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Samdhana Mindful Living, Kintamani (2025)

26/07/2025

What a privilege to know these very talented ladies!

If you love the ocean, sunshine, and yoga and want to expand your repertoire for teaching, then SUP YOGA ticks off all the boxes!

and are offering another 2-day course where you get to learn water safety, class set up, how to stay balanced on a floating surface, and much more. It’s a whole other kind of movement practice that fires up all those deep stabilizer muscles and feels oh so good, not to mention it’s super fun!

Dates: Aug 30-31
Location: Bali

DM for more details.
And see you on the beach!

16/06/2025

Excuse the goggle marks all over my face. Just had a lovely 1 km swim! 🏊 😊

I love everything I teach and share with clients, patients and students. And when I think about it, I guess I just love empowering others to take control over their health and wellbeing with simple, effective tools that ACTUALLY WORK to calm and soothe the nervous system, increase energy and focus, keep you regular, and wake up in A.W.E. at this most incredible journey we call LIFE.

LIFE is for living. We often let the tough moments weigh (and wear) us down, so much so that we stop living.

Not over here.
I don’t buy it.
I don’t entertain it for a second.
I live and am happy to live and am grateful to be alive in this wondrous body, with this fantastic breathing mechanism that keeps me moving along until that very last exhalation.

Use it before you lose it.
Look at all the things going right in your life.
There are plenty of people who have it much worse.

And hopefully we will see you online for some simple, zero cost tools that will make it easier for you to enjoy life and this precious gift of body and breath.

P.S. that last bit got cut off! As always a portion of the proceeds goes to charity because, well, in my world, I like spreading the message that we can take care of ourselves and others all at the same time. 😊🙏🏼💕🤷‍♀️

29/05/2025

When things get stuck in the body (stress, emotions, food, etc,) it will present with signs of Qi stagnation which often looks like:

*Physical tension and tightness (neck, shoulders, back, hips, etc)
*Digestive discomfort (bloating, irregular stools, acid reflux)
*Emotional imbalances (frustration, irritability, sadness)
*Pain that moves around
*Menstrual irregularities (PMS, cramps, clots)
*Shallow or irregular breathing (Qi stuck in the chest or diaphragm)
*Feeling stuck or frustrated in life

Left unresolved, it can lead to:

*A build up of heat (red tip on the tongue, restlessness, insomnia, irritability, skin issues
*Blood stagnation (clots, dark or purplish tongue, sharp pains, headaches)
*Damp accumulation: (when the Spleen (digestive organ) is weak Qi stagnation holds on to excess moisture leading to a greasy tongue coating, loose or sticky stools, brain fog, a sense of heaviness)
*Organ dysfunction (long term stagnation weakens the Liver (which ensures the smooth flow of Qi throughout the body), the Heart (affecting sleep and emotions), and the Spleen (which is in charge of digestion and energy levels)

Do whatever it takes to move the Qi:

*Movement: All forms promote circulation
*Cupping and Acupuncture
*Breath work and meditation to calm the mind
*Process your issues via therapy or writing
*Herbal teas that move Qi like chai spices, dandelion, chamomile, peppermint

Whether we are talking about stress or emotional upset or food….take it in, process, assimilate it, then let go and eliminate what doesn’t serve you. This is the key to good health.

23/04/2025

Honoring Mother Earth today and every day with…

Gratitude
Reverence
Respect
Humility
And a deep deep Love.

We come from Nature
So honoring Her is honoring our deepest Self.

There’s so much we can learn when we observe Nature,
So much we can learn about ourselves.
Much like watching human relationships at play.

Nature has a power that can create and destroy.
And so do we.
She is our mirror.

Which is quite relevant in this year’s theme, “Our Power, Our Planet”.

Where we place our attention and our choices can either sustainably create or tragically destroy.

Where is your attention and power these days ?

14/03/2025

In yogic philosophy, there is a reason why Patanjali presented the first sutra as Atha yogānuśāsanam, or, “Now the teachings of yoga begin”.

It’s a grand invitation, really. How sweet is that?
And we’re all invited!

“Let’s begin. Now”.

Not later.
Not when life is perfect.
Not when we feel “spiritual.”
Not when the mind is silent.
Not when the mind obsesses outta control.

We begin now.
Right where we are.
Wherever we are.
No matter how messy or beautiful.

The path of yoga is NOT about escaping life, nor is it about achieving some perfect state of mind. It is about turning toward life fully, with an awake and open heart, meeting each moment as it is-whether that moment is joy, sorrow, doubt, or stillness. In the midst of it all, can we watch and observe our breath, our thoughts, and how we move in our response to life?

This is where we begin. Over and over and over again.

As each day passes and we witness what seems like accelerated chaos in politics, the stock market, social etiquette, and everyday human functioning……..

I invite myself to begin again.
Now.
Not later.
Not when life and politics and society are perfect.
Not when I feel “spiritual.”
Not when my mind is silent.

But now,
in meeting what life has to offer me right now.
THAT is the ultimate, “living my best life”.

26/02/2025

MOVEMENT.
BREATH.
STILLNESS.
…our guiding forces.

MOVEMENT.

It isn’t just physical. It’s also mental and emotional. Journaling, dialoguing, remaining curious, inquisitive and engaged- these are all forms of movement, of activism, of “skillful action”.

BREATH.

Aah, Spirit-in-motion.

Hidden in every inspiration and expiration lies the blueprint of your life experience. Stories of trauma, stories of triumph, and everything in between influence your breathing patterns and wire/rewire your nervous system, shape your thoughts, moods and emotions, and influence your beliefs.

Becoming more embodied with your personal breathing mechanism is an act of intimacy that only you can develop and fully understand. It is at the very heart of practice.

STILLNESS.

It isn’t just an absence of movement, but a fullness of PRESENCE.

Stillness creates space. It is the pause between breaths, the quiet between thoughts, the moment when the body softens its grasp and the mind no longer rushes to fill the silence.

Stillness is not empty—it is very much alive. A fertile void where awareness deepens, where tension unravels, where we learn to listen.

Stillness is where body-mind-spirit converge into vast space and endless possibilities.

It’s where clarity resides. When we stop grasping, clarity arises. Like a lake settling after a storm, stillness allows the sediment of distraction to sink, revealing the quiet truth beneath.

Clarity is not something we chase; it’s what remains when we stop running. In stillness, we see—patterns, habits, the spaces where we hold, the places where we hide. We see not only what is, but what is possible.

From stillness, action is no longer reactive but intentional.

Thought is no longer scattered but precise.

Movement is no longer habitual but awake.

In a world that demands constant doing, stillness becomes the most radical practice. It is the ground from which all conscious action arises. It is where we remember who we are before the world told us who to be.

Stillness is the foundation of movement, the wellspring of wisdom, the meeting place of all that we are.

And, what are we?

(Excerpt from my latest creation)

😊🧘‍♂️ 🧠 🫁 💜 ☮️ 🌎

31/12/2024

Happy Holidays to our global, Samdhana family!

We took a pause from social media this month as our socials/website were recently compromised, but we will be back in the New Year!

Until then, try out one of our favorite Tibetan proverbs that can be quite useful during the holidays 😊:

“The secret to living well and longer is:

Eat half,
Walk double,
Laugh triple and
Love without measure. “

This is indeed our secret to living mindfully.

We wish all of you much love, health, and happiness in the New Year.

See you soon!

💕🙏🏼 😊

04/09/2024

Raise your hand if you’re a feel-good ju**ie? 🙋🏽‍♀️

So so many students love moving their bodies and feeling stronger, more supple, calmer and more grounded. But when the initial calm wears off, they’re back to feeling jaded, reactive, and generally unaware of their thoughts, words, and actions. For them, the magic is what happens on the mat when they devote an hour to paying attention.

The mindfulness on the mat doesn’t necessarily translate to off the mat or into the world, however.

The exciting news is that Yoga and mindfulness permeate every facet of life and human interaction. The “moving” on a mat is metaphorical to the moving through life in the context of everyday relationships, working at a job, waiting in the peak of traffic, dealing with the loss of a loved one, and so on. They’re really two sides of the same (awareness) coin.

This is why I love the practice and you will, too, if you’ve never gone beyond the mat practice.

Everyday, we have the opportunity to become more wakeful in our efforts to
understand our bodies,
become more intimate with our hearts,
and make friends with our minds.

We practice the Yamas and niyamas,
the ethics and inner work,
which help to define the parameters of relationship.

We cannot fully understand ourselves or the world
when we don’t care enough to put in the time for self-practice,
when we get consumed by life and all the happenings,

the social media
the echo chambers

that reinforce what we want to hear to be true. It’s actually so antithetical to Yoga!

Ultimately, when all is said and done, you are left with only

this body
this breath
this heart
this mind.

Spend your time wisely and tend to your own, spiritual garden.

Sow the seeds of awareness through self-compassion and kindness.

Sit with discomfort and trust that your breath, that thing that keeps you alive, will anchor you to this impermanent world of nothingness and everything-ness all at once.

01/09/2024

In case you were wondering…

You were gifted this beautiful, one-of-a-kind human form.

Every contour of your flesh and bones
Is a gift, a blessing from the Universe.

There is no space a self-hate
that inspires you to alter your appearance,

Either adding on
or subtracting
from.

No matter how often you change the color
or size.
No matter how much filler,
staples
plugs
botox
or silicone
are used.

Only you can find that deep Love and appreciation that says
“I am beauty and grace incarnate”.

It comes from
eyes that sparkle with tenderness
lips that speak words of kindness,
smiles that evoke joy,
ears that listen with deep compassion

This is what makes YOU beautiful.

Of course,
take care of yourself.

Eat healthy and well,
move your body
take slow, deep breaths
go out into nature
Connect with the trees
rivers and lakes
birds and furry critters

laugh
and play.

A playful spirit is one to be savored.

Beauty and grace incarnate.

29/08/2024

No other words.
Rest well.

23/08/2024

There is nothing to fear by being awake in the world,
standing up for truth,
being kind,
and using our energy wisely,
for being generous,
for walking the walk.

I call it embodiment,
integrity,
practicing what you preach,
being accountable and responsible in a world that asks for our participation and recognition on all matters human, social, political, environmental, spiritual.

To understand the body is Yoga,
To understand the body, breath and mind is Yoga.
To discover the deepest recesses of our hearts where compassion resides is Yoga.
To understand the interplay between the inner self and the outer world is Yoga.
To understand history and politics and how we came to be is Yoga.
To understand family is Yoga,
To acknowledge that every one and every thing are interconnected is Yoga.

Our practice may start with the body, with asana, and the sweetness of stretching, feeling stronger, clearer, sleeping better, etc.

But then life happens.
Relationships and circumstances come and go.
We watch politics, world events, personal and religious beliefs shape our choices and freedoms, or lack thereof. They tell us what we can and cannot do when it comes to all matters human, social, political, environmental, spiritual.

There is joy,
suffering,
and everything in between,
with different degrees of participation,
learning,
understanding,
breathing through,
reflecting.

It doesn’t matter if what you experience is close to home or across the world.
We are still being called to practice Yoga and mindfulness,
The yamas and niyamas,
To take practice off the mat/cushion and into the world.
Into relationships
Politics
Our work space
Home life
Churches
Mosques
Temples
Friendships
Conflict
The forests
Oceans
Rivers
Deserts
Into words spoken and facial expressions given, and the intentions from the heart.

When Yoga and mindfulness pe*****te body, mind, heart and all levels of awareness,
this is embodiment,
the walk of all walks.

It’s a rich expression and product of all our commitment to the practice and to ourselves,
and to the world,
a never ending process.

Embodiment is a way of being,
a way of life,
benefitting you and me both.

📷:

30/07/2024

How do you define, “spiritual”?

When anyone talks about “spiritual practice”, what does that actually mean?

For some, “spiritual” might include religious connotations, prayer and worship.
Others might refer to it more as personal growth and introspection.
Still others might include ethics and morality, or share mystical experiences that are beyond ordinary understanding.
For many, maybe it has to do with alternative practices and philosophies revolving around personal transformation.

While there’s a lot of overlap, there are also subtle differences. Across the board, however, it seems “spiritual” often implies a search for meaning, purpose, and a deeper understanding of life and experience.

Happiness is indeed a spiritual experience. It’s something that transcends mere physical pleasure or material satisfaction.

It’s a feeling that drives deeper into the human spirit.
It revolves around inner peace and contentment,
social connection,
living with meaning and purpose,
gratitude for the simple things,
and living simply.

Happiness is not complicated, but we humans are good at making it so.

Happiness takes work because
spiritual practice takes work.
Looking inward can be hard work.

It’s the kind of work that asks you to show up every day and be honest, kind, compassionate, thoughtful, awake, accountable, and forgiving. Not everyone’s up for that kind of awakening.

When you can look at yourself and acknowledge your human-ness, and still like what you see overall, that is true happiness.

And when you understand happiness as an enduring state that nourishes Spirit and contributes to overall wellbeing, then it’s worth looking at everything about ourselves.

One student who I recently spoke with remarked, “this work ain’t for the faint of heart”.

And yet over time, it’s the actual work that expands the heart to a deeper level of

Love.
Compassion.
Gentleness.
Ease.
Grace.
Gratitude.

Keep up the good work!

Samdhana Mindful Living

26/07/2025

16/06/2025

29/05/2025

23/04/2025

14/03/2025

26/02/2025

31/12/2024

04/09/2024

01/09/2024

29/08/2024

23/08/2024

30/07/2024

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