Embodied Mind Wellness

There’s still time to join us tomorrow for Intuitive Movement at Yoga Innovations! What is Intuitive Movement? Well, it’s an opportunity to connect with yourself—body and mind: to listen deeply, honor your impulses, tune in to the messages your body holds, and practice moving what’s stuck!

Intuitive Movement is about giving yourself the gift of time and space to focus on YOU and your personal process from one present moment to the next. Join me in an exploration of dance/movement therapy-informed somatic practices that will open your heart and mind to the wisdom held by the body. Facilitated by a Registered Dance/Movement Therapist and Certified Yoga Teacher (aka, yours truly) with gentle loving kindness and care.

Have questions? Just ask! And if you want in, save your spot at www.yogainnovations.com/workshops or via the MindBody app now!

We’re just a few days away from my Intuitive Movement workshop at Yoga Innovations! Whatever is going on in your life right now, take some YOU time and explore it through movement with me. If that sounds intimidating or scary or confusing, trust me when I say that if you’re an adult with a body, this workshop is for you.

All you need to participate is a yoga mat, a journal/pen, water, and your curiosity! Feel free to reach out with any questions, and I hope to see you there!

Check out the second pic for more upcoming events at YI over the next few weeks, and come move with us…

Pittsburgh and surrounding area friends: If you missed out on my last movement workshop at Yoga Innovations sign up now to join me for the next one! On Saturday, 2/24/24 (check out those numbers!), meet me on your mat for 2 hours of YOU time—a chance to explore your felt sense of self through powerful somatic-based practices inspired by principles of dance/movement therapy.

This workshop is for anyone interested in connecting with, witnessing, and releasing material held by the body, and no experience is necessary. Not a dancer or a practicing yogi? Not a problem! Everyone (including dancers/yogis) can benefit from this work. Consider this a personal invitation to introspection from me to you, no matter your level of body/movement confidence.

This is an unheated practice, but the room will definitely get warm as we do! Bring water, a yoga mat, a journal/writing device and your curiosity, and I promise to hold space for you with gentle loving kindness.

Save your spot today at www.yogainnovations.com/workshops/ or register via the MindBody app, and get ready to dance it out with me!

*Please note that this workshop is structured for adults. Feel free to DM with any questions.

How will you spend your last moments of 2023?

Many of us feel pressure this time of year to set goals or expectations for ourselves for the year to come. If resolutions feel good to you, have at it! But if they historically lead you to a place of disappointment, allow me to present an alternative:

Might it feel more productive to spend some time closing out this year simply by connecting to yourself? You don’t need any special equipment, just your own presence and awareness.

A quick exercise: Take a moment—it doesn’t have to be long!—to drop into your body. Get comfy, close your eyes if it feels safe, or take a soft focus toward the floor to encourage your attention to turn inward. Start by sending the spotlight of your mind’s eye to your breath… your thoughts… the sensations you are experiencing… Scan your body from head to toe, and notice how you feel.

Take stock of the effects of the last 365 days on your body, mind and spirit. Where do you feel settled? Where do you have an unmet need? How can you support yourself in shedding the weight of your disappointments and holding your triumphs to the light for appreciation? As you work through the body in this way, maybe a word or short phrase might emerge from your subconscious: a message from you to you.

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Did you try it? Feel free to share your experience in the comments, or just share a word you hope might help shape the next year of your life.

As we prepare to cross the threshold of a new year, give yourself the gift of intentional attention. Turn the space you hold for others towards yourself, and notice what you notice. And if you’d like to explore this kind of work with more individual guidance, don’t hesitate to contact [email protected] to get started today!

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Art by Salvador Dalí
Dream Passage from Alice in Wonderland (1979)

The Small and Simple; The Every Day

"When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around." -Willie Nelson

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What happens if we focus less on outcome, and more on gratitude? What might shift for us?

"Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it,
but not to fever." - Charlotte Bronte

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Spend some time in your body with gratitude. Dance about it. Notice where it lives and how you breathe when you feel it.

A little grattitu-dance goes a long way... 🫶

Want some support around moving from a place of gratitude? Contact [email protected] to get started today!