Sol Mind Moves, Jersey City, NJ (2026)

04/18/2025

I love having a library of movement in my brain that I can count on.

My brain’s movement library has been in development for over 10 years now as a teacher. What a journey! 😮‍💨

And when I think of Natarajasana I, too, think about the lower body. I mean, how AM I gonna bring my leg up behind me when it’s not used being back there?! 😋

Yes, of course, the lower body has a lot to do with this pose but it’s also a major backbend. Backbends (known as spinal extension) are expressed at the thoracic (upper) spine, not the lumbar which already has a natural ‘backbend’ curve.

And so, when I couldn’t decide what to focus the class on, I simply led with the spine. Then my brain said, “Heyy! Our arms are reaching back.. and our shoulder blades are movin’ and groovin’.. and.. Oo! Let’s explore how the spine & arms move in Dancer Pose today..”

What a great practice for the brain 🧠 & body to explore.

Isn’t it amazing how movement can be threaded together in so many different ways?

☀️

(Ps. 🤐 I’ve secretly uploaded some classes from my original online library on to YouTube. 📺 Go check out some movement & subscribe so I have a reason to make more again!)

☀️

04/18/2025

One thing I did to regain trust in backbends after developing back pain early in my practice [see my last post] was learn to articulate the different segments of my spine.

My cat/cow evolved into a slow, wave-like motion beginning from the tail to the crown and vise versa, moving segment-by-segment rather than always bending at one center point.

And! This movement breaks down even further. ☺️

I also spent time isolating the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine. (As shown in the video.) Pretending as though they’re separate little spines trying to do their own “cat/cow”. Well, because they are indeed different joints.

✨Notice how the block movement is so slow and minimal and you almost need a magnifying glass 🔎 to see those parts moving in isolation.

⬆️ That takes FOCUS. It looks boring but the amount of concentration required will inform you otherwise. 🧠

Knowing my spine in smaller segments like this allows me to better understand and MOVE my spine as ONE balanced system.

Now, come practice this stuff with me, it’s magic. 🤍

☀️

04/11/2025

There was a time when I avoided deep backbending in asanas.

And there was also a time when I practiced A LOT of backbending asanas. For example, when I so badly wanted to touch my head to my toes, especially in king pigeon pose/eka pada rajakapotasana! 🙈

That obsession occurred early in my personal yoga practice, before I became a teacher 10 years ago, and after yoga challenges based on “pretty” poses first started taking over Instagram. I’d been convinced that to be a part of “yoga,” I needed to perform those poses perfectly too. (Even though I didn’t begin yoga for the physical practice originally!)

Suddenly, I was doing excessive back-bending poses while having little awareness about how to efficiently engage my spine.

I soon developed pain and said goodbye to backbends! 👋🏽

Never again! ✌🏽

But obviously, never say never.

I demonized deep backbends for a while but I didn’t have to. Because no movement is inherently bad for you!

✨But if you don’t understand your body’s capacity and attempt to go harder, higher, heavier, deeper in a movement your body is not adequately adapted to, THERE lies the potential for injury.

I eventually learned. I learned the differences between flexibility, mobility, and strength.

And aside from my anatomy trainings,
I was learning by moving my own body.

By slowing down!

By learning my body’s OWN range of motion, not that of my teachers or peers.

By learning the differences between active vs passive stretching and the benefits they both posses.

These things are the things I now teach others about.

So that when they do want to enjoy a deep stretch or “power” paced asana class, they can feel that much more confident, in control, and at ease.

In this video, I’m allowing myself to explore what a “deep” yet controlled backbend feels like, now that I have learned, regressed, and progressed. 🤍

☀️

09/26/2022

I spent almost two weeks in Chile recently.

My brain was gloriously challenged by speaking Spanish while navigating the tangles of so many English words that intertwine with my "Puerto Rican Spanish" which is quite different from Chilean Spanish.

For example, "guagua" for Puerto Ricans is another word for "bus" (you know? the large vehicle) but for Chileans "guagua" o "guaguita" is a baby (you know? a tiny human). I laugh at that one all the time.

Despite my brain feeling challenged, it was a good challenge. After all, I'd not travelled internationally since the pandemic began, and so that's three years of "English only" for my brain. I anticipated the challenge and prepared myself mindfully for what would be an emotional roller coaster for my brain & heart. This trip was not a planned vacation, but a visit to take care of my (recently) late father in-law's home & business. It was a trip filled with endless errands but also lots of love & beauty from our family, friends, & the land of the Mapuche.

I didn't practice exercise or asana.

But I practiced mindfulness in the form of meditation & journaling prior to the trip and during the trip.
There was no time (or energy! phew!) for big asana or movement. No way.
But silence whenever I could sit in it was something I cherished. Albeit, I was in a city with little actual silence but I made it work. :) It just takes practice.

Overall, this is to say that my practice of mindfulness, perhaps my Yoga practice, has very little to do with physical exercise- despite that being my favorite thing to teach.

The exercise supplements your body, the way water and food also sustain us, so that the path [of mindfulness] may remain as clear as one can maintain it.

Free of debris, of smog and fog, distracting noise, free of obstructions so that you may maintain a clear view whenever possible.

It's not a perfect practice but I think intention matters a little more here.

☀️

Ps. I’m back! Online classes are back! And I’m happy to be reunited with my pups, too. ❤️

[photo series: Zuri in a beige sweater w/brown loose pants, sitting on the floor of her den with her dogs.]

09/10/2022

・・・
When I first heard of negative self-talk I thought to myself, “I don’t walk around hating myself. I don’t think this relates to me.”

Then I found myself saying things like, "I had X amount of days to get XYZ done and I can't believe I couldn't do it. I’m so stupid."
"I wish I could have done what Samantha was able to do.”
“Why didn’t I do things differently?”

*Le sigh.*

I’ve judged myself and compared myself to others countless times.

Many of us learned to do this from our parents or family members who always compared us to the "best behaved" children in the church or neighborhood.

Now, how often do you tell yourself, "I don't have the energy to accomplish this task today and I shall not stress my brain and body for something that can realistically wait. (if it can)"

Or, "My elevated emotions are also an expression of a physiological need. Have I eaten today? Have I rested?"

I understand we do not all have the privilege to "skip" work or important errands or "wait" until you have the right energy to do something. We can't always wait. Sometimes we do have to push through. Sometimes pain happens and sometimes suffering happens.

And what is Yoga, again?

At its core, Yoga is a practice that leads us to liberation from suffering.

The awareness and restraint of negative self-talk is part of this practice.

When we expect "perfectionism" from ourselves, when we compare ourselves to others, when we scrutinize ourselves with a negative lens *rather than practice mindful introspection*, this is all negative self-talk. (Remember: I’m not saying to ignore negative self-talk, we’re not spiritually bypassing stuff here, but awareness can help us change the conversation.)

How can you communicate with yourself a little better?

Real talk.

[series of photos taken in southern Chile (Patagonia), 2019, by ]

09/09/2022

When I first heard of negative self-talk I thought to myself, “I don’t walk around hating myself. I don’t think this relates to me.”

Then I found myself saying things like, "I had X amount of days to get XYZ done and I can't believe I couldn't do it. I’m so stupid."
"I wish I could have done what Samantha was able to do.”
“Why didn’t I do things differently?”

*Le sigh.*

I’ve judged myself and compared myself to others countless times.

Many of us learned to do this from our parents or family members who always compared us to the "best behaved" children in the church or neighborhood.

Now, how often do you tell yourself, "I don't have the energy to accomplish this task today and I shall not stress my brain and body for something that can realistically wait. (if it can)"

Or, "My elevated emotions are also an expression of a physiological need. Have I eaten today? Have I rested?"

I understand we do not all have the privilege to "skip" work or important errands or "wait" until you have the right energy to do something. We can't always wait. Sometimes we do have to push through. Sometimes pain happens and sometimes suffering happens.

And what is Yoga, again?

[At its core, Yoga is a practice that leads us to liberation from suffering.

The awareness and restraint of negative self-talk is part of this practice.]

When we expect "perfectionism" from ourselves, when we compare ourselves to others, when we scrutinize ourselves with a negative lens rather than practice mindful introspection, this is all negative self-talk.

How can you communicate with yourself a little better?

Real talk.

[series of photos taken in southern Chile (Patagonia), 2019, by ]

08/24/2022

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Move, but move with such mindful control that you’re meditating and having a physical experience at the same time.

Sometimes we do that at Sol Mind Moves.

May you inhabit your entire body whenever necessary, too.

🌻

[id: first slide, black text over white background reads, "I just had this moment at the end of class, when we were just sitting and breathing, and this sentence just popped into my head: I feel like I'm inhabiting my entire body,” class member of Sol Mind Moves; second slide, photo of a sunflower on a sunny day, with a bee hanging near the center; third slide, a close up of the same sunflower & bee.]

08/13/2022

I hear Instagram doesn’t like photos anymore.
But here is me, in a very happy Trikonasana variation, leading a class for my online mobility & asana class library. (Which is in early development but already available with 15 pre-recorded classes kicking it off. *Follow to learn more about it.)

And have a great weekend, y’all. 🌻

[id: Zurishaddai smiles in Triangle pose, with both arms lengthened over her head and one arm against a chair. She wears a black flowy tank top and blue leggings that match her blue mat, and practices in front of a wall with small shelves holding plants, books, & trinkets.]

08/05/2022

Interesting because out of context this may sound like my classes are super high intensity stuff but…they’re not.

It’s just that when you move your body with presence & mindful intention- not to feed your ego or to be cool or even to be thin- that’s when you feel things in a real different and deeply informative way.

This little quote was from a virtual exchange between a class member and I recently, and it’s so interesting because if I put together all of the different feedback I’ve received lately- all from people who have never met- you’ll see how similar their expressions are.

Honestly, it puts me at ease to see that I can be consistent at one thing if nothing else. 🙃🫣😂

Here’s to mindful & joyful movement.

(and yes, I tossed in some photos of a sunset just cuz.) ☀️

[id: black text over white background reads, “The amount of focus and effort I put into my body during your classes is so different from what I’m used to and that’s what makes it feel, for me, like such a deep mindful practice. Class member, Sol Mind Moves. Two slides that follow are photographs of a sunset sky over the ocean in Puerto Rico.]

Sol Mind Moves

04/18/2025

04/18/2025

04/11/2025

09/26/2022

09/10/2022

09/09/2022

08/24/2022

08/13/2022

08/05/2022

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