My clothing choices are made thoughtfully, despite not always looking super intentional or put together. I used to only care about style and value for price, but over time I began to learn that not all things are created in an ethical way, and as consumers, not only is it our right but it is also our responsibility to vote with our dollars; every item we purchase sends a message to the collective consumer machine about what's important to us as humans. So we need to think about that a little bit. Bohemian Island is a company from Thailand that makes cotton unisex harem pants. They support a dog rescue organization called Soi Dog Foundation, with 10% of proceeds going directly to their rescue efforts. #savethesoidogs I absolutely love this -- it's an example to other companies of how to give back in a practical, socially-conscious way. Animal rescue organizations around the world are severely underfunded, and initiatives like this really do make a difference, especially when they begin to gain popularity. I've bought harem pants from two other companies in the past, and my first impression when receiving these was that the quality was superior to the others; while they still felt very light, the construction seemed solid and they just felt sturdier overall...maybe made with a little more love. They sent along a care card, which I appreciate, that suggests hand-washing and hanging to dry... Okay, fine. (Proper laundry management is not a strength of mine, but I'm sure there are lots of people out there who have no issue hand washing their clothing. I'm trying to be more like those people...it's a process.) Cam was also pretty excited when I opened the package with my harem pants. I said, "You're welcome to wear these, too-" and he instantly replied, "Oh, I will." These are one-size-fits-most* and unisex, totally appropriate for the grooviest guys out there. *Bohemian Island also has a "plus size/extra large" option, which is great, because honestly, these are on the small side for a unisex one-size-fits-most pant; they fit me comfortably in the waist and the ankle cuffs sit right where I'd like them to, and I normally wear a women's size XS or Small (for your reference). But can you really do yoga in these pants? (People ask me that every time I wear them) Yes, you totally can, as demonstrated in all of these photos. They're light and loose and comfortable and I don't feel like I'm going to rip them, even in the splits. I also just found out that Bohemian Island now make t-shirts, shorts and dresses (as well as kids' sizes!), and I've got my eye on the cutest little summer getup right now: If you're in the market for some comfy harem pants, think about supporting a really cool company with ethical and sustainable practices that's supporting the voiceless. This is mindful fashion to me, and I am here for it. #bohemianisland
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This morning, I found an old blog of mine (the second one I created) called "quiet heart, open mind". Naturally, I began reading through my old posts ranging from seven to 10 years back. Most of them were pretty cringe-worthy, as I was deeply invested in the cult of Bikram Yoga at that time. But, there were a few little gems tucked in there that brought tears to my eyes. I'd found myself being so judgemental and harsh to past-Sarah for the things she'd written back then, but the post I'm sharing below, in particular, reminded me of my (true, enduring) spirit and the importance of being tender with all versions of myself. Even when things were kind of a mess, I was learning how to love myself. And I think that's really beautiful. {I love myself, and all of my parts ~ Feb 22, 2012}I love my arms.
I used to think they were too small. And then too fat. Also, too weak; not muscular enough. I thought I'd like to have arms like Jessica Biel, or maybe Kelly Ripa, or Madonna...and then, "Oh dear lord, not Madonna. Those arms are totally frightening." I wondered how many bicep curls it would take to get to the point of loving them. And then when I thought I didn't have nearly enough time or energy for that, how many would it take before I'd just like them a little bit? But now, I realize how truly magnificent they are: in the morning, they push me out of bed and pull on my clothes; they provide the strength to open the jar of peanut butter, and then spread it on my toast, which will give me energy for the first part of the day; and they hug my fluffy kitties and keep my dog close to me on her leash. In the afternoon, they enable me to write down my thoughts so they don't take up too much space in my head; they embrace my friends and family with I-love-you-and-I'm-so-lucky-to-have-you-in-my-life hugs; they enable me to clean and beautify myself, so as to not terrify said friends and family; and they hold up the book that will transport me to another reality for a short while. In yoga, they lift me up to the ceiling to remind me of my strength and courage; they stretch out like wings and allow me to fly; they keep me balanced and are always there to catch me if I fall; they help me to bend my spine and open my chest to welcome more love into my heart; and they squeeze my legs tight for a loving full-body hug. I also love my legs. I always thought they were too short, too fat, disproportionate, and had too much cellulite. I wanted legs like a model, or like my best friend, Ashlee: long and lean, slight and feminine, with just the right amount of muscle in all the right places. I tried running, pilates, squatting and lunging across my living while watching America's Next Top Model (which only made me hate my stubby legs more), but I was never satisfied, because even if I noticed slight improvements in the shape or tone of my legs, they were still too short, too fat, disproportionate, had too much cellulite... But now, I give thanks to them, every single day. They get me to where I need to go, no questions asked; they allow me to run around and wrestle with my playful puppy; they gave me 10 years of soccer, which helped me to understand and appreciate myself in so many different ways; they propel me through the water, whenever I'm so inclined to swim; they provide a solid foundation to keep me grounded and uplifted, all at once. In yoga, they kick up to the ceiling, contorting my body into an elegant dancer's pose; they provide the strength to realign all the joints that had already started to give me grief, even in my first quarter-century of life; they put pressure on my abdomen to regulate my moody and sensitive digestive system; and on those really, really tough days when my lunch refuses to stay down or my bladder is about to burst, they get me the hell out of the hot room, fast. And so it goes: I thought my butt was too big; now, I appreciate the cushioning it provides for long lectures, or lengthy commutes, and I like the way it fills out my jeans. My stomach was too flabby, not defined enough, I wished it looked like Megan Fox's; now, it seems perfectly normal and wonderfully fine, even when it's housing a food baby. It's so easy to compare ourselves to others and covet what we don't have, and it's natural to lose sight of how incredibly fortunate we are to have fully functioning and uniquely beautiful body parts. But it's so important to remind ourselves that as long as we're putting the love and respect that we require and deserve into our bodies, we're just right, and immensely beautiful, exactly the way we are. Give love to yourself and all of your parts, every single day. You might have noticed that I've given the website a new look to better reflect some of the recent developments here at Sarasponda Yoga, and I wanted to share a blog post to elaborate on the intention behind all of this. 2018 was a year of transformation for me, with the tail end bringing about some fairly major changes. After nearly three years of teaching private yoga in my home in West Lethbridge, I've made the difficult decision to close down the Sarasponda Yoga Studio for regular sessions. I started Sarasponda Yoga in the early months of 2016 in a carpeted basement, with only one client, and very (very!) low prices. Since then, I've moved into a new home with an upgraded studio and have shared this space with more than 30 wonderful clients, travelled to India, adopted a puppy, completed more yoga training programs, and have come full circle to return to the very things that inspired my own home yoga practice many years ago - trauma recovery, and the desire to cultivate my creativity. { healing + growth } I've been honoured with the trust and openness my clients have shown me and I've grown in more ways than I'd ever expected. In trying to create the best possible offerings for each individual, I've been challenged and inspired to look deeper and work harder. I've learned how to connect better and listen more to my gut, cultivating a stronger belief in my intuition and the courage to continue exploring. This experience has also sparked my creativity and has pushed me to learn new skills. As with all things, we've had our share of ups and downs, but this has been a truly incredible adventure that I'll always hold so dear to my heart. I've met some amazing people and I'll be forever grateful for each and every person I've shared this experience with; thank you for letting me guide you through your practice, and thank you for teaching me. I'm humbled, honoured, and inspired. Thank you, I love you.
I'll be spending more time and energy this year on filming yoga videos for my YouTube Channel, and I'd love to get your feedback as I return to this project. What sort of practices, tutorials and drills would you like to see me create? Do you prefer shorter or longer videos? Is mic'd audio far superior, or is voiceover just as good? Do you like quiet meditative music in the background, or would you prefer I don't include music so you can add your own? I have a long list of ideas that I'm excited to tackle, but I'm also totally open to ideas and suggestions; my only goal with this endeavour is to create high quality content that truly helps people foster a consistent, fulfilling home yoga practice. I'd also love your support in subscribing to my channel, and if you decide to do a practice with me, please reach out and let me know how it went for you! I'm going to be using this blog more frequently to explore and share a diverse selection of yoga and wellness-related content. I'd also love to begin featuring guest bloggers here, so if there's a topic or project close to your heart, or if you have a local event you'd like to share with our community, please reach out! I'd be happy to share your post. Just as I love teaching private yoga, I also really love teaching group classes; there's something so empowering about the collective energy of a group of yogis all moving and breathing together, especially when they have the support of a community behind them. It's been really cool to see our local yoga scene change and grow since I began teaching here close to 5 years ago, and I can't wait to join you in practice again at a beautiful new studio opening soon in Lethbridge. (*more details on this coming soon!*) Let's stay connected!My dear students, family and friends, I want to thank you again, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your love and support with Sarasponda Yoga over the past few years; I'm incredibly grateful for you, and I hope you'll continue to practice with me in some way.
For a few years, I felt completely without direction or a sense of purpose. I asked the Universe for clarity for a very long time before I recognized it in my life, but the main reason I wasn't receiving any messages was because I wasn't really listening - I wasn't properly tuned in. This past year, for me, has been all about seeking clarity, particularly around flowing more in harmony with the Universe; I wanted to properly let go of the things that were holding me back so I could find greater purpose in my life. (Less tension and resistance, more flow.) Maybe this sounds vague, esoteric, abstract, or complex, and it has definitely been one of the greatest challenges of my life so far, but I think this is a primary root of the struggle - we overcomplicate the process of surrender. We all know that it isn’t healthy to hold onto the things that weigh us down or don’t serve us, but the actual process of letting go can seem difficult or complicated. Letting go is rooted in surrender and trust - when we stop trying to control how we experience our experience and allow ourselves to be more in harmony with the natural flow of life, we’re opening ourselves up for potent observation and profound growth, as well as making space for more joy and compassion as we release tension from the mind and body. But, HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY "LET GO"? I've been working through this difficult question in my mind for quite some time, and it has come up with my students, family and friends enough for me to see that it's a pretty universal struggle. I haven't uncovered a perfect process, but I've noticed that certain techniques are more helpful in releasing heartfelt tension and moving forward into joy - or, letting go.
SOFTEN This, too, takes time, practice, and patience. Focus on cultivating compassion for yourself; observe your experience with a loving eye, and when you are ready, begin to relax your mind. (*move from the head into the heart*) Notice the sensations that arise and lean into them enough to properly hear and feel what comes up for you. Maybe you choose a mantra that resonates with you, or focus on the energy within your heart space to keep your mind centred and still. *meet whatever comes up with loving kindness. say thank you. let it go.* None of this is easy work; it can be messy and painful and it takes courage to embark on this journey, so it's important that you practice compassion and patience for yourself throughout the process. Do your best not to focus on the feeling of loss with letting go; rather, try to focus on your intention for this transformation, your gratitude for the experience and the lessons behind you, and the direction you're headed now. We're leaving behind our life's conditioning and ignoring the pull of the ego so that we may come home to the true self. REMEMBER: LETTING GO IS A PRACTICE OF RETURNING![]() When I was growing up, exploring my interests and discovering my skills, I had a massive fear of failure that often kept me from even participating. If I couldn't be the best at the thing (whatever 'the thing' happened to be), I didn't see the value in trying. My ego was fragile and desperately trying to protect itself as it grew and hung on to the things that made me feel special. I hated competing, especially if I felt I wasn't at the top of the pack; second or third place eventually became acceptable to me, but anything less felt humiliating. This fear stuck with me through my early adulthood, and in fact, this is something I continue to work on to this day. But, my yoga practice gives me the opportunity to confront my ego and examine the ways that it holds me back. It also reminds me that failure is ultimately just a step on the path to success. (I am so sorry for the cheesiness but there's just no other way to put it!) For the past few months, I've been practicing in group classes at a local studio, and I noticed that I would often avoid variations of postures that really challenged me, because I didn't want others to see me struggle. This is almost embarrassing to admit, but having gotten back to my home practice recently and revisiting challenging drills and asanas without the fear of judgement helped me realize just how much I was avoiding because of my fear of failure. Our greatest successes in life come from trusting ourselves and taking some (intelligent/calculated) risks, not tightly holding on to all that feels safe and familiar without ever really pushing through our perceived limitations. When we fail, we assess where things went wrong, and (*hopefully*) move through the challenges that held us back initially: in failing, we grow. Anaïs Nin said, "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to our courage." Here's the secret: permission to fail is actually permission to succeed. In January of 2008, I travelled to India for the first time. It was my also my first trip abroad, and almost immediately upon landing in Delhi I began to feel the effects of my white middle-class Canadian privilege. Despite previously believing I was reasonably educated about the world, I realized I had actually been quite sheltered, and I was ashamed of my ignorance. I hadn’t really understood what disparity meant (from a social perspective) until I saw, firsthand, what real poverty could look - and sound, and smell, and feel - like. (I cried so much during that trip...) I will never forget the desperate eyes of the starving and shoeless mothers begging for food and money in busy streets, often with 2 or 3 children clinging to their sides. Everyone pushed them away, but they hadn't done anything wrong: they were just trying to survive. I'll also always remember the young boys with messy hair and kohl around their eyes dancing wildly between cars for a little spare change. Dressed in ratty but colourful clothing, they twirled joyfully, right next to our car, occasionally tapping on the window to request a small payment for their impromptu performances. But I was told you just have to say "no" to all of it, because there is simply too much suffering to make any positive impact, and you could get swarmed if too many beggars catch on that you might have some money... I just wanted to give them what I had because I knew my opportunities and circumstances back home made basic survival much easier for me than it would ever be for them. At this time, I had been living in a suburb of Vancouver for a couple of years and I was still trying to adjust to seeing the poverty on the downtown east side. But poor in India was different from poor in Canada, and I was beginning to understand that so many people had it much worse than I’d even realized was possible. The other major cultural challenge I faced on that trip to India 10 years ago was the stray dog problem. I had been volunteering for a dog rescue organization back home, but I'd never seen anything quite like the stray situation in urban parts of India; there are homeless pups literally everywhere, and most of them are very sick, and/or injured. A few days into my trip, outside the gates of the Taj Mahal, I found a tiny golden puppy, whimpering as it hovered over the edge of a curb. It was alone, and so terrified to make that short leap; I remember thinking, "OH MY GOD, THIS POOR GUY IS DOOMED!" It was truly heartbreaking to have to leave that poor little pup there, knowing he likely wouldn't survive very long on his own. And then, something kind of weird happened: I told myself with total conviction and the authentic belief that some day, some how, I would come back to India and bring a puppy home with me. I say that was a weird thing to have happened because I didn't really believe in anything with conviction back then, and being in India in the first place seemed like a bizarre and serendipitous situation for me, so returning felt even more far-fetched. But, still: I said it, and I meant it. I was forever changed by that first journey to India. Over the following years, though, I didn't think too much about the little golden Taj Mahal puppy or my personal declaration to return to India someday and rescue a needy dog. (I was fumbling my way through my 20s and I had more serious issues of my own for a while, but that's another story for a different blog post...) Late in 2016, Cam and I began to plan our own trip to India, mainly around the annual International Yoga Festival in Rishikesh the following spring. Knowing that I would be returning to the place where a stray puppy broke my heart nearly a decade earlier, and recalling the strange declaration I'd made all that time ago, I began to look into Delhi-based dog rescue organizations and export requirements. (We had been talking about adopting a dog upon returning from our trip, so the timing was right...) Within a very short time, I came across a sweet little golden pup, who I was told was very small, even for a runt; this tiny guy had lost his mother and two siblings to infection, and the shelter workers weren't sure he would make it, either... His name was Sugar, and he was the sweetest puppy I'd ever seen. Again, for some strange reason, I wasn't really concerned about his ability to pull through, and I fell in love with him before we even met. A couple of months later, after chatting regularly with this pup's foster mom (bless her loving heart), Cam and I were able to meet Sugar for the first time, in his New Delhi foster home. He was sleepy and very laid back, but so loving, and after socializing with us for what he deemed to be the obligatory period, he sauntered away to seek a sun patch. I knew he was meant to be with us, and he became our Bowie (aka Mister B). Sometimes just planting a seed or setting an intention is a more powerful act than we even realize.
December can be a tough month for a lot of people. With Christmas / the holiday season approaching, it can seem like our to-do lists are never-ending, and finding time for self care often becomes even more challenging. Depending on your own personal experience with this time of year, it might also bring up some difficult emotions and shifty moods; don't forgot to offer yourself lots of compassion, and the permission to start again any time you need (you don't have to wait until the New Year!)
Here are my tips for THRIVING through the holiday season: BATHE IN SUNLIGHT Until after the winter solstice in a few weeks when our days start getting longer again, try to make the most of our limited daylight hours ~ make sure to get out for a little bit of vitamin D! It can take some planning, but make sure you don't go through the coldest and darkest winter months without seeking any sun! PRESENCE > PRESENTS My fondest memories of this time of year have to do with laughter and excitement and happy tears and music and houses full of people taking the time to truly connect with one another. Be present. Don't let yourself miss out on the beauty all around you because of holiday stress or anxiety. DON'T COMPLETELY THROW DIET/NUTRITION TO THE WIND Let me tell you a little story... When I was just about to reach my 25th birthday, I was living in Australia and walking absolutely everywhere. I also taught a lot of yoga, and I was having trouble keeping weight on. I had befriended a group of Russian expats who loved vodka, food, and enjoying it together in large groups (lucky me!) and I decided to indulge my skinny little heart out over that holiday season... and I gained 25 pounds in about a month. (If that doesn't alarm you, know that 25lbs was more than 25% of my previous bodyweight!) It was so nice at first, but after a couple of weeks of booze and sugar in major excess, I actually felt terrible, and it took me almost two years to take that weight off. {I learned the hard way that my late-twenties body wasn't quite as resilient as it had been just a few years earlier!} LOOK BOTH FORWARD AND BACK The new year is upon us, and it's a great time to start thinking about some changes or adjustments you'd like to make as we move into 2018. Don't wait until December 31 to plan your resolutions; really reflect on your ambitions and goals, and ask yourself why you want to make these changes - make sure they are for YOU. Take some time to reflect on the past year, creating awareness around things you'd like to improve, but also (very importantly), acknowledging your personal triumphs and accomplishments, big or small. DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR YOGA PRACTICE OR FITNESS ROUTINE I'm not saying you don't need a break now - I bet you really do - but I see it happen all the time, and I don't want it to happen to you: we say "Ahh f*ck it, the year is almost over. I'll start again in the new year," and we totally give up and make it much more difficult to get into those shiny new resolutions come January 1st. Slow down, if you need. Schedule some time for self care. Just don't give up now. I had a feeling that health and fitness goals would be among the top New Year's Resolutions for most people (in first world countries), and I was right. I looked at a few lists, and they are all very similar. Accordingly to a poll conducted in the UK in 2015, our top resolutions are as follows:
I have a big surprise for you guys in 2018, which I'm hoping will help with some yoga/health/wellness-related resolutions you might be rolling out in the new year. But, until then, please feel free to reach out to me any time. HAPPY HOLIDAYS, YOGIS! |