“We’re in the middle of a sea change,” said Jason. “Most yoga teachers now are erring on the side of not giving manual adjustments, and for good reason.” It was the second day of our two-week module (the first part of a 300-hour training), and the conversation had shifted from “How to give hands-on assists” […]
You ever have one of those days? You know the ones. One of those infamous days where everything seems to be going wrong. You’re late to all of your appointments, there are big rifts in your communications with others, and no matter what you try to accomplish there seems to be something blocking you. By […]
We expect that our mind should conjure up new ideas, solve problems, and provide deep insights. Unfortunately, our minds and our senses are often misused, overworked, and overstimulated. Our mind can only function to the degree in which we understand its internal workings and our lives are a reflection of our awareness. All day long, […]
“The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers.” – Erich Fromm As uncomfortable as it may feel, uncertainty is at the foundation of our lives. We want to know, always, especially when it comes to our loved ones and our future. These […]
It’s hours before dawn and I sit here listening to a heavy Portland winter rain come down. The dog is asleep, the house is lit by the glow of our small and delightful tree. It’s dark, and we meet the Winter Solstice tomorrow. Soon after, we’ll cross the threshold into a new year. We’ll make […]
I grew up deeply embedded in the seasons. In the small ski town in Idaho where I’m from, the mountains are church and the weather is God. When I remember being a child, I remember temperature and light and how these delicious and fleeting touches of time carried everything I trusted and looked forward to. The […]
We had been staring at each other for three minutes. And in case you’ve never held sustained eye contact with someone for three minutes, let me assure you: it’s a lot longer than it sounds. We had started out smiling, faded to comfortable recognition, then spent a few seconds blinking and moving from left eye […]
My first dip in Yoga philosophy as an adult was inadvertent – I went to Yoga class expecting it to be something like jazzercise and instead was introduced to a holistic form of moving meditation that integrated aspects of philosophy I had first become acquainted with as a college freshman. In addition to moving in […]
Practice. I just love it. The word, the idea, the habit. There’s such a softness to it. No beginning, no end. It’s forgiving and challenging at once. My seven year old daughter says, “I just can’t get the hands right!” She’s bummed because in a drawing that otherwise looks about how she means for it […]
Interdependence. Three summers ago, I got these tattoos. These arrows came to me after a horrible break up and the subsequent months of agonizing heart break and pain that followed. The invisible threads that connect us all with lovers, with friends, with family, and yes, even strangers, felt as if they were winding themselves around […]
Article originally posted on mattnelsonyoga.com. Shortly after my first child turned three years old, I found myself feeling that there was a disconnect between my sadhana and my family life. Having two children under four is a consuming endeavor, and presents a unique set of challenges with regards to finding time to engage in daily spiritual […]
Tension is one of the ways we feel safe and held and assured that little is going to change. While easy to identify neck and low back tension, the grip in the ears is more complex. Not listening is a key skill of maintaining the status quo (abhinvesha). Through a simple investigation of how the ears work, we […]
It seems like the attention can only be held by what she does not yet understand. So key to the yogi skill of dharana (steady attention) is the willingness to consider that one might yet know it all. There can be no curiosity or wonderment if we are bored. The yogis have long suggested to […]
