Episodios
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This episode is an EPIC conversation with my friend Nyk Danu about the question of if, when, how, and why we use yoga props in Yin Yoga.
Nyk is the host of A Yin Yoga Podcast, and she reached out to propose this crossover episode to share on both of our shows, because the no-props-in-Yin myth is a topic near and dear to both of our hearts. So what you’ll hear here is less of an interview and more of a back and forth, or “fireside chat” (as Nyk calls it) where we really unpack this sometimes-controversial Yin subject.
As you’ll hear, the question of whether (or how) to use props in Yin Yoga touches on issues like accessibility, able-ism, trauma-informed teaching, and all kinds of cultural conditioning that sneaks into our practice. We talk about what it means to be true to a style or lineage, and how we align with the principles that make a Yin practice “yin.”
As we explore where the anti-props misnomer comes from, Nyk and I also reflect on our experiences training with the founders of the Yin Yoga style, and how the functional approach to yoga requires that we adapt poses to individual bodies. We also give several specific examples of how props have helped our students get more from the practice, and debunk the assumption that you’ll outgrow using props as your practice advances.
There are also some practical suggestions for situations where minimal props are available, or where propping is too complicated or unable to solve a student's challenge with a pose.
So, pull up your favorite blankets and bolsters, get comfy, and enjoy this fun and informative Yin Yoga conversation!
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Guest Bio: Nyk Danu is a certified Yoga Therapist, Yin Yoga Teacher Trainer, and Yoga business mentor. She’s a fiercely independent sagittarius, misfit, introvert, bookworm, cat charmer, crow whisperer, Buddhist, seeker of truth, and long term pro-activist who’s not-so-secretly out to save the world. In 2007 she fell madly in love with Yin Yoga and has since done 500+ hours of Yin Yoga training with Paul Grilley. Her passion for Yin Yoga sparked a deep resonance and curiosity for Traditional Chinese Medicine. This then drew her to study 2300 hours of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Pacific Rim College. Nyk has since combined her Yoga Therapy Training, Yin Yoga training and Traditional Chinese Medicine knowledge to create a unique Therapeutic Yin Yoga teacher training program, and she is also the host of A Yin Yoga Podcast.
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
Holiday Sale: Use discount code HOLIDAY24 before December 24th to take 24% off the 8-hour Yin Yoga Poses + Props Training (normally $149)!
To learn more about Nyk’s work, visit her website at nykdanu.com, or check out her Yin Yoga Podcast!
Follow Nyk on Instagram at @nykdanuyoga
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week’s episode of the podcast is a short post-election reflection - just me sharing some of what’s currently on my mind and what’s sustaining me right now.
This one is a little different, because I don’t really hide my political views, but I also don’t usually make them a focal point of my teaching. While I certainly have opinions and I care deeply about the issues, I also respect my students' autonomy and I try not to make too many assumptions about the views they may hold. I want to hope that we can all practice together and find common ground more often than not.
The thoughts I’m sharing today are for others like me who are upset about the election, and who are feeling confused, discouraged, and shaky. And I especially want to speak to my fellow movement, yoga, and meditation teachers out there, who are holding space for others during challenging times.
So, if you’re usually a fan of this podcast but realizing your politics is different than mine, you can listen to this and try to understand my perspective, or you can skip this episode and move on.
I promise it’s not going to be an angry rant or recitation of fearful possibilities, and it’s not going to be an artificial ‘look on the bright side message’ either. I’ll be sharing a few quotes and ideas that are helping me to orient to this moment, as well as a story about how I’m finding connection and light in my local community.
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The class for a nervous system Freeze Response (mentioned in this episode) is available in the Moved To Meditate Class Library. Sign up for your “Free Library Card” to access a rotating selection of 5 classes each month, plus this bonus session.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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¿Faltan episodios?
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This episode of the podcast is a conversation about overcoming Imposter Syndrome. I’m speaking with meditation teacher Lou Redmond, and together we explore this very common fear that often holds good people back from truly expressing their creativity, leadership, and potential in the world.
Imposter Syndrome is a form of self-doubt that causes us to worry about being enough, knowing enough, or having someone expose us as a fraud. We talk about how Imposter Syndrome often comes up when we are trying something new, stepping into a leadership role, or pioneering in an area that others haven’t developed yet. This secretly-not-good-enough feeling arises in our professional lives, but can also be present in more personal domains like relationships, parenting, spirituality, etc.
Lou and I each share examples of when we’ve dealt with Imposter Syndrome in our work, and how we moved through those doubts.
You'll hear about:
leaning into action and gaining experience to grow your confidence working with a mentor, coach, or therapist to unpack beliefs about your worthiness recognizing your integrity and that imposter syndrome may be arising because you care and don’t want to cause harm.We also touch on the topic of self-improvement, and how (like Imposter Syndrome) it can be driven by a sense of lack or inadequacy. This conversation highlights how inner work and meditation practices can help us recognize our inherent wholeness and trust ourselves more fully.
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Guest Bio: Lou Redmond is a meditation teacher, life coach, and inspirational speaker. His meditations have been listened to over 1 million times and his online courses have enrolled over 60,000 students. Lou is the host of The Art & Business of Meditation podcast, where he helps people make an impact and income using meditation. Lou is also the author of Find Your Truth: A Modern Day Story About Letting Go of Addiction and Finding Life's Purpose.
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
To learn more about Lou’s work, visit his website at louredmond.com, and sign up for his free Meditation Script Mastery Course here.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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In this episode of the podcast, we’re exploring the idea of Mindful Movement as a form of “cross-training” for your awareness. It’s a fun metaphor for how Mindful Movement and meditation can fit together and enhance each other, and it might just inspire you to try something new!
In fitness, cross-training is the idea that it's healthy to round out your routine with different forms of exercise like cardio, strength, endurance, mobility and flexibility so you get maximum physical benefits.
So, what if we apply this idea to Mindfulness? Just like there are different aspects of physical fitness, there also are (many) different aspects of Mindfulness. For starters, the full spectrum of Mindfulness practices would include: connection to the body, balancing our emotions, steadying our focus, observing our thought patterns, and cultivating positive qualities like compassion and equanimity.
Traditional meditation certainly develops all of those Mindfulness muscles, but we can also "exercise" them through Mindful Movement! And I would suggest that cross training with both movement and stillness practices gives us a wider palette to explore all of the ways we can be present with our moment-to-moment experience.
I’ll speak specifically about Yin Yoga, Somatics, and Qigong, sharing what each of these movement styles has brought to my own deepening and expanding of awareness over time.
I’ve often talked about Mindful Movement as a great alternative practice for those who struggle with the stillness and silence of meditation. But in this episode, I’m also highlighting how Mindful Movement can really benefit people who DO enjoy traditional sitting meditation.
Movement practices can challenge you to apply your meditative skills in action and to be aware amidst more stimulation and complexity. Think of it as a way of cross-training your mindfulness skills in preparation for the distractions and complications of daily life!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
And, to try “cross-training” your awareness with some Mindful Movement practices, check out the Moved To Meditate Class Library! There are full memberships, and there is a FREE tier where you can sample a new selection of classes each month. Details at movedtomeditate.yoga/classlibrary
This year’s Mindful Movement Teacher Training is starting in October! Learn more and apply now at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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Today’s podcast is an exploration of life as a Highly Sensitive Person (or HSP), with my friend and colleague Erica Webb.
Erica and I sat down for a deep dive into our shared experience of high sensitivity, and how we work with these traits in ourselves.
This is something I’ve been looking at more closely over the last several months, and I knew that Erica had been speaking about HSP more, as well. So, I reached out and asked if she’d like to do a joint episode that we would each share on our podcasts, and this conversation is the result!
You’ll hear our stories of living life as a Highly Sensitive Person, and how we’ve learned to embrace our HSP traits and honor our HSP needs. We cover some basic definitions, and quite a few nuances of being highly sensitive.
We touch on:
how HSP relates to being introverted or an empath differences in how our brains and nervous systems process sensory stimuli why understanding our HSP needs helps us release self-criticism and be kinder to ourselves how honoring our sensitivity doesn’t mean making our lives smaller or living in a bubble.Erica and I also share our favorite movement and meditation practices (as well as life strategies and communication skills!) for regulating our sensitive nervous systems and building more capacity to engage with the world.
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To learn more about Erica Webb’s work, visit her website, listen to her podcast SelfKind with Erica Webb, or follow her on Instagram @ericawebb_selfkind.
For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The Mindful Movement Teacher Training is returning this Fall, and applications are now open! Learn more about this unique program at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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It’s our 100th episode! To celebrate this podcast milestone, we have a special episode this week, featuring the voices of the Moved To Meditate Podcast community.
I wanted to do something different for our 100th episode, as a way of saying thanks to all who have been part of the podcast so far. So, I asked podcast listeners and guests to call in with messages about what they practice and why.
If you need a little boost of inspiration, be sure to tune in, because the messages were amazing! You are going to hear quite a range of different movement, yoga, and meditation practices represented here, and so many unique ways of describing what these practices mean to us. I hope this episode feels like a warm, inspiring hug that reminds you that your practice matters - and you’re not doing it alone.
Expect some inspiration, a lot of warm fuzzies, and a little bit of silliness.
And, thanks for listening!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The Mindful Movement Teacher Training is returning this Fall, and applications are now open! Learn more about this unique program at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week on the podcast, Amanda Hanna joins me for a juicy discussion about what trauma-informed yoga is (and is not). We give examples of the questionable trends and marketing messages we’ve seen lately, related to trauma healing, Somatics, Yin Yoga and other movement practices.
Amanda Hanna is a seasoned Yin Yoga Teacher Trainer and leader of Trauma-Informed Facilitator trainings, with an academic background in psychology. After comparing notes on a few social media posts and ads we’d seen, Amanda and I decided to sit down and record an episode exploring the topic of trauma-informed yoga. It’s wonderful that awareness of this has increased in the yoga community, but there is now the issue of terms like “trauma-informed” and “somatic” becoming buzzwords for products that actually don’t align with ethical human-centered practices.
So, we’ll dig into what we’re seeing and share some examples that brought up red flags for us. We will also talk about what we DO look for in a genuine trauma-informed offering.
You’ll hear our thoughts on:
the ethics of programs that promise to “release trauma and stored emotions,” while also curing a host of medical conditions (usually in a short amount of time) how quick fixes and big somatic releases go against trauma-informed principles like titration the risk of re-traumatization when a foundation of safety, nervous system regulation, capacity-building, and therapeutic support has not been built.We also spend some time discussing the role of a trauma-informed yoga or movement teacher, and how we can skillfully hold space for our students. We both feel there is great value in creating a classroom “container” where students can simply practice feeling safe and learn to be with themselves exactly as they are. And, while emotions do come up naturally in class sometimes, it is not a teacher’s job to evoke a strong emotional response from their students.
Drawing from our own classes (and from my running a studio), we discuss the complexities of practicing in community. We highlight the importance of encouraging choice and self-agency in our students, rather than dismissing their feedback as coming from their fight/flight response (as we’ve seen suggested online).
We cover a LOT of ground here, so I hope you’ll find this episode interesting and thought-provoking…and more than anything that you’ll feel supported to embrace your wholeness and reject the quick fix gimmicks.
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To learn more about Amanda Hanna’s work, visit somapsych.org or follow her on Instagram at @soma.psych.
For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The 100th Episode of the podcast is coming up, and I want to hear YOUR voice! Send me a short message about why you practice, and I will include it in this special episode. Go here to record your message, or email it to me at [email protected].
The Mindful Movement Teacher Training is returning this Fall, and applications are now open! Learn more about this unique program at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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In this episode of the podcast, I’m talking with Jivana Heyman about accessible meditation. Jivana is the founder of the Accessible Yoga movement, and he has plenty of insights to share about how meditation practices can be relevant in our world today.
You’ll hear about Jivana’s own personal journey of learning meditation, and his perspective on how an inward practice like meditation can help during uncertain times when the outer world also needs our attention.
Jivana describes the central role that meditation plays in the Yoga tradition, and the wide variety of meditation styles within Yoga (including breath meditation, mantra, chakra meditations, yoga nidra, and more). You’ll also hear Jivana’s thoughts on reframing asana AS a form of meditation.
We talk about:
how pranayama is distinct from breath meditation adaptations to make meditation more accessible, especially for those with anxiety, trauma, or neurodivergent minds similarities and differences between Yogic and Buddhist philosophies and practices broadening the definition of what counts as meditationI hope this episode will leave you feeling empowered to find your own ways of bringing meditation into your life!
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To learn more about Jivana Heyman’s work, visit jivanaheyman.com or accessibleyogaschool.com.
For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The 100th Episode of the podcast is coming up, and I want to hear YOUR voice! Send me a short message about why you practice, and I will include it in this special episode. Go here to record your message, or email it to me through the website.
Our next Teacher Masterclass is on August 24th, with guest speaker Chris McDonald of the Holistic Counseling Podcast! Get the info and join us at https://movedtomeditate.yoga/teacher-masterclasses/
The Mindful Movement Teacher Training is returning this Fall, and applications are now open! Learn more about this unique program at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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Are you a movement teacher who secretly worries that your classes might be too repetitive or boring? In this episode of the podcast, I’m going to encourage you to embrace repetition as a valuable part of Mindful Movement practice.
When I was a newer Yoga teacher, I felt that pressure to come up with a brand new class plan and fresh sequences every week. I thought that if I repeated the same practices too often, students would get bored or think my classes were too basic.
However, with more experience teaching, observing others’ classes, and actually listening to my students, I realized that repetition can be incredibly helpful!
Some of the benefits of repetition that I’ll cover:
you can build a foundation with repetition and then sprinkle in new poses, movements, and sequences over time using a repeated class structure can help your students relax into the process practicing certain movements repeatedly gives your students a baseline to notice changes reviewing practices in class helps your students remember poses and movements they can do on their own repetition can allow students to shift from thinking to sensing and go deeper in their practiceWe will also talk about that fear of boredom, and where it comes from. In our hyper stimulating culture, boredom might just be the resistance that comes up for us when we’re doing something that slows us down or has less intensity than we’re used to.
While I do hope my classes are engaging, my intention as a teacher is not to avoid boredom at all costs. I would rather help people develop calm, presence, and perhaps an increased attention span.
For my movement teacher friends, I hope this reflection will help you relax around the idea of repetition! It’s more than ok to review, repeat, and remix in your classes. Your students will benefit from a good balance of novelty and familiarity.
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The 100th Episode of the podcast is coming up, and I want to hear YOUR voice! Send me a short message about why you practice, and I will include it in this special episode. Go here to record your message, or email it to me at [email protected].
The Mindful Movement Teacher Training is returning this Fall, and applications are now open! Learn more about this unique program at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week’s podcast episode is a gentle movement meditation to help channel and clear the agitated energies of stress or anxiety. (The meditation itself starts around the 4:44 mark, after a brief introduction.)
This practice is intended to help you “complete the stress cycle” by engaging your body’s natural fight/flight impulses through a few simple Qigong movements, with an emphasis on mindfulness. It’s kind of like a movement practice that has the feel of a guided meditation.
You may have noticed that when you’re caught up in anxiety and worry, it can be really hard to sit still and meditate. This is where mindful movement can be incredibly beneficial, as it gives us an active way to work with challenging states.
As you put your restless energy (and stress hormones) to use through intentional mindful movements, you are signaling your nervous system that you are in control and that you’re ok in this present moment. With practice, you can use these movement meditation tools to decrease the unpleasant physical sensations of anxiety, and to help calm overthinking and worry (which is often fed by agitation in the body).
This meditation can be done either standing or seated in a chair. You can use this practice as an anxiety prevention tool, or as a form of nervous system maintenance whenever you feel agitating sensations, emotions, or thoughts building up.
This can also be a great practice to do before bed, to clear your energy and promote peaceful sleep.
I hope you find this movement meditation useful, and that it brings some ease into your day!
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(Do keep in mind that this practice can be an excellent complement to professional mental health support, but no meditation is a replacement for medical or mental health treatment when professional help is needed. If you are experiencing overwhelming anxiety or distress, please seek additional support.)
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
The Mindful Movement Teacher Training is returning this Fall, and applications will be accepted starting July 15th! Learn more about this program and make sure you're on the update list at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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In this episode of the podcast, I’m covering six common mindfulness myths - things I think people often get wrong about mindfulness and meditation. Don’t let these trip you up, or stop you before you even start!
I hate to see people miss out on the benefits of mindfulness because they’ve heard a confusing mix of messages about how it works.
Some of these myths have unfortunately convinced a lot of people that they can’t meditate, even if they are interested in the idea of mindfulness. And, some of the other misconceptions are actually worries people have that mindfulness might take them in the wrong direction, or make them feel worse.
The 6 mindfulness myths you’ll hear about:
1) that mindfulness is just a mental exercise and not connected to the body
2) mindfulness is all about concentrating on a single focal point
3) you need to get rid of your thoughts to practice mindfulness
4) that mindfulness leads to hyper-vigilance and self-consciousness, and can increase pain or anxiety
5) mindfulness is just a tool for performing tasks more efficiently
6) that mindfulness is an altered state, dissociation, or an escape from reality.
None of the above should be true, if you are learning Mindfulness Meditation from a well-trained teacher or a reliable source. However, the term “mindfulness” is used so widely these days in a variety of contexts, and there is a lot of unfortunate confusion.
I’ll be talking about mindfulness practices that come from the Buddhist tradition (Vipassana, or Insight Meditation), which is also the root source of secular programs like Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). I hope this will help you understand how those teachings differ from other forms of meditation, and why these concerns about mindfulness are untrue.
So, let’s bring clarity to the confusion and break down these mindfulness myths!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
Get the details and RSVP for the next Teacher Masterclass at movedtomeditate.yoga/teacher-masterclasses
Or learn about one-on-one meditation coaching sessions at movedtomeditate.yoga/privatesessions.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week’s podcast episode is a guided Walking Meditation practice! The meditation itself starts just after the 5-minute mark, after a brief introduction to Walking Meditation.
Walking Meditation is a traditional form of mindfulness practice, and it’s a great example of meditation-in-motion! If the stillness of sitting meditation doesn’t appeal to you, this might be another avenue for exploring mindfulness.
This practice is often used as a type of formal meditation, but one of the special benefits of Walking Meditation is that it trains us to be aware during an ordinary, daily activity.
I find that when I practice Walking Meditation more often, it seeps into other moments. I might be walking somewhere, and instead of staying lost in thought, I start feeling my feet or my breath, hearing sounds, or seeing what’s around me. Those brief, spontaneous opportunities to touch into the present moment are incredibly valuable – it helps me find my composure, to feel less pulled in a million directions, or to savor a sweet moment more vividly.
I also wanted to record some basic instructions for Walking Meditation because you don’t really get full as-you-go guidance for this practice at in-person meditation groups and on meditation retreats. For obvious practical reasons, the teacher has to give you all the instructions upfront, then send you off to do the walking on your own. So, having a recording might be helpful to practice along with at home, especially if you are newer to this kind of meditation!
All you need for this practice is some space to walk several steps in a straight line and turn around. We will be walking back and forth along that path. I recorded this practice indoors, simply walking across my yoga mat (and maybe a foot beyond). Hallways work well, too. You can also take this practice outside if you have a safe, peaceful place to walk.
With some practice, your Walking Meditation can become a portable mindfulness tool that supports you throughout the day! Walking to the kitchen, walking to your car, walking to a meeting (even at normal walking speed) - you can ground yourself in the present moment while you’re involved in the movements of your life.
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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What is the role of alignment in Yoga? Is technique always the best route to safety in Mindful Movement? In this episode of the podcast, I’m sharing my take on these important (and big) topics through another excerpt from the book I’m writing.
The working title of my book is Teaching Mindful Movement, and here you’ll be hearing a section where I reflect on what it means to teach movements responsibly. We will address the issues of technique and alignment, the role of the teacher, and how mindfulness can support safety.
We train as movement teachers because we want to help people feel better in their bodies. The last thing we want is to unintentionally cause harm through the practices we guide. However, my best advice for teaching safely might not be what you think.
In my time in this field, I’ve observed a trend for Yoga and movement teachers to take on a lot of responsibility for “keeping people safe.” This desire to ensure safety takes various forms: some undertake detailed studies of anatomy and biomechanics, or mastering the skillful use of props, while others may emphasize ideals of Yoga alignment, or the precise execution of forms in Qigong. Some of the Somatic movement styles put a great deal of focus on achieving “correct” posture, as defined by the prevailing theories in their school.
For quite a while in the Yoga world, structural alignment was considered the best means to ensure safety. But, as the teaching community has gradually learned more about the brain and nervous system, and has begun applying principles of tissue mechanics and pain science to Yoga, we can see that safety is much more multi-faceted than just positioning our bones and joints in a particular way. As we’ve become more aware of the range of differences between individual bodies, it has also become clear that there is no universal set of alignment standards that work for everyone.
You’ll hear about:
how being overly focused on alignment can sometimes cause injuries, rather than prevent them ways that alignment and technique can become entangled with our cultural conditioning and take us further away from embodiment when studies of anatomy, physiology, and biomechanics are most helpful the value of choosing simple, low-risk movements that support mindfulness and that are natural extensions of our students’ existing daily movement repertoireSo, if technique is not our best guarantee of safety, then is there still value to giving instructions on precision and form? If we cue movements in a less prescriptive way, will our classes become a sloppy free-for-all that leaves our students wondering what they are even doing?
I will give some examples of how teachers can provide enough structure and clarity for students, while also allowing space for individual needs. We will explore a “middle way” with alignment in which technical cues can be used as a form of mindful inquiry, rather than rules to be followed.
I hope the perspective I offer here will help you feel more empowered in your teaching, and that it will relieve some of the pressure of thinking you need to have all the answers to keep your students safe!
If you have feedback to share after hearing this section of the book, please contact me. I would love to know what you find intriguing, challenging, or helpful.
And, if you’d like to be notified when my book Teaching Mindful Movement is ready, sign up for updates here!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
Find more info about the donation-based Teacher Masterclasses at movedtomeditate.yoga/teacher-masterclasses.
Get the dates for the next Mindful Movement Teacher Training at movedtomeditate.yoga/mmtt.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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Have you heard of Somatic Movement and wondered “what exactly is that?”
In this episode of the podcast, I’m sharing a brief excerpt from my work-in-progress book, where I give an overview of the field of Somatics and describe how I use these movement practices.
The working title of my book is Teaching Mindful Movement, and you’ll be hearing a brief section I’ve written about Somatics. This is part of a longer chapter that covers a few different movement modalities I like to include in my practice and teaching.
Somatic Movement seems to be kind of a buzzword lately, and I’ve had a few people reach out to ask what “somatic” actually means. While some may just be using the term for marketing purposes, Somatics actually refers to a whole field of body-based practices that emphasize the awareness of internal sensations.
This broad term can refer to styles of movement (like Feldenkrais and Hanna Somatics), somatic psychotherapies, somatic approaches to dance, and hand-on bodywork methods (like Rolfing and Craniosacral Therapy) that grew out of the Somatics movement.
In this excerpt I will offer a succinct background on the field of Somatics, where and when it originated, and who the major figures are. You’ll hear a few tidbits about how the Somatics field was developing amidst the mid-twentieth century’s cultural shifts, including the introduction of Eastern practices like Yoga and Buddhism to the West. I also note that there is an effort nowadays to decolonize Somatic practices and investigate where Euro-Centric biases may have been imbedded in their development.
After this history and background, I also share how I use Somatics as part of my Mindful Movement teaching and practice:
To increase embodiment and awareness of subtle sensations Refine “building-block” movements, leading to greater ease in complex movement patterns Release deeply-held tension and down-regulate the nervous system Gently engage the body when there’s pain, through these gradual and non-threatening movementsI hope you will enjoy this preview of my book, Teaching Mindful Movement! If you have feedback to share after hearing this section of the book, please contact me. I would love to know what you find intriguing or confusing, or if you think of something related to Somatics that I should consider including in this section.
And, if you'd like to be notified when my book Teaching Mindful Movement is ready, sign up for updates here!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
Find more info about the donation-based Teacher Masterclasses at movedtomeditate.yoga/teacher-masterclasses.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week on the podcast, I have a very special conversation with Anne Cushman, a pioneer in the field of mindful yoga. Anne is a senior retreat teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, where she founded the first multi-year Buddhist meditation training for yoga teachers.
Anne Cushman has dedicated her life to the embodied Dharma path, equally exploring the wisdom traditions of yoga and Buddhism, since she started her practice in the 1980s. Her teachings and writings skillfully express the intersections of philosophy, meditation, movement, creativity, and real-world practice.
We talk about why it has been important for her to center mindfulness in her yoga practice, and how yoga asana and pranayama allowed her to truly absorb the Dharma teachings beyond a conceptual understanding. You’ll hear how she defines mindful yoga, and how cultivating mindful awareness enables us to meet all of the contents of our experience - on the mat and off.
She also shares some fascinating history, as someone who had a front row seat to the development of yoga and Buddhist Dharma culture in the West.
You’ll hear about Anne’s time working as an editor and writer at Yoga Journal (in its early days), including her experience interviewing BKS Iyengar. She also shares what it was like being one of the first teachers to offer yoga practices on Buddhist meditation retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.
We touch on issues like balancing tradition and innovation, moving between spiritual communities, drawing from multiple lineages, and the potential of cultural appropriation. Anne emphasizes that yoga and meditation have always gone together and that asana was always intended to be in service of the transformation of heart and mind.
Enjoy this inspiring and insightful interview with a true mindful movement trailblazer!
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Guest Bio: Anne Cushman is a pioneer in the integration of mindfulness, embodied meditation, and creative expression. A senior retreat teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, she founded the first multi-year Buddhist meditation training for yoga teachers. She’s the author of the memoir The Mama Sutra: A Story of Love, Loss, and the Path of Motherhood; the novel Enlightenment for Idiots (honored by Booklist as one of the top ten first novels of its year); the mindful yoga book Moving Into Meditation; and the India pilgrimage guide From Here to Nirvana; and her essays on spiritual practice in daily life have appeared in the New York Times, Yoga Journal, O: The Oprah Magazine, Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, and many other publications. She is a guiding teacher for the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program, which has trained thousands of teachers in more than 70 countries. She mentors mindfulness practitioners and writers worldwide and leads retreats and classes both in person and online with a focus on creativity, embodiment, connection with nature, and daily life practice.
--For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
To learn more about Anne Cushman, visit her website at annecushman.com
And, learn more about the Dharma, Yoga, and Mindfulness Training (DYMT) at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate.
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This week’s podcast episode is a guided breath meditation for sleep. I made this recording a while back, and I felt inspired to share it on the podcast now, since the last episode was a guest interview on sleep with yoga therapist Monica Le Baron.
(The meditation itself starts at approximately 6:34, after a brief intro with a few updates about my book-writing process, the schedule of upcoming podcast episodes, and some background on today’s guided practice.)
Many of us suffer from sleep disturbances from time to time, whether it's due to stress, hormone changes, interruptions to our schedule, pain or illness. This breath practice is one of my go-to tools for a night when I need to soothe my body back to sleep.
This is a simple practice that guides you through a process of relaxing your body and lengthening your exhales. As we practice counting the breaths, we focus the mind on the present moment, setting aside thoughts of the day.
Gradually moving into longer and longer exhales helps to slow the heart rate and down-regulate the nervous system, which promotes peaceful sleep.
You could do this practice to wind down at any point in the evening, or right in your bed as you drift off to sleep.
So, I hope you’ll find a comfy spot to practice, and enjoy this guided breath meditation for sleep. Thanks so much for listening!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
You can find the info on the April 13th workshop, Movement That Unlocks Mindfulness, at movedtomeditate.yoga/events.
And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week on the podcast, I have a conversation with Monica Le Baron, the author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen.
Sleep is crucial for overall health and affects many aspects of our well-being, including metabolism, immune system, brain function, and mood. If you struggle with insomnia, the good news is that you can improve your sleep with some simple yoga therapy practices like the ones we’ll be talking about in this episode.
In this interview, Monica shares her knowledge about sleep in such a warm and relatable way, including her own story of recovering from insomnia and depression. She provides insights into the types of yoga practices that are good before bed, including how she uses Yoga Nidra (or “yogic sleep”) practices.
You’ll hear about:
the four stages of sleep and how many hours you need each night
what sleep has to do with setting healthy boundaries
why you need to “complete the stress cycle”
and how it helps to savor a mantra or affirmation like you would savor chocolate cake or guacamole.
Monica also emphasized looking at internal reasons for the habits that impact sleep, not the just surface manifestations like phone use or caffeine intake. And, she offered examples of some reflections and practices you can use all day to set yourself up for better sleep at night.
Give this episode a listen, and take a step towards improving your sleep, energy, mood, and health!
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Guest Bio: Monica Le Baron MBA, C-IAYT, is the award-winning and bestselling author of Sleep Simplified: Simple Tools To Reduce Anxiety, Finish The Stress Cycle and Sleep Like a Queen. As a certified yoga therapist, she helps women with sleep disorders get a good night’s rest. Her passion for helping others was sparked after burning out at her corporate job and using yoga therapy techniques on herself to heal from insomnia, chronic pain, stress, and anxiety. When she’s not helping ambitious women get their beauty sleep, you can find her reading a good historical novel or hiking the mountains of her hometown in Chihuahua, Mexico.
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Be sure to check out the episode page on my website at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast for the link to Monica’s yoga nidra practice, and additional resources.
Learn more about Monica Le Baron at her website https://monicalebaron.com/
Find her book Sleep Simplified in English or the Spanish language edition Simplifica tu Sueño, which was just released in the last few weeks!
Thanks so much for listening! Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
P.S. As I mentioned during this episode, there is a special workshop coming soon! Join me for Movement That Unlocks Mindfulness online on April 13th, and learn to meditate in a way that works for you. We'll explore gentle Mindful Movement practices, as well as variations of traditional meditations that don't require complete stillness. Workshop Info: https://movedtomeditate.yoga/events/
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This episode of the podcast is a gentle moving meditation, exploring what it feels like to slow down. We’ll be playing with pace as we do two very simple motions, observing the sensations in the body, and how movement can often influence our mental activity and nervous system state.
The meditation itself starts at 3:10, after a brief intro.
As we practice this meditation, you will check in with yourself in the present moment - noticing states like tension or ease, mental busy-ness or calm, feeling rushed or steady. We’ll be practicing these mindful observations in a dynamic way, while moving rather than sitting still.
After taking the time to practice physically slowing down, you may find that you feel more balanced and present. Being mindful of our speed in movement can help us shift out of auto-pilot, settle the nervous system, and break the momentum of a bustling daily life.
This meditation can be done either standing or seated in a chair. You can have your eyes open or close them, but if you’re standing, you may find that keeping them open (with a soft gaze) helps your balance.
The movement suggestions are deliberately simple, gentle, and accessible so that you can drop into a meditative experience more easily. In this practice, it is much less important to get the movement "right" than to move in a way that facilitates an experience of mindfulness and curiosity.
I hope you will enjoy this moving meditation, and that it will encourage a playful awareness of your pace as you move through the rest of your day!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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In this episode of the podcast, you'll hear from two experts on neurodiversity-affirming mindfulness practices, Sue Hutton and Jan Wozniak.
We’ll be talking about how Mindfulness Meditation programs can be offered in a more inclusive way for autistic adults, those with ADHD and other forms of neurodivergence.
My guests, Sue Hutton and Jan Wozniak, work together at the Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre at CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) in Toronto. The Azrieli Centre is a first-of-its kind organization in Canada that does research with the neurodevelopmental disability community.
You’ll hear about:
addressing social anxiety and sensory issues that can come up for neurodiverse meditation students in a class setting the importance of offering multiple ways to practice a technique like Mindfulness of Breathing or Loving-Kindness Meditation stacking anchors to help students connect with the kinesthetic, visual, or auditory aspects of meditation, on their own terms being aware of how different verbal instructions may (or may not) work for everyone how Sue and Jan approach mindful movement or walking meditation for neurodiverse groups.Sue and Jan each share about their backgrounds in meditation, and what led them to offering mindfulness practices through this lens. In particular, Jan speaks about how he turned to mindfulness to help manage the anxiety and sensory overwhelm arising from having to navigate neurotypical settings. The conversation also touches on several ways that the traditional presentation of mindfulness can be problematic for neurodivergent individuals, or simply fail to resonate with what they might like to address through meditation.
If you are a meditation teacher, I hope this episode will heighten your awareness of neurodiversity, so that you can offer practices and create spaces that are more user-friendly for diverse minds.
And, for those listening who identify as neurodivergent, I hope you’ll come away with new resources that lead you to useful (and enjoyable) meditation practices, tailored to your unique needs.
Guest Bios:
Sue Hutton has been a long-term practitioner and teacher of Mindfulness Meditation. She trained professionally with Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. She focuses her work these days on supporting mindfulness in neurodivergent communities, working with a research team at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Her perspective as a social worker and her experience in disability advocacy informs the way she shares traditional mindfulness techniques.
Jan Wozniak is a licensed philosophical counsellor whose interests in Eastern philosophy, Buddhism, and neurodevelopmental research led to his pursuit of psychology and mindfulness-based practices. As an autistic adult, Jan combines theory, practice, and lived experience to support fellow neurodivergent community members through participatory research, informed programming, and advocacy initiatives. Jan serves as a Program Engagement Co-Facilitator at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and is planning to pursue graduate studies in clinical psychology in 2024.-----
Sue’s website with offerings related to all things neurodiversity and mindfulness (free streaming meditations, groups and resources): https://www.suehuttonmindfulness.com/
For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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This week’s episode is a 10-minute guided meditation designed to help you cultivate joy. To include an awareness of the good, delightful, and joyful aspects of our experience is an important practice for developing inner resilience. (The meditation itself starts at about 8:20, after a brief intro to the topic.)
There is a lot going on in the world that is distressing and disturbing – and those issues do need our skillful attention. But, in order to respond with clarity and energy, it helps to balance our minds with deliberate practices like joy.
Interestingly enough, the topic of joy is one that often brings up resistance or skepticism. You may be doubting how a short meditation could help you cultivate joy - like, are you expected to feel joyful on command?
If you had similar thoughts come up when you saw this joy meditation, I can relate! But I can also tell you that embracing glimmers of joy (during ordinary days, and during difficult seasons of my life) has been one of the most powerful practices for my well-being and resilience.
The joy I’m talking about here is not really the exquisite, incredible, postcard-worthy peak experience, but more like a practice of consistently appreciating as much good as you can find in the present moment. It’s more about frequent small joys than big intense joys. And there’s a cumulative effect to recognizing joy more frequently - by opening to small delights and joys more often, we train ourselves to be more receptive to the positive.
To see the good and remember that wonderful things are possible...this gives us hope. Those moments of joy resource us. They are like little emotional resilience vitamins that help us stay stronger when challenges do arise.
Joy can help us regenerate our capacity to be there for others, and to hold a vision of a more beautiful world that’s worth working for.
In this meditation, we will invoke the memory of a joyful or pleasant experience, mindfully savoring it in the present moment. Then, we will use this joyful energy to increase inner resilience, so it can become a source of deeper wellbeing.
I hope this practice will bring a little lightness or possibility into your day!
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For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast.
And, you can sign up for your "Library Card" to access this month's FREE practices in the Moved To Meditate Class Library!
Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram or Threads at @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).
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