We should care as much about well-doing as well-being. I want to live in a world that values purpose as much as pleasure, contribution as much as contentment, honesty as much as excitement, and justice as much as joy.
― Adam Grant
Light a fire
watch the flames dance
and listen to the soft and slow crackling
Take your shoes off
feel the wet grass and soft mud
squish between your toes
Spend time earthing
a grounding practice
connecting back to the earth
Let your phone fall between the couch cushions
or let it run out of battery
without rushing to plug it in
Take up journaling
or drawing or painting
something you can do with your hands
Notice when it's hard to sit still
like when you're having dinner
and you feel the urge to get up to go check on something
Take a big breath in
fill up your belly, your chest, your heart
then let it go and soften your shoulders
Do this throughout the day
whenever you feel yourself
running, going, moving too fast
Count your breath
1… 2… 3… 4…
count 30 breaths every day
Put a timer on
and start reading for 20 minutes
without getting up or looking at a device
Try not to fill up your calendar
leave empty space for being
for non-doing, non-efforting, non-fixing
Carve out time to cook a meal
or plant herbs in your new garden
spend time tending to your needs
Rest—and rest and rest and rest
and when you think you've rested too much
rest some more
Remember that rest looks different
for each of us
and different, too, each day
Sometimes it's a nap or yoga nidra
sometimes it's Netflix and chill
sometimes it's a non-device day
Notice when it feels uncomfortable
to simply be without doing
And know that that is part of the unlearning
Try not to compare yourself to others
each of our paths is unique
and you never know the complexity of someone else's
Take your time
with everything that you do
and remember you're not late
you're right on schedule
- How to slow down after a lifetime of being fast ✨
✨ yoga etc. is my newsletter on yoga, social justice, collective wellbeing, and collective healing. Every week, I share a piece of me—a weekly dose of mindfulness—hoping it resonates. The best way to support my work is by sharing this newsletter with those you think might find a piece of them. ✨
Yoga of movement ✨
I'm back home and so excited to see you! You have two chances to practice with me online this week:
And, as always, I have some lovely pre-filmed classes. I picked out a few special ones for you this week:
15 min ✨ Soothing the wrist + ankle joints
15 min ✨ Root yourself with ease
45 min ✨ Sweet shoulder opening
75 min ✨ Renew + restore flow
Please try to sign up at least 3 hours before the start of class, and if you can't make it in real-time, you'll get the recording in your email.
I'm also available for private and corporate classes. I'm offering complimentary corporate classes to nonprofit and not-for-profit organizations. Reply to this email if you're interested!
Yoga of action ✨
I'm tithing 10% of my income from my online yoga classes to organizations that fight against white supremacy. Every month, I'll pick a new organization and highlight it below. If these organizations call to you, please consider contributing (no matter how small).
My November donation will go to The Afiya Center, an advocacy organization dedicated to transforming the lives of Black women and girls through reproductive justice. The Afiya Center provides refuge, education, and resources on reproductive justice, HIV programming, abortion access, and maternal mortality for Black womxn and girls in Texas, where abortions have recently been banned after six weeks.
Have a suggested organization? Leave a comment to share.
Yoga of words ✨
Grab a pen, grab your journal. Have a seat somewhere comfortable. Close your eyes, take a breath in, and let it go. Your weekly writing prompt is below.
Write about your favorite meal. What made it your favorite—the food, the people, the conversation? (15 minutes)
Feel free to share what you've written by clicking the link below. But, of course, you’re also welcome to keep this practice as just yours.
Other musings ✨
The problem with wilderness (UUWorld)
Our day mushroom foraging (Jasmine Hemsley)
In defense of only having one child on purpose (Salon)
Taylor Swift and the weaponization of memory (The New York Times)
The transwoman fighting to ensure the safety of India’s trans folx (Vogue)
On repeat: Drowning - Live and Stripped by BANKS (Spotify)
I'm here for you—for class, advice, or anything you need or would like to share. Always a phone call/text/DM/reply button away.
LBC ✨
P.S. If you like this newsletter, please share it with your friends! And if someone sent you this newsletter, you can subscribe below!