Clinic Yoga

11/26/2024

Nice feature on NBC about yoga at Sunnylands!

Sunnylands Yoga in the Gardens offers a peaceful opportunity to enjoy yoga sessions for all skill levels, from beginner to intermediate. Held every Friday at...

09/02/2024

Here's a powerful video about the importance of organ donation, featuring Duane Smith (my husband) describing his journey in 2023 when he received a heart and kidney (!) transplant. It's a great organization. What a year. Keep some tissues handy.

A vibrant and successful man, full of life and energy, is struck down by a rare disease, leaving him in desperate need of a heart and kidney transplant. Forc...

02/22/2024

The PRECISION + PROGRESS workshop is back in Palm Springs! Join me Saturday March 23. More info and booking here: https://www.clinic.yoga/workshop

12/13/2023

PRACTICE OR EXPERIMENT?
We think of yoga as a practice, and rightly so: it's an anchor we return to for comfort and fulfillment; it's personal, and unique, and a place we can make controlled progress while our life might feel chaotic.

But what if suddenly we're faced with a catastrophic event that drastically changes us physically or mentally? We might want to use yoga as rehabilitation, only to find that our practice as we knew it is gone. What was once a feel-good switch we could flip becomes a source of disappointment, confusion, and stress.

Here's the problem: when we practice we compare ourselves to the day or the week before, and when we have brand new limitations, the practice serves as a discouraging reminder of our disability, even if it's a minor injury. And because we're regular people, cultivating the level of equanimity needed to move past this reaction is not realistic. So that's when it's useful to start thinking of yoga as an EXPERIMENT.

I've seen 'practice dissonance' happen with several students, and it can be devastating. TBIs, neuropathy, fractures, sprains and, very close to home: this year, my husband had sudden onset heart failure. Within three weeks he was a (very grateful) recipient of a new heart. He went from running five miles effortlessly to being unable to climb one step without getting winded. His recovery was astonishingly fast, but the process was humbling and frustrating; it did involve yoga, but returning to his 'practice' meant a tearful and traumatic reminder of what had happened to him. He grieved the loss of his previous self. But he persevered, and thinking of his yoga sessions as an 'experiment' was very useful. This freed him from comparison, and allowed him to set new benchmarks.

A note to teachers: first, it's a gift to work with someone who is embarking on a massive recovery - it's an incomparable source of fulfillment and learning. But consider not using the default term 'practice' with them, at least in the beginning as they adjust to their new normal. Seeing the postures and transitions as an experiment will serve everyone much more constructively as your student reacquaints themself with their body. Plus it will break you from your routine sequencing and bring your approach to a whole new level.

12/13/2023

The theme this month is EFFICIENCY. How does this relate to yoga? Many ways. Join me for online, in-person and group classes to explore:

- how breath work forms the basis of efficiency in postures and transitions
- why efficiency is important for progressing in a practice
- how understanding our unique body geometry can enhance efficiency
- how an efficient practice is a balance of conditioning and restraint
- how efficiency on and off the mat contributes to physical and mental well-being

10/30/2022

It’s been a while since I’ve had the pleasure of working with this yogi in person. Ah, three dimensions! We’ll done

09/14/2022

Yogis in the midwest and Canada: registration is now open for day-long workshops in Minneapolis (Nov 5) and Toronto (Dec 10). Join me! Welcoming students and teachers looking for tools to take your yoga practice to the next level.

Join yoga therapist and coach Stefane Barbeau for a day-long clinic designed to bring your practice to the next level through precise, tailored adjustments to your body and mind.

04/16/2022

New blog post. Take a read:
www.clinic.yoga/thoughts/2022/4/16/lets-celebrate-wellness-without-crisis

Let's talk about crisis.  Gosh, we've seen plenty of those in the past couple of years, individually and collectively. And crisis can bring  change,  but it's bittersweet. Usually the change is good, but it's  unfortunate that it takes a crisis t

12/21/2021

Looking for a last-minute gift for the budding yogi in your life? Look no further: https://www.amazon.com/How-Not-Be-Monster-Impact/dp/0578806843/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2N3FZVLTMOCCU&keywords=how+to+not+be+a+monster&qid=1640098162&sprefix=how+to+not+be+a+monster%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-3

How to Not Be a Monster: The Impact of Yoga on Work, Play, and Family

11/17/2021

New blog post is up! www.clinic.yoga/thoughts/2021/11/16/lets-take-a-deep-breath

Hi everyone Last month we worked on the least flashy, yet most important aspect of yoga:  breathing . And golly does it take work! It’s a sneaky phenomenon… breath drifts in and out of control  depending on how strenuous the activity (or thoughts!)  Ironically, sometimes

09/07/2021

https://www.clinic.yoga/thoughts/2021/9/7/yoga-can-help-us-feel-safe

Hi everyone Happy September! Two more units of yoga study have happened since the last newsletter: safety and relaxation . There have been some interesting, open-minded exchanges with students on these topics, so read on! I've also recorded another 10-minute mindfulness walk for you to enjoy, t