Root to rise

Fremeaux, Yes! the feet are the foundations of many of the yoga postures and so important. Thank you!!

Anne, I also can create many excuses to avoid intense toe stretch because of the intensity... it's why it has shown up on my classes more frequently. What I teach is what I'm struggling with too. I couldn't agree with you more - "I find that difficult emotions are no better stored in the body than (wrongfully) thrown around." AMEN! :) Thank you for always adding smiles to me days.

Thuy, The fact that you are asking these questions shows you are on the right path. The more questions you ask, the more you explore, the more conscious you become. Let go of your self-judgement. We've all been there. Sending you lots of love on your journey. I promise you're exactly where you need to be.

Glad you left your mat feeling relaxed. Thank you for taking class!!

Kirsty! Better than a glass of wine!? Bold statement ;) xoxo

Anne, You are most welcome!! :)

Leslie, Terrific to hear! :) Thank you for taking class.

Sabine, Calf stretches are so important! I notice a huge difference in my ability to fold forward when my calves are open. :) Thank you for taking class.

Catherine, Great to feel and explore unvisited places. Definitely come back and visit again.

Andrea, Delicious is the exact word I love this class to be described as. Thank you. Namaste.

Jocelyne, That's great! It makes me so happy to hear that repeatedly this class feels good in your body. Keep showing your lower body love. Namaste.

Jocelyne, Thank YOU for taking class. You can't really beat a smile on your face and inside your body!! :) Namaste.

Christine, It is always important to listen to your body. If you need more time and more warmup before hanumanasana please do. I have experienced in my own practice where I create mental blocks that I need poses x, y, and z in order to do _____. I had to do a lot of work to release those mental patterns. This class was created to challenge the mind and be present in the body - safely of course.

Christine, The visual of you sashaying around the room put a huge smile on my face. Thank you. Sending you lots of love.

Susan, It brings me joy knowing that I created the right space for you to explore your practice with greater depth and ease. Congrats. Those moments on the mat always feel great. Thank you! :)

Wow, Katrina, this is so great! I get so much from my practice and sometimes I try to tell people about it, but they just don't get it. They see head stands and splits and gymnastics.... Not that this is a big part of MY practice :-) It is the most wonderful feeling to see someone having an experience similar to mine, because I know how great it feels for me and I love it when others can have the same experience. All good things are better when shared, right :-)

I've been thinking of you - your honesty brought me to tears. Here here to online friendship, love, support, and caring. Reach out anytime. I practice every day and am in now way shape or form a pretzel yogi. But I love it so......have a great day Katrina. All my love, Christine

I love witnessing these beautiful online friendships and community.

I'm usually never lost for words... And I never thought the day would come when I felt like saying Namaste! Two new experiences for me, in one day! Rise and shine Katrina :-)

Blessings Katrina! I know the value of sunshine living in the Northwest US. I'm glad you feel better :-) Why I Wake Early Hello, sun in my face. Hello, you who made the morning and spread it over the fields and into the faces of the tulips and the nodding morning glories, and into the windows of, even, the miserable and the crotchety – best preacher that ever was, dear star, that just happens to be where you are in the universe to keep us from ever-darkness, to ease us with warm touching, to hold us in the great hands of light – good morning, good morning, good morning. Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.” ― Mary Oliver

Hey Katrina, Just a friend saying hello! I should add in my comment above that, as MacKenzie said, the poses she led us to, through, up, down, and around were my worst asana encounters for a long time (throw in twisted triangle pose and I would have walked off my mat an absolute wreck!) Anyway, it takes a while, it takes dedication to yourself and to yoga, but eventually, you learn to accept what is and when you do that things seem to open up, soften, and release and you learn to hang out with ourself on the mat in difficult poses. Then, one day, you realize how beautifully perfect you are. I refer to myself as "tragically hip".....we are all with you. I promise you that. All my love, Christine

Hi Katrina, I just hate when a class makes me feel like that! I have been there, believe you me! But at the same time, these are the classes that helps me the most, teach me so much about myself and bring new insight to the way I work, the way I'm wired. It took some practice to let go of the tendency to be better, do more, compare myself to the teachers and so on. When I finally managed to so, wow, what a relief. I have acomlished the most when I turned down my efforts. If I make it easier on the body it is easier on the soul (or whatever you want to call it, too) And as for age and body parts, well, in my mind I'm doing grate, and i see no reason to shatter that illusion by looking in a mirror while making my versions of poses :-) A while ago I worked as a massage therapist and whenever a client had reactions similar to yours I was, secretly, super happy about it, because I knew that feeling like this, and facing it makes room for such great changes. You are you and I am me and MacKenzie here is the super athlete expert. Apples and oranges, there is no way to make a sensible comparison. Like I said in my comment to this class, good riddance to bad rubbish! Leg and hip work can work wonders for the mind, even if it feels anything but wonderful at the time. I hope you dont mind my sticking my nose in where it does not really belong, but your comment really touched something in me and I find it hard to stay away when that happens.

Thanks for baring and sharing Katrina. That's an important step. Namaste

Katrina, In many ways these types of comments sadden me but more than that I see a powerful opportunity to witness your reaction and cultivate change. By witnessing and acknowledging your reaction you have the choice to attach to those feelings of inadequacy or let them go. Those moments can be powerful. I know it can be hard when you see something and it's not what's showing up in your body. Regardless of age and flexibility those moments happen for everyone, including myself. I am human (although slightly pretzel like). Thank you Anne, Andy and Christine for acknowledging and sharing personal experiences in regards to Katrina's experience. We all are in this human experience together. The more we feel, the more vulnerable we can all be, I believe the better off this world will be. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you all. Sending love your way.

Gael, It brings awareness into the moment, right? The same pose has to be approached differently every time we do it. Thank you.

Ilse, What a wonderful comment that put a smile on my face. The slower hatha style, I agree, is quite lovely. I am glad that you felt you had the time to receive the benefits of the postures. I will definitely bring more slow hatha classes to Ekhart. :) Sending you well wishes.

This is a PERFECT post-run class!! :) and you never know... keep practicing those splits and one day they may come!!!

With practice you will! :) I can imagine you felt ready to run with ease after all this leg work. Thank you for taking class.

Elisa, Wow! What sweet words. Thank YOU.

Sara, That is fantastic news! I find this work to be super effective. Thank you and Namaste.

Thank you for sharing such sweet words. They continue to fuel my fire and love for teaching and sharing this practice. Namaste.