Welcome to Fall 2022 Session. 

 

It's hard to believe this is the 16th fall that I am welcoming yogis back to their mats. Where did all the time go?!

 

So many things have changed since my very first (and very shaky!) time in front of the class. What we taught, how we taught, and even the practice itself has evolved beyond recognition in the last two decades.

 

Yoga has outgrown its tie-dye roots and became a global therapeutic force, well - studied, and prescribed by doctors and physiotherapists alike for anything from sore back to insomnia. The variety and number of styles, studios, teachers, and practitioners have grown beyond anyone wildest dreams. 

 

My practice... Well, I'm not sure if I'd call it yoga at this point.

 

Back when I just started I was happy to teach yoga to anyone who would be willing to give it a go. I trained in, practised, and taught a variety of styles. 

Except for... Fairly early in my practice I came to realize that my body didn't work well with most  - if not all - of then popular yoga styles.

 

Flare-ups were my constant companions, as was the unrelenting fatigue. Yoga teacher trainings felt discouraging as I struggled to keep up with the physical demands, no matter how much I prepared beforehand. 

Worst of all, there was not a whole lot of forward progression. 

I wasn't getting better. Not consistently better. I rehabbed one injury after another, feeling like I am stuck in the "groundhog day."

 

Of course - not surprisingly at all - at about the same time I began to notice that my students, too, were struggling with the very same issues. Our bodies - glued stuck in some places and over-the-board mobile in others - needed a different approach!

 

This is where my search for a better-suited practice begins.

I started with what was available inside of the yoga world, and soon therapeutic, restorative, and yin yoga were added to Satori offerings.

 

Eventually, though, the world of yoga became too restrictive. Again, not surprisingly at all, yoga didn't have all the answers. My needs and the needs of my students were no longer met by yoga practice alone, and so that's when I turned to other disciplines and movement modalities. 

 

I studied Ayurveda and Meditation, experimented with Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement, tried Somatic Release, Alexander Technique, and Alignment Through Imagery Method. Every one of these modalities have left a valuable imprint on my practice, and also informed my teaching style in many profound ways.

 

And then there were a few super star disciplines that stood way out from the rest. The difference they made was nothing short of MIRACULOUS. 

Short term, they offered an immediate relief (and a hope injection!); long term, the benefits continued to accumulate overtime, as did the overall improvement.

 

Now the Roll Model Method  (the yoga therapy balls that we love to hate), Mindfulness Practices, Functional Movement / Pilates Techniques, Biomechanical Alignment Principles, and Explain Pain strategies are all a part of each and every Satori class. Quite the heady mix, isn't it?!

 

And that's only the beginning.

As I continue to experiment with different disciplines - as of late, it has been Somatic Experiencing to restore the equilibrium of my nervous system and Myofunctional Therapy for better mouth, tongue, teeth and palate alignment - they too trickle their way into Satori classes.

 

It takes a lot of years - and many failed attempts - to put together a fluid and ever-evolving practice, something that I am able to practice and teach, both.

Would you call it Yoga?

When asked, I simply reply: 

 

"I teach functional movement to people who live with pain."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fall Yoga Session 1 - September 12 - October 27

Pain Care Yoga  - Mondays & Thursdays at 6 PM - On-Line

 

Core Restore Beginner - Tuesdays at 6 PM - at Love Life Hot Yoga

 

Core Restore Advanced -  Wednesdays at 6 PM - at my home studio

Last Call For Early Bird Knee-Hub Registrations - September 30th
 

Knee-Hub - Downstream: Feet, Ankles and More - October 15

 

Fall Yoga Session 2 Begins - October 31

 

 

There is another spot available in Advanced Core Restore class and a few more in the Knee-Hub for those who are interested. See you soon!
 

 

IN - Breath. OUT - Breath. HERE WE GO!