Mint Hill Yoga

02/01/2023

I shared this with my class this morning. All about the craziness that happens when head and heart are competing over past and present. More importantly, the sanity that comes from the breath and living in the present moment. Breathe....

my brain and
heart divorced

a decade ago

over who was
to blame about
how big of a mess
I have become

eventually,
they couldn't be
in the same room
with each other

now my head and heart
share custody of me

I stay with my brain
during the week

and my heart
gets me on weekends

they never speak to one another

- instead, they give me
the same note to pass
to each other every week

and their notes they
send to one another always
says the same thing:

"This is all your fault"

on Sundays
my heart complains
about how my
head has let me down
in the past

and on Wednesday
my head lists all
of the times my
heart has screwed
things up for me
in the future

they blame each
other for the
state of my life

there's been a lot
of yelling - and crying

so,

lately, I've been
spending a lot of
time with my gut

who serves as my
unofficial therapist

most nights, I sneak out of the
window in my ribcage

and slide down my spine
and collapse on my
gut's plush leather chair
that's always open for me

~ and I just sit sit sit sit
until the sun comes up

last evening,
my gut asked me
if I was having a hard
time being caught
between my heart
and my head

I nodded

I said I didn't know
if I could live with
either of them anymore

"my heart is always sad about
something that happened yesterday
while my head is always worried
about something that may happen tomorrow,"
I lamented

my gut squeezed my hand

"I just can't live with
my mistakes of the past
or my anxiety about the future,"
I sighed

my gut smiled and said:

"in that case,
you should
go stay with your
lungs for a while,"

I was confused
- the look on my face gave it away

"if you are exhausted about
your heart's obsession with
the fixed past and your mind's focus
on the uncertain future

your lungs are the perfect place for you

there is no yesterday in your lungs
there is no tomorrow there either

there is only now
there is only inhale
there is only exhale
there is only this moment

there is only breath

and in that breath
you can rest while your
heart and head work
their relationship out."

this morning,
while my brain
was busy reading
tea leaves

and while my
heart was staring
at old photographs

I packed a little
bag and walked
to the door of
my lungs

before I could even knock
she opened the door
with a smile and as
a gust of air embraced me
she said

"what took you so long?"

~ john roedel

02/01/2023

We're gathering students for a new 4 class session to begin at 2/15 at Steven's Creek Nature Preserve.

Each gentle class is an hour. Well suited for beginners or folks who just been away for the last few years, thanks to the pandemic. Karen Hill Miller, who is currently subbing for Bettie, is also certified in pre-natal yoga, so moms-to-be are welcome!

The session is $60. Walk-ins are welcome for $20, if space is available. See MintHillYoga.com for more details on registration.

11/27/2021

Two weeks left in current Tuesday series classes. I have limited availability in the 10:30 AM class at Spotlight. $12 Exact Cash ONLY. ALL vaccinations required to keep everyone safe. There will be no discussion or commentary.

09/30/2021

09/26/2021

❤️

09/26/2021

09/22/2021

This is the building where our old studio was. He was unsuccessful getting in to the gun shop, so he decided to break in to our old studio instead. I hope the business there now had minimal losses.
Anyone recognize this joker?

09/20/2021

Yoga for your FEET!

5 minutes to healthier feet!

09/09/2021

The TRUTH is, that all of the “STUFF” here on earth we work SO hard to buy and accumulate..does NOT mean a thing. At the end of the day...people will be cleaning out our "STUFF", going thru our "STUFF", figuring out what to do with all of our "STUFF"....this "STUFF" we've accumulated in our life. The only thing of VALUE that remains are the MEMORIES and what we deposit into others. May we all learn to spend less time accumulating "STUFF" and spend way more time making MEMORIES.

08/31/2021

Registration opens TOMORROW for my upcoming Gentle Yoga Class at Stevens Creek Nature Preserve on Tuesday Evenings. Class begins October 5 at 6:30 and meets weekly for 5 sessions. Cost is $60. Space is LIMITED, so don’t wait!!

Class Registration Drop Ins Unavailable at This Time CLASS AND SERIES PASSES Series Class Registration CLASSES WILL RESUME OCTOBER 5!!! STAY TUNED FOR OTHER OFFERINGS!! COVID 19 VACCINATIONS REQUIRED PRIOR TO ATTENDANCE Tuesday Morning In Person Class at Spotlight 10:30AM-11:30 am, Spotlight Perform...

08/23/2021

Stop thinking and just be with your breathing. Breathing mindfully brings your mind home to your body. Bring your awareness to your body, relax your body and release any tension that is there. Your body is a miracle. When you can touch the wonder of your body, you have the opportunity to touch Mother Earth within you as a wonder, too, and healing begins straight away - we don’t need to wait ten years for healing to take place. Many of us have become sick because we’re alienated from our body and from the body of the Earth. So the practice is to go home to Mother Earth to get the healing and nourishment we so desperately need. Mother Earth is always ready to embrace us and help nourish and heal us. And as we heal, we’re helping the Earth to heal at the same time. — Thich Nhat Hanh.

08/16/2021

You can choose what to focus on, and therefore what to be. You can choose to be your in-breath and out-breath. You can choose to listen with your whole being to the sound of the rain or the wind, and in some way to be one with the rain or the wind. Listening to sounds in this way can be very joyful. When you are in touch with these refreshing and healing elements, you are being, and not thinking. - Thich Nhat Hanh.

08/15/2021

To the individual that left an irate message on my business line claiming that the Covid vaccine is killing people and how dare I require it to attend my classes… First of all, I am the teacher. What I say goes. You don’t have your vaccine, don’t come. You are entitled to your opinion. I am entitled to set safe boundaries for all participants. We are done here. Bettie

08/15/2021

Still feeling hesitant about getting the COVID-19 vaccine? Here is some myth-busting!

08/15/2021

08/14/2021

08/14/2021

Please please please get your shot. SHOTS ARE REQUIRED TO ATTEND ANY OF MY CLASSES. Stay safe!
Bettie

08/04/2021

Every time you breathe deeply, you become entirely yourself again. — Thich Nhat Hanh.