Have you seen the movie Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga? If not, I would recommend it. It is outlandish, over the top and silly. It is also sweet and left me with a big smile on my face. There is a lot of running around in spandex, performance mishaps, and terrible music.
There is also an underlying message of aligning with your values and stepping into vulnerability as a source of power. The story follows two friends who have dreamed of representing Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest since they were children much to the dismay of their parents who think they are wasting their lives on this embarrassing pursuit. They write songs that keep missing the mark and, are on the hunt for the elusive 'Speorg note' which can only be reached when you sing from the depths of your heart. I will leave the explanation at that as I don't want to spoil it for you!
You know that feeling when things are just right on all levels? You are spending time with people you can be your self with and it feels great? When you get into an activity there is ease and it simply flows like you are tapped into a creative current that enables you to go further than imagined? This is akin to hitting the 'Speorg note'.
I hope that you are laying the foundation for the 'Speorg note' to show up in your life. Making choices that align with your values, spending time with people who fill you up and knowing that your vulnerability is your superpower.
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​Watch the trailer​
​Watch the movie​
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May practice serve you well,
Sarah Jane

Can you feel a shift? Cooler mornings, dew on the grass, gentler heat from the sun. We have crossed the line into the early Autumn season with the Autumnal equinox earlier this week. Times of transition are both destabilizing and full of potential, creating the perfect opportunity to reflect on the season that is ending and dream ahead to the one that is beginning. I use a combination of yoga, meditation and journaling to explore these liminal spaces, noticing themes, results of decisions made or not made, and envisioning what the next season may hold. This practice anchors me in this time, allowing me to take it all in before rushing onto the next phase.
I feel my role as a yoga teacher is to provide guidance and a framework for you to explore and connect with your lived experience. This can happen through mindfully moving your body, noticing your thoughts, and reflecting through journaling. The practice of reflection, known as Svadyaya in Sanskrit, is a vital part of Yoga practice and is a direct line to deepening your practice beyond the Yoga postures.
In the spirit of offering guidance, I have created the Mindfully Transition into Autumn Yogic Practices Bundle as a gift for you. This bundle includes a restorative yoga practice to help you connect with your body and breath, a short flow practice to prepare your body for seated meditation, guided meditation and a PDF of journaling prompts. Any combination of these practices is suitable for tuning in and reflecting during this late summer season.
The bundle lives at the Nest online, my virtual studio. Please follow these instructions to access it for free.

• ​Click here and create an account or log into your existing account.
• Click 'Register Product'
• Accept the waiver
• Start practicing

I encourage you to set aside some time over the next couple of weeks to engage in these practices. I'd love to hear about your experience.
May practice serve you well,
SJ 

Like all of you, I have spent many hours, in the past 6 months on Zoom calls for both work and social interaction. In fact, I just ended my first ever telemedicine call with my dog's vet, but that is another story! Last night, I had the pleasure of connecting, on Zoom, with a couple of friends, one who lives down the street and the other who lives on Vancouver Island. We did a short movement practice together, meditated, journaled and chatted about our experiences. One of the women shared that, before joining the call, she was 'very aware of spending time on ANOTHER Zoom call' and mused about the possibility of transmitting and receiving more feeling, actual connection, and not only words. This had me think about the experience I had this past weekend during a live online retreat I attended with Pema Chodron. This retreat was to be taught via the interactive zoom function, but there were so many people registered the organizers realized this wasn't going to work. They switched to a broadcast function which means we could see and hear her, but she couldn't see or hear anyone other than herself. I know that this is an odd position to be in, teaching while looking at yourself on a screen, as this has been my reality since April. She looked and transmitted feelings of being uncomfortable at the beginning of the first session, but once she started talking, that melted away. I was taken aback by the sincere feelings of warmth and connection I felt from her though I knew she couldn't see me and was talking to thousands of people at once. The theme of the retreat was welcoming the unwelcome, and part of the foundational teaching was to regularly practice sending warmth to yourself as a way to increase your capacity to hold difficult feelings. Maybe in the face of being uncomfortable with looking at a digital rendition of herself when she is used to seeing and 'feeling' people she is speaking to, she sent warmth to herself, and this is what I felt? Essentially, consciously sending signals of warmth and acceptance that we would unconsciously send when we are wholly in the same room as someone else. Maybe this is how we can transmit and receive more of the feeling and connection that we need as humans in this new age of seemingly endless Zoom calls.
How have you been navigating this in your life? What strategies have been working for you to feel connected to others when communicating in this way? I'd love to hear about it.
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Your body is in a constant state of expansion and contraction. Tuning into the subtleties of this through breath awareness and a gentle Yin Yoga practice can bring you into a state of presence and connection. 
Try it out for yourself and see how you feel. 
​*When using our Yoga videos, you need to use common sense.  To reduce and avoid injury, you will want to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program and know you are performing them at your own risk. The Nest hot yoga and the instructors in our videos will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of our classes, online videos, or information shared on our website.  This includes emails, videos and text.  Thanks for your understanding.
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Enjoy this 6 min clip of a longer practice available at the Nest Online. Tight Hips effect your whole body and can put unnecessary strain on your spine and legs. Whether you have an active or more sedentary lifestyle, hip opening and strengthening postures can increase mobility and ease of movement.
​Want to practice the whole video and check out all the other content? Day passes are now available for those who want to drop-in for a live stream and have 24 hour access to all the pre-recorded content. Check out the Nest online here

Collaboration is a joy as a solo entrepreneur! I am so pleased to team up with meditation teacher Rachelle Geneau of Mantra Meditation with Rachelle to offer these classes. For the past three weeks, each Wednesday morning at 9.30am we have been meeting with students on Zoom for some yoga and meditation. Here is the first of 3 recordings we made of the classes. Enjoy and please share with anyone who you think will benefit.

If you want to join us this coming Wednesday, May 6th, at 9.30am, please register for FREE here.

​*When using our Yoga videos, you need to use common sense.  To reduce and avoid injury, you will want to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program and know you are performing them at your own risk. The Nest hot yoga and the instructors in our videos will not be responsible or liable for any injury or harm you sustain as a result of our classes, online videos, or information shared on our website.  This includes emails, videos and text.  Thanks for your understanding.

A few tips for home practice:

• Take a few minutes to set up a cozy space that you can roll out your mat
  
• Sweep up any distracting dust bunnies
  
• Turn your phone to silent mode
  
• If you like to practice to music, set that up
• Ask those who you share your home with to give you 50 minutes of uninterrupted time to focus on yourself.
• Take a deep breath and begin

This is a long one so take a deep breath.
We want to inform you of the steps we're taking at our studio to maintain a healthy and safe environment.
What We're Doing:

1. We have increased wiping down all surfaces and high touch areas, including door handles, taps, light switches, etc with a hospital-grade disinfectant that is proven effective against enveloped viruses like COVID-19.
2. We are temporarily removing blocks and straps from the hot room. Please bring your own props to class if you want. We will be teaching sequences that don't require these props.
3. We highly recommend bringing your own mat and towels to class.
4. We have replaced the hand towels with recycled paper towels.
5. We are constantly monitoring the situation and adjusting protocol as recommended.

What You Can Do:

1. If you are feeling at all unwell (as always), please stay at home; you cannot "sweat out" a cold.
2. Please stay home for if you have travelled outside of Canada in the last 14 days and have cold/flu symptoms or contact with someone who meets these criteria and they have symptoms.
3. Bring your own yoga mat, props, and water bottle. Disinfectant spray is available to spray down your props and mat after class.
4. Thoroughly wash your hands upon arriving at the studio, before class, and after class – especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
5. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds using soap and hot water.
6. As much as possible, avoid touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
7. If you find yourself sneezing or coughing, please do it into a tissue or your elbow. Please then wash your hands and be aware that the novel coronavirus can live on your clothing for up to a week.
8. Keep yourself healthy and well-rested. And how wonderful is it that yoga can help with this!

Take a deep breath in and a long exhale.

The longest day of the year is just up ahead and it is a great time for some quiet reflection. A Yin Yoga practice where there is time and space for self exploration gives me the opportunity to do just this. I have created a short sequence that you can do at home and a few tips to go along with the practice. I like to have my journal and have a few inquiry questions that I let roll around while I practice and write any insights that arise.  As we are about midway through the year a few ideas for inquiry are:
Did you make some plans at the beginning of the year?
How have those ideas come to fruition?
Where needs a little more focus and direction?
What can be released to make room for what is to come?

Tips for practice

1. Practice 1 or 2 poses if you are short on time
2. Start in a comfortable seat and take a minute or so to settle into your breath.
3. Spend up to a minute on your back after each position to integrate and notice the effect of the posture.
4. Create the most comfortable and easeful experience for yourself.
5. Use the free Insight Timer app to keep track of time so you aren’t looking at your watch
6. Aim for a curious approach to relaxation and see what is revealed.

If you would like to join me for a 2 hour Summer Solstice themed Yin Yoga practice on Wednesday June 19th at 6.30pm visit here to register.