Midsummer Yoga by Kathi Russell

11/23/2025

From class this morning…

Years ago, my Teacher told me once to “stay for the lesson.” I had asked for her opinion about the difficulty I was having with a person I felt was trying to control me. How could I stay true to myself as I navigated my way through even though what I really wanted to do was get the hell away from her? I was mad that I needed certain things from her professionally.

When I didn’t get the permission I was seeking—telling me it was absolutely right that I should walk away or at least confront her—I was pretty upset. Mostly because I just didn’t want to spend the energy on her or the situation. You know how when you just feel totally exhausted at the thought of dealing with it? But I thought about my Teacher’s words and thought about them more and realized she was right. And it turned out to be some of the best advice I’ve ever received. Both for that situation and many others through the years.

Treat everything—every thought, feeling, experience as a messenger. And be grateful.

08/24/2025

From class this morning…

It’s hard to take a deep breath these days. It’s hard to keep your heat shields up all the time to protect yourself and those you love. Stepping onto my mat is so very precious to me. I hope you have a place, a space, a way to bring yourself and your energy back home to you. Hit me up if you want to try yoga. I’d love to meet you on your mat.

08/17/2025

Consider this your invitation to reset if you’re so inclined. ✨

08/03/2025

From class this morning…
If you’re considering starting or reigniting a yoga practice, please reach out. I am here for it.

06/29/2025

From class this morning. Been feeling all the things lately—overwhelmed, sad, worried, desperately trying to hang on to the pieces of joy I have found or cultivated. One of my most important people called me the other day, reaching out to connect, and I was so grateful because I had been thinking almost daily for a month that I should call her but I couldn’t make my cement boots move. She asked how I am and I realized while the words came out that I have been making my world so very small, hoping that by doing so I can preserve my peace and honestly, it sounded good when I said it but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about saying it {doing it} since my conversation with her. Is it true? Is it helping? Is it me taking care of myself or is it me trying to insulate myself and then I’m ending up insulated FROM myself? So I made myself reach out to some people, places, that I love and have been a tether for me to everything else in the times in my life I have wandered off a bit and I connected.

And I got on my mat this morning.

It’s all Yoga.

06/18/2025

The Summer Solstice, 🌸🍃Midsummer🍃🌸, is Friday evening. Nature peaks in her magick and abundance and I celebrate by making flower crowns, eating an extraordinary amount of strawberries and lighting a bonfire filled with feelings, intentions, items that no longer serve me while I dance and sing to Stevie on repeat. If you have anything you desire release from, please message me and I will write it on a bay leaf and burn it for you. ✨

06/15/2025

From class this morning…our practice focused on the Yama of Ahimsa. Ahimsa (nonviolence) is the practice of deep respect for all beings through nonviolent thoughts, words and deeds. Ahimsa is the expression of the highest form of love. Universal benevolence. The complete absence of violence from mind, body and spirit.

It can begin with how you treat yourself.



📸 chnge

05/16/2025

First, from class this morning…

Second, evidence from my garden that you don’t have to consume St John’s Wort for your mood to improve 🌼💛🌼

04/19/2025

Meet me on your mat!!!✨

Let’s welcome Kathi to the team! With a passion for balance, movement, and mindfulness, she brings years of yoga experience to the NutriFit community. Join her every Thursday from 6:15-7:30 PM for a rejuvenating yoga session that’s perfect for all levels.✨

Meet Kathi: I had a very brief (I think it was 20 minutes) introduction to yoga at a work wellness retreat in the early 1990s—I loved it but didn’t see room for it in my busy life. Working in the mental health field for nearly twenty years, I spent a lot of energy encouraging my clients, my coworkers and my staff to pursue self care, but I neglected my own, thinking one day, I won’t be so busy. Fast forward another decade, another career and more life changes, I moved to Hawaii and ended up living about a half mile from a yoga studio. I drove by the studio nearly every day and kept telling myself I really should try a class. I was yearning for something to help me feel better. I don’t know how, really—except that the saying goes that Yoga taps you on your shoulder when you need it the most—but I got the nerve to finally go to a class. I took my first deep breath in months. So I went to another class and another and I haven’t stopped since. I took my first class shortly before my 50th birthday. I had told myself all the things we tell ourselves are the barriers to doing anything different. Yoga offered me a path to learn about the connection between my physical body, my emotional body and my mind. I have been teaching yoga for about ten years now. I use props to extend the body’s (and mind’s and spirit’s) access to asana (poses) and to help guide adaptation of poses to meet a body’s current needs. I also use essential oils during my classes to deepen the connection between senses. All of my classes are for every body. Come as you are.

Sign up on the sheet in front of the studio and come flow with us!✨