Recent weeks have found me thinking about “new possibilities”… about how the elements of one’s life can rearrange themselves… how new elements can be welcomed into one’s life, and old ones released. It’s like when we practise the yoga postures: we are literally rearranging the parts of the body to create more space in the body for new possibilities – space for more nourishment, greater strength and stability, greater ease and freedom, and for release of tension.

Now coming back to new possibilities for one’s life: From what I can see, it’s pretty common to feel trapped or stuck in certain areas of our lives… to feel that our lives will unfold in the same way, day after day… and to perceive change as impossible or at best, very unlikely.  You know, it’s even possible to feel content with this “same-old-same-old” AND to feel that this contentment is a virtue. In the context of yoga philosophy, santosha – the Sanskrit word for contentment – appears as one of the ten core yogic values.

I do not question the value of contentment – on the contrary! I have, however, begun to question the value of accepting the “same-old-same-old” as a fixed or predetermined reality. Things do NOT have to stay the same. At any age, and at any stage in our lives, we can create shifts – even small ones – and the small shifts can lead to bigger shifts. These shifts do not even have to take a long time. Something might just “click” and all of a sudden, our lives are different than they were a few weeks or months ago.

Are there aspects of YOUR life that you wish were a little different? I think most people would answer, “Yes, sure.” And then they’d say, “But because of this, that, and that, it can’t be that way.” Perhaps they’re afraid to get their hopes up, or to disturb the peace and stability they’ve achieved in their lives. I’ve been there. I’ve done that. I’ve said, “Because I have kids and these other responsibilities etc., etc., I don’t have enough time, and I can’t do etc., etc.”… And I felt that those were very valid reasons, and I felt sure that I just had to live with my reality as I knew it. As a result, I limited my own growth.

More recently, I’m choosing to question those kinds of thoughts – and there are plenty of them, popping up in different areas of my life. I’m choosing to believe that shifts are possible, that growth is possible – and not only possible, but very attainable. The results? I’ve been seeing all sorts of growth to encourage me: I’m devoting more time to my personal yoga practice than ever before, I’m taking a business course and learning lots, and I’ve got a new program on its way… It all starts with what we think is possible, what we dare to dream of, what we choose to focus on.

I put this out there as a message of hope, faith and encouragement: no matter how entrenched you feel in your “present reality”, you CAN create shifts in your life, if you so choose. You have an amazingly powerful tool already in your possession – your mind – whose potential the ancients have long known and science is just now confirming. You CAN learn to use this amazing mind to create shifts in any area of your life. If this intrigues you, your next steps are to believe in new possibilities and to learn more about your mind and the mind-body connection. Yoga has lots to offer here. We’ll be touching on some of this in the March Meditation Series. All welcome! Details are below.

Heart Month Special

Those of you on Facebook may have seen my special February offer. Those of you who haven’t, please know that this special continues till the end of the month! As part of this, I have also added a free class to all existing class passes (e.g. those with a 5-class pass now have a 6-class pass).

Mini video series – Free on my website

A few months ago, I announced that I’d be offering pre-recorded yoga classes. The time has finally come, although the vision has changed somewhat. I’ve decided to move forward with a series of mini-videos offered as a free resource on my website. I aim to record and post one per week. You’ll find two mini-videos there already: Chair yoga sun salutations (11 min) and Chair yoga spinal movements (12 min). Feel free to share these videos with anyone who may benefit. Stayed tuned for new recordings, and if there’s a specific mini-practice you’d like to see, please let me know!

March Morning Meditations – Free via Zoom

Learn how to calm, focus and expand your mind using a simple, systematic approach to meditation. We’re onto our third meditation series now, and this one will be a little different:

• Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 7:55-8:15am – There is no fee for this series.
• We start a few minutes earlier – at 7:55 instead of 8:00am – so as to build up to 15 minutes of meditation, plus 3 minutes for closing reflections. (This is up from the 11 + 3 format we followed in November and January.)
• We will begin the March series with a return to the method taught in November and January. I will introduce a few new elements as we go along.
• There will be 13 meditations in March. You do not need to attend all of them. They will be recorded and shared on the Morning Meditations web page for your reference.
• Simply respond to this email with the message “March Meditation”, and I will add you to my list.

March-April yoga sessions – Open for registration

Chair Yoga $96: Mondays 9:30-10:30am, Mar 7 – Apr 25, 8 classes

Yin Yoga $96: Mondays 4:30-5:30pm, Mar 7 – Apr 25, 8 classes

Hatha & Yin Blend $108: Wednesdays 7:30-8:30pm, Mar 2 – Apr 27, 9 classes

Yoga Flow $108: Fridays 9:30-10:30am, Mar 4 – Apr 29, 9 classes

Note that classes WILL be offered during March Break and on Easter Friday/Monday.

In addition to these 2-month sessions (ideal for those who prefer a regular practice, one class/week), you have the option to purchase a class pass (5, 10 or 20 classes – ideal for folks who prefer a more flexible yoga routine) or a monthly membership (unlimited classes for $55/month). All details and payment options are here:

Best wishes to all! Thank you for reading to the end! I look forward to seeing you on the mat/chair! As always, feel free to reach out with any questions or comments.