How To Sequence to Tittibhasana (Insect Pose)

Tittibhasana (insect pose) is very fun pose to try, requiring deep hip flexion, hamstring opening, and a keen sense of balance. Part of the pose requires training the connection between the upper arm and the thigh; by connecting these parts of the body, you can create buoyancy and stability. Candidly, access into this pose (and many of these tighter arm balances) is dictated in part by the structure of the hip joint. Students who have a good deal of hip flexion and longer arms will find it easier to access.

Peak pose: Tittibhasana

Component parts:

  • Hamstring opening
  • Hip flexion
  • Midline (adductor connection, squeezing inner thighs in)
  • Core
  • Hand and wrist education

Here’s the flow sequence I taught. For the sake of simplicity, I am not outlining the transitions. Because it was a flow class, most transitions occurred through vinyasa. I frequently used the “mountain climber” transition from 3-legged dog, where you round forward and draw the knee to the chest or outer upper arm. This action helps to train core, hip flexion, adductor midline, and continued engagement and lift of back leg – all essential in many arm balances.  Linked poses are indicated with “-“.

Use good sequencing sense.

Sequence

  • Sukhasana
  • Surya A x 5
    • taught students to walk to front of mat in small steps, heels down first and palms flat, to begin to train hip lift and open hamstrings
  • Low lunge-half splits flow (to start opening hamstrings)
  • Parsvakonasana with hand to inside of leg (get shoulder inside knee and hug in)
  • Uttanasana, working to get chest to inside of thighs
  • Garudasana – nesting eagle – crescent – lizard (do R/L)
    • Lizard: back leg lifted (trains hip flexion and shoulder/thigh connection, as well as teaches back leg to stay engaged with the back hip lifted).

  • Transition to downward dog by clamping front knee on upper arm and – keeping back thigh lifted – bending front knee to lift up front foot from floor (beginning of eka pada koundinyasana B). You can add a mini chaturanga here.
  • Humble warrior 2 – parsvakonasana with hand inside of leg, trying to bring forearm to the floor – prasarita padottasanana A (R/L)
  • Malasana with twist (to get shoulder/thigh connection) (R/L)
  • Bakasana
  • Crescent – low lunge – hanumanasana with foot reaching slightly diagonally to front corner of mat (to stretch adductor line) (R/L)
  • Flow to low lunge position for eka pada koundinyasana B  (R/L)

  • Peak: Bhujapidasana (with blocks under hands)

  • Tittibhasana (with blocks under hands, big strap loop around feet)
    • Non-weight bearing modification: navasana (boat) with legs working to straight (can bring arms inside legs to approximate tittibhasana)
  • Cool down:
    • baddha konasana (adductor and outer hip stretch)
    • parivrtta janu sirsasana (open side body, stretch adductors) – baby wild thing (stand on bent knee, take arm over head, nice side body stretch and front body opening)
    • reclined twist
    • ananda balasana (happy baby)
    • savasana

Want more? Check out my continuing education courses in Yoga Sequencing and Teaching here.

How To Create A Successful Yoga Career: Six tips for staying focused on your goals

This is part 3 of a three-part series. To read part one of the series on goal-setting, click here. To read part two on Taking Action, click here.

Goal setting is a critical part of achieving what you want in your personal and professional life. Taking steps to accomplish your goals is incredibly powerful and cultivates a sense of personal responsibility, pride, and confidence.

But what happens when you map out a clear goal, take consistent action, yet the results don’t show up in the time frame you planned?

It happens, and it’s frustrating.  

But it also allows an opportunity to reflect and make shifts in the present. Often we focus so much on building for the future we neglect the opportunities are right in front of us. Too much focus on the future also breeds stress and negative thinking. Achieving your goals requires flexibility when things don’t go as planned as well as being open to reassessing your goals.

Eckart Tolle summed it up perfectly when he said:

“Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now.”

Tips For Staying Focused

  1. Realize the present is all you have right now.  The past is history, and the future is entirely unknown. You have today. Now. Don’t squander it.  
  2. Remember life is unpredictable and you can’t control everything that may happen in the future no matter how much you plan and prepare. Don’t waste valuable time and energy focusing on what might happen.
  3. Be open to not knowing and discovering new opportunities. Some of the best opportunities present themselves after a big disappointment. Sometimes it takes hardship to shake you up and realize your strength and capabilities.
  4. Focusing too much on the future is stressful. Although some stress can help to motivate you, the importance of not living in the present can be detrimental to your emotional and physical well-being.  Trying to over plan and control the future just prevents you from living in the present.  
  5. Pay attention to your thoughts. Our thoughts are often so clear and specific they feel like facts – although they haven’t even happened yet. When you notice yourself projecting or worrying about the future, realize they are just thoughts and not reality.  Once you are aware of your thoughts, you can redirect your attention.
  6. Flexibility is crucial. Often the most significant results happen by not achieving precisely what was planned and being flexible enough to spot the win.

I would love to talk to you about your goals!  If you’re interested, click here and schedule a complimentary 20-minute coaching session.

How To Create A Successful Yoga Career: Taking Action (Part 2)

This is part 2 of a three-part series. If you missed part one of the series on goal-
setting, click here to read the article.

You have identified a goal. Fabulous!  However, now the “real” work begins. It’s one thing to have a goal but quite another to commit to consistently doing what it takes to get there.  It’s challenging to propel yourself into action – but even more so to stick to your plan.

Why is that?

The biggest obstacle is your mind.  Your mind is incredibly powerful and can work hard for or against you.  The stories you tell yourself and what you believe about yourself can make or break your plan of action.

If you buy into thoughts like:

  • I don’t have enough time…
  • I can’t do it…
  • I have to wait until “x” happens to get started…

Then the game is over before you’ve even stepped onto the playing field!

It’s evident that type of mindset will result in either complete inertia or quitting before reaching your goal.  Also, once you get started, if you don’t take consistent action, you’re not going to make real progress. Will Rogers said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

Here’s the truth:  it’s the daily actions you take that will change what you believe about and for yourself.  The key to success is not only creating an action plan but, more importantly, sticking to it.  Commit to the process of taking daily actions instead of worrying about attaining the end goal.

Here are 8 tips for taking consistent action towards career success:

  1. Make time for yourself and your career.  Take a close look at your priorities and don’t be afraid to say “no” to people and things that don’t align with your career and personal goals.  Be willing to reduce or give-up your involvement in activities and projects that aren’t a high priority.
  2. Think creatively.  If you keep hitting the same brick wall, consider other alternatives.  Many roads lead to success so you may have to take an unfamiliar detour.
  3. Be willing and open to learning and trying new things.  Thinking you know it all and resisting help and advice is not productive. Be open to listening and learning from knowledgeable people and resources.  If something doesn’t work for you or sit right, you don’t have to continue.
  4. Review your progress regularly and be accountable for your results. If you are busy spinning your wheels and making little to no progress, it’s time to re-evaluate and re-organize.
  5. Don’t compare yourself and your progress to other people.  There’s a reason for the saying, “compare and despair.” Stay focused on your goals and actions.
  6. Be consistent in taking action.  There will be days you “don’t feel like it” and want to procrastinate.  Don’t fall into that trap; it’s usually a slippery slope!
  7. Get comfortable being uncomfortable.  Nothing great ever happens inside your comfort zone.  If you think back to your most impactful accomplishments, you will find tolerating discomfort and pushing through fears was part of the process.
  8. Enlist the help of a mentor or coach.  If you are stuck, confused or overwhelmed, a coach can help you see a way through it and regain control.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers

If you would like to discuss your career goals and progress with a coach – I would love to hear from you. Just click here to schedule a complimentary 30-minute discovery session.

Next Steps:
What actions are you committed to taking to achieve your goals right now? Remember to be as specific as possible; “I’ll have a conversation with my manager by Friday” versus “I’ll talk to my manager.”

Take tuned for the next instalment!

Yoga Teachers: Should I Create a Teacher Training?

Being a yoga teacher is hard. It’s time to think beyond the class to class grind and create a business strategy that helps you not just survive – but thrive financially. While creating a signature educational program can be a keystone of a successful business strategy, not everyone feels the call the be an educator in this way.

So if you want to make a change in how you’re running your business, you need to ask: Should I create a teacher training program?

There are so many great ways to be a yoga teacher and leader that don’t include a teacher training, such as:

  • creating community through classes,
  • creating a vibrant outreach program,
  • running a retreat centre or specialized yoga travel,
  • offering corporate yoga,
  • offering specialized yoga,
  • yoga privates,
  • offering amazing workshops.

OR, you may wish to be an educator, but you feel your niche will be specializing in continuing education programs, online classes, or online mentorship.

So now’s the time to pause and honestly reflect: what is your mission – as a yoga teacher and as an entrepreneur? Once you have clarified your true purpose, we can consider, how do you get above the daily grind and create a business model that really works.

Check out this great worksheet to clarify your mission as a yoga teacher. Jump in!

If the answer is YES, then it’s time to stop waiting and start doing. Check out how I can help you make it happen.

Live Your Yoga: Making A Decision, Part 3

This is the last part of a three part blog, Live Your Yoga: Making A Decision. Check out Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Making decisions – especially big life decisions – can be very challenging. We can feel pulled in every direction. Which choice is “right?”

The Bhagavad Gita offers us insight into how we can live our yoga in the midst of our daily life struggles and choices. In this epic story, our hero (Arjuna) is counselled by Krishna (his charioteer and the voice of Arjuna’s “higher power”) on how he can live yoga and still take action as a warrior. Yoga isn’t only for peaceful times; it’s for every moment of our lives. Especially those times that seem full of conflict.

The third yogic path that Krishna offers to Arjuna is LOVE.

Now, this is a radical departure from the “meditate/know thyself/think your way into enlightenment” kind of practice everyone had been doing up until this point. Love does not require intellect, action or fancy yoga clothes. There is not barrier to practice, Krishna says, devotion can be expressed with the gift of a leaf. Love simply requires an open heart.

Try this (really, try it, it will only take about 30 seconds):

  • Sit quietly.
  • Bring to mind the face of someone (or something, like a beloved pet) that you love very much.
  • Take ten deep breaths, focusing on what you love about this creature.
  • Breathe, and bring to mind all the little details.

How do you feel?

“We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” – Brene Brown

Isn’t life better when we are just a little bit in love?

The human heart has incredible capacity for love and devotion; when we allow this feeling to permeate our being and infuse our daily actions and relationships, we are able to effortlessly embody qualities such as kindness, forgiveness, generosity, and compassion. When we open our hearts, we can begin to feel the interconnectedness of all beings.

Krishna shares with Arjuna that “everything is Krishna.” Seen from the highest perspective, everything – including us – is part of this Oneness. When we express devotion and love through our daily actions, we can also remember our divine connection to all things. When we remember that we are connected to all things, we can infuse more love into our small daily acts. Love creates more love. Every act becomes a gesture of devotion, a remembrance of our participation in the divine dance.

“All beings are words of God, His music, His art.” = Meister Eckart

Practice:

  • Sit comfortably.
  • Close your eyes.
  • Bring to mind someone or a creature that you love. Think “just like me, you want to be happy.” Repeat this for about a minute.
  • Expand your consciousness to the city around you, all of the inhabitants. Think “just like me, you want to be happy.” Repeat this for about a minute.
  • Gradually expand your consciousness beyond your city to the country, the continent, the world. Think “just like me, you want to be happy.”
  • Feel your love state.
  • Take a few deep breaths and open your eyes.

From this perspective, what is the best choice?

From this perspective, what is right action?

Are you teaching the Bhagavad Gita? Check out my study guide for teachers and students.

How To Find Hope For Humanity In Hard Times

I’ll be honest: the world looks tough right now.

Partisan political fighting, cantankerous global politics, dire climate change, and a frenzied media all make the world feel like a very unfriendly place. Technology is more powerful than ever; we’ve had the capacity for self-annihilation since the 40’s. So it’s worth asking the question: do you think we’ll make it?

What will our future will look like: Terminator or Star Trek?

I’m voting for Star Trek. And here’s why.

We agree upon what a hero looks like.

Go to any movie and you know who the good guys are. You want the bad Terminator to lose and Sarah Connor to win. We cry when the good Terminator self-destructs in order to save the world. We admire the characters who make the “right” choice: they go back for Newt, they fight the Corporation, they bring the Millennium Falcon back to win the battle, or they put themselves in a nuclear reactor to save a starship.

We identify the good guys by traits like honor, bravery, self-sacrifice, integrity and kindness. Something deep in our human soul says, “Yes, that’s how we should be!”

Recognizing these traits is not a 21st century phenomenon; older literature shows the same themes. So does the Bhagavad Gita. And as long as most of humanity recognizes and agrees upon what elevated human behavior looks like, we have a north star to steer towards.

Frankly, we’re pretty clumsy as a species. We screw up, we fall back, we forget, we wimp out. But – and this is the important part – we continue to try. The world is a better place than it was a hundred years ago. Civil rights, gay rights, better medicine, less violence (though you may not know it to watch the news). Slow as it may be, we are making progress. And we must carry on.

Every day that you act a little more like John McClane and a little less like Hans Gruber is a day that you can count yourself a hero of your own story. Your small acts matter. And we need these small acts more than ever. Every heroic choice that you make – and every heroic act that you admire – is a step towards a future where the good guys win.

Vote for Star Trek.

Creating Career Success: How To Deliberately Design Your Goals (Part 1)

This is part 1 of a three-part series.

You want to take your career to the next level and move beyond that survival mindset.  You’re ready to feel like you’re proactively creating versus scrambling and reacting. But, what do you want? Take a few minutes to really think about what YOU desire. Maybe you want to create teacher trainings or impactful retreats. Maybe you’re ready to get out of a survival mindset and stop scrambling. It’s time to think bigger about your career path and be deliberate about taking steps to get there.

It can feel scary to actually dream about and declare what you want.  What if you fail? Where do you even start? It often feels overwhelming to even THINK about your career dreams and goals.

Let’s start at the beginning:

The first step to achieving career success and happiness is being able to clearly articulate where you want to go. Most people don’t walk around thinking about what they really want and creating a plan to get there. If you want to achieve your goals, you actually do need to do the thinking and planning about what you truly want. Otherwise, your life is lived by default. Thinking and writing out your goals is the first step to making them happen. Your dreams and goals are your internal picture of the future. Everyone has them yet many are unconscious and based on personal history versus deliberately created.

Here are five tips for designing your goals and creating a career plan:

  1. Your goals should be a stretch for you but achievable.  Many times we go from one extreme to the other when setting goals.  If you think too small, you probably won’t be excited to go for those dreams. On the other hand, if you design goals that aren’t realistic, most likely you will feel like it’s too much and set yourself up to fail.  
  2. Put aside the “should’s” and other people’s opinions.  Often we set goals based on something we think we “should” do but either aren’t ready to do or it’s not truly what YOU want. Don’t set your goals based on someone else’s opinions or desires. Either of these scenarios will result in you having no real connection to the goal or why you’re even putting in the effort to achieve it.  
  3. Focus on the positive versus limiting yourself a negative mindset.  You don’t want to create goals based on what you don’t want.  It is easier to envision change from a mindset of positivity of what already exists. This calls for you to be imaginative and push aside the limitations you may have created based on where you are right now.
  4. Watch out for the mediocrity mindset. Settling for mediocrity is tempting. It’s easier and more comfortable to sit in “it’s not great but it’s not terrible”. We tolerate, justify and have a list of reasons why it’s OK to not reach for our greatest potential. I promise you weren’t put on this earth to be mediocre or live an “it’s just OK” life. Challenge the human tendency to just settle!
  5. Share your goals with people in your life and who will be supportive. Steer clear of talking about your dreams with those who are prone to focus on the negative. Having positive people in your corner helps with accountability and support. Also the more you talk about your goals, the more likely you are to stay connected to them and follow through.

Action Step:

Take some time to think about what you really want and why. Take the time to research and investigate what you would need to do to get there. Let go of the negative and limiting internal chatter that may tell you it’s not realistic, too hard or you’re not good enough. Focus on deliberately designing goals that reflect what success looks like for YOU.

Stay tuned for the next instalment of this blog series, Taking Action!

Life Guard Not On Duty: Five Strategies To Practice Your Own Self Care

I recently got back from a very necessary weekend getaway in Whistler. Despite my line of work and my lifestyle which are both built around health and wellness, my cup was admittedly getting pretty empty.

I was sitting in the hot tub at the Spa [pretty luxurious] when I noticed a sign on the wall. It said: Lifeguard not on duty, practice your own self care. I smiled. Who needs a lifeguard in a hot tub, I thought?

But I kept thinking about it. A lifeguard’s duty is to maintain consistent surveillance of patrons in the area they are responsible for. A lifeguard possesses skills in scanning, observing and assessing areas with lots of activity and dangerous situations. He/she oversees the safety of the patrons and is ready to act swiftly and appropriately in case of an emergency.

It dawned on me. I am the lifeguard on duty in my own life.

Here are five self care strategies and affirmations to help keep you buoyant and in your flow:

Develop a daily ritual of mindfulness

Mindfulness is bringing your attention to what is happening in the present moment and can be practiced in a variety of ways. This can be in the form of seated meditation, mindful eating or preparing of food, walking, breathing or listening. Setting a timer to hold the container for this practice and engaging in present moment awareness daily is a rich experience that assists in regulating the nervous system and also develops self awareness & intimacy.

Affirmation: The space and clarity I experience from my mindfulness practice is an elixir of wellness for my mind and body.

Move your body

Human beings need to move. It is good for all the systems that make up the living organism that is YOU. Whether you are very able bodied or more restricted in your physical form, there is a type of movement out there for you. Check in with yourself and pick what you can and want to do. Run, walk, stretch, lift, push, pull, ride, swim; move it. Any exercise or mobilization done with consistency, care and self respect is bound for positive results.

Affirmation: When I move my body I connect to it, I improve my mood and I preserve my health. 

Say no

Powerful no’s lead to powerful yes’s. Be kind and graceful in your approach to saying NO as you practice building a tolerance to the feeling of disappointing others. Putting other’s needs above your own will only end up disappointing and harming you in the end. Be unapologetic about the choices you make and boundaries you set around your self care.

Affirmation: When I say no to others to practice self care, I fill my cup and enable myself to share with others from an abundant place. 

Plan a self care vacation

You are worthy of leisure and down time. The daily self care practices are good maintenance but the vacations or getaways are the equivalent of “tune ups” for a car. They are necessary. Either solo or in good company, taking time away from your daily life is good practice in perspective and restoration. Less screen time, more nature and fresh air and maybe even no alarm clocks and tight itineraries. When they are given enough time and space, the body and mind begin to relax and surrender more deeply. There are often fears or beliefs that delay us from doing these good things for ourselves. But creating the appropriate journey that meets your needs and your means is always possible.

Affirmation: I give myself permission to take time off so I can experience a renewal in my perspective and give myself the rest I need to recharge.

Clean it up

This one doesn’t sound as exhilarating as the ones above but is incredibly important. Cleaning house and taking care of “business” can take the form of literally cleaning your apartment, paying your bills, or creating a budget. Creating a clean uncluttered space to live in can soothe your soul. Having a system to pay bills on time and decrease your debts will alleviate the stress chipping away at your nerves.

Working through the dirt and the muck is not easy, but usually results in a transformative learning experience and a sense of renewed clarity.

I take a deep breath and find the courage to clean up the areas of my life that need it the most. By doing so I am benefiting my body and I am an active participant in creating my best life.

Final thoughts

Your life is happening now. Don’t wait for your body or mind to break down to begin doing these things for yourself. Make use of your own inner lifeguard to scan the danger zones and remedy them before they become emergencies. The daily wear and tear is real; having your own back will support your motion forward.

Begin each day by asking yourself: What is one thing I can do today to care for myself?

Self care IS THAT important. Our mental, physical and emotional health depend on it and our lives suffer from the lack of it. It’s time to dive into caring for yourself. And trust that you will not let yourself sink.

Affirmation: I am aware that self care is not selfish. Now is the time to show myself the love and the care I need and deserve so I can thrive in my life.

Looxa Yoga Workbooks – Yoga Workbooks You Never Knew You Needed

Minimalist, eco-friendly Looxa Yoga Workbooks are genius!  The Yoga Workbooks come in four different yoga modalities: Yin, Ashtanga Primary Series, Ashtanga Intermediate Series, and Vinyasa. These notebook-style booklets are fabulous learning and review tools for yoga students/practitioners, yoga teachers, bodyworkers, and especially for those taking yoga teacher trainings (YTT).

It makes sense. How many of us struggled during our YTTs, trying to sketch stick-people doing asanas and ending up with something looking like exploded isometric drawings all over the page? When you are learning about the poses, and learning to teach the poses, a book with the poses seems like a no-brainer. Why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?!?

Lucky for us, the good people at Looxa have our backs. These A5 sized notebooks are made from recycled paper and are hand-bound with eco-friendly thread. So when you know your yoga poses well enough that you can throw the book away (not that you would want to), you won’t have to worry about filling up landfills in the name of yoga. A small blossoming company, Looxa products are made in Croatia by family businesses.

It is clear these books are made for yogis, by yogis. The left-hand page features a simple and accurate sketch of a faceless human doing a yoga pose, while the right-hand page is blank for your own notes and observations. There is also a table of contents – BRILLIANT – so you can easily lookup any given pose when you want to come back to review it. Yoga teachers out there – check out these books for your students. Using a workbook like this will give YTT students more time to absorb valuable information instead of scrambling to sketch a pose.

The Yoga Workbooks are not just for YTT students. They would be lovely as a yoga journal, review workbook for teachers, or as a tool for an eager yoga newbie wanting to get deeper into the practice. Recently while creating a workshop combining Yin postures and self-massage, the Yin Yoga Workbook came in as a handy tool to review and re-assemble information from both Yin trainings and RMT education. You can see from the pictures that the Looxa Yin Yoga Workbook is WAY more effective than the ‘Before Looxa Workbooks’ blank-page-attempt at capturing the nuances of Child’s Pose (Balasana).

It is worth mentioning that the recycled aspect of the material gives the Yoga Workbooks a utilitarian feel. At first glance and touch, the pages seemed like they might be a little flimsy and see-through so we tested them by using a felt-tip pen. While the ink did leave a little bit of an impression on the back of the page, it was not enough to cause confusion to the eye. Sometimes we can overlook minor imperfections for the sake of not devastating the planet. Looxa’s commitment to sustainability is backed by its association with Ecolabel, FSC and Der Blau Angel. When asked about the plastic wrap that the books where shipped in, a Looxa representative explained that some books had been damaged by moisture in shipping previously so they needed better protection – and that they are searching for options that will keep the books affordable for yogis, yet be a move towards zero-waste. Looxa has accepted the challenge to balance zero-waste practices with attainability.

“No progress should ever take sustainability as a hostage or dismiss it as collateral damage.” – Looxa website.

While it’s easier to find a retail location selling the workbooks in Europe, hopefully soon we will see more places in North America where they are available for purchase. In the meantime, you can purchase them online. It’s a fabulous gift for any yoga practitioner, teacher or student. At about $15-$18 CAD, the price-point is reasonable for an educational tool. The shipping is expensive though, about $15 for up to 1 kg which is about 4 workbooks. Looxa also offers wholesale accounts to qualified studios and bookstores.

Overall, Looxa Yoga Workbooks have a lot to love about them. A great idea, simply executed. To overcome challenges inherent in online shopping/shipping from Europe, it might be an idea to get a group of friends  (or a class) together to make one bigger order. Otherwise, keep checking the retail location list on the Looxa website to see if a retail location near you begins to carry them.

Interested? Get a 10% discount: RACHELSCOTT10OFF

Live Your Yoga: Making A Decision, Part 2

This is part of a three part blog, Live Your Yoga: Making A Decision. Check out Part 1 here.

Making decisions – especially big life decisions – can be very challenging. We can feel pulled in every direction. Which choice is “right?”

The Bhagavad Gita offers us insight into how we can live our yoga in the midst of our daily life struggles and choices. In this epic story, our hero (Arjuna) is counselled by Krishna (his charioteer and the voice of Arjuna’s “higher power”) on how he can live yoga and still take action as a warrior. Yoga isn’t only for peaceful times; it’s for every moment of our lives. Especially those times that seem full of conflict.

Path 2: Karma Yoga

Krishna schools Arjuna on three types of yoga. The second form of yoga, karma yoga, is the yoga of action.

“Yoga is skill in action.”

Krishna dismisses the idea yoga can only happen when we’re meditating. “Aren’t we always in action?” Krishna asks. “No one is free from action.” In other words, rather than avoid choices (“I just won’t do anything!”), we must recognize that living involves action, choice and engagement. We simply can’t avoid it!

This understanding frees us from the idea that yoga “really” happens when we are sitting quietly in meditation, or zonked out in a good Savasana. Yoga isn’t just for the peaceful times; it is for all the times.

Not only that, but we each have a dharma – a life’s purpose – that we must follow and fulfill. Since Arjuna is a warrior, his highest good is fighting. For you, your life’s purpose may be caring for your kids, elevating your community, exploring new worlds, creating connections, or excelling in your work. Your dharma is the thing the compels you, lights you up, aligns with your values, and gives your soul that little “ahhhhh” sound of satisfaction. Your dharma can change over time. At one point your dharma may have involved your work, but now it involves your family. (And don’t worry my friends: for many of us, our dharma sometimes is just figuring out what our damned dharma is!)

However, Krishna cautions that we are going about “action” wrong, which is what causes all of our suffering.

“You have a right to your actions, but never to your actions’ fruit.”

What does he mean?

Krishna is saying that you must act. You have to act. And you are responsible for how you act. However, you cannot control the results of your actions.

Here’s a few examples:

  • You have a huge exam coming up. You study your ass off. You do your best. But you still fail.
  • You feel wronged by a family member. You try to bring up the issue compassionately. It all goes to hell.
  • You have a big work project. You do your best. At the 11th hour, somethings goes wrong and your team misses the deadline.

According to Krishna, success or failure isn’t the point: what is important is that you took action to the best of your ability. The world is far too vast and complex for us to take responsibility for everything that happens. The wise person cultivates equanimity in the face of success or failure.

This part of karma yoga is sometimes misunderstood: it’s not that we don’t care about the result or try our best; it’s that we recognize that we can’t take responsibility for everything that happens.

And here’s a finer point, my friends: sometimes what is beyond our control is actually something that is within ourselves.

Let me give an example.

  • I do my best to have a loving relationship with my family.
  • Everything that is under my conscious control I direct towards the highest purpose of love, connection, and respect.
  • Sometimes I have forgotten myself and gotten really angry and had fights or said dumb things.
  • When I was a kid, I had an argumentative family and sometimes those old habits just seem to come out of nowhere.

Our conscious mind (and the part of us that is connected to aligning with our highest selves and our dharma) is one piece of who we are. But there is a vast part of our mind/body that is unconscious. After all, your heart beat and your blood flows and you can’t really control that. Similarly, you have some deep patterning that your conscious mind is not aware of. And in yoga terms, you’re carrying around karma from your past lives to boot.

So sometimes, we are beyond our own control.

Doing your best may mean that this old patterning surfaces despite your best, conscious intentions. And you must let go of the results even so.

Let me be clear: this does not let us off the hook. We can’t run around acting badly and say, “My karma made me do it.” We are under a divine contract to do our authentic best and learn from our actions. However, what it does mean is that you have to stop beating yourself up for all those times that you feel like you may have fallen short. How much time have we wasted in dwelling in the past? We our missing our ability to do our best in this moment when we get stuck dwelling over something that has gone wrong.

We must accept that we are mysterious sometimes – even to ourselves.

Your job: do your best, and let go of the results.

Try it: Journal

Take ten minutes (yes, ten) and do a free write, stream-of-consciousness about your life’s purpose. See where it takes you.

Try it: Yoga in Action

Today as you move through the world, pause and ask: is this my very best?

  • Set an intention to do all actions according to your personal best.
  • AND (don’t forget) practice letting go of how it turns out.

One last note: Krishna says, “It’s better to do your own dharma poorly than to do someone else’s dharma well.” I love this. Krishna loves you for trying. You do not have to be the best at what you do. You simply have to be your best you. 

And that is enough.

Are you a teacher teaching the Bhagavad Gita? Check out my discussion notes and study guide. 

5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Yoga Retreat

Have you ever considered going on a yoga retreat? A retreat offers an opportunity to dive a bit deeper into your yoga practice, no matter what level you are at. With the common everyday distractions – work, commuting, family obligations, household chores – removed, there is no excuse for not making it to your mat. While you are on a retreat, everything is (or should aim to be) curated to allow you to take time for yourself and for your practice. On some retreats, all meals are provided for you. This means that you don’t even have to think about what to make for lunch or dinner, let alone, shop for the ingredients, prep, or clean up. Retreats can create space for you to self-reflect, explore more about your yoga practice, pamper yourself, meet new friends, discover a new city or country, and much more.

A quick Google search will confirm that there are no shortage of yoga retreats out there. If you’re looking to narrow down the choices and find some that could be a great fit for you, here are a few things to take into account.

1.Location

Where is your retreat happening?

Is it nearby, which requires you to take a car, train, or short flight to get to? While some of these retreats can appear to be a bit more expensive, they are often more affordable to travel to and require less time away from work and family to get to. If your retreat is offered in a place that requires extensive travel, you’ll want to take a look at flight prices for the time of year you will be going and what the flights look like. Your destination might be close to the airport, or you might need another flight or some other mode of transportation to get you there. Read what is included for each retreat, as some offer one-way or roundtrip transfers from local airports, which can help alleviate stress and save on added costs.

Think about where you want to go and why you want to go there. If you’ve always dreamed of exploring the serene hills of Tuscany with a lover, a solo retreat there might not make the most sense. Think that a jungle retreat to escape the hustle and bustle of city living or your family demands will do you good? It might, but make sure you find out the details on if you will be forced to completely disconnect or if there is an option to check your email or make calls to home every few days. It’s good to think about the purpose of your retreat which can help narrow down some viable location options. Once you have your intentions clear, it will help you decide if you’re taking this trip on your own, or if you want to explore the retreat with your partner/family/friends.

2. Instructor

Who is going to be leading your yoga and meditation classes?

If it’s a teacher who you have practiced with before, you probably have a good idea of the types of classes they teach, their style, and personality. If your teacher is local, go take a few classes with them. If your retreat is with a teacher you don’t know, or they are not nearby, there are a few things to consider. You might see if they have any online videos so you can get a sense of their teaching style. You can take a look at their website or social pages as this will let you know what kinds of classes they regularly teach, and give you some insights to what they value and want to express in their teachings. If you’re looking for Vinyasa classes and want to work on your sun salutations on your retreat, check and see if your teacher has experience with and a passion for this too. If that is what you’re looking for and you sign up for a retreat with an instructor who specializes in gentle hatha and restorative practices, you may be disappointed. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions! Most teachers want you to get the most out of your retreat experience and will be happy to email, chat, and answer any questions you may have.

3. Yoga Classes/Styles

Most retreats offer one to three classes a day.

  • How many classes are offered each day (this might also vary each day depending on the overall schedule) and what types of classes are they?
  • If the retreat you are looking at only offers an early morning class and you choose to sleep in, are you okay with missing the only class of the day?

If a retreat has several options, you might indulge in taking an afternoon siesta, or strolling through a nearby town/village to take in the sights knowing that you can get your yoga in at another time of the day. There might be some different options than you are used to seeing at your local studio. This article from HealthyWay explains the different types of yoga that are generally offered. You might go on a walking mediation to experience the sights, sounds, and feels of nature. If you’ve never tried restorative yoga before and it is on the schedule, this might be your chance to try it out and see what you think. Come back to your intention for taking the retreat and see how this matches up.

You will also want to note what kind of yoga experience is helpful to have for your specific retreat. While many offer classes suitable for all levels of practice, look at the types of practices offered and the length of time they are. If you are newer to yoga and your desired retreat is only offering 90-minute classes, it might be a bit intense. It is a good idea to have a least a few months of yoga under your belt before signing up for a week long retreat. This way you’ll know the poses and the names of them, how they feel in your body, and have the stamina for consecutive days of practice. Again, reach out to the instructor and be honest about where your practice is at and how this will fit into what is being offered.

4. What’s Included

It is important to know what the cost of your retreat includes.

Most retreats do not include flights, so do some research and find out what the costs are to get there. If you’re staying local, ask your organizer if there is an option to catch a ride with someone nearby. Some retreats include all meals, while others include only certain meals. If you’re flying to your destination, check to see if transportation from the airport to the retreat location is included. If you want to catch a volcano sunrise while you are in Hawaii, what will be the extra cost to get there and make this happen on your own? If you’re heading to Mexico and are excited to enjoy some margaritas, you’ll want to know if any alcoholic beverages are included with your retreat package. Read the fine print, and if you’re still not sure, reach out to the organizer/instructor or retreat centre itself.

5. Cuisine

As a foodie, this one is important to me! Many yoga retreats default to vegetarian menus. There are some that are more specific and offer vegan cuisine. If you’re on a retreat that is focused on cleansing, you might see more juices or plant-based foods. I have been on retreats that serve fish and/or meat as they are local and considered an important part of the culture. An Italy retreat might offer up some local wine, while a beach retreat might have an abundance of coconut water. If you are responsible for some meals on your own, you might want to do a little research on what the local cuisine consists of. Put this into your budget too, as it will add to the overall cost of your getaway. Most places are very accommodating when it comes to dietary restrictions, but be sure to double check that they can take care of what you need them too. 

While there are some things to consider, choosing a retreat is also a very exciting time to ask yourself some questions and get clear on what you want to get out of this amazing experience. With so many great options out there, your perfect retreat is just waiting for you to say “yes”!

If you’re looking to book soon, check out the following options!

Happy travels!

Check out the new yoga conference coming to Germany!

This week I caught up with Anastasia Shevchenko, founder of the Berlin Yoga Conference which is coming to Germany this May 24-26, 2019. Anyone have a hankering for Europe in the spring?
Anastasia Shevchenko is the founder and the managing director behind the Berlin Yoga Conference and is a freelance yoga teacher. She is a proponent of authentic yoga experience for self-healing and self-transformation. Her special interest lies in the creation of bridges between yoga, philosophy, science, art, and spirituality. Anastasia’s newest passion is to teach yoga teachers how to best apply themselves in this industry.
As a gesture of appreciation, Ana is offering our community a 10% discount on tickets! Promo code: Rachel-yoga

1. Tell us about this conference – why did you create it?

I put together the Berlin Yoga Conference coming May 24-26 2019 because I wanted to create a transformation space for people to experience yoga in an authentic and life-changing way, no matter what level of practice or personal background. This is why all yoga methods are celebrated, without emphasizing any specific one over others, and there is a strong focus on modern yoga philosophy and its connection to the sciences, although the yoga tradition is respected and put into a proper perspective.

Moreover, I wanted to create conditions for socializing, making friends, networking, and just meeting and connecting to people, with or without any specific goals in mind, enjoying the cultural and musical programs together, the communal food breaks, learning and getting inspired from each other, joining and enriching this expanding international yoga community. This basically covers the motto for the Berlin Yoga Conference: Breath – Learn – Connect.

2. What can visitors expect?

I don’t like the word “expectation”, because it almost always involves some kind of faulty precognition, which then makes it more difficult to experience the true present moment in all of its richness. Of course when one is looking at the website and making a decision whether to come or not, one naturally makes some kind of guesses about what the event is going to be about and if it is worth coming or not!
All I can say that at this point is that I’m trying my best to create and communicate a set of circumstances that are behind the project: the vision, the goals, the venue, the presenting teachers, the program, but how it will all play out at the Berlin Yoga Conference in May 2019 is ultimately a mystery, and I would like to leave room for this mystery to unfold and for true magic to happen. I’m absolutely sure that everyone who comes to the event will experience what they ought to experience, depending where they are on their yoga path and what lessons they need to learn about themselves and others.

3. How is this conference different from other events?

Since the Berlin Yoga Conference will happen for the first time in May 2019, it’s hard for me to speak about how it is “different” from other events – since it hasn’t happened yet. However, we did run already two pop up events in the frames of the conference in May, and they were very special events, according to the energy in the room and the subsequent positive feedback that we’ve got. First, each event featured high-quality programming that was very well though-out in terms of the flow and the fit, as well as in terms of the person leading the sessions. Second, these events came across as were touching, moving, and inspirational, across various yoga methods and formats (yoga workshop, meditation sitting, panel discussion, healing session, performance, and communal meals). Third, the community bonding element always did it’s job: people were gently motivated to leave their protective shells behind, and to naturally open up to others, without being forced or persuaded to do so in a “open your heart” kind of way. For me personally, this last point is very important.

4. What makes this conference unique?

To me, it is this sacred transformational community space that I’m set out to create (and that I have created at the Pop up events previously). Coming from a personal background of migration (Ukraine -> Canada -> Germany), living between cultures, languages, and different value systems (Socialist vs. Capitalist), having cured myself from scoliosis and a broken and paralyzed arm, my yoga path was characterized by self-healing, self-empowerment, and subsequent self-transformation. Now, I’m ready to share what I learned, and also to create a space for others to share what they have learned, in a safe, inclusive, diverse, open-minded, well-organized, well-though out (with attention to detail), and friendly kind of environment.
I think of course that the person behind the project has a very strong influence on setting the intention, values, and culture for the project, but I see my task primarily as that of being a hostess, a “holder of space”, a reader of faces and energies, and this is why I decided against teaching at my own event, so that I can dedicate myself entirely to others.

5. What do you think the future of yoga is looking like in Europe?

Wow, that’s a truly great question that I haven’t been asked by anyone yet, and I really appreciate it! I’m so blessed (or cursed, depending on the day) to work on this project and to learn about the yoga industry on the local, national, and international levels. Because I constantly try to connect and collaborate with people, I get a pretty good sense for where the yoga community is at these days: what are the challenges and what are the really cool and inspiring developments. So to answer your question, here’s what I think based on my experiences so far:
  • I see a tendency towards working with the pool of local teachers that are not “international” yoga stars, because the local teachers have much value to offer and are more pleasant to work with, while the “yoga stars” command fees that are too high for the European market. Sure you will still have a couple of very well-established teachers giving workshops here and there, but these will be the people who will have to adopt to the new circumstances and humble down.
  • I think that the Instagram Influencer days are almost over and that the concept is outliving itself and is becoming boring. People are tuning out of the same old pictures of handstands on the beach or arm balances on the top of a mountain, with some quote pasted on top of it and sponsored yoga clothing. On top of that, the new algorithms are making it progressively more difficult to reach people “organically”, and the companies are cutting down their “influencer” budgets.
  • I’m guessing there will be more and more yoga methods and styles created, with all kind of fusions and cross-disciplinary connections (yoga and dance, music, Eastern philosophy and various healing modalities, fitness directions, etc), because of the need of the teachers to, on the one hand, create a unique offer and occupy a niche in the market, and on the other hand – to express themselves creatively and according to their personal background, talents, and skills.
  • I am positive that because there are just too many (and constantly growing in numbers) yoga teachers out there, there will be many more products and services geared towards them and they would quite naturally have to find others ways of supporting themselves by maybe creating their own yoga brands, products, and services as well. There will be an expansion of yoga entrepreneurship and more funds available to this cause, since it is a booming industry, and all-in-all, that’s creating a positive change for the world, in many ways!

6. How can we find out more?

  • For information about the project, the presenters, and the programming, the best is to access the website.
  • To really get updates, news, and exclusive discounts, the best way is still the Newsletter
  • For cool features on the presenters and the programming: Facebook & Instagram
  • And for any questions and offers to work together, always per e-mail: info@berlinyogaconference.org

Live Your Yoga: Making A Decision, Part 1

I have struggled with decisions. Especially the big ones.

Questions such as:

  • should I be a single mom
  • should I stay in this relationship
  • should I leave my job
  • should I end this friendship

Even if we’re not up against a “major” life decision, we face a myriad of choices every day. We all want to make “good” choices. But what does that mean? And how can our yoga practice help?

In this three part blog, we’ll look at the three tools that are unveiled in the The Bhagavad Gita, one of the yoga tradition’s most beloved texts. The Gita is a smaller part of a huge epic called The Mahabharata. 

To set the stage, in the Gita, our hero, Arjuna, is a warrior who is faced with a terrible decision: should he take up arms and fight a battle against his own family? Although his cause is just, the destruction will be great.

Arjuna is our everyman. Just as him, we too are embroiled in our own daily battles. Right now, think of a battle/choice that is currently in your “field.” Pause for a moment to consider your quandary. In our conflicts, the “right” choice is often obscured in ambiguity. All options seem terrible. The outcome is uncertain. How do we choose? And how can we be yogis when our actions may create pain?

Arjuna’s first instinct is to simply not act. He throws down his weapons. (Can you relate to this desire?) Arjuna turns to his friend, Krishna (a god), who is his charioteer to beg for guidance. Once Arjuna has opened himself to instruction, Krishna lays down some wisdom to help guide Arjuna to his best path. Through the Gita, Krishna lays out three paths for being a practicing yogi in the world.

Krishna represents our higher power, our inner voice of wisdom, our inner sage. Even in the midst of battle – perhaps most keenly in the midst of battle – we can uncover our highest self.

Path 1: Jnana Yoga

Simply stated, know your true self.

You are not your thoughts, your feelings, your body, or your ego. You are not the habitual thought/feeling patterns that make up your personality. Rather, the True Self is the power of Consciousness that lies behind all of these mini-dramas and fluctuations. Imagine that you have gone to a movie: as a spectator, you are caught up in the the drama of the story. But that personality on the screen is not you. While that little character is having its dramatic escapades, you are safe in you chair, watching. Your true self is the Witness, the Seer, the Observer.

Try it. You may set a 5-minute timer.

  • Come into a meditation seat and close your eyes.
  • Start to watch your thoughts and feelings arise and go.
  • Can you create space to watch them arise, without getting caught up in them?
  • Who is the Watcher?

When you can begin to watch your thoughts, you will begin to realize just how compulsive your mind actually is! It chases its own tail: reliving victories and defeats, anxiously scrabbling for control, and “hamster-wheeling” through thought cycles. The mind constantly compares. It creates names, labels, judgments and patterns. However, as soon as our minds begin to dissect reality, we lose our ability to experience the totality of what actually IS. Our minds are too busy comparing what we’re experiencing to everything that we have already experienced to take in the present moment unvarnished.

Try this: open experiencing.

  • Take yourself on a walk, preferably outside.
  • Breathe. Take in the world through your senses as it is. You will need to slow down.
  • Experience the world freshly, avoid stories and labels.
  • Stay in the space of open experiencing, without expectation or interpretation.

Once you have settled into the space of the Experiencer (rather than the experience), consider: how does your battle feel now? From your higher perspective, what choice is the most elevated?

Stay tuned for Part 2.

Om City, the Web series

Something super fun is brewing…yoga teachers/actors Jessie Barr and Tom O’Brien have created a web series called Om City detailing the life of a New York yoga teacher as she struggles to help people find their Zen. As a yoga teacher – and a former actor and New Yorker – this project hits close to home and I was inspired to share it out. It’s also hilarious, from the heart, and hits some deep truths about the yoga biz that hurt so good. Tom and I caught up for a quick chat.

How did this start?

Jessie and I met when we were both teaching at Elena Brower’s yoga studio in New York, Virayoga. And at the time, we were engaged (now married) and we are both actor/filmmakers as well as yoga teachers and I had made two feature films ( Fairhaven, Manhattan Romance) and we wanted to make something together and were inspired by the series High Maintenance. They self financed two seasons and then got picked up by HBO.

We were circling around different ideas for a series and were staying away from the yoga world just because we had both always kept these two parts of our lives separate and then we finally decide to go with the age old adage, write what you know. We just thought the storytelling possibilities were endless and we had never seen yoga depicted in the mainstream media in any kind of real way. It’s always broad and over the top and ridiculous. And in OM City we certainly have humor and fun with the yoga world but it’s always based in reality and comes from a place of love. Yoga has definitely changed both of our lives and we met each other through yoga!

How has the response been?

The response to season 1 has been overwhelming, it’s been viewed in 99 countries, we were a critics pick in the New York Times, featured in USA Today’s “Web To Watch” and voted “Best Web Series” by Decider.com and at the 2018 New Media Film Festival in LA. We got messages and comments from all across the globe. The series just seemed to resonate with yogis and non yogis as well. It’s been a really gratifying response and people have been reaching out and saying they want more episodes so that’s why we just launched the season 2 Kickstarter.
We literally released the first season, got married a month later and then moved across the country to LA. So, it’s been a while but we are finally ready and really excited to pick up this story and these characters and make more episodes of OM CITY.

Where can people find you?

All seven episodes of season 1 can be viewed for free on our website: omcityseries.com And if you like it and want to see more episodes please click the Kickstarter link below and make a pledge and share on social media. It’s gonna take a village so we need everybody’s help to make OM CITY Season 2 a reality.
Go check it out!

Eight good reasons to get uncomfortable

  • You want to host your first yoga retreat, but are paralyzed by self-doubt.  
  • You know it’s time to try broadcasting live on Facebook…but can’t work up the nerve to do it.
  • You know you’re not “just” a yoga teacher and have a mission to help people connect with their purpose and live healthier lives, but standing in those shoes feels overwhelming.

What if you don’t succeed?  It IS easier to stick to what you “know.” But, time goes by and you’re doing the same thing day after day, wondering why you aren’t further along in your career.  What happened?

You’re stuck in your comfort zone!  

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel safe and secure, but too much of it leads to stagnation.  Typically, everything you want is just on the other side of your comfort zone. There is growth and success in the unfamiliar.

It’s time to get comfortable being uncomfortable!

However, this is easier said than done.  As children, we’re natural risk-takers.  But, as adults, we hold ourselves back and tend to try fewer new things.  We are afraid of failure! It’s helpful to connect to the benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone. You are more likely to push through fear if you’re aware of the rewards on the other side.  

Here are eight benefits to stepping outside your comfort zone:

1.Boost Your Confidence

Pushing past your boundaries and taking on the unknown builds self-confidence – even if you aren’t 100% successful the first time.  Every time you accomplish something you didn’t think you were capable of it boosts your self-esteem. Stop thinking about what you could do and start acting!

2.Increase Your Creativity

When you do the same thing day after day, it becomes more challenging to dream and create. New situations require using your creativity to find solutions.  You may even be surprised at how creative you become when faced with a new challenge.

3.Experience Growth

Every time you get out of your comfort zone there is an opportunity to grow.  You can’t evolve and expand if you stick to your regular routines and what’s familiar.  Trying new things will help you learn and navigate life.

4.Opportunity To Practice

That old saying, “practice makes perfect” has merit.  It takes practice to achieve great things, and it typically takes a lot of small gains to achieve competence.  Also, if you do fail, it’s an opportunity to pick yourself up and try again: every time you push yourself to try again, you’ll boost your self-confidence.

5.Live Without Regrets

One of the biggest fears in life is ending up with regrets.  Do you really want to spend your life wondering, what if? If you don’t take actions outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis, it likely what will happen. You have one life so live it to the fullest!

6.Things WILL Change

Yes, they will and often for the better!  New people, new places, new experiences, and new knowledge.  It can feel scary and overwhelming but once you push through the fear and experience change, you will focus more on where you want to be. Change may be exactly what you need to achieve your goals.

7.Build Resiliency

Having the ability to overcome challenges and face them head-on is a magical quality.  When you are able to bounce back from seemingly insurmountable situations, the belief in who you are can carry you to new heights.

8.Increase Your Chance of Success

Success happens over time and is usually a result of taking consistent actions outside your comfort zone.  You become stronger and more confident with each gain you make. Every time you step out of your comfort zone you move closer to your goals.

Remember great things never come from inside your comfort zone!

Yoga Teachers: How Much Should I Be Paid?

At some point, every teacher struggles with the question: how much should I be paid?

Yoga teachers often feel disempowered when it comes to setting pay rates. After all, we are auditioning to teach in a competitive market and usually feel like we need to take what we can get. (If you’re scared about having a heart to heart with your manager about pay rates, read this.) But you must create a business that is sustainable. Even if you’re teaching yoga on the side as a passion project, you should feel adequately compensated for your time and effort. After all, you’ve invested at least $3,000 in yoga tuition, plus all those years of practice.

Based on my 15+ years in the biz, here are some brass tack guidelines.

A caveat: every community is different, and market forces in your community may vary. A teacher may make one salary in NYC and quite another in a rural area in Winnipeg. It’s a good idea to canvas your yogi friends and colleagues in your marketplace to adjust for the financial realities of your particular area.

How Studios Pay

Studios pay their teachers in different ways. These include:

  • set rate for all classes
  • rate based on time (60 minute class is one rate, 75 minute class is another, etc.)
  • per head rate
  • minimum with a per head bonus (ex. you get $15/ class plus $5 for each student after 10)
  • incremental rate (ex. $30 for 1-10 students, $35 for 11-15 students, etc.)
  • percentage split

Established studios will pay a flat rate for their classes because they want to know exactly what their expenses will be each month.

Starting Out

When you’re just starting out, usually there’s a time period of “paying your dues.” For the first year after I graduated from TT, I taught several classes for free in order to get experience ($0/class). I also taught classes for free in order to get a toehold at the studio in which I really wanted to (eventually) teach (again, $0/class). I taught at gyms and small studios where the pay was very low ($20-35/class depending on how many students showed up). After about a year of teaching, I started making what I would call a “new teacher” wage.

Class payrates vary city to city (so adjust accordingly for your market). However, as a general rule, you can expect:

  • brand new teachers “paying dues”: $0-$30
  • new teachers: $30-$40 per class
  • moderately experienced teachers: $40-$60 per class
  • senior teachers: $60-$80 in smaller markets, up to $90 in a larger market such as New York City.

Studio Realities

Unless you’re a corporate entity, running a yoga studio is usually not that profitable. A senior teacher in a prime time slot may look around and think, “There are 30 students here paying $20/class, that’s $600! Why am I only making $60?”

Here’s what the teacher is not seeing:

  • the other five yoga classes that day that only had 6 students (but the studio is still paying the teacher $50/class to show up)
  • even though $20 is the advertised drop in rate, no one is really paying that. With all the memberships and promotions that the studio has to run to stay in business, the real drop in revenue is about $11/head.
  • rent, utilities, insurance, props, staff, laundry, cleaning, marketing: all the other fixed costs that go into running the business
  • the owner needs to pay themselves: usually they’re the last ones to get paid

With all these expenses, the only way out of the “glass ceiling” of class pay rates is to teach at a studio that splits the revenue. For example, we have a by-donation studio here in Vancouver that pays the teacher 70% of the class revenue. I taught for them when they first opened, and it sucked. No one came. I left class with maybe $10 (sometimes $0). But now their business is booming. The teachers who have the primetime slots take home an excellent wage (if there are 30 students paying $10 each, the teacher walks out with $210).

There are very few for-profit studios that run this way (because it’s impossible to budget when you’re paying everyone something different); however, if you’ve hit the glass ceiling at your current studio, it’s worth checking around.

How To Earn More Money

If you want to earn more money as a yoga teacher, you have some other options: privates, corporates, workshops and teacher trainings.

  • Private yoga classes tend to pay more than public classes: $70 (new teacher)-$150 (experienced teacher)
  • Corporates: $100-$300/class (Depending on organization. Work for Facebook and you can even charge more!)
  • Workshops: usually a revenue share with the studio (you should get 70% as the teacher)
  • Trainings: teacher trainings usually charge $3000-$4000/student. If you’re hired by a studio, you may earn $50-$100/hour.

I, of course, specialize in coaching people how to create amazing teacher trainings, so they have a special place in my heart! However, here’s my strong advice: don’t take on any of these options simply for the money! These offerings must align with your vision for yourself as a teacher. If you’re considering alternate branches of revenue, determine first which offerings align with your personal mission as a teacher (Pssstt, you can take this module for free and it includes a section on crafting your mission as a teacher. If you haven’t done that yet, go check it out and just do that part, it’s worth it.)

Tips for Conversations About Money

When you start teaching at a studio, have a candid conversation about pay rates and the process for increases. (If you have a hard time with challenging conversations, check this out. If you want to quickly see how much you’re earning per year based on your hourly class rate, check out this easy calculator.) Unless you’re teaching at a corporate yoga studio or gym, the studio probably won’t have a system in place for reviewing teachers or regulating pay increases. (If you’re working at a corporate yoga studio as an employee, though, they may.) Most teachers are independent contractors and there is little oversight of their work after they are hired. Often the teachers who get pay increases are simply the ones that ask for them. (Although participating in the community, having large classes, and continuing to work on your education may all be factors in your manager’s willingness to say yes.)

When you start teaching at a studio, find out if the studio offers workshops or teacher trainings. If these programs resonate with your teaching mission, it’s a good idea to connect with your manager ASAP to find out how you can apply to be involved.

Last Words

Being a career yoga teacher is challenging.

My hand to god: in my fifteen years of teaching, I had a one-month period of teaching more than twenty classes per week. After that, I said, no thank you. The time spent commuting and the energy output made such a lifestyle unsustainable. I have far preferred to teach 6-10 classes per week and earn my living through other means (albeit within the yoga world as a studio manager, teacher trainer, and educational designer).

There are so many ways to be a yoga teacher; it doesn’t have to look one particular way. Give yourself permission to be creative about your offerings and gives you time for self–care. Let your teaching serve your life.

How To Slow Down Time

We live in a world of “nexting.”

I’m eating breakfast, and thinking about lunch. I’m eating lunch and thinking about dinner. I’m eating any meal, and thinking about the class I have to plan or the client I have to call.

We love to “next”.

While some people blame insta-devices social media for our atrociously short attention spans and rabbity-hopping brains, I believe there is something far simpler and more dreadful at play: we don’t really like to be present.

Being present means that we will slow down. And when we slow down, we start to feel. We feel our heartbreak, our longing, and our intrinsic restlessness. We come face to face with the discomfort of being human in a body we can’t truly control in a universe of uncertain meaning. Rather than sit in this unsettling void, we prefer to distract ourselves with the “what am I doing next” game.

Another feeling that is challenging for us to face? Boredom.

When we get present, the reality of our daily life can feel strange and remarkably humdrum. Oh, here I am cleaning the counters, here I am walking to the store, here I am cleaning a litter box. We are not James Bond; most of our waking hours are spent in tasks that are plainly unexciting. “Is this all there is to my life?” we wonder. “Shouldn’t I be doing something more impressive and adventurous with my time?”

Thus begins a mini-existential crisis: what’s it all mean?

Rather than sit with this disconcerting question, we instinctively return to “nexting.” Like the bunny rabbit that gets freaked out by the wide-open spaciousness of the field, we dive right back into our burrow.

However, if we can endure a mini-existential freak out (even for just a few moments), then our true superpower is revealed: our ability to slow down time. When we become present, we transition from being on a rocket ship to riding in a buggy: life slows down and we can see the world around us. If we can bear to sit in our feelings/boredom/restlessness for just a few moments, we are rewarded by becoming more alive and awake in the world.

Right now, stop the “nexting”. Breathe. Be in your body. Turn on your senses. Give yourself a full minute (set a timer!) to do nothing but be. Embrace the birthright of your superpower. And look around in awe.

The Science Behind Sleep and How to Improve It

“Don’t it always seem to go… that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone?” – Joni Mitchell

If you’ve lost the ability to get a good night’s sleep, you can attest to this (Joni Mitchell never lies). No one appreciates sleep more than someone who is having trouble getting it.

The reasons behind your lack of sleep may be internal or external, but the good news is that we have solutions for both.

Why sleep is so crucial

When you think of all the important things you have to do in a day, sleep probably doesn’t even make the cut. It’s nothing more than a time when we recharge our batteries, so we can start over and tackle another day. But what if someone told you that sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health?

All the other stuff –eating right, exercising and avoiding bad habits—is important too, but your body would be in serious trouble without sleep.

While you’re sleeping, the brain is busy forming new pathways to get you ready to learn, remember and function the next day. Your body is healing and repairing the heart and blood vessels and helping to maintain a healthy balance of hormones that control your eating and immune system. You’ll notice this when you start getting more colds throughout the year. 

The science of sleep

When you drift off to dreamland, you’re in a state of REM sleep. But you don’t get there immediately.

First, you enter the type of sleep scientists call non-REM sleep. Non-REM sleep actually consists of four stages.

  • Stage 1 happens right when you first start drifting off to sleep. This is usually when someone nudges you and you swear you weren’t sleeping.
  • Stage 2 is when your heart rate and breathing slow and your body temperature drops.
  • Stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep are a form of deep sleep.

You may have heard that REM sleep is where it’s at, but scientists have since learned that non-REM sleep is even more important than REM sleep for learning and memory.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is the type of sleep where you dream. This is a period of deep sleep where your eyes move rapidly behind closed lids and your brainwaves are almost as active as when you’re awake. During REM sleep, your breathing quickens and the body becomes paralyzed as you dream.

On any given night, you’ll cycle between non-REM and REM sleep about 4 to 5 times.

How to get more sleep

There are two kinds of major sleep disturbances: internal and external. You may only be dealing with one kind, or you may suffer from a combination. Either way, these tips can help you get a better rest.

External sleep disturbances

We’ve all had sleepless nights because someone was making too much of a racket, whether it was your child, a construction crew or an inconsiderate neighbor. And while there’s usually little you can do about the source of these issues, there are some things you can do to help yourself get as much sleep as possible.

  • Get some good earplugs – Of course, this isn’t recommended if your child is the one keeping you up, but in almost any other case, earplugs can help dull the external noise enough for you to get some rest.
  • Use room darkening curtains – If you have to sleep at off hours, you may benefit from getting room darkening shades or curtains. These will help trick your body into thinking it’s supposed to be sleeping.
  • Go to sleep earlier – If you know something is going to disturb your sleep, like a crying baby, get to sleep earlier to make up for the lost sleep. It’s not the same as sleeping through the night in one stretch, but it’s a good temporary solution.

Internal sleep disturbances

You spend all day longing for your bed, but then you get your first big burst of energy as your head hits the pillow. Again. Or you fall straight to sleep only to wake up at 3 a.m. every night – like clockwork.

These things could be happening for a myriad of reasons, but they are signs that you need to take better care of your body during the day. Here are some tips to help take care of yourself, so you can get better sleep.

  • Cut back on alcohol – You may think that glass of wine is helping you sleep, but it could be doing the opposite. If you drink a lot of alcohol right before bed, it will almost certainly lead to a restless sleep. In fact, the more you drink, the less likely you are to get a deep REM sleep.
  • Spend 30 minutes to an hour on relaxation – The National Sleep Foundation recommends that you read a non-work-related book or magazine, spend a few minutes journaling, perform a hygiene ritual and/or meditate before bed.
  • Get a massage – As if you needed an excuse to get a massage, the National Institutes of Health advises that massage therapy can reduce fatigue and improve sleep, specifically, it can help you get more of that restorative deep sleep you’re after.
  • Exercise daily – Try to get at least thirty minutes of exercise daily, and make sure some of it is vigorous. Maybe add a sprint to your jog or take a spinning class each week. Just get that heart rate up during the day and you should benefit from better sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
  • Eat more leafy greens – Insomnia is a common symptom of magnesium deficiency. This mineral works by increasing GABA which encourages relaxation and sleep. If you’re not getting enough magnesium in your diet, magnesium deficiency may be causing your insomnia. Green leafies are high in magnesium, but if you’re not a fan, you can also up your intake of figs, avocados, bananas, nuts and seeds, black beans, brussels sprouts, green beans, and seafood.

If you’re reading this article after pulling another unintentional all-nighter, know that there’s an end in sight. Follow the tips outlined here and you should be able to improve your quality and quantity of sleep over time. If you’re still having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about potential causes. Together, you should be able to get to the bottom of the issue, so you can get back to sleep.

Create a 7K Course in One Week! Or, not.

Is anyone else tired of seeing, “I made 7K in my online course!” on every social media feed?

These days, education is big business.

Earn 7K in two weeks!

Increase your passive income!

Make a blockbuster course in three easy steps!

Most of these people who are selling these courses aren’t educators. They’re playing on our desire (old as time and the snake oil salesmen) to get rich quick. They’re riding the gravy train of the latest hot ticket. Who wouldn’t want to sit back and watch 7K roll in without lifting a finger?

But crappy education is still crappy education. And here’s the truth: if you create a lousy course, it will undermine your brand and your reputation.

Most of these “three-step-processes to create your course” are focused on how you get your information out; but very little about how the students get the information in. As a result, there are a lot of really, really bad courses out there, all creating this white noise called “education” when they’re really not. See why this is a problem.

There is an art to education. And it’s not in a three-step process.

I am passionate about education and see it as a pathway to human evolution, tolerance, and kindness. That’s one of the reasons that I spent three years earning my Masters in Instructional Design while I was working a full-time job. I’m a huge fan of the modern proliferation of modern education. We can now disseminate knowledge quickly and globally. Mobile phones make it possible for those without a computer to participate (amazing!). We have access to almost any information we need at our fingertips.

But there is an art to education.It’s not just what you teach, it’s how you teach it. And the art of instructional design has a deep and rich history that has been studied, explored and refined for hundreds of years. If you really want to support your students’ growth (and improve your own reputation as an expert), you want to create a course that is fundamentally sound. Not one that sounds like a sales pitch.

Don’t add to the white noise.

Add to the orchestra.

Don’t create a crappy get-rich-quick course.

Create a smart, transformational, and get-more-rich-over-time course.

Over time, an excellent course will provide an additional source of revenue, bolster your leadership and most importantly, support the growth and knowledge of your community.

That is something worth sharing.

How to practice self care (it’s not just about the spa)

I hear the term “self care” thrown out there a LOT. In fact, I use the words “self care” frequently myself! Self care has the potential to help us sustain our health and our relationship to ourselves. But what is “self care” really – and how do we practice it?

I want to take a moment and unpack the concept of “self care” as I have come to experience and understand it in my life, in my practice and in my work.

There is more to self care than the “treat yourself nice” type of care. Consumer self care (spa days, pedicures, afternoons at the beach) can be yummy and nourishing, but by itself it only provides a quick fix from the stresses of life.

What form of self-care is deeper?

Deep Self Care

Deep self care is about having your own back and attending to yourself much like a parent would a child. It means getting real and making clear choices for your long-term wellness. This is capital S-elf care.

Sometimes self care is pretty and smells good. But sometimes this kind of consumer self care only scratches the surface of what we really, deeply need. While it may be pleasant to spend a your day at the spa, we may found ourselves replaying out habitual stress patterns the very next day. When we look at our lives more holistically, maybe a better form of true self care would be to create a spreadsheet for your monthly budget or dig into that relationship that isn’t really serving you anymore… get my drift?

Self care is care provided “for you, by you”. It’s about identifying your own needs and taking steps to meet them. While it may involve a spa day, it is also about taking the time to do the activities that nurture you and support your priorities. And it is so much more. It is practicing your ability to survive and thrive and by building your intuitiveness and resilience.

Take some time to connect to yourself and get clear on your true self care needs. At times, this may lead you to delight in simplicity without having to buy, consume or add anything. At other times, you may be guided to a specific food, a practitioner, a city, a task (that budget, for example), a class or a massage.

Sacred Ritual

Self Care is a sacred ritual.

Any action that you take that has meaning and effects beyond its surface appearance. Health and happiness are not things that comes ready made; they arise from your own actions: your intentional, mindful and powerful actions. The choice is always yours.

If you’d like to learn more about creating your personal deep self-care strategy, I’m offering complimentary 30-minute sessions through September 30 in Vancouver or via Skype. It’s an opportunity to get clear, define your deeper needs, and set your priorities for a sustainable fall and winter.

Book a free 30-minute session.