While writing about the evolution of my morning ritual, I realized that the sacred time I spend preparing for my day is as much about what I avoid doing as the actions that I choose to take. That is, in order for me to focus and get into the head space I require, there are platforms and activities that I save for when my ritual is complete, later in the day, or that I skip altogether.
My daily ritual has grown to include practices that facilitate physical, mental, and spiritual well being and abundant creativity. When I complete these actions on a daily basis, I develop clarity and momentum, feel inspired and strong, experience less pain, and am able to coach, dance, teach, write, and engage with ideas and people in a well-grounded and present way.
Do you ever feel distracted, floaty, overwhelmed, or disconnected? Creating a stable, grounded, foundation is the first step in building a supportive yoga practice, dancing posture, and well-designed yet flexible life.
An interview with one of my most influential yoga teachers and friend Agi Fry, creator of Agi Ageless Living: we talk about what brought Agi to yoga, her lineage of teachers and connection to yoga philosophy, using it as a tool to balance the nervous system, relax, and heal, student-centered pedagogy, bringing things forth from the inside rather than putting them “on”, recovering from pain and trauma, her flight from the Hungarian revolution as a child, balancing multiple responsibilities and interests, bucket lists, and more.
“Do not fear mistakes–there are none.” – Miles Davis
The research-based book on learning, Make it Stick, blew my mind a bit during my teacher credential program, especially finding out that the difficulty of recalling new information correctly correlates to the depth of the learning. That means the more I struggle to remember German words, as long as I try hard, keep practicing, and get corrections when I can, the more permanent and retrievable that information will be in the future.
Struggle and failure are inherent to learning, creativity, and dancing, so we would do well to learn to approach them with compassion.
Natarajana / King Dancer / Lord of the Dance Pose, more commonly referred to simply as “Dancer,” is an iconic and challenging yoga pose that invites us to discover our own courage and compassion.
Last weekend marked 20 years since the tragic events of September 11th and my social media feeds were flooded with remembrances. The catchphrase adopted by many became “never forget” and I here am considering what it is important that we remember now and moving into the future.
What fosters energy and youthful enthusiasm in your life? What rituals help you wake up and maintain mindful presence? I’m Blythe Stephens, and that’s what I’m exploring today and in episode 59 of the A Blythe Coach Podcast.
This final week, we are setting up to keep your practice going after the “Intensive” is complete. The idea is to have a well-rounded conditioning and cross-training routine that requires a very small commitment of time. You can continue to add different movements slowly as well as take full-length classes with me online or through other teachers and live studios.
During July, I am sharing a fully adaptable “Summer Dance Intensive” program to develop body and mind for those who would like to be immersed in dance or yoga and don’t have the chance to attend such a workshop in-person. The suggested free sequences can provide a complement or bridge to online or in-studio practice. You can tailor the program to your needs, with anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours per day!
