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.” 

January/February, 2026 ~ The Power of Repetition

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

During the break from classes, I revisited my collection of old cd’s from the attic, spent time hiking, and renewed my interest in learning American Sign Language (ASL). As I sang along to songs I hadn’t heard in decades, learned something new, and found pleasure in nature’s patterns, what came to light was the powerful role of repetition. 

Research suggests that our brains are hardwired to learn by repetition. It’s possible that this dates back to oral traditions of storytelling and remembering important facts. Repetition has been shown to be a factor in developing muscle memory in physical activities, and forming our belief system.

As I contemplate change for the New Year, I notice that some of the mental and behavioral patterns that I would like to shake, feel as though they have solidified. Rerunning positive or negative thoughts can result in creating dominant pathways that can influence mental states and bodily functions. Conscious repetition can be used to create new pathways that enhance healthy mental and physical states.

Repetition plays a role in yoga, as repeating an asana or sequence can enhance muscular strength, comfort, and resilience, assist learning and develop skill, and reveal relationships between physical capacity and state of mind; between the inner and outer fields of practice. Mantra repetition can quiet the nervous system, and deepen a connection to our center or inner source. 

Join me in January/February to explore the power of repetition. Each week we’ll focus on a particular asana, or short sequence, repeating it 3-4 times throughout the practice with playful focus, noticing the effect. We’ll use various mantras for meditation.So much of nature is mirrored in our bodies. The texture of the sweeping mountains, treetops, and valleys in the outer landscape often brings to mind the grooves of striated muscle fibers in our inner landscape.

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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