Off the Mat

Yoga is a process. And like with any process in life, one cannot always understand what is happening to them, why, or on what level. Wouldn’t we like to know?

Yoga is transformation....

Lately I find myself more concerned with the physical world we live in…Mother Earth…

Why is it that loving and respecting the Earth does not actually have a place in our...

For much of my journey, I have been encouraged to open up and share my experience. I can be shy, and I’m known to be the type that keeps a lot inside. After 15 years of very dedicated...

Sleep is one of the deepest medicines. It is simple, old, natural, and timeless. Sleep is absolutely necessary to maintain good health both mentally and physically. The body gets...

In reference to my previous blog "What is Yoga?" there are many misunderstandings of what Yoga really is. In this blog, I want to address the illusion that being as flexible as...

Contrary to the images you are bombarded with in pop culture and social media, yoga is not a fashionable exercise fad.  It also, however, is not a religion.  These are...

As many of you already know, the Spiritual Community of the Outer Banks has suffered a huge loss with the recent passing of one of its brightest members and leaders. Chip Hedenburg...

In many ancient cultures and religions, the Earth is usually personified as being an expression of feminine energy and embodying the Mother.  I have, throughout my life, gravitated...

I am currently teaching a six-week Beginner's Course to a wonderful group of students that has inspired me. One of the first lifestyle changes that happens when you begin practicing...

To me, the natural beauty of being connected to an authentic yoga lineage is clear. The reason perhaps so many forms of yoga are being splintered from this tradition to be marketed...

As I sit here on a pack of ice trying to prod this energy in my lower back to move, I am contemplating the magical time I spent in Encinitas this month. I am on the last day of a...

Now that I am no longer a beginner teacher (officially stated by Mr. Miller himself) and practitioner as I am well into my twelfth year of uninterrupted, daily ashtanga yoga practice,...

I just returned from a wonderful trip to Charlottesville, VA, where I was a student at the University of Virginia. Charlottesville is also the place I met my yoga teacher, Tim Miller,...

Okay ladies, this blog is mostly for you, although men might learn something too.

I have realized that the hormonal changes I experience around menstruation have become the...

I am not sure about you, but I have observed an unusual amount of change happening within my own life and in the world around me.  I realize that things are always changing,...

There is a place we all know.  It is always new; forever flowing with time. It is our essence, our inner knowing.  To access this inner space, we must be silent. ...

Get away into a relaxed natural setting, unplug from your everyday life, commune with like minded people, take a load off and let someone else prepare fresh environmentally conscious...

September 1, 2014 marked the 9th Anniversary of my studio’s birth. I would like to take a moment to reflect upon this crossing…

I opened my studio on this tiny sand bar when...

Yoga is a lifelong process.  To be engaged in this process is to observe the many phases of one’s life.  There is a model from the ancient wisdom traditions of our ancestors...

One of the many things I love about Ashtanga Yoga is the beautiful design of the sequences.  The science of the practice is phenomenal in weeding the unnecessary out which frees...

Pain is, unfortunately, a part of life and it manifests in our practice.  If it is not felt in the body, it may be felt in the mind and in the emotions.

There is a lot...

What is life without knowledge of the Soul, without knowledge of yourself beyond your body?

In today’s world there is so much emphasis on the material, on the seen, on the...

In Samkhya philosophy there are three gunas which are the basic components of the fundamental nature of reality.  These tendencies are expressed in both the physical and mental...

Happy Winter Solstice everyone! Be blessed to know that sunlight will be increasing from now until the Summer Solstice in late June.

Due to our scientific advancements, we...

I love the traditional closing prayer to the Ashtanga Yoga practice.  It is not enough to just say the words.  Through time and with practice, you should contemplate the...

On November 1st my first decade of uninterrupted well observed...

For many years I have been contemplating myself and seeking to understand my true essence. Within this process, I find myself wondering, analyzing, weighing different aspects, and...

Is it any wonder that our ancient ancestors looked to the sky for answers in a world without television, internet, or even books?  They looked to Nature for solace, temperance,...

Something I learned from watching Joseph Campbell’s DVDs on Netflix is a very interesting teaching from his section on Buddhism.  He said that you are not supposed to rid yourself...

The fourth chapter of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras is called “Kaivalya Padah.” One translation of this is the “Chapter on Absolute Freedom.”  This points us to the...

As Spring is ripe and the Earth is full of new life, I wanted to take this time to honor the sacred connection to the animal realm.  After all, I sometimes joke that we as humans...

I am happy to announce my new and improved website is finally live!  After almost 8 full years of operation and existence I have many things to share; pictures, videos, workshops,...

We hope you like the new features and enhancements we've recently added to our website. Between the social media feed, new