Centering Practices

Centering practices offer a subtle and nuanced approach, suitable for students with a foundational yoga practice. In asana, we will explore whole body versus localized movement for balanced strength and resilience.

In yoga we aspire to soften and release the intensity of our identification with the outer body. Each practice is an inner pilgrimage in which we allow all aspects of ourselves (tissues, nerves, marrow, organs, attention . . . .) to be soaked in the deep tides of the asanas, breath, and vibratory pulses of the subtle body. Tias Little refers to this experience as “the alchemy of silence”, when “in the midst of our overburdened lives we connect to that still, quiet place inside.” 

In the upcoming 8-week series, we’ll follow the waves of the breath into the vibratory tides of the nadis and bandhas. We’ll explore the subtle body, the pranic channels or rivers (nadis) throughout the body that converge at points called chakras (energy centers in the body) and bandhas (locks that direct or redirect pranic flow). 

The breath and pranayama practices, our focus last month, enhance our relationship to the subtle body, and open a gateway into the study and felt experience of the nadis, chakras, and bandhas. As we experience the seasonal change of light, we’ll “shine the lantern inwards” and with support of the breath and asana, rest in the source of deep joy, communion, and contentment within. 

 “The ability to be content with life’s circumstances, the skill of seeing the sacred nature of the world as it is arising and of being patient as the world discloses itself, is a profoundly deep capacity that we cultivate, and it is also one of the keys to the entire practice of yoga. This does not mean that you have to agree with everything that arises, nor does it mean that you should see everything as perfect and wonderful, or that you disengage from your responsibilities in life. Instead it means that you are present with the raw truth–good, bad, ugly, smelly, or sublime–of whatever is arising. It means that you cultivate a clear and compassionate space within which life unfolds, and that your actions reflect this clarity and compassion.”
~ Richard Freeman, The Mirror of Yoga

The online ‘live’ practices will include recordings that you can use at home OR attend by recording only.

The body, not the thinking brain, is where we experience most of our pain, pleasure, and joy, and where we process most of what happens to us. It is also where we do most of our healing, including our emotional and psychological healing. And it is where we experience resilience and a sense of flow.

~ Resmaa Menakem from My Grandmother’s Hands

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Payment Options

Sliding Scale Payment Options

Sliding scale is a tool that allows my services to be obtained at multiple price points based on the circumstances of my students and clients. The sliding scale addresses economic justice and represents the idea that financial resources, including income, are not and should not be the only determining factor in whether or not someone can access services/care/etc. I’ve made a commitment to offering a sliding scale model as a way to contribute to a more equitable world.

For a sliding scale model to work, it relies on truthfulness, respect for complexity, and accountability. I trust you to be honest in your assessment of your financial reality. I do not receive any outside funding to supplement sliding scale discounts. This model is an attempt to balance the fair value of my time and energy and the multiple realities of economic access and privilege that exist within our community. I’m open to ongoing communication about our economic experiences and this model.

Please choose a level that is best for you now.

A portion of class proceeds will be contributed to organizations that are centering marginalized voices, at the intersection of spirituality and justice, and committed to creating a beloved community of mutual care.

Contributions in 2022 include:

• Lake City Partners, Seattle WA mission is to end homelessness by providing shelter, respite care, work opportunities and other services, so that people have increased opportunities for stabilization, recovery, and permanent housing.
• Young Women Empowered (Y-WE), Seattle WA cultivates the power of diverse young women to be creative leaders and courageous change makers through transformative programs within a collaborative community of belonging.
• Cerddorion Vocal Ensemble, NYC, is on of New York City’s most highly regarded volunteer choral ensembles. It is known for its eclectic repertoire, interpretive depth, and technical expertise in many styles. In 2023 the ensemble will collaborate with The Unsung Collective. Since 2011, the ensemble annually offers world premiers from its Emerging Composers Competition.
• Social Justice Fund (SJF), Seattle WA, is a foundation working at the frontlines of social change. SJF funds organizations led by people who are most directly affected by the problems that the organization or project is addressing. SJF uses Giving Projects, a unique participatory model which provides significant financial resources to organizations that work toward long-term progressive social change.

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