May I be...

“May I be heart-centered and brave as I listen, allow, include and lead by example in the nuanced spectrum of self-compassion.”

These words have developed into a mantra that I have been expanding upon for several days now. They feel like a loving anchor or a steady compass that have guided me back home to practice in the nourishing field of my High Self. Each word has depth of meaning and spark a visceral reaction in my being as I write, read and repeat them.

It’s amazing to observe how the words we use shift our reality. At the most basic level, words give us meaning and create a surge of chemicals down old or new neural pathways. We are creatures of habit and tend to use the same words, repeat the same beliefs, and divert energy down the old superhighways in our brain.

Words create our reality. Understanding this and using words wisely, without bypassing or avoiding, yet also without fixating or creating more of what you want less of, is one of the most powerful skills we can cultivate as human beings.

I invite you to pause, get comfortable and tune into your breath. Notice how you are feeling and ask yourself what message or reminder you need today. Whatever arises, phrase it with the opening words of “May I….”

May I remember…

May I be…

May I trust…

Go with whatever feels like word medicine. Keep it simple to start, as I did with “may I be heart-centered and brave.” Over the next few days, come back to the mantra and get curious about what is becoming more clear. That might mean tweaking what is already there or adding more detail. Continue until you land on your powerful positive statement. Stay with it for a few more days, and notice what happens.

xo

Meet what's stuck...

Stuckness, stagnancy, or lack are flags pinpointing where young internal protectors have dug their heels into moments in the past.

Their intention is “never again” yet the result is keeping that moment in time alive in the body, deterring presence from new and spacious possibilities.

Step out and back into the larger field, then turn towards the protector with appreciation, compassion, courage and curiosity to connect and redirect.

Make new meaning while in your Window of Presence, reconsolidate your body memory of what was, and discover the liberation that awaits when you surrender to what is.

Slow down....

Slow is fast.

Slow honors inclusion, integration and safety.

Notice more.

Notice the threads that intricately weave, that push, that pull, that tangle and create the experience alive in this present moment.

Notice how your breath maestro’s the weaving and illuminates where and what needs more of your loving attention so it can be freed up to be in its rightful flow.

Feel the simplicity in the complexity.

Your breath animates you. Differentiated, separated, alive as an individual having a human experience, and you, we, and everything are all one.

Slow down so you can capture the magic that is your aliveness.

Maybe it's not what you "think" it is...

“No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical.” ― Niels Bohr

This succinct and thought-provoking quote has become an important pillar that reminds me to practice bringing my right brain hemisphere back into its rightful place of leader in my mindbody system. Both brain hemispheres are involved in pretty much everything. Yet to truly understand their roles, how they differ and how they best work together, it is best to consider brain bifurcation in terms of how they process and perceive things versus what they do.

Before I understood these two modes of processing, I was confused when a facilitator would prompt me to listen to my inner experience without "thinking." Or, the prompt: “what does your gut tell you?” or “what does your body want, what is your body saying?” My left brain dominance was so extreme that I did not feel connected to my body’s wisdom whatsoever.

What these prompts mean to say can be translated as: "don't jump to conclusions" or "don't fixate on the narration of the experience" or "don't just think about what is happening and rather let yourself feel it and see what wants to happen next."

Right and Left Hemisphere

The right hemisphere has a natural disposition of openness, seeing the seamless interconnectivity in all things and builds new connections where separation or disconnection is present. It is best suited as the leader of the brain as it defaults to presence and inhibits certainty by recognizing the multitude of possibilities and perspectives alive in each moment, knowing there is always more to discover and explore. As well, as leader, it knows it needs the left hemisphere and creates space and rhythm for toggling back and forth appropriately.

There is a humility and curiosity inherent in the right hemisphere, which curates resonant relationships that allow space for differences and encourages uniqueness. It understands implicit meaning and metaphor, and is much more in touch with the embodiment of our being.

There is a river-like flow in right hemisphere processing, where nothing can really be taken out of context because context is nothing less of the whole that exists. It is with right hemisphere dominated processing that we do our best work in holding space for ourselves and others, feeling without condition and tracking sensation without jumping out of the flow to fix or problem solve, and ultimately, surrender into the innate intelligence that is animating our body through breath without trying to manipulate it or control it. It is right hemisphere dominance that cultivates relationships with our Higher Self at the helm.

The left hemisphere is equally important yet is best when in the role of student or child to the right hemispheres parental and wise teacher status. The left hemisphere views a world in which certainty is prized and ambiguity, ambivalence or uncertainty are seen as weaknesses and hard to tolerate. From that perspective, left hemisphere processing steers towards getting "ahold" of the situation at hand by needing to categorize and label it with language, the use of black and white thinking, and over-confidence in its position as being right and knowing everything. An additional problem with left brain dominance is that it does not look towards the right hemisphere for guidance or inclusion, rather, it is as though when the left brain is in the lead, it acts as if it is the one and only aspect of you or way to process that matters.

These quick judgments and silos are experienced as safer, simpler, and more efficient. Because of this stringent, fixed and inflexible view of the world. the left hemisphere tends to not see the uniqueness in things, rather, it abstracts and categorizes, seeing inanimate parts (or the representation or idea of something) that are measurable, useable, and quantifiable instead of the complex whole that is alive, changing and unfolding.

The left hemisphere tends to fixate on stimuli, a zooming in on detail rather than an open and expansive view of the whole. This lack of flexibility lends itself towards being a specialist at delusion and denial, and tends to be more associated with the experience of the narrator as it tries/wants to makes sense of things quickly and believes what it sees.

What do we do with this information?

Perhaps you have noticed that when you are feeling triggered, under-resourced, or disconnected, that there is a tendency towards left brain dominant processing. It's faster, more confident and makes things seem simpler. Of course we lean in that direction when uncertainty or chaos has tipped into feeling like it is too much. It's as if when there is a critical mass of DIMs (danger-in-my-system: perceived unconsciously by the nervous system with neuroception), the left hemisphere defaults to take over, and if we are unaware of this shift or lack the understanding and appreciation of this mode of thinking, we might fall for its self-assurance, get stuck and feed more energy into a problem.

Both hemispheres are needed as separate entities in connection, performing their vital roles for our system. When the right hemisphere steps up to be the leader, the left hemisphere thrives as well. The left hemisphere points and quantifies for understanding and safety, and the right hemisphere pauses, slows things down to include more detail, nuance, and wise discernment to hold the space open with a growth mindset and a predisposition towards connection.

To truly "think" requires the toggling back and forth between both modes of processing, both hemispheres of the brain. To use the structure and categorization of the left hemisphere and then pause to meet that with the right and ask, "wait a second, perhaps there is another possibility here. What if I stay open and curious and see what wants to happen next?"

"Empathy is neither a deviation from intelligence nor the single route to it. Sometimes we need detachment; many other times we need attunement. And the people who will thrive will be those who can toggle between the two. As we've seen again and again, the conceptual age requires androgynous minds."

- Daniel Pink, A Whole New Mind

Drop your Shield and Expand your Field

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra’s we are instructed on the path to realizing the bliss of pure presence, and it’s far-reaching powers and benefits, that is our true nature. Referred to as Samadhi, a state of remembering and embodying the inseparability of body, mind and spirit. A state that we all have access to, as it is who we are before we began suffering from over-identifying with our thoughts.

Patanjali describes five main states of the mind:

Disturbed

Dull

Distracted

One-pointed

Nirodhaha

Similar to the states of the nervous system, these five perceptions and experiences of the mind dictate our quality of life and health. Ultimately, by practicing one-pointed focus we develop the ability to recognize we are not the thinking mind and our thoughts are representative of our bodily state, repetition and experience rather than simple facts or truths about existence.

The mind-state of Nirodhaha is mastery of the mind and the cessation of the fluxuations of the mind-stuff. By practicing yoga, and its multi-faceted and interconnected wisdom teachings, we see through the distortions that have created an illusion of separation and dis-ease and our crystal clear mind observes as the breath attunes with the greater intelligence and we begin to perceive the objects of the world with fresh eyes.

It is from this pure perspective that it becomes clear how love, kindness, appreciation, compassion, patience and tenderness are the greatest strengths and optimal keys to vitality and longevity. When we are calm, grounded, and connected internally, we can safely cohere with others, ourselves, and the world around us, and shine steadily as catalyst’s of healing connection.

When we feel safe and in tune, there is no need to practice shielding and protecting ourselves. We may notice momentary shielding and activation states, as these are important and wonderful aspects of our survival system. And when they are met with loving presence, and guided back into an opening as soon as the stressor has subsided, we grow stronger and even more flexible. When protection, defense and activation/shutdown are no longer your default mode of being, Nirodhaha opens and expands our presence and what once was a shield is laid down as a field of safety and connection expands. A resonance of connection and a flow of presence leads the way, and each moment becomes an opportunity to celebrate aliveness and release the sticky wounds, beliefs and traumas of the past.

Yogic wisdom and practices are guides for coming back home to yourself and stepping more fully into presence, and there are so many paths and practices that you can experiment with.

Ultimately, we all need to practice slowing down so we can access this deep wisdom inside. To recognize the need for rest and the importance of creating the space and environment conducive for healing and restoration daily. When we have that deep connection to restoration and an internal environment that is supported, resourced and connected, we can respond to our struggles and “stuck-points” with compassion, curiosity, patience, and a willingness to appreciate the intention of survival and adaptation rather than berate and judge what is uncomfortable, inconvenient or frustrating.

When we honor and know how to slow down, we also have what we need to speed up and cultivate strength and fluidity at all points of the energetic spectrum. Slowing down requires trust in the innate intelligence of rhythm, the very same rhythm that is alive in you as breath and that animates every system collaborating within and around you.

One such rhythm is called the Infradian Rhythm. For women who menstruate, this monthly rhythm has four distinct stages. When you know and practice working with this rhythm, it becomes a gift that supports your energy reserves on a deep level and a wave you can ride. While this rhythm reflects the monthly cycle, it still garners wisdom for everyone else, as it follows the four seasons and the importance of developing the ability to speed up and slow down rather than stay in one gear all of the time.

Interested in learning more? Reach out with questions or curiosities, and stay tuned for more online breath programs to support you in your journey home to yourself.

xo

Journey to Better Breathing

Optimizing and harmonizing your breath is a journey, and one that is vital in order to curate a consistent connection with your innate inner healer. I have created a nine-part video series with the intent that guidance, practice, variety and simplicity will lead you to developing awe and understanding of how to breathe functionally, how to self-regulate, how to retrain improper habits, and ultimately, how to strengthen your mental and physical health.

What you will learn

Video #1

In this first session we will move through what a functional breath looks like and feels like. A guide through the foundational steps to begin the process of how and why to slow your breath down and what you can pay attention to to support you in moving your attention inwards.

Video #2

We begin with the nervous system regulation technique of using our eyes and mindful movement to soften the rhythm of breathing and cultivate more safety signals. We review the steps for oral and spinal posture, how to practice functional breathing and the many health benefits of a healthy and pliable diaphragm moving rhythmically. Know your inhale and exhale more intimately, land on a mantra that captures the energy or experience of each, and then breathe in slow motion as your mantra supports your focused attention.

Video #3

We begin with some review, and the value in using hands on compression as you inhale to slow your breath down and support your ability to feel and be with each breath. Better breathing with a pliable diaphragm supports heart health and is the foundation for high heart rate variability. Pranayama is the practice of conscious breathing, and in this video we move through the benefits and possibilities. We expand our practice of noticing the differences in inhale and exhale by building awareness in the opposing forces in each breath; the diaphragms glide down as we inhale while we feel energy that inspires and uplifts, and the diaphragms rise up as we exhale and a felt sense of energy rooting down and grounding. Notice what happens when you stay with these two directions of movement happening simultaneously.

We add in the practice of Viloma on the inhale and then on the exhale (the interrupted breath or “against the grain”) as a slightly activating technique that supports building strength in your respiratory muscles, as well as building comfort with gentle breath retention.

With a longer interoceptive practice we begin to notice how the quality of the inhale impacts the quality of the exhale, and the quality of the exhale impacts the quality of the next inhale. We finish with some embodied mindful movement guided by the breath and the energy we have practiced noticing.

Video #4

Interoception is the sense of feeling inside our embodied experience and is an integral part of attuning to the innate healer within. As a daily practice it improves cognition and reduces risk of age-related cognitive decline.

Taking our time to use our senses outwardly to calm the nervous system we can then turn our senses inward to notice more. Using breath techniques that will be familiar from previous videos with a bit more detail and space to notice your internal experience.

“We heal to the extent that we interocept. And we interocept to the extent that we feel safe.” AD Bud Craig

We then move into conscious activating techniques with space for interoception to begin the process of building more flexibility in our nervous system, followed by more self-regulating techniques.

Video #5

A review and experiential practice of how and why to use our senses consciously to begin our practice from a place of regulation and safety. A healthy nervous system is a flexible nervous system. In this video we step further into practice of activation – or positive stress exercises – with plenty of space and variety in self-regulation (or repair) in between bouts of activation.

When we engage in these practices with interoception we will notice our own window of tolerance so we can tailor each experience to our own individual needs. This retrains our nervous system back into a healthy oscillation of rhythm.

Video #6

Your nervous system is amazing, wise, powerful, and working so hard to protect you moment after moment. In this video we move through an experience of normalizing and celebrating the various states that your nervous system direct you into, to recognize that there is another way to relate and be with yourself. Leaning into the map of the Polyvagal theory to categorize our nervous system states, learn how your vagus nerve is deeply involved in your health and wellness. We use visualization, hands on and a felt sensation of energy moving through the pathways of the nervous system to have an embodied experience of how to navigate and self-regulate.

We complete our experience with nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) through the lens of self-regulation.

Video #7

What, why and when would we consciously under breathe or breathe less? A guided experience into breathing in slow motion as you learn why the sensation of air hunger is related to rising carbon dioxide rather than reduction in oxygen. And when we breathe slower and less, this increases our oxygen uptake to our hungry cells, increases our stress resiliency, and trains our brain to increase tolerance to carbon dioxide which slows down our baseline breathing rate. A slower breath rate leads to a healthier heart, a healthier immune system, and a calmer system overall that heals with ease.

Join me in this journey to learn your breath chemistry, and the gradual stages and practices of air hunger to reset your subconscious respiratory pattern generator.

Video #8

A closer look at the vagus nerve and techniques that increase safety signals in between bouts of positive stress exercise. We are taking our practice of developing flexibility and rhythm in our nervous system a step further.

Video #9

We complete our series with a longer guided experience into your inner environment along with the practice of simultaneously riding the wave of your breath and holding the hand of your breath. This is a yoga nidra-esque meditation to foster deep rest and cultivate space and capacity to sustain what you have learned in your body. Knowledge is for your brain, experience is for your body.

Curious to learn more? Check it out here!

Sacred Rest is the Portal for Manifestation

There are many ways to curate the change you desire in your life. What do they all have in common? A nervous system state that is conducive to change. There is immense power and possibility awaiting within, and we need to calm the waters to get access to the treasure that is innately in our being.

Yoga Nidra is one such practice that repairs what is keeping the nervous system activated and guides you into being the conscious creator of the life you desire.

The journey through the yoga nidra practice induces the yoga nidra state, just as we can practice yoga we also curate the state of being that is yoga. The yoga nidra state is akin to the space right before we fall asleep or right as we are waking. It's like the moment in time when you have shaken the snow globe and the habits of thought and action haven't settled in yet. You're connected more with your formless nature than your tangible form. And as wakefulness takes over, we shift into who we think we are and we think relatively the same thoughts we thought yesterday (95% of what you think today you also thought yesterday).

The shaken up snow globe is where we have the opportunity to utilize our quantum power. When we are not engaging and measuring matter, reacting and bracing with our survival mechanisms, we get access to the waves of energy as the building blocks of reality. It is here, in stillness, focused on the gap between things, enmeshed into the zero-point field that is the fabric of all creation, that we access alignment and coherence, creating intentional emergence and positive momentum.

Like neuro-muscular retraining for the body in physiotherapy, we can neuro-chemically retrain the brain through disciplined practice of breath, meditation, restoration and release. Careful and systematic investigation of current limiting beliefs and inherited programming without reacting and playing out old stories, we then can shift at a fundamental level. This is why we start and conclude the journey through the layers of our being with repeating our sankalpa three times. We open and close the gates with this sacred planting of our chosen conscious seed which is the word medicine we need.

In my online yoga nidra program, you are guided through each vital stage of this practice so you have an in-depth understanding of why the practice flows as it does, and how to consciously increase your focus, clarity and intentional healing along the way.

Learn how to shift your relationship with rest to one that is sacred, and watch as the portal of manifestation grows.

Yoga Nidra Facilitates Integration

Yoga Nidra is is both a practice and a state, and much different than your average meditation experience. As a practice, it is generally an experience that lasts between 45-60 minutes.

Why?

This is a rich, purposeful, integrative and powerful guided journey into your subconscious. And, it includes all eight limbs of yoga.

For that reason, in my yoga nidra program, each stage of this multi-layered practice is the focus one module at a time. We are differentiating each phase so you can know them intimately, yet also keep in mind that they are inseparable. With that in mind, this program is set up to be an embodied experience of Integration.

Here is a short-ish Yoga Nidra to get a sense of what this practice feels like.

What is Integration?

Integration is the result of an authentic and inclusive intimacy with oneself. We experience a detailed differentiation of what makes us unique as we relate with all parts of ourselves with a radical sense of inclusion. This form of integration is a necessity on the path to harmony and optimal health. 

Our ability to regulate our emotions, relationships, attention and behaviors is dependent on integrative fibers of the brain facilitating coordination, rhythm and harmony. Our psychology is in our physiology. An integrated and harmonious heart and brain allow for an integrated and harmonious life and relationships. 

One of my favorite integrative reminders comes from the work of Daniel Siegal, a pioneer in the work of integration. He says, "[integration] is more like a fruit salad than a smoothie."

What does this mean?

Rather than thinking we are to blend our complexity into one-ness, instead, consider that integration is including our complexity and recognizing one-ness in all of it. Integration is what allows us to experience the range of human emotion without getting stuck in our triggers or over-identified with the contents of consciousness. That is truly the key, to notice what's stuck and practice un-stucking ourselves. And yoga nidra facilitates this integration. 

Join me in this journey as we learn to honor the non-dualistic nature of existence: the pure light that is the essence of Consciousness AND the fractals or kaleidoscope (or maya) that form our individual existence and creates the reality and illusion of separation.

Wake up to What is Keeping you Asleep

In general, you are only operating in the conscious realm approximately 5% of your day. This is not a hard and fast line, rather, consider that even when you are fully present and conscious, there is a multitude of unconscious and subconscious systems at play, and when you are acting reactively and unconsciously, there is still at least a part of you that is conscious.

With that in mind, the majority of our time is driven by the powerhouse of subconscious habits and unconscious systemic operations beneath the veil, coloring what we perceive and how we feel. A problem arises when there is a lack of awareness, support or resources to understand how to intervene or regulate in moments of activation (i.e. when our body perceives there are more danger-in-my-system or DIMs than safety-in-my-system or SIMs).

For many of us, when something happens that increases DIMs, a cascade of changes happen to mobilize our system for action, such as: our heart rate increases, brain waves speed up, our breath shifts more to the chest as it quickens or becomes strained in an attempt to suppress some uncomfortable feelings arising, and our vision narrows, which also mirrors the narrowing in our perspective, perception of self and others.

On average, people are triggered into their fight or flight survival system 50-300 times per day, and this comes along with increased heart rate and subconscious behavioral platforms that, in service of our survival, use past experience to project meaning, stories and reactions onto the present moment. The more time you spend in your survival systems, the more your body acclimatizes to this way of being.

Once a system spends a considerable amount of time "out of balance," the wise body adapts around this "new normal" and a plethora of results can manifest (i.e. fast breathing at rest, IBS, hypertension, chronic insomnia, disease/cancer, ADHD, etc.), all of which make regulation, restoration and relaxation difficult, uncomfortable and seemingly out of reach. The bodymind now resists what it truly needs because it has familiarized and created homeostasis around an imbalanced state of being.

We are creatures of habit, and for good reason. Our brains are predicting what is needed moment to moment before we have fully captured the actual stimuli the moment offers. We use our past experiences to formulate how we should think, feel and act in the present. Hence 95% of what we think today, we also thought yesterday. We repeat what has "kept us alive" up to this moment, whether it is actually serving our highest good or not.

If we allow the subconscious system to be the main source of processing - which is what happens when we are not tuned into the present moment and mindful of the plethora of information arriving and being emitted through our various senses - we are then at the mercy of a system full of outdated programming and we fall into the trap of the illusion of separation and victimhood. Yoga Nidra is your invitation and guide to wake up.

I have created an online yoga nidra program to guide you through this complex practice. Stage by stage, each module is an exploration of the possibility and purpose in each part of the practice while learning how to link and integrate what has been ruptured within back into a repaired whole. The program starts when you register, and I am here for you if you need or want support along the way. It’s time to wake up to what is keeping you alseep.

 “Rest is sacred. It is vital. It is non-negotiable. No longer think of rest as a long departure from more important work. Think of it as an integrated, continuous return to your deepest work: being all the way alive. The eternal ones understand us and whisper to us now: children, in every moment, no matter what you face, you can heal yourself with rest. Rest is a life skill. When you master it, you realize it is not a departure from your life. It is the soul of your life.  A nurturing you do in the garden of each precious Breath and moment. Freedom.”

- Jaiya John, Fragrance after Rain

Step out of the Stress Slow-Cooker

The relief you seek from the negative effects of stress you’ve endured over the past two years is on the Path of the Yogin.

We all agree these past two years have been equivalent to sitting in a slow cooker of stress hormones, not knowing what surprise ingredient will be tossed in or taken out next, and a dwindling hope that it will be unplugged and cleared out soon. 

According to a series of studies that have been published in the past few years, there are three main psychological drivers of stress:

They are:

1. Lack of predictability

2. Lack of control or agency

3. The salience or importance of an event 

When these are ongoing, our nervous system remains on high alert, which leads to the manifestation of the physiological symptoms you are likely experiencing. Such as, fatigue, overwhelm, lack of motivation, anxiety, irregular sleep or more severe medical conditions such as high blood pressure, hypertension, irritable bowel, and reproductive suppression, to name a few. 

Here is the good news. 

Yoga provides the teachings, practices, and tools that give us the insight and skills we need to change our relationship with stress, take responsibility for what we can control, strengthen our focus and awareness to perceive differently, and reconnect with the unshakeable inner-stability that remains present regardless of the constant change and flux in life. The insight and skills of yoga empower us to change our inner-environment so that chronic stress cannot take hold. And the Path of the Yogin is our offering to  guide you toward the tools that will help you create a healthy rhythm and relationship with the stresses we are under.

We invite you to face these very real world problems with proven tools that have been passed down from ancient yogins - the original scientist that gathered enough evidence to prescribe these systems of healing the body and mind while they also walked the path toward liberation and self realization.

We are not simply suggesting that the study of ancient wisdom will fix everything , nor are we proposing that we meditate our worries away or bypass reality as it is. 

We are saying that Yoga is an embodied system of healing. It is the process of learning how to  include every part of who you are in order to transcend the instability of these changing times   and regain inner-stability. 

One of the ancient yogic systems we have included in our program is the study and embodied exploration of the eight limbs of yoga. Understanding the purpose of the eight limbs gives us insight into how to use these practices as tangible tools for today. 

The Yamas and Niyamas are the first two limbs and are what guides us to learn how to harmonize our inner and outer relationships while taking responsibility for ourselves.

The third limb, Asana, is a tool to guide us in how to release stored tension and trauma, while also strengthening and building our body-wide resilience.

With Pranayama, the fourth limb, the practice of controlling and extending one’s life force, knowing how and why we breathe, and how our breath patterns are negatively affected by chronic stress, we can retrain our breath to provide more safety signals in our body and guide us back into optimal health. We can use our conscious breath to generate calm all the while limiting the negative impacts of uncertainty. 

The fifth limb, Pratyahara, is a clear and efficient path to practice withdrawing from the constant stimulation around us, to release desire, and to soothe our aversion, so we can learn how to be with “what is” rather than remaining stuck in a cycle of wishing things were other than they are. 

Dharana, the next limb, is translated as “stop the flow” and is used to foster focused attention and deep concentration. In doing so, we gain insight into how to shift from feeling scattered and overwhelmed, which is the cause of our constant seeking or avoiding that keeps us locked in repeating negative patterns. 

Dhyana, is the seventh limb, and it translates as meditation or meditative absorption. This is the peace we are really seeking. No longer dependent on something outside of us to feel at ease, we attune to the real peace that stays with us regardless of circumstances.

And, Samadhi, the final limb. This is bliss. It is undisturbed by any egoic desires, expectations and attachment. It is full liberation. Today, Samadhi is better understood as Integration. It is the state of health and wholeness, with a resilient brain and nervous system that gives you the ability to remain present, grounded and connected to your deep wisdom as you move through life.

We can achieve this with the power of presence and the connection to consciousness that allows us to recognize our choices in every moment. 

After two years of living with fear and uncertainty, change is in the air and we can choose how we would like to move forward. Do we continue along the path of suffering, cycling through the instability of an overwhelmed nervous system and the incessant stimulation of distraction and blame? Or, do we step on The Path of the Yogin and allow the tools of inner-stability that yoga offers to be what transforms us into who we are capable of being?

xoxox

Inspired Yoga & Wellness Team

Why choose The Path of the Yogin...

The Path of the Yogin

Begins February 27

Have you ever been struck with the question “who am I?”

Have you ever felt the pull to discover your unique purpose or felt the subtle, yet deep, sense that something is missing?

Do you have parts of your psyche, or life, that make you feel like you are standing at the edge of a fire? Perhaps you have a recurring fear that you lack the understanding, support and resources you need to step into the transformative flames of conscious change? Or perhaps you are ready to take that step and are seeking a way to do so that provides you with enough space to breathe and rest along the way.

If you have asked any of these questions, or had similar thoughts, you are a yogin. And this program is for you.

We have a shared desire to feel better, be better, do better, and we know that taking care of ourselves is a must. Yet we are overrun and overwhelmed by the roles we play in this life and the commitments that arise from these roles.

It is no surprise to anyone to hear that the time we are living in has substantially increased collective strife, by way of uncertainty, lack of control, and more flux and change than what is comfortable for most. An added problem to this cocktail of unpredictability, is that collectively these problems surmount to a state of constant stress and is feeding into what was already was a growing epidemic of mental and physical health struggles. 

The key here is: the problem is not the problem, it is our relationship to the problem that is the problem.

If we don’t create space for what can truly cure our incessant restlessness and avoidance, then all we are doing is putting on one bandage after another. The feeling of having “not enough space” is a signal from your nervous system that you are overloaded and in an unsustainable place for your long-term health.

There is no shortage of quick fixes and we may have habitual ways we can distract ourselves and even override the messages we are receiving. But as you know, what you push away and avoid simply gets louder and more demanding for your attention.

The Path of the Yogin is our curation of a cure as we invite you to deal with these very real world problems with the tools that have been passed down for centuries. Yoga is meant to be discussed, explored, experimented with, shared and adapted to meet the relevant needs of the present. As a system, it teaches the practice of:

• how to take responsibility for ourselves (yamas and niyamas)

• how to release stored trauma from our tissues (asana)

• how to use our breath to shift nervous system states (pranayama)

• how to withdraw from external stimulation to be with our internal environment (pratyahara)

• how to develop choice and mastery in what we focus on (dharana)

• how to expand our perspective from my reality to a global awareness (dhyana)

• how to be an integrated and blissful soul while walking this earth in an intelligent body (samadhi)

We are not simply prescribing ancient wisdom study, nor are we proposing that we meditate away our struggles or bypass reality as it is. Yoga is an embodied system of healing, where we include every part of who we are as we transcend the instability into the depths of our inner-stability. 

The Path of the Yogin program is for you if you are ready to bring choice and empowerment back into your life, to listen to your wise body-mind that is telling you to slow down and, ultimately, be guided and supported out of the cycle of suffering and back to the wisdom that is already inside of you. 

Imagine …

Imagine what it would be like to experience the support, compassion, structure, resources and content needed to transform the direction of your life towards liberation. 

Imagine an experiential course that mimics the flexibility of a healthy brain and nervous system, offering stability and support while honoring your personalized needs and desires. 

Imagine 18 weeks of inspiring content, holistic practices to strengthen your body and mind, a nurturing and adaptive team of teachers who have the goal to re-connect you with you, and a supportive community of other humans stepping into the fire as well. 

The Details …

This 18-week program is focused on merging your individual needs and goals with history and tradition of the 8 limbs of yoga, to cultivate the emergence of the wisdom you seek. 

Our five modules are as follows:

• Your Purpose: Creating the path for conscious change and how to apply the principles of yoga to ourselves and our lives as we study, live and grow

• The History and Philosophy of Yoga: Where we came from, where we are now, and the awe-inspiring hope of where we are headed

• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: An expertly guided translation and supported journey through how to apply this wisdom and inquiry to your life

• The Bhagavad Gita: An expertly guided translation and supported journey through how to apply this wisdom and inquiry to your life

• Subtle Anatomy: How to know and be the mover of your own energy

The recorded content of these modules will be available weekly and will include lectures, reflection homework, mindful movement, breathwork and meditation practices.

We view homework as a tool, not a rule. If your goal is to get Yoga Alliance certified, there are some expectations in what you complete. If your goal is to be the best human you can be, we hope our homework offering is a guideline and spring-board for your own creative intuition.

We will enjoy time together with six live online gatherings and, throughout the course, you will have five hours to use for personalized collaborative mentorship and coaching with your teachers.

Logistics

We meet online through the Inspired Yoga and Wellness portal. Each week we will release a new set of lessons and practices so that you can engage with mindfulness and consistency.

Our schedule will be as follows (all times in Mountain Standard Time): 

Opening Circle: Sunday, February 27, 9:30 to 10:30 am

Online Gatherings: 

Saturday March 12, 9 -11 am

Saturday April 9, 9 -11 am

Saturday May 7, 9 -11 am

Saturday June 11, 9 -11 am

Closing Ceremony: Sunday, June 26, 9:30 to 10:30 am

The time we are living in now is giving us a choice. Do we continue the path of suffering, cycling through the instability of an overwhelmed nervous system and the incessant stimulation of distraction and blame, or, do we step on The Path of the Yogin and allow this fire to be what transforms us into who we are capable of being. We hope you choose to join us on this path.

Here’s a little video I put together to share some inspiring conversation between Nora, Erin and I as we discussed what we are so excited about in this program. Enjoy.

As with-in, so with-out

One of the most profound phrases I have heard from one of my teachers is: “What’s true on one level is true on all levels.”

The immense possibility in this statement is also where the immense danger resides. As the concept of “truth” is multi-faceted and is over-used in situations where it’s not appropriate. The type of truth that I am referring to here is the kind that is proven to be true after experiencing and experimenting and observing it arise as the most probable truth with the information and understanding we currently have. The kind of truth that when you use it as a mental model in other complex areas of existence, it illuminates with resonance and fluidity, perhaps even opening new perspectives that weren’t viewable before. 

Another important aspect of this is to include space for the assumption that you could be wrong. Regardless of how true it feels, or how true it appears, or how perfectly the parts seem to align at any point in time, we keep ourselves humble and open to continue learning and bringing in new information by always allowing space and celebration for being wrong, to re-think, and think again. As another common adage I love goes: “Admitting we are wrong is simply admitting we are more right than we were yesterday.” 

So with that being said, the “truth” I am interested in exploring today is the notion of “as with-in, so with-out.” In what context am I referring to?

The world as we see it is a reflection of our inner world. This is not to excuse behaviour that is unjust, or excuse ourselves from an important cultural uprising as if it's just as illusion. Rather, this is a broader perspective that is inclusive to recognizing that yes, it is illusive and a reflection of our inner worlds, AND, we are alive, material beings and it is important to contribute and be a part of our small and wider world communities. This is a Both/And scenario. 

The reason why I am inspired to write and explore this at this point in time is because I get the sense that there are far too many people who are more aligned with the material world and seeing the problem as “out there,” outside of themselves, and not seeing that an important part of the work is doing a U-turn with that finger and getting curious about what’s going on inside. 

As with-in, so with-out.

You most likely have had the experience of feeling like there is a part of you that doesn’t have your best interest in mind. We call these parts the saboteur or the addiction, and we describe them negatively with characteristics like impulsive, grandiose, weak, overbearing, cowardice, fearful, anxious….to name a few. They are the parts that steer us towards thoughts, feelings and behaviors that are out of alignment with who we think we truly are or what we desire for ourselves and our lives. They are the parts that we are frustrated with, confused by or infuriated with. We try to avoid or subdue, or excuse or blame on external conditions. 

And yet, when you turn towards these parts, listen, hold space for their stories of how they got their role, the fears, pain and intense emotions they are trying to protect your system from, the beliefs they carry about what’s possible, and the general sense of isolation and burden they carry, something magical happens. Compassion and understanding changes the relationships in your system. These parts start to recognize that we all have a common goal, that they don’t have to carry these burdens on their own, and in fact, can release them and step back into a more flexible, supportive and freedom filled existence where their attributes are needed and appreciated and no longer demonized. The magic is in the generous listening, and that requires a connection with the wise adult within, the historically taught Higher Self, the loving witness that provide consistent loving with-ness. 

As with-in, so with-out. 

We humans all want the same thing, and some are carrying more burdens for all kinds of unjust reasons, and act, think and believe in service of protecting their fears and their most vulnerable parts. Of course they do! We all do this. There may be a surface level illusion of separation as we express our different experiences, and hear different beliefs, opinions, and labels used to create silos and othering, AND, we can include that while seeing past that.

Look for the parts in you that are doing the best that they can with the information, resources and support that they have to protect what is feared and what feels like intense vulnerability in the system, and then remember that this is the common human condition. Blaming or othering or putting others down to make ourselves feel more right is not the way through. Step back. Slow down to be compassionate with every part within you, and that will lead the way to the pervasive compassion within and between all of us. Love and compassion are not simply passive, forgiving and soft, they are fierce, full of accountability, persistent, and passionate for justice. 

As with-in, so with-out. 

xoxox

Why do I love yoga?

Why do I love yoga? Because yoga saved my life. And I know I am not alone in that belief, as I have heard many yoga teachers and students proclaim the same sentiment. 

I have come to a place in my life where I recognize that the most real things in life, and the only thing that I actually have some semblance of control over, is the space between things, otherwise known as relationships. At the time of my first yoga teacher training in 2014, my relationship with myself was so unhealthy and difficult to manage that I tended to do everything within my power to avoid it. I was in the grip of many addictions, all of which were coping mechanisms to manage the pain I felt in every moment and in what seemed like every cell of my being. This pain was overwhelming, confusing, and embarrassing, and so far I had not found a strategy or path that did anything more than momentarily relieve some pressure or distract me from what was always lingering and waiting for me. 

When I stepped into yoga teacher training, with my now co-facilitator Nora Maskey, I did so with the intention of following a nudge that I had felt countless times in moments of bliss during beautifully guided yoga classes. I did not think I would become a yoga teacher, and instead was focused on what I thought would be a Life Coaching career - not realizing how intertwined and inseparable these two “paths” would become. 

For me, yoga was the path back to my aliveness. It has led me into dozens of trainings and experiences that have guided me into the core of my suffering and unraveling of my pain and struggle. It has taught me how to love my body, how to move in diverse ways, how to be with myself when I am in need of being seen, heard and loved, and how to express from the union of my whole body and see through the lens of my heart. Yoga, true to its name, has re-united my internal system and with the omnipresent essence and energy that permeates everything. 

This is why we created The Path of the Yogin. A path to bring us back to ourselves, to uncover what is real and what is illusion, and to re-stabilize in our internal unchanging nature where healing is our birthright. 

One of my favorite components of The Path of the Yogin program is our weaving of the yamas and niyamas into each module to expand the content in a way that supports the embodiment of these vital principles and practices. 

Described by Donna Farhi in the book Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit, the Yamas and Niyamas are…“the empathetic descriptions of what we are when we are connected to source.” Or in other words, they are the keys to optimizing our relationship with source, with ourselves, and with others. 

I remember the first time I learned about the yamas and niyamas in my first yoga teacher training. I immediately had the sense of how important these principles and practices were, and an excitement for the clear path laid out in front of me. This was soon followed by intense frustration that I couldn’t remember or hold on to all 10 notions in my psyche right away. A familiar desire for instant knowing and a deep lack of contentment with what is now shone light on where my loving attention and studentship was required on this path. It became a practice of choosing one at a time, week by week, revisiting, reading, and practicing, until all ten yamas and niyamas were committed to memory and weaved into my daily life. A surprising gift that kept on giving, as new layers, insights and inquiries would reveal themselves as I stayed the course with curiosity and a willingness to keep learning. 

I am excited to share this journey with you. Are you ready to step onto the Path of the Yogin?

The Magic of your Throat Chakra

Sneak Peak of module 6 in my Space to Breathe program

Year Long program *2 spots left, begins January 2, 2022

Breathwork Masterclass Workshop Series

The Throat Chakra (visshuddha: "to purify") is symbolized with the element of ether or space and is the portal for respiration and self-expression, which includes the right to speak, to be heard and to listen generously. A healthy throat chakra allows us to feel the immense space within and around us, to express with resonance, to harmoniously collaborate with others, and to communicate with space, creativity, rhythm and inclusion, all of which cultivate more WE Consciousness versus the I Consciousness. To be the best communicators we can be (with ourselves and with others), we need to practice the ability to pause before we speak, to think again to update our beliefs and perceptions. And like any habit, it gets easier, more efficient and more effective with practice.

T.H.I.N.K: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

Effective Expression includes the energy you are emitting with body language, the words you speak and think, and the tone you communicate with. Total communication can be broken down as 58% body language, 35% tone of voice, and 7% content or words spoken. We communicate with so much more than the words we use. Generally speaking, we attune to the moment on the inhale and we express primarily on the exhale. Therefore, how you breathe, the quality of your inhale, the felt experience of your exhale, and your ability to breathe with spaciousness and ease, are all reflected in the quality of your expression and communication.

"Only through self-expression does the outer world get to know what is inside of us. We only know what's inside someone when they choose to tell us. Self-expression in the fifth chakra is a counterpart to the sensate reception coming in through the second chakra. In the second chakra, we opened a gate that allowed the world in through our senses. In the fifth chakra, we open a gate that allows our inner self to get out into the world." - Anodea Judith (Eastern Body Western Mind)

There is reactive momentum and responsive momentum. Reactivity is momentum driven unconsciously, literally a re-enacting of the past, and serves to protect, defend, or fight what is happening in the moment. A reaction is a drama played out in an effort to sedate and control the cause of our upsetting experience. The theme of all reactive behavior is blame and revenge, clear signs of a nervous system that has been activated into its survival role, and this will be reflected in how your breath is moving or not moving.

Responsive action is momentum rooted in taking charge of our inner discomfort, being with what we feel and then choosing our response from the loving attention of Higher Wisdom. Response-ability arrives as we step back and notice the reactive loops beginning to play out, and pause to connect with the breath with our full attention. A response is a conscious choice to contain and constructively internalize the surfacing energy with the intent of healing past wounds so we can show up with compassion, curiosity and inclusivity. We respond by unconditionally feeling the emotional state unfolding within us without outwardly projecting it onto others. We notice our nervous system reacting as if there is danger afoot, and we turn inwards to meet the activation with our own loving presence, consequently increasing safety signals and gifting us the space to "think again." To be response-able is to recognize we are able to respond deliberately regardless of the initial impulsive reaction.

Our voice and our respiration is often a naked display of what is going on internally. In this module we take our breath exploration and practice a layer deeper to get to know the pause that allows an authentic and spacious discernment between reaction and response, recognizing again that the breath is both the message and the messenger.

In this module, we explore the complex relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide, and the immediate and profound impact this has on your felt experience, rhythm of breath and quality of expression. It is here, at the level of chemistry, we begin painting a picture and building a clear path that connects how we breathe and our ability to expand the window of tolerance and elevate the physiological baseline that is dictating the pace of your breath.

What you will discover here is that using mild air hunger techniques is a powerful and efficient way to access positive stress resiliency that leads to retraining your innate breathing reflex towards a longer, softer, smoother rhythm.

Before we dive in, use these reflection questions to create some clarity in your current expression habits and how they may be compensatory patterns due to a low or fixed threshold. As we take our journey onwards into this vital step of breath mastery, pay close attention to how your communication shifts and changes.

Do you often express yourself honestly and openly when you need to? What/when is this true for you, and what/when is this not true for you?

What stands out to you in your own expression habits and patterns?

What do you truly desire for your own expression? How do you want to feel about your ability to communicate (i.e. listen generously and express yourself)?

Curious to learn more or be a part of this deep dive into your breath and its grip on your psyche? Join me in the Space to Breathe program, or reach out for a one on one coaching experience.

marinmccue@gmail.com

The Practices of the Yogin

You are invited to join our online community!

We at the Inspired Yoga and Wellness collective have dreamed up a live online offering designed to inspire consistent and creative experiences and foster an optimal environment for inner evolution. With less focus on what’s not working in this world, and more time and attention on our inner journeys, these live online sessions will create space for the deep knowing that when our own cup is full we can then be a catalyst of positive change.

Welcome to The Practices of the Yogin!

A healthy mind and body is a flexible mind and body. Creating a diverse and structured formula for optimal well-being requires persistent practice, a deep reverence for ourselves, and the ability to surrender. That's what we have created for you!

Details:

We invite you to join us for regular live Zoom sessions to experience our collective offerings within a unified theme of feeding ourselves the nourishment we need - body, mind and soul. These 90-minute sessions will be an opportunity for you to be guided with mindful movement, breath, self-inquiry, and mindset tools as we explore a multitude of ways you can cultivate focus, effort, effortlessness, and discipline - all key ways to nurture yourselves along the path of the yogin. 

Each month will be its own container, a journey within a journey. You are welcome to join us for a minimum of one month. We believe deeply in the power of commitment to create a conscious community and collective of healing and growing, and we would love for you to take the leap into this journey with us. 

"Those who looks outside, dreams.

Those who looks inside, awaken."

~ Carl Jung

Investment:

We have created a tiered registration system in hopes that whether you are in financial strain or abundance, we have an option that will allow you to register without creating undue stress in your system. We know how important your healthy nervous system is and we want to do everything within our power to make this journey feel supportive and inclusive. If there is anything we can do to support you further, please reach out. 

Dates:

Our journey officially begins on Sunday October 31 from 10 am -11 am MDT.

Halloween is a day that represents darkness, mysticism and magic (in our eyes at least). On this special day, Adrienne will lead a morning session that provides a fun and light-hearted overview of the FEED acronym we have been playing with in our latest offerings. Read about FEED in our blog here.

Adrienne will include light movement, a focus on mindset, as well as goal setting techniques to support you in setting your foundation and sparking some excitement for the explorative and transformative journey ahead.

Register for one to four months of practice with us and receive this first session a welcome gift.

Plan to attend classes on Thursdays in November, from 9:30am-11am Mountain time. Each class is themed around a different aspect of the FEED acronym. Please see the schedule and descriptions below!

The classes will also be recorded so that you have access to them throughout the month and you can view them again at your convenience.

On the last Sunday of the month Adrienne will offer time to reflect on your insights from the last month, as well as explore new tools for your ongoing development, discovery and nourishment needs. 

We are excited and honoured to explore the unfolding path of The Practices of the Yogin with you!

From our hearts to yours,

The Inspired Yoga and Wellness Collective

Nora, Adrienne, Marin, Erin

How to boost your immunity with breath

How you breathe is both a window into your current nervous system state as well as influencing what state you are in. This is referred to as bottom-up and top-down processing. The rhythm of your breath naturally changes based on your brainstem’s moment to moment assessment of your metabolic needs and nervous system state, triggered by the changing levels of carbon dioxide present in your blood (i.e. bottom-up) and the internal appraisal of safety and danger inside, outside, and between you and others. 

When we are aware of how and why our breath changes and consciously assess whether the change in breathing rate is appropriate, as well as determine what state is needed or wanted in this moment, we can take control of our breathing and be the conscious driver of our nervous system (i.e. top-down). 

Why would we want to do that? Because we have an innate ability to heal, along with the ability to feel and experience a wide range of diverse sensations, emotions, thoughts and behaviours, and many of us are stuck in a small range of activation - which we are not meant to be in for long periods of time without reprieve, restoration and recovery. Another adage that I strive to live by is “flexibility over consistency,” which is alluding to the key of optimal health and well-being as diversity and movement through our various states, rather than, again, being stuck in a small range of activation. 

Immune Health and Breathing

Our immune strength is intricately connected to how we breathe. So much so that we can also say that lung capacity and respiratory diaphragm rhythm and pliability are the greatest indicators of life span. It’s important in this modern world for us all to balance the need to listen to social and cultural expectations for the collective health while still maintaining and honoring our ability to care for our own health and well-being from a place of resilience and self empowerment. There is a heightened sense of responsibility and a decrease in fear when I perceive my health in this way. While there are many tactics to employ to gain skills in your offense, this post will hone in on one simple place to start: nose breathing.  

The nasal cycle rhythm refers to the natural change from one nostril dominance to the other (generally at a 3:1 ratio air flow) in intervals of 90 minutes to 2.5 hours, while more or less (along with desynchronization) generally leads to disease, lethargy and depression.

So, what’s the point of this rhythmic change in nostril dominance?

There are a few theories, most of which center around moisture, pathogen clearance, general nose maintenance and differences in modes of processing connected to the left and right brain hemispheres.

The nose is the only organ in the entire body - other than the sexual organs and breasts - that contain erectile tissue. This erectile tissue controls the size, shape and angle of the air passages, thereby regulating air flow through the nasal passages. It is the erectile tissue that automatically alternates air flow between the right and left nostrils by alternately shutting off one side. As one nostril dominates the other, the more dormant nostril has the opportunity to rest, build moisture, and support immune function by removing whatever's been snagged by the tiny hairs and mucus before it has an opportunity to move into the body or fester with infection.

"What researchers eventually managed to confirm was that nasal erectile tissue mirrored states of health. It would become inflamed during sickness or other states of imbalance. If the nose became infected, the nasal cycle became more pronounced and switched back and forth quickly.

The right and left nasal cavities also worked like an HVAC system, controlling temperature and blood pressure and feeding the brain chemicals to alter our moods, emotions, and sleep states." James Nestor, Breath

Depending on the qualities or attributes that you want to foster more of, you can play with right or left nostril dominance breathing. It is suggested one can selectively activate a hemisphere depending on which functions are mostly needed at a certain point in time. It is well known that the left hemisphere (masculine) is responsible for language processing whereas the right hemisphere (feminine) is for visual processing.

Commit to Nose Breathing

We commonly hear about our gut microbiome and the importance of keeping that flora healthy as a pillar of our physical and mental health. Did you know that your nose has its own microbiome as well and is also a major contributor to your physical and mental health?

Your nasal passages are lined with microbiota as well as local nitric oxide that is specialized within your nose. By breathing through your nose most of the time, you strengthen your ability to fight off infection and create an additional layer of immune defense. When you refrain from mouth breathing, including predominantly while exercising and while sleeping, your nasal microbiome grows stronger, and your tolerance to carbon dioxide increases (huge benefits!). 

Nitric Oxide is produced inside the nasal cavities (referred to as local N.O.) and the lining of the thousands of miles of blood vessels - endothelium - throughout the body (systemic N.O.). It is essential for health and wellness at the cellular level as an anti-inflammatory agent. Breathing gently and slowly through your nose facilitates the transfer of nitric oxide from the nostrils to the lungs. Slow ease-full breathing increases the concentration of local and systemic Nitric Oxide which improves blood circulation, airway dilation and reverses build up of cholesterol and plaque in blood vessels (among many other positive impacts). Breathing through your nose, as well as humming, can boost Nitric Oxide six-fold and facilitate the absorption of up to 20% more oxygen.

A commitment to nasal breathing is a necessity for good health and for the improvement in physical, mental and emotional stability and performance. The benefits include:

- Filtering, warming, and humidifying air before it is drawn into the lungs

- Regulating the heart rate

- Enhancing the flow of nitric oxide in your nose to lungs, as well as in the lining of your blood vessels

- Better oxygen delivery throughout the body

- Reduced lactic acid as more oxygen is delivered to working muscles

Quick note on exercise:

For those of you who already have a habit of mouth breathing when you exercise, this will be a tough one to commit to. It requires that you slow down and maintain a level of exertion that allows you to breathe through your nose for at least 95% of your workout. Over time, your body will adapt and you will find yourself pushing hard and able to maintain nose breathing for longer and longer periods of time. It is worth slowing down so that when you speed up it is done with your whole mindbody health in mind.

"The health benefits of nose breathing are undeniable...Immune function, weight, circulation, mood, and sexual function can all be heavily influenced by the amount of nitric oxide in the body. Nasal breathing alone can boost nitric oxide sixfold, which is one of the reasons we can absorb about 18 percent more oxygen than by just breathing through the mouth...

Breathing slow, less, and through the nose balances the levels of respiratory gases in the body and sends the maximum amount of oxygen to the maximum amount of tissues so that our cells have the maximum amount of electron activity...[A] Japanese study in humans from 2013 found that mouth breathing delivered a disturbance of oxygen to the prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain associated with ADHD. Nasal breathing had no such effects." - James Nestor, Breath

In general, at rest, we need to practice breathing through our nose with these guidelines:

1. Breathe Light: Inhale less air in and exhale fewer times per minute. Work towards the sensation of breathing so light, soft and quiet that the hairs in your nostrils don’t move. 

2. Breathe Low and Deep: This is not to be confused with a big breath with the intention of filling up to your fullest capacity. When all respiratory muscles are working together, this is felt as a deep and low expansion and relaxation. We want to feel our breath in our pelvis, low belly, low back, waist, low ribs, and lower lobes of the lungs. This deep and connected movement facilitates a flexible diaphragm and consistent healthy movement for your lymphatic system to support the drainage of toxins in your body.

3. Breathe Slow: We each have our own threshold or baseline for carbon dioxide tolerance, and that is what triggers the impulse to breathe. Work towards a balanced, slower breath, with the goal in mind of 5.5 seconds inhale (slow, deep and light) and 5.5 seconds exhale. 

For those of you who struggle with a blocked nose, before you head to your doctor for alternative methods, try these first. 

- Buteyko technique

- How to drain sinuses

- Breathe right strips and/or hold nostrils open with fingers while breathing slowly to get N.O. flowing and reduction in inflammation. Do this several times throughout the day to retrain your breath to move through your nose with ease. 

For more exploration, practice, depth and discovery, check out my Space to Breathe program or join myself and my IYW team for the Path of the Yogi program (contact us with interest and we will share more details soon!)

Retrain your breathing to be more conducive to optimal health

Imagine an elastic band and the slow stretch and release. This movement that begins at rest, stretches until there is tension, then releases back to rest. Each time that stretch happens, when it’s done gently, creates a new threshold of where that elastic can stretch to without breaking or losing its elastin quality altogether. That’s how we want to approach breath practice.

This is an individual process as each one of us starts with our own baseline or threshold and we each have our own window of tolerance that we need to work within for this practice to be constructive. Slow and steady is key to ensure we do not overwhelm the nervous system and turn this practice into something that is producing more strain than benefit.

I have found that the best place to start with this practice is to remember that a little bit of stress is totally healthy and good for the system, as long as we honor the space and time needed after bouts of stress to regulate and come back into a state of calm connection. Breath practice becomes an opportunity to connect with ourselves in whatever state we find ourselves in, as well as the ability to show our body that we can turn stress on and then we can turn it off. Eventually this completely changes your relationship with stress, as something that serves a purpose and does not leave us stuck in an activated state. Flexibility is the cornerstone to optimal health.

In Rhythm we Trust

Flexibility leads us to discover the wisdom and emergent properties of rhythm. We are not static beings. It is best to think of life, moments, change and growth as a rhythm that oscillates between two poles. We can tap into an ever-expanding and sustainable wave of growth with an exponential trajectory AND constant stability or still point. Your body was self-formed, spirals within spirals creating tubes within tubes, all conducted by the pulse, rhythm and leadership of your heart. A swing in one direction can and will create an equal and opposite swing, and when we tap into momentum, we can use this natural movement of energy to support our growth in a healthy and optimal rhythm of effort and surrender.

The pace, depth, rhythm and coherency of your breath is an expression of your brainstem's assessment of the necessary dose of energy your body needs for anticipatory performance. If you are stuck in a nervous system state, your breath will match what the nervous system is communicating. For example, if you are overwhelmed and heading into a shutdown response, you breath will likely become slower, yet rather than a coherent rhythm, more likely there will be an aborting of the exhale before it reaches it's satisfying release or complete absence of breath, exemplifying the dissociation and vacant body experience of shutdown. Or, if your body is at the beginning phase of sensing danger (even just through thought alone), and activation is rising, it will signal the breath to be prepared for action by breathing quick, shallow, chest dominant, with tension, and potentially even pauses in breath felt more as a bracing (versus a collapse or dissociation in the shutdown response), as this is a subconscious reaction to suppress, dull or avoid intense or painful feelings. The breath shows us what is going on inside, it is like a window that gifts us in-sight to explain behavior, thoughts, postures in the body, and the perspective(s) you currently have access to. Or in other words, your psychology resides in your physiology.

The word "psyche" comes from an ancient Greek word that means "life force" as in the energy that is animating the body through breath. When we know our breath intimately, we have access to the inner-workings of our own psyche.

It is your physiology that is driving the pace, rate, tone, and quality of your breath while it also informs the fundamental functioning of your psychology. By learning the intricacies of breathing and when, how and why to dance the line of guiding the breath versus being guided by the breath, we can be conscious navigators of our mind and body and optimize our mental and physical health.

Inhale and Exhale in Rhythm

Your inhale is connected to your Sympathetic Nervous System, and exhale is part of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. These two systems are meant to work harmoniously as two poles or opposites that together create the rhythm of life. To breathe well is to increase the heart rate and sympathetic tone on the inhale, and release/let go with the exhale, decreasing heart rate and stepping into a parasympathetic tone (referred to as Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia). High heart rate variability is only accessible in a relaxed state as the healthy oscillation of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone can flow. In a stress state, heart rate variability is flat, our breath locking us in a pattern which doesn’t oscillate because the breath remains strained.

Practice:

Lay down or settle into a seated posture with your hands wrapped around your low ribs on either side of your waist.

As you inhale, gently squeeze to contain your low ribs slightly, to slow your inhale down and ensure you are directing your breath to expand from your pelvis and low belly first.

As you exhale, relax your hands and feel the gentle nurturing touch as your exhale slow releases.

With each breath, guide your inhale and exhale to slow down until you settle into a sustainable rhythm where the inhale and exhale are around the same duration.

Breathe in slow motion (which is relative to whatever your rhythm was when you started this exercise) as if a slower breath expands the present moment for you to notice more.

Continue for at least three minutes to give your heart time to syncopate with the rhythm of your breath.

After a few minutes, release your hands and just relax into breathing in whatever way feels good and natural in that moment. Notice the difference between being the guide and then stepping back and witnessing your body be breathed, being guided.

Balance between being the Guide and being Guided

When your deliberate breath practice “steps on your reflexes“ you are acknowledging that your reflexes are not in sync with what is truly needed in this moment. A self regulating, or autonomic, system is not necessarily self optimizing. Guiding our breath and occasionally initiating a conscious stressor serves a purpose as we can learn to meet it and relax, resulting in a reduction of dysregulation in lower level stressors that we experience throughout life. A good rule of thumb every time you pause to tune into your breath is to include both being the guide and letting go to listen and be guided by your breath. We need to build lots of safety as we start noticing the breath, and using curiosity and receptivity to how your body is naturally breathing is a great way to increase safety. The spotlight on the breath can feel alarming at first, and if we try to change it too much, too quickly, we risk creating more activation and increased difficulty in feeling relaxed in our breath practice. As you increase tolerance to carbon dioxide, your breath will naturally become slower and smoother without force or manipulation. Keep breath practice and manipulation for specific and deliberate times of the day. Otherwise we must allow and relax and observe the breath.

xo

If you would like to learn more and take your journey of optimizing your health with breath to the next level, check out my Space to Breathe program and reach out with questions.

**This video comes from module 1 of my Yoga Nidra and Pranayama online program, and guides through the basic foundational steps of connecting with your breath to cultivate a nourishing rhythm.

Move your body during and after you experience mental stress!

The more I learn and experience the wonders of the human body, the more amazed I am at what it is capable of and what it holds onto. The body is a living and breathing storehouse of your past and the meaning you have made, consciously, subconsciously and unconsciously. Your life’s narrative is written on the biological pages of your fascia.

How we breathe and how we move (among all of the other “how we ‘x’ statements) is either sustaining, creating or atrophying our body and the trillions of cells we are composed of. The purpose of this blog post is to focus on one fascinating aspect of our nervous system and how we can support ourselves to release stored charges before they build up to become larger issues.

A bit about breathing:

When our vital organs are receiving the oxygen they need, there is a positive correlation with glucose levels and nitric oxide - which is a chemical that reduces inflammation, and supports the free flowing and open communication within our entire bodily system. When communication is happening with ease internally, we can trust the flexibility and resilience that emerges, and every exhale becomes an opportunity to rest, restore, and regenerate. When there's enough carbon dioxide present, the oxygen we breathe in that hitches a ride on the red blood cells to travel through the body can be released and utilized in the busy tissues where it’s needed.

If we don't engage in movement, physically or by way of emotional release, after quicker breathing that is preparing for action (as is the case when we experience a mental stressor without physical exertion or release), our body doesn't have a natural intervention, and instead, we adapt to lower levels of carbon dioxide as the new baseline and we get trapped in a quicker breathing rhythm that is maintaining dysregulation in the nervous system.

As the threshold for carbon dioxide is reached, your brainstem triggers your diaphragm to facilitate an inhale. What’s fascinating here is that we each have a different threshold for carbon dioxide, and this can lead into chronic dysregulation when carbon dioxide tolerance is lower than what is actually optimal.

Why does this matter?

Because if your brainstem is triggering a quicker breath than what is optimal, that will keep your nervous system in a state of hypervigilance and occasionally or chronically in a place of shutdown, and we do not have access to our innate ability to heal when in this pattern.

A simple place to start is to recognize when you are experiencing a mental stressor and get your body moving. Shake, wiggle, reach, bend, bounce, punch, push, pull, cry, scream, holler, make noises, etc. Use the actions as a way to reconnect with your breath as you release what was building and guide yourself back into a place of feeling calm and connected. This will ensure that you are not moving further into patterns of stuckness in dysregulation and a new pattern of feeling what is real in each moment while training your mind and body to come back into a place of safety and regulation.

What if your habitual pattern of breathing is already quite dysregulated (over breathing and under breathing)?

This is where is starts to get a bit more complicated. Start with awareness. Notice how you breathe, what patterns arise for you, and what it feels like when you practice slowing your breath down for a sustained period of time.

In my next blog post I will dive deeper into how we can retrain our breathing to be more conducive to optimizing our mental and physical well-being.

Are you fascinated by the potential we have in our body? Are you curious to learn and explore what’s possible when you truly understand how to breathe? Do you desire an immersive, flexible and explorative journey to embody this wisdom in your fascia? Join me for my year long program, Space to Breathe

Why explore the lessons and insights of the Fall Equinox?

I have noticed an interesting pattern in myself and others for a long time now. When on the precipice of change, expressions of discomfort and impatience arise to the surface. It’s as if we want time to move faster as we enter the “space between” or the process of transition, yet this is also where we have the opportunity to learn the most.

Change is constant, and therefore, the space between “here” and “there” is ultimately infinite. When we can learn how to gracefully flow with the river of change - rather than force, fight or pretend/avoid - we get to be conscious contributors in our life, weaving our own creative threads into the collective tapestry. To settle into this flow with an open mind and an open heart is what decreases the amount of perceived uncertainty and significantly increases our sense of control. This is a huge contribution to our mental well-being, as decreasing uncertainty and increasing sense of control will reduce the overall amount of cortisol in the body and open us back up to our innate ability to restore, learn and heal.

With the massive amount of media and air-time spent on how to avoid contracting COVID-19, I have been struck by the limited amount of education and support being shared around ways we can each improve our health and well-being, rather than simply avoid contact, wear a mask and wash your hands as preventative measures.

The more time we spend in worry, uncertainty, fear, and focused on our struggles with a sense of being stuck, the more incoherent our breathing will become and the more incoherent our heart rhythms becomes. We have the ability to heal and strengthen our immune system when we know how to foster flexibility (over consistency) in our breath, movement, mindset, and nourishing habits.

How we navigate the constant change of seasons, days, relationships, careers, roles and responsibilities, is intimately connected to how we navigate our mental and physical health. When we take a step back to look at the rhythm of change, we see patterns and possibility for growth, predictability and surprise, and wise analogies that create a map for navigating the unknown.

Let's celebrate the Fall Equinox together on Zoom!

My team at Inspired Yoga & Wellness has put together a four-session series, traversing the Fall Equinox (Tuesday September 21 to Thursday September 23; 630pm to 8pm, and Saturday September 25, 10am to 12pm mdt) that will weave various forms of theory, meditation, self-inquiry, movement science, mindset and nutrition to curate experiences that will alter your perspective on the power and possibility in transition.

Each session will be led by one of our faculty members. We will take you on a hero’s journey in the form of a voyage through the stages of life and change and how to cultivate balance in the midst of transition. We can all step boldly and confidently into the unknown with everything we need for it to be a nurturing and growth inducing adventure.

We will meet on zoom:

Session 1: Tuesday 6:30 pm - 8 pm with Marin McCue

An introduction to the Hero's Journey and why it is so powerful as a map and template for change. Learn how that map can be used to not only help you point out where you are now, but also highlight where you have been and where you are going. We will explore how to honor the collective journey while equally honoring your own personal experience. You’ll walk away with simple practices you can use to self-regulate along the way.

Session 2: Wednesday 6:30 pm - 8 pm with Nora Maskey

As we cross the threshold into the unknown we meet the chaos of the unfamiliar along with allies and obstacles. The fire of effort is required to burn away what once and create space for something new. You will be guided inwards through a yoga practice to embody transition and recognize strength in opening to include opposites.

Session 3: Thursday 6:30 pm - 8 pm with Erin MaCaig

The Initiation is not quite over, as effort is not complete without surrender. Come ready to reflect and re-think what you thought you knew about your direction and gain insight and clarity from the experiences you have moved through thus far. Slow down and enjoy a deeply restorative practice, followed by lessons in how to be a conscious communicator, preparing for your journey "back home."

*Friday we will take time off for reflection, time in nature, and an opportunity to watch a replay on a session you may have missed.

Session 4: Saturday 10am - 12pm with Adrienne Gross-Leibham

We complete our journey, coming back home to ourselves and stepping back into the "ordinary world" as changed beings. A guide through breath, nutrition, movement and mindset to experience the nourishment and inner-stability of strong and flexible mental and physical health. Followed by a short and sweet closing ceremony with all facilitators.

All times are in Mountain Daylight Time
*Session links will be provided upon completion of registration.

Three payment options:

$50 ($52.50) - Minimum donation
$150 ($157.50) - Full registration per participant
$300 ($315) - Financially stable and able to sponsor a second participant

We would love to have you be a part of this journey with us. Register for your spot today!

https://inspired-yoga-and-wellness-inc-3.square.site/

Program for you!

Yoga Nidra and Pranayama

8 module program on teachable

In this online, self-led program, you will learn the why and how of the stages and layers to the yoga nidra practice and why and how to retrain your nervous system with functional breathing and elevating your tolerance to carbon dioxide. This is a program for those who are ready to be an active participant and creator in your own healing.

Yoga Nidra and pranayama are powerful practices that foster:

• meditation (presence)

• deep restoration (healing)

• focus (self-control)

• fine-tuning awareness (discernment)

• the mind architecture you desire (manifestation).

When you know the geography of your nervous system and how to soothe it, suddenly a new world of exploration and creation opens up. To dive deep into the subconscious system and change beliefs, habits and programs simply through the practice of feeling more, being with yourself, noticing reaction and changing the story of fear and protection into one of allowing, expanding and healing.

To practice observing one’s body and mind without reacting, getting lost or taken over by the stories or distractions that can often consume our regular waking life is a key to this practice. When we don’t react to our reactions, and stay in curious mindful awareness and observation, we get access to the deeper material that has been driving those reactions. Because we are not just the product of what has happened to us, we also move, protect, express, see, believe, think, and behave based on what we have made our experiences mean. 

When we remain relaxed, patient and spacious in observing this subconscious material manifest, we can update our belief systems and create space around impulse so we have new found choice and freedom. Essentially meeting the root cause of our dysregulation and loosening the grip around it so we can heal and release it.  

“I’m astounded by Marin's ability to distill large bodies of work into tangible teaching points and effectively communicate them. Marin’s attention to create a safe, open and comfortable space may be her biggest asset. For those looking to broaden their horizon of what deep-rooted wellness means, look no further. For those who struggle with remaining present and are seeking repose, look no further. If you want to increase the richness in moments, Marin has the tools and perspective that can materially improve your life.”

Dr. Ryan Allen 

What to expect:

• Start anytime

• Move at your own pace

• All content can be downloaded so you have lifetime access

• 8 modules facilitated through the platform Teachable, an organized and user-friendly space that will guide you through each stage of the practice we are exploring, as we build a personalized template of discovery from intention, goals, limiting beliefs, and self-empowerment.

• a 30-40 minute coaching video (recorded from a live zoom call) with experiential learning for each module,

• a booklet full of content and self-inquiry questions to supplement your practice,

• Breathwork videos to guide you through a sequential practice from simple functional coherent breathing to mild air hunger and conscious connected breathing,

• 2-3 meditations or yoga nidra recordings (per module) that guides you deep into your subconscious to uncover the jewels of wisdom needed as we venture into the vast terrain of your mind and body,

• Bonus resources emailed to your inbox as each module opens up for access (podcast episodes, articles, videos) to supplement the areas of growth and learning that interest you most.

  Join me for this journey inwards and watch the outer world change.

"Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."

Carl Jung

Watch this 12 minute webinar to get more details on the practice of Yoga Nidra.

Enjoy this 15 minute Heart Compass meditation to access the wisdom you seek.

“I have been to many yoga nidra classes in the past and I must say I never understood what I was "doing". I feel like it was never fully explained and it's liberating to now have this knowledge.”

- Angie H., recent grad of program

Follow this link to get started!

There are many reasons why someone might be resistant to this kind of practice, and all are valid. And on the other side of that resistance is the wisdom you seek. If you are curious to learn more, I would love to connect on a call. Whether you are seeking personalized support, interested in a program, or simply want more resources or access to some yoga nidra audios or classes, I would love to hear from you. 

Book a discovery call with me - marinmccue@gmail.com

"Yoga Nidra may be even more beneficial than sleep for creating change as it involves both deep rest and focus simultaneously. When you have alertness and focus, acetylcholine and adrenaline mark those synapses for change. In deep rest the change takes place. Most amount of concentration followed by the most amount of restoration. A sense of urgency increases the degree of plasticity."

- Andrew Huberman

This program is deeply influenced and inspired by the work of:

Stephen Porges, The PolyVagal Theory

Deb Dana, Befriend Your Nervous System

Richard Schwartz, Internal Family Systems

Daniel Siegal, MIND

Andrew Huberman, ‘The Huberman Lab’

Michael Brown, The Presence Process

Tanis Fishman, The School of Sankalpa