Get yourself into a class!

If I could recommend just one practice

to almost everyone, it would be yoga.

It's a gift to be strong and flexible ​enough

to clean my house, do yard work, keep a

full-time job, haul groceries in and garbage

out of the house, and walk my dogs, 

I have been very sick a few times and those

activities were nearly impossible to do.  

I hated it.  Nothing makes you want

to move more than not being able to.

Your ability to perform basic chores and

participate in social activities directly

impacts your quality of life. Keep your

body and mind strong and flexible and 

you'll thank yourself later for doing it. 

For the past twenty years,

my practice has been centered on

traditional hot hatha yoga, following

the Bikram-style sequence of 26

postures and two breathing exercises.

More than any other single practice,

yoga has been the foundation of

my physical and emotional well-being.

It helped rebuild strength after illness,

regulate my nervous system, 

quiet my mind during difficult seasons,

and it continually reminds me

to return to the present moment.

Yoga meets you exactly where you are.

You don't need to be flexible.
You don't need to be strong.
You don't need to be "ready".

You just need to show up.

People often tell me they’re not

flexible enough for yoga.  That’s like

saying you’re too thirsty to drink!

You don’t become flexible before you begin,

you become flexible because you begin.
​

I took my first class in 2001.

It remains one of the best

decisions I’ve made for my health..


If you’re just starting, aim for two to

four classes each week.  If your schedule

allows for more, wonderful. Consistency

matters far more than perfection.

Some days you’ll feel strong.

Other days you’ll spend half of the

class standing still or even lying down.  

It's all  part of the practice.

If all you can do is lie on your mat and

 breathe, you’ve still practiced yoga.

Your body will adapt.

The heated room encourages movement,

 deep breathing, and sweating in a way 

that always leaves me feeling

lighter, clearer, and more alive.

It's one of the most restorative

experiences I know.

Here are some studios in the
​
Seattle/Tacoma area I highly recommend:
 
My home studio is ​Lakeview Yoga in
Kenmore, where I’ve had the privilege
of practicing with Vidal Bitton.
His depth of knowledge in yoga,  
meditation, martial arts & tai chi has
had a lasting impact on me.

Another favorite is Sol Health Yoga in
Puyallup.  Their welcoming community,
variety of classes, and exceptional
teachers make it a wonderful place to
begin, or deepen, your practice.
​
Expand Yoga in North Tacoma is great, too!
Here you'll find seasoned teachers, 
a solid community, and the studio is
across from my favorite independent
coffee house in the world, Valhalla Coffee.

A fantastic studio I have recently
had success with is Hotworx.
I like to call it the 'no exuses' studio.
It's open 24/7, has multiple locations,
 and many types of guided workouts -
hot cycle, yoga, pilates, and barre,
All available in clean, infrared saunas.  
There's also a non-heated, weight training
area. It can be a challenge to coordinate
your schedule with a specific class
at any regular studio.  24/7 open hours
​has made it easy to get in my workouts.

No excuses!

Practicing at a studio, with a trained
instructor, is ideal, but if for one reason
or another it is out of reach, 
I recommend an amazing yoga
series which is still available on DVD.
It's how I started - in my living room for
about a year before I even stepped into
a studio, I practiced 3-5 days per week. .
It has basic/beginner through advanced
options.  You could never outgrow
these well-instructed classes.  
(Use a mirror to keep your alignment in check.)
 Power Yoga for Everybody
by Barbara Benaugh​

My favorite yoga app is Yoga Download.
Cicily Carter has teaches a traditional 26/2
90 minute class.  It's a good one! 

When I practice at home, I close the

entrances to the room and turn on

one or two Presto heat dishes.  These

have been very useful for simulating a

hot yoga studio, or when the furnace

has gone out!  Presto Heat Dish

is available at multiple stores.  

Costco usually has the best price.

Sweat.

Stretch.

Get stronger.

Let go.

Recover.

​x

Namasté