional overwhelm.

For what it’s worth 🤍

Final wisdom nugget from @danharris to uplift any unsteady spirits: “Action absorbs anxiety.”

Read “What Do I Do With All of These Feelings?” on @substack — link in bio ✌🏻

Take good care,

S

📷: Northern California sunset hikes, December 2024 🌅

Sending soothing sunrise vibes, rejuvenating breat

Sending soothing sunrise vibes, rejuvenating breaths, and this poem to whoever needs it right now 🤍

“The blessing of the morning light to you,
may it find you even in your invisible
appearances, may you be seen to have risen
from some other place you know and have known
in the darkness and that that carries all you need.
May you see what is hidden in you
as a place of hospitality and shadowed shelter,
may what is hidden in you become your gift to give,
may you hold that shadow to the light
and the silence of that shelter to the word of the light,
may you join every previous disappearance
with this new appearance, this new morning,
this being seen again, new and newly alive.”

Blessing for the Morning Light
For John O’Donohue
by @davidjwhyte 🙏🏻

Take good care,

S

Although I take studying and teaching yoga serious

Although I take studying and teaching yoga seriously, there wouldn’t be much joy in it without a sense of play.

By cultivating a sweet spot between discipline and playfulness in our work, relationships, and everyday lives, we can become less rigid without losing sight of what matters most to us.

This balance teaches us to embrace the benefits of discipline - like focus, consistency, and growth - while still allowing necessary space for joy and fluidity.

Discipline & Structure can look like:
•Setting a schedule - even a flexible one - or identifying desired outcomes 🗓️
•Noting and taking consistent, aligned action steps towards your desires, or having
non-negotiables like physical activity or mindfulness rituals 🙏🏻
•Setting healthy boundaries - practicing moderation and avoiding extremes (and forgiving ourselves if we don’t do either of these things 😜)

Fun & Play can look like:
•Allowing space for free time and play time - even if it leads to boredom 🤸🏼‍♀️
•Giving ourselves grace if we over indulge or leapfrog over the discipline piece 🫠
•Purposefully engaging in beloved familiar and newfound activities, whether spontaneous or planned - sometimes even scheduling play can be a disciplinary act of self care 💃🏼

This is an ongoing work in progress with no fixed destination other than our unique sense of physical and mental equanimity.

Read “The Sweet Spot of Structure & Play” on @substack (includes a few resources to support those affected by the LA wildfires) — link in bio ✌🏻

How do you infuse structure and play into your daily life, and in what area(s) do you feel you could use more or less of one or the other?

Take good care,

S

🎥: Playing at @ballyseedecastle with yoga / dance bbs @amberrenegregory @annaroweenjewelry @emilygiovine celebrating our bb @sarahgirardyoga ✨

NorCal nature highlights ☀️ “Listen patientl

NorCal nature highlights ☀️ “Listen patiently, quietly and reverently to the lessons, one by one, which Mother Nature has to teach, shedding light on that which was before a mystery, so that all who will, may see and know.” - Luther Burbank

Bodega Bay 🌊
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park 🐞
Lake Tahoe 🏔️
Annadel State Park 🌅
Occidental 🦉
Armstrong Redwood State Reserve 🌲

Merci Cali 🤍

Stability and mobility / fluidity are 2 concepts I

Stability and mobility / fluidity are 2 concepts I bring up in probably every class I teach, because they’re always applicable and always important — both individually and as a unit.

Without stability, we are like loose, unhinged noodles without a backbone for physical or mental steadiness.

Without mobility, we are stiff Tin-Man-like humans without the fluidity we need to feel creative and spacious in our bodies and minds.

Geeta Iyengar summarized it beautifully:

“Stability is not stagnation. It has to remain flowing like the river water constantly.”

I developed a class called Yoga Core — a blend of yoga, Pilates, and functional movement — to meet a demand for Pilates at a community center where I live in Nice, in which stability and mobility are the main players.

The students are mostly retired and / or over 50 years old, but they are some of the most resilient and enthusiastic people I’ve had the pleasure of teaching — they inspire me to adopt their ongoing willingness and curiosity to embody the steadiness and spaciousness concepts I love to share.

*Explore over 20 on-demand yoga classes I created in various styles, lengths, and levels — link in bio :)

As we welcome in the new year, my hope is that we can do whatever we need to do to cultivate the physical, mental, and emotional stability and mobility we need for mind-body wellbeing — whether via movement, community gatherings, mindfulness practices, or whatever else makes us feel calm and aware.

Maybe that equanimity can be a ripple effect into 2025 and beyond 🤍

In what ways do you cultivate physical, mental, and emotional stability and mobility?

Take good care and happy 2025,

S

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