Luna Mountain Movement (2025)

13/09/2022

Over the last 6 months, I only used social media about once per month. Want to know what happened?

* I lost the urge to reach for my phone and check on my posts, comments, and messages.

* My neck stopped feeling stiff.

* I spent more in-person time with people I really like spending time with.

* I realized that, while I believed I was thinking independently, I was honestly being deeply influenced by, well, influencers. Memes, stories, posts, reels, and headlines provoke our emotions and guide our feelings. Because of the way social media algorithms work, the things we view are a form of targeted advertising.

* So, I began to look more deeply into people's words. Instead of taking them at face value or judging if they were using the socially appropriate language, I learned to ask, "What is this person's background and intent? "What are the underlying values behind their words? What do they really mean by this?".

* And...I began looking at people with less judgment and more compassion.

* I spent a LOT more time outdoors and in the present moment.

The downside? I did not gain followers and views, get likes and comments, or build my brand online. The workshops and classes I post will now be shown to fewer people.

I think it was worth it.

Much love,
Suzanne 💜

03/07/2022

Just stopping by to say hello. I've been "out of office" for awhile.

And to let you know that I'll be leading OUTDOOR YOGA and KIRTAN PRACTICE at Boddington Park this Saturday, July 9.

Nature, movement, music, meditation.

Yoga at 10am, Kirtan at 11am.
Kids, pets, friends and family welcome.
No preregistration, just bring your self, a yoga mat, and some water.
Donations gratefully accepted but not required.

These practices are appropriate for all bodies and experience levels.

In the meantime, I'll be adventuring in the forest. 🌲

19/04/2022

Interrupting my extended break from social media once again to celebrate SPRINGTIME!

Spring is time for awakening, opening, and MOVEMENT. Change is our only constant, and I choose, repeatedly, to ride its waves with grace.

I've got some new things brewing, which include fewer public classes, more work with individual people in need of movement training, a smattering of Outdoor Yoga classes at Boddington Park, and a Feminine Power RETREAT in New Mexico in June.

May the movements of your spring season be healthy ones, in line with your truth, and perhaps at times joyful.

💜 Suzanne

08/03/2022

Your voice is one of the most powerful tools you have. Your voice can manifest itself through speech, song, body language, writing, art, and other actions.

Your voice is utterly unique to you, with a one-of-a-kind frequency that makes your voice different from that of every other human on the planet. The sound wave patterns of your voice are as distinctive as a snowflake.

When we raise our voices together for compassion, for equity, for truth, and for healing, all our unique sound wave patterns weave themselves together in a powerful mosaic of sound and vibrational energy. It makes a difference - you can feel it.

That means the world needs to hear your voice.

Find Your Voice workshop
Yoga Studio Satya
Saturday, March 12, 2-4pm
$45

Evening Kirtan
Yoga Studio Satya
Saturday, March 12, 6-8pm
$25

$10 discount for both events.

Register @ yogastudiosatya.com

16/02/2022

Chair yoga and fitness has become a true passion for me.

Why? For one, because it encompasses a surprising level of challenge and creativity. It can be gentle or vigorous, slow or flowing, and you can adapt the actions of any pose to a chair. There's never a moment in chair yoga that feels boringly repetitive, no scripted sequence, and my students and I are constantly co-creating adaptations.

But the best part is that chair yoga truly, noticeably helps people. A safely and intelligently guided chair-based practice often has immediate positive effects for practitioners. People frequently report being able to move more freely, experiencing reduced pain, breathing easier, and feeling stronger and more positive.

Even if you are comfortable practicing yoga without a chair, you might be surprised by how fun and challenging chair yoga can be!

Want to give it a try? Or know someone who could really benefit? I'm teaching in-person WEDNESDAYS at 11 at Praxis Yoga praxisyoga.com - I'd love to see you there. 💜

14/02/2022

Just a minute and a half of soothing soundwaves. Happy Monday. 💜

08/02/2022

Mewsic is tired of the paparazzi. 😹

Tuesdays are long days for me. Self care on Tuesdays looks like keeping things as light as possible and enjoying simple pleasures, like a nourishing lunch or a funny moment with the cats. Because while we must face difficult issues and put in the hard work, we also need to experience laughter, pleasure, and joy, even in small ways.

How might you bring the self care of simple pleasure to your day?

04/02/2022

Yesterday my car was frozen, so I walked to teach a class that is relatively near my home.

Colorado Springs is not great at clearing sidewalks in urban areas. There was much trudging through snowdrifts. It was bitter cold, like 15°. There was no one else out walking.

Snow makes the world quieter and more beautiful. The harsh sounds of the city are absorbed and softened by the snow. The sky offers a crystal clear view of mountains and the daytime moon. The wind-blown trash is covered by drifts and it appears, for a time, that my route is clean and well-kept. The people who sometimes camp hidden along the drainage ditches are tucked away into crowded shelters with temporarily relaxed restrictions so that people won't freeze. At least I pray they are.

I like to think that the snow does not simply cover the ugliness of a harsh urban world. That perhaps, it illuminates its goodness and beauty, helping us remember what is possible.

💜 S

02/02/2022

Nāvāsana, rather literally translating to "seat of the boat", is a powerful āsana that strengthens the abdomen, back, and thighs. When practiced properly, it may improve posture, stamina, and focus. While it is intended to provide a physical challenge, nāvāsana doesn't have to be torturous nor should it hurt your back or neck.

To focus more on the core and upper body, try keeping one or both sets of toes on the floor. Perch on your sit bones and sit tall before leaning back. The spine should remain lengthened - think mountain pose in a slightly diagonal position. Pull your chin back to put the neck vertebrae in line with the rest of the spine - we tend to jut it forward to compensate by creating a counter balance.

You don't have to lean back a lot to feel the strengthening benefits of this pose. If your back rounds, or you are holding your breath, sit up a little bit more and bring your toes to the floor. If you are practicing in a chair, it is safest to keep one foot down to create stability.

You can hold nāvāsana for 1-5 breath cycles, sitting taller with each inhale! There are lots of ways to add on to this pose to create more challenge, but the options listed here WILL make you stronger! The best version is the one that is safest and most beneficial for you, at the moment you are in the practice. So feel free to try different ways!

💜 Suzanne

31/01/2022

Starting Wednesday !

Do you know someone who could benefit from a chair-based yoga practice? Please send them my way!

Just like mat-based yoga, chair yoga can be challenging, relaxing, and yes, even fun! You can be barefoot, or wear athletic or orthopedic shoes. And you can practice in a wheelchair.

Options will be offered to do some standing poses with the chair for support, as well as options to stay in (or return to) the chair. This class will require masks for an added layer of COVID safety.

Register at praxisyoga.com.

25/01/2022

Utthita trikoṇāsana can translate somewhat elegantly to "three lengthened angles pose". The word utthita refers to the elongation of the torso and top arm, which is a primary action of this āsana. Other actions of trikoṇāsana are leg and core strength, lengthening of the hamstrings and back muscles, elongation of the spine, and a decent dose of balance, stability, and focus.

There are many different variations of trikoṇāsana throughout yoga lineages, as well as in the Western yoga world. Generally, modern yoga practices allow for the top hip to roll forward (turns out smushing one's hips between two panes of glass can cause unnecessary strain on the joints). Likewise, a little bend in the front knee is okay and, guess what - there's really no need to reach the floor!

Here are various options for trikoṇāsana. There are, of course, many more. How do you like to practice it?

Suzanne 💜

18/01/2022

Dharma comes from the Sanskrit root dhr, meaning “to hold” or “to support”. It can translate to “that which holds together”. In the Bhagavad Gītā, dharma is described as one’s truest path. Sort of like a natural destiny, but with a big serving of choice and conscience. This yogic scripture states that “It is better to do one’s own dharma imperfectly, than another’s perfectly.” (Chapter 18, Verse 47)

As a mom of a teenager, I find myself frequently saying things like, “Do what’s right for you, no matter what your friends are doing.” "You need to live your own story, not someone else's." And, if I’m to offer this advice in complete integrity, I have to turn it around on myself.

We are all so deeply influenced by our families, our social groups, and our culture at large. The dharmas of others become deeply embedded within us – what it means to be successful, or attractive, or even safe in this world. I may not be as subject to peer pressure as the average 13 year old, but you bet I have some social and familial conditioning to undo. And that requires some soul searching.

Soul searching requires time, patience, and solitude. We can’t discover our dharma on the internet, or through the paths of our friends and families. We can’t find it through excessive analysis, and we can’t find it when we are busy. The understanding of one’s dharma happens when the mind is clear and unhurried, unbridled by the expectations and demands of others. It may stay steady for you, or it may shift with the tides of life. Only by following our own unique dharma may we experience true liberation. Otherwise we are just living someone else’s story.

This is another reason why we do yoga, why we meditate, why we take time to get quiet inside and listen to the truth of our hearts.

💜

11/01/2022

Who is chair yoga for?

1. Anyone who wants to try something different and fun.

2. People who have trouble getting up and down from the floor.

3. People who could use a little support with balancing postures.

4. People recovering from injuries.

5. Seriously anyone.

I can't wait to guide this class starting Feb 2. Do you have questions? Feel free to ask!

11/01/2022

“Supta” means “on your back” (a Sanskrit root source of the English word "supine".). “Vīra” translates to “hero”, and though this is a seated pose, it presents a nearly heroic challenge for many people. Supta Vīrāsana deeply stretches the quadriceps and abdomen, and can be difficult and even dangerous to the knees and back. But there’s no need to force oneself onto the floor to benefit from the actions of this āsana. There is always a way, with a bit of creativity and a flexible mindset.

One or two blocks under the sit bones may take enough pressure from the knees to allow a student to recline safely onto hands or forearms. The hand position doesn’t actually matter, as long as it is safe for the practitioner’s body.

A chair can also provide a helpful tool. Students who experience difficulty with balance may choose to keep one foot on the floor and switch sides to create evenness.

The standing variation looks a bit like Naṭarājāsana, or Dancer Pose. But in this version of Vīrāsana, the spine will maintain its natural curve. Which is to say it is not nearly as much as a backbend. The flexed knee will remain pointed towards the floor, and the practitioner can choose how much pressure to apply to the ankle. A strap can also be used to link the hand and ankle.

If you teach yoga, it’s helpful to try these variations in your own practice, so that when you need to offer them to your students, you remember them through your body’s experience.

Do you like Supta Vīrāsana? Do you have a favorite variation? Please share with me below!

💜 Suzanne

06/01/2022

Colorado Springs area teachers! I'm excited to offer this workshop again IN PERSON for the first time in nearly 2 years.

This 2-hour CEU workshop offers a comprehensive introduction to adapting yoga postures and movements to a chair, as well as important safety and accessibility considerations.

Plus, it's actually fun.

This Sunday at Praxis Yoga, 12pm-2pm. $70, with scholarship opportunities available (DM me if you'd like more details on this).

💜

05/01/2022

Today's post comes from phrases I commonly see and hear from yoga teachers. I've said all of these myself, and I'm certainly not judging or shaming anyone for using them. I'm asking us, as a collective of caring humans, to consider the reasons these phrases may be unhelpful or even harmful in many situations, and I've offered some alternatives.

Instead of: "Lean into the discomfort."
Try: "Notice how this feels in your body? How do you think you will feel later on?"

There's definitely a time and place for leaning in. But many students aren't aware of the difference between safe and unsafe discomfort. As teachers, our job is not to make people embrace every discomfort they feel, but rather to learn to gauge for themselves when to lean in and when to step back for safety. We want our students to become experts on their own experience, not do what we tell them.

Instead of: "Only focus on the positive."
Try: "Notice what emotions come up for you here.”

Yes, positive thinking can be helpful at times. But disallowing negative feelings can be invalidating to students experiencing grief, depression, or other painful but real emotions. Painful emotions can provide valuable information about physical and emotional safety, as well as just being an honest part of life. Ignoring “negative” feelings and thoughts can also encourage people to accept things that aren’t really okay, like abuse or manipulation.

This last one has a *trigger warning*.

Instead of “Practice and All Is Coming”
Try: Really you just don’t need to say this.

This phrase comes straight from the mouth of abusive guru Pattabhi Jois. He used it to rationalize and silence questions about his well-documented “techniques”, which included pushing people’s bodies to the point of injury and sexually abusing female students. Let’s stop pedestalizing his words.

04/01/2022

It's not perhaps the most glamorous of intentions, but this is one of my primary words for 2022.

Though it's often slightly mistranslated as "effort", sthira (pronounced stíra, where the tongue touches the back of the teeth on "t", followed by a little "h" breath), sthira is more closely related to words like steadiness, firmness, and, so desperately required over the past year, resilience.

Sthira doesn't sweep in and save us like a superhero, or put on fireworks in a display of victory. It just keeps plodding forward, one step at a time. It keeps putting logs on the fire during a cold night, and keeps the faith over weeks and years and decades, long after the others have given up.

2022 doesn't promise comfort or reliability. In a world that feels increasingly unstable, the best course of action is to find that stability within, sthira. A regular yoga practice helps us to find it. It's been there inside you all along.

💜

28/12/2021

Añjaneyāsana means "son of Añjaneyi", and refers to Hanumān, a powerful and loyal monkey-deity from yogic mythology. Often called Crescent Lunge or High Lunge, it builds leg strength, stretches the psoas and quadriceps, lengthens the spine, and can challenge balance and build muscular endurance. And as always, there are lots of ways to do it!

In sequencing, you can use this basic shape in many ways for many reasons. Standing variations provide more balance and leg work, while knee-down options create a deeper stretch for the hip flexors. Arm variations are as varied as your imagination, and the torso can move into twists, backbends, and side bends from this leg position.

The chair versions are my current favorite. Practitioners who are very stable in the chair can do the "one side supported" variation, while those who require more balance assistance can try "both sides supported", in which they are less likely to fall.

What's your favorite variation?

💜

Luna Mountain Movement

13/09/2022

03/07/2022

19/04/2022

08/03/2022

16/02/2022

14/02/2022

08/02/2022

04/02/2022

02/02/2022

31/01/2022

25/01/2022

18/01/2022

11/01/2022

11/01/2022

06/01/2022

05/01/2022

04/01/2022

28/12/2021

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share