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I'm back from retreat (my 20th, 21st, and 22nd in beautiful Nosara, Costa Rica) and trying to hold on to the lightness of life in the tropics as the world quickly presses in and responsibility resumes. Jack Kornfield wrote a whole book about this moment. After the Ecstasy, the Laundry — the…
A few years ago, a friend walked into yoga class wearing the most beautiful purple pants. I swooned over the color and the pockets. After class, I asked where she got them—and half-jokingly offered to buy them if she ever didn't want them anymore. She graciously agreed. Later, while texting…
Okay, if you remember the Calgon commercial, you're my people. (Yes, I just dated both of us—but honestly? We've earned the right to reference vintage bath products and not care.) That little ad knew something timeless: sometimes you just need to be "taken away". Not to skip the joys of the…
Kale & Quinoa Salad Delicious and nutritious! This salad is sure to please any crowd, and with so many options to mix and match to your tastes (and with what you have in your pantry/fridge), you can't go wrong. This salad could be an excellent addition to your Thanksgiving meal,…
I woke early this morning to the bright silvery moon shining in my window—the same moon that poured magic and mystery over our nighttime wanderings down cobblestone streets in Mexico just a few days ago. I still marvel at the strange miracle of travel…to wake up in one world and…
After leading 25+ retreats, I'm often asked: "Which retreat I prefer, or which one is better—Costa Rica or Mexico?" The truth is, both are extraordinary—they just feed different parts of your soul. Let me take you on a little journey through both... I've lived in both Nosara and San Miguel…
It's dusk as I drive down the tree-lined streets of old Hailey, past houses with pumpkins on porches and ghosts hanging from tree branches. Through lit windows, I catch glimpses of families gathering for dinner or homework time—and a wave of emotion hits me. I miss Mason and Ellis. Their…
Pear-a-palooza Sauce Here at our purple house, pears are dropping faster than I can gather them up. Batch after batch of pear sauce simmers on my stove, filling the house with autumn's sweetest perfume. On the phone this week, Ellis told me that the smell of pears just reminds him…
Garlic Edamame Dip Sharing this vibrant and protein filled dip that would be perfect for your next dinner party with crackers and sliced veggies, smeared on a slice of toast for lunch, or scooped onto a buddha bowl. This recipe is gluten, dairy, & nut free. Feel free to sub…
Down at the river's edge, Mila lowers herself into the cool water after our steep climb. I notice the late summer shift in the river: more rocks revealed, water flows more slowly. Watching these gentle currents, a sense of melancholy rises in me. August holds a bittersweet energy. It seems…
"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." -Anne LamottYears ago, when the kids were young—maybe 4 and 6—and Ben was traveling for work, I woke up with a wild bout of dizziness. The room was spinning, but I pressed on anyway, making…
Strawberry, Rhubarb, Crumble, oh my! Everything is in full bloom here in Central Idaho. The trees are flowering, the green hillsides are painted with swaths of yellows & purple, and everyone's garden is beginning to come to life. Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble Servings: 6 to 8 Time: 30 minutes prep, 45 minutes to bake…
We're nestled into our plane seats. I'm sandwiched between Ellis (8) and Mason (10). Their heads rest in my lap, so close they touch while sleeping. I rest one hand on each of their tightly curled bodies, feeling the gentle rhythm of their breathing. It's dark, maybe two or three…
Sunshine Sauce As we head into the lighter and brighter months of the year, I want to share one of my all-time favorite recipes with y'all - Sunshine Sauce! A few years back, my family spent a couple of weeks on Cortez Island on the coast of British Columbia, Canada.…
"There is beauty to be found in the changing of earth's seasons, and an inner grace in honoring the cycles of life." -Jack Kornfield. It's smoky here in Idaho, but I had to get outside, feel my legs burn, and my heart race. I needed to rise above my swirling thoughts…
"I get by with a little help from my friends" -co-written (of course) by Lennon & McCarthy I am beyond honored and grateful to have been awarded Silver "Yoga Teacher" in the "Best of the Valley" awards! 💫 With over 50 yoga instructors in the Wood River Valley, it's a…
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."-Rumi We all contain a multitude of parts: the hardened, guarded self, the soft, receptive self, and a million shades of grey in between. Most of…
'When we cultivate a strong back and soft front within ourselves, we can weather the storms of life with strength, wisdom, grace, and an open heart." -Joan Halifax I've been waking in the early darkness with a boatload of thoughts swirling in my head. With a broken arm, and the…
"And suddenly you know: it's time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings." -Meister Eckhart For the last five years, I’ve spent my early winter mornings building fires. The radiators in our 130-year-old house struggle to keep us warm when the temps drop into the teens. So,…
Following a long hike in the mountains yesterday, I sat down to prepare a "Happy Hips" yoga practice to share this week. My classes explore a new topic or concept each month, and we're diving into RELEASE this October. Release in the body. And releasing things that inhibit our growth…
"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." -Henry Ford Every year, in the weeks leading up to a retreat, I receive emails from new yogi-travelers. They share their concerns and mild fears about our upcoming adventures in a foreign land. I now lovingly refer to these…
an honest update from the heart. xo I woke at four this morning with a million thoughts circulating in my head. I knew the only answer was to slip quietly out of bed, brew a cup of coffee, and start writing. This week, I intended to share a bit about…
“We are here to awaken from our illusion of separateness.” -Thich Nhat HanhTo close out August and our exploration of Connection, I want to shine a light on the wonky inner critic we’re all born with. And why it might cause us to feel disconnected. Growing up, I thought I…
"Love yourself incredibly well, make your healing a top priority, follow through on your goals, and do not worry about how others will react to that level of focused energy. Emotionally mature people will be attracted by your flourishing."-Yung Pueblo Inspired by living in one of the world's Blue Zones…
There’s a cadence to summer. Like the dotted lines rolling by as you cruise down the open road. Like the driving rhythm in songs I love including “Eminence Front” by The Who or one of my mom’s favorites, ”Maniac”, from the movie Flashdance. The pace is steady and strong…and…
“Love and belonging are irreducible needs of all women, men, and children. We are biologically, cognitively, physically, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong" -Brene Brown...of course. I am…a mother, a daughter, a sister, a wife. I am a student, a teacher, a neighbor, a friend.…
“One regret, dear world, that I am determined not to have, while I am lying on my death bed, is that I did not kiss you enough.” ~Hafiz Every year on retreat, I have the great honor of celebrating a guest’s milestone birthday. Sometimes I get lucky and numerous yogi-travelers…
“We become what we want to be by consistently being what we want to become each day." -Richard Scott How's it going? It’s been a whirly, swirly couple of weeks in my home. Maybe you're feeling it too and we’re circulating in a collective eddy of “spring-to-summer” transition together. The…
Spring's Invitation to Begin Again. With all the snow that has fallen here in Idaho and the northwest, it may feel like a cruel joke to mention spring. The longing for life to push up through the earth might overshadow noticing spring's inching arrival. But if you pause...and tune in...…
"Happiness is an inside job." ~William Ward Last Friday, while shoveling snow after yet another storm, my lower back started “talking to me”. So, I took to the couch to rest and heal, before a full spasm or real injury set in. Lying flat on my back for hours,…
"Life is a balance of holding on and letting go." ~Rumi It's been quiet around here. Not in my head of course, but in my writing...in my love letter sending out into the world. Rest assured. There is no lack of love. 💗 And I am ok. I'm just struggling to find…
""Deep within each of us lies a quiet place of calm, centeredness. Let us go there daily and be still. It is here that we gather our strength to stand rooted in our truth. From this calm place, we realize that the world is but a beautiful storm just outside…
"Let our hearts & hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path." -Dieter F Uchtdorf A tribute to one of my dear soul sisters, Laurie Wertich. At the young age of 41, my friend, Laurie, took her life after a…
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.” ~Dr. Seuss I'm beaming in here on a mission! A mission to encourage you to embrace all of your perfectly imperfect qualities...and take them out into the sunlight. Especially the…
“There is beauty to be found in the changing of the earth’s seasons, and an inner grace in honoring the cycles of life.” ~Jack Kornfield Here, as we approach fall equinox and the balance of light and dark, I'm reminded of the rhythm that exists in all things. The setting…
"Hello, sun in my face. Hello, you who made the morning. Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness" ~Mary Oliver Summer has started winding down in our home. With friend visits and family travel now in the rearview mirror, my attention is pulled toward the season…
“I am not here to compete. I am here to grow and be free.” ~Yung Pueblo Summer is my absolute favorite season here in the Idaho mountains. I love the expansive blue skies; sipping coffee on my porch in the cool morning air; the explosion of color in my garden,…
"Sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere. And sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself." Last week, I bumped into a friend at a coffee shop and in conversation, she referred to my Costa Rica retreats as "Speakeasy" retreats. This was the second time I heard…
"You are the sky. Everything else - it's just the weather." ~Pema Chödrön I’ve never been short on things to say in this world. Just ask my husband, Ben. 🙃 But lately, I’ve had trouble understanding my feelings enough to express them. Post-COVID brain fog may be adding confusion, but…
You might have thought I was going to launch into a joke here 🙂...something with these characters meeting at a bar. But instead, I have a question? After 20 years of teaching yoga, I’ve noticed that people attend my yoga classes for different reasons, each desiring something a little different from…
"Awake my dear. Be kind to your sleeping heart. Take it out into the vast fields of light and let it breathe." ~Hafiz Do you feel the light stretching out? The gradual lengthening of the days toward the season of birth, new beginnings, lightness and freedom. Are you ready? …
“You are in the time of the interim Where everything seems withheld. The path you took to get here has washed out. The way forward is still concealed from you. The old is not old enough to have died away. The new is still too young to be born." …
If ever there was a time for us to dig deep and call upon the peaceful warrior within each of us, it's now. Standing steady and strong in our beliefs and truths, all the while remaining tapped into the calm presence that resides in each of us is paramount. It's…
“Connection is the energy that is created between people when they feel seen, heard and valued" ~Brene Brown It’s been almost a year since I taught a public yoga class. Prior to the pandemic, I'd arrive at the studio early, long before class would begin to create a safe, warm,…
Step into the New Year with Clarity With Christmas holiday in the rearview mirror and just a few days between us and the start of a brand new year, I want to gently encourage you to pause and reflect on your last twelve months. To bring more clarity and awareness…
7 Ways to Take Good Care of Yourself How are you doing? What do you need right now? I ask these questions often when teaching yoga or leading retreats. The feedback helps me show up in the best way possible to support those that have trusted me with a snippet of their precious time.…
Mid-Summer Harvest I dug my heels in this spring when my family decided to throw their collective shoulders into planting our garden. Maybe it was because it was Mother’s Day and slinging a Pulaski through the air was not my preferred way to celebrate. But we had celebrated me the…
Green Machine Kale Smoothie Recipe This nutrient-dense smoothie is my "Go To" choice for starting the day. It's packed with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidant to help you go the distance, and it's flavorful enough to enjoy it going down. In the summer, I choose ingredients that happen to be ready…
This past weekend, my earth-loving, barefoot walking 15 year old daughter, spent a night in the wilderness living off the land with a friend. Mason and Cora stripped down to cotton tunics and walked into the woods with just a knife and tools needed to start a fire by hand.…
A few years ago, in my “Build Your Home Yoga Practice” workshop, we began by focusing on creating space in the home that is both inviting AND equipped to offer the support needed for a lifetime of practice. And now, while studios and fitness centers are closed due to the…
Almost five years ago now, my little tribe hit the road for a three+ year adventure south of the border. We set out to experience a different culture & way of living...to step out of our comfort zone & try something new. Along with those desires, we also needed a…