Today I was interviewed by a college student writing a paper on U.S. subcultures.

This college student happens to be a young veteran, having returned just this last May from his third (!) tour overseas. He started doing yoga because of his service-related insomnia.

Let's be honest; I LOVE talking yoga. And as my answers spurred into tangents, his curiosity brought more questions about practices and the lifestyle.
He told me after that not everyone has been so open about their personal experience with yoga... But I, for one, am SO pleased to be an enthusiastic yoga maven!

He also indulged that up until now, he's been using this practice to heal, and that after talking with me, he's starting to wonder if this might also help him "find his way."

My answer?
It already is.


This is it, my friends. This is the warm-fuzzy stuff right here. THESE are the moments that bring me back to the mat to teach every day.

Amazed and grateful.
For you, and for all of your stories.

Dancing Lotus Yoga's Month of Gratitude: the Guide

30 Day Guide to Gratitude!

Can you practice a month of GRATITUDE? Give it a try, and share it with the ones you love! Every day we list three items or people that support the category...

1. Lifestyle Choice
2. Your Health
3. Parents
4. Creative Inspirations
5. Modern Technology
6. Emotional Support
7. Your Job
8. Music
9. Pets/Animal Connections
10. Friends/Social Life
11. Books
12. Home/City
13. Romance
14. Nature/Exploration
15. Beauty/Good Body Image
16. Career Inspiration/Teachers
17. Spirituality
18. Freedoms
19. Special Places
20. Tough Lessons
21. Guilty Pleasures
22. Forgiveness
23. Children
24. Food
25. Funny Stuff
26. Community
27. Movies
28. Schooling
29. Today
30. You. The Real YOU.

If it doesn't resonate, pick 3 of something else!
...Join us by sharing on Dancing Lotus Yoga, your own FB page, and/or your journal. Maybe even post-its on your bathroom mirror. :) Say it! Write it!

<3 Thank you <3

"If the only prayer you every say in your entire life is Thank You, it will be enough."
~ Meister Eckhart

Public Teaching Schedule

For my lovelies that don't see my daily schedule on FB,
I thought I'd share what my week looks like here in the greater Phoenix area...

See you on the mat!


Monday:
9:00a-10:00a, Flow @ AZ on the Rocks
10:45a-11:45a, Slow Flow @ Mind Body
6:00p-7:25p, Vinyasa @ Yoga Pura
Tuesday:
9:00a-10:20a, Vinyasa @ The Nest
10:30a-11:50a, Yin @ The Nest
4:00p-5:00p, Basic Flow @ AZ on the Rocks
5:30p-6:50p, Basics @ Yoga Village
Wednesday:
8:00a-9:15a, Soul Flow @ Dark Star
10:15a-11:15a, Yin @ AZ on the Rocks
4:00p-5:00p Vinyasa @ The Nest
6:00p-7:25p, Vinyasa @ Yoga Pura
Thursday:
4:00p-5:00p, Basic Flow @ AZ on the Rocks
5:30p-6:50p, Basics @ Yoga Village
Saturday:
9:00a-10:25a, Flow @ Yoga Pura
4:00p-5:15p, Yin @ Dark Star
Sunday:
5:00p-6:20p, Yin @ Yoga Village
*Yin & Yang (2 hrs) 1x per month

Tattoos vs. Purity?

A few weeks back, a friend asked about what he felt was a contradiction between yoga practitioners and the popularity of "spiritual tattoos."
"Aren't yogis supposed to be 'pure'?"

Here are my thoughts on the matter...
First of all, while the practice of purity (Sauca) is a tool we use in yoga, I wouldn't say yoga is *about* purity.
Yoga is about finding FREEDOM from the illusion of our separateness.
In addition, I believe that tattoos are a form of self-expression.  It's art!  There is nothing impure about getting inked (assuming you are having work done by a professional, of course).
I think repression and conforming to someone else's idea of beauty is much more detrimental to our peace of mind.
The beauty of our yoga is the lesson we learn about Divine Connection.  Male or female, tattoos or not, two legs or four paws, we are All ONE.

We come together through celebrating our differences. 

A great article on this and other spiritual misconceptions by Chis Grosso:
http://www.rebellesociety.com/2013/10/07/tattoos-do-not-belong-in-spirituality-and-other-complete-bullshit/