I am now living in Vermont! Plans are underway for yoga offerings here in the Upper Valley, beginning at the end of November 2021. I’ll share all the details soon.

It has certainly been an interesting year so far, everywhere in the world. I am now living in Naivasha, Kenya for the next few months and will likely return to the US in December if all goes as planned. I do not currently have any classes, workshops, or retreats on the calendar, but please stay in touch! I would be delighted to hear from you.

And most importantly, keep practicing – and let compassion radiate into every aspect of your comings and goings, every relationship and conversation, every thought and interaction. This life should be sweet for us all.

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It is now August 2020, and I am still in India, despite all the difficulties and unfortunate circumstances associated with the current pandemic.  My husband and I are safe and well, living in a village in the Himalayas near Uttarkashi.

During months of lockdown at Parmarth Niketan ashram in Rishikesh this spring, we filmed many yoga practices.  If you are looking for some guidance or inspiration for practice, you might find something interesting in the archives here (all given freely).

I hope to connect again in some way, sometime soon.  In the meantime, I’ll be sending love.  Stay in touch.

As of January 2020, it is time to withdraw from this part of the world for now, so I am headed to India to live in the Himalayas for a while.  I will be based at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh.

You are invited to come visit at any moment.

At some point, in this lifetime or perhaps in another one, a fire will be lit inside you.  You will become insatiably curious about the nature of reality, of consciousness, of what this all is, and how the pieces fit together.  You will no longer hide away the overwhelming thoughts of infinite time, of space, of the certain death of your body.  This longing to know will not be satisfied by any theoretical, measurable, philosophical, or intellectual understanding, nor by faith in words passed down over centuries or millennia, in an epic game of miscommunicated “Telephone”, from those who may have understood.  No, this deep, intimate craving must be fulfilled by direct personal experience, an understanding of Truth well beyond the capacities of the intellect – and you will realize that this is possible, and has been done before.

Day by day, moment by moment, you will train, with great persistence and discipline, and gradually things will change, sometimes in thrilling leaps, but mostly in imperceptibly small gradients over time.  The physiological control, comfort in the body, quality of the breath and the thoughts, the texture of awareness, a sense of fearlessness (what is the worst that could happen?).  With perfect timing, the appropriate teachers and teachings will show up, in ways and in forms you could not have imagined.  After experiencing unbelievable physiological and sensory phenomena, you will come across descriptions of precisely these experiences, articulated in texts written thousands of years ago, and you will know that you are not alone.  This path has been walked before, and the trail is marked well, if you know where to look.  There are many ways to find the trail, and an infinite number of trailheads.  The fire will grow.

Pieces will come together, and you will increasingly see or sense different layers within the tapestry of space-time, and perhaps become aware of something brilliant and unchanging behind the tapestry.  You will follow your trail, wherever it leads, with great determination and effort, but in an unhurried, efficient way.  There will come a time when the inner fire becomes irresistible and all-consuming, and it will be time to let yourself jump fully into the flames.

Then you will be unstoppable along your path – despite all the obstacles and distractions, the suffering, the sickness, the injuries, the sun, the storms, the joy, the pain, the guilt, the hunger, the bliss, the slog, the peaks, the valleys, the deaths, the births, the doubt, the trust, the love.  You will be unstoppable, until you are free.

Happy fall, everyone.  I was not planning to teach yoga in any formal way this fall, but then my friend Julia Horn invited me to teach on Monday evenings at the Eldorado Springs Art Center this month… and I had to say yes.  So I invite you to come practice with me in this very special place, nestled in the heart of the canyon!  It is a lovely, easy drive from South Boulder, and not to be missed.  Payment is on a sliding scale (i.e. whatever seems right and affordable to you).

Classes will involve physical postures, breath techniques, and focused meditative internal practices throughout.

All Levels Hatha/Vinyasa Yoga

Monday evenings, 6-7 pm

October 7, 14, and 28

Eldorado Springs Art Center

Here we are, with the most daylight of the year here in the northern hemisphere – and it feels wonderful. Light in the mornings, light in the evenings, big batches of kale and arugula pesto from the garden…

While the weather has been cool here in Colorado this spring, with snow still covering the high mountains, it has been hotter than usual in other parts of the world (like on the Greenland ice sheet). During the day, I work on modeling how the Greenland ice sheet retreats in a warmer climate, simulating the complex global physics and interactions of the atmosphere, land, and ocean. I go to seminars to hear other scientists talk about the circulation patterns and biogeochemical systems that make our planet habitable, and how they are changing.

As you are aware, many pieces of the Earth system are changing rapidly, in extreme ways, and on timescales much shorter than in Earth’s past climate cycles. As humans, we are collectively conducting a grand experiment with our planet by altering its carbon cycle in a big way, and we don’t fully understand the cascade of irreversible tipping points we are approaching (or have already tipped, in some cases). It will be interesting to see what happens.

You cannot separate yourself from the natural world, as you are woven tightly into the intricate web of life. Realizing this fact is a key part of the process of Yoga.  When you acknowledge this interconnected quality of existence, you can’t help but try to be kind and gentle.  Every action has far-reaching effects, so take responsibility and be deliberate in what you choose to consume and support, the things you buy, the food you eat, the clothes you wear. Get away from the computer, the phone, and the air-conditioned indoor environment. Open the windows, eat lunch outdoors, and live outside as much as possible. Enjoy the sunshine, the fresh warm air, the smell of young leaves and flowers and dirt, the caress of grass on your bare feet, the Earth rising up to hold you, the brilliant sky a container for it all.

Soak up the summer and the soaring majesty of our world. Don’t miss what’s here!

I am delighted to be joining forces this summer with Julia Horn and Dominick Antonelli for some light-hearted, celebratory yoga with live music to highlight special organizations around Boulder.  See you there!

The first of this series is coming up:

Saturday, June 22 at the Dairy Arts Center, 9:30 am.

Registration is open for our 3rd annual Mountain Hut Yoga Get-Away in August!  Come with me to the high mountain backcountry of Colorado for a special weekend retreat with potent practices and unforgettable views.

Details are here.

We have nearly made it through another winter. You probably notice the days feeling longer, and I hope you are enjoying the sunshine (and ALL THE SNOW in the mountains if you’re here in Colorado). I have always loved this time of year, with the first hints of growth and warmth blowing in on the gusty winds.

As we move toward spring and into whatever happens next for each of us, it is natural to feel a shift toward lightening, letting the old unnecessary things fall away or dissolve – which may include material stuff, thoughts, relationships, unhelpful habits, patterns, expectations, whatever. In cases of big transitions or letting go, it can feel like the ground dropping away from beneath you, and you may need to be patient, and trust your own wings.

As always, take good care of yourself: Make time to get outside, drink plenty of water and tea, eat nourishing foods, and don’t forget to look at the sky. I also recommend learning about Ayurveda (the Indian “science of life”, which considers and treats each individual uniquely, based on your own constitution for optimum health and well being).

And now, a spring treat and retreat!

Dreamy Sweet Potato Soup

You will need:

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped coarsely
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil, ghee, or coconut oil
• Spices (bay leaf, black peppercorns, cloves, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon)
• Salt
• Cilantro for topping

Directions:

• Cut sweet potatoes into slices, roast at 400 degrees F until soft.
• Blend sweet potatoes with chopped fresh ginger and coconut milk in a blender (add as much water as needed to blend smoothly).
• Heat oil in a pot, toast whole spices until they sizzle.
• Pour blended sweet potato mixture into pot, add ground spices and salt to taste, plus water as necessary to get the desired consistency.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer as long as you like (5-30 minutes).
• Serve with chopped cilantro, a fresh salad, and warm crusty bread.

 

Fire and Waves: A Yoga Adventure in the Riviera Maya, Mexico (MAY 9-12)

I am so looking forward to being back on the beach at Hacienda del Secreto in May! This special retreat over Mother’s Day weekend is the most luxurious and in-depth retreat I am teaching this year, and there is space for you!

It is impossible to adequately describe the magical feel and rhythm of the place, but it is an absolute dream. Just a few days of dedicated, unhurried practice and refreshing rejuvenation in this setting have a way of working on us in unbelievable ways. You simply have to experience it for yourself, and I would love for you to come.

 

Stay in touch, keep practicing, and I hope to see you again some day soon.

 

Heaps of love,

Aleah