A 10-minute, seated practice that combines MFR with gentle stretches and breath work to help you wake up and expand your lung capacity before paddling out for a surf.
Another September has come and gone, and for the 2nd year, I participated in the SurfAid September #MakeAWave Challenge of surfing 30 days to raise funding and awareness for the SurfAid Programs.
My current, go-to, Pre-Surf Stretch for when my body is feeling stiff and a bit surfed-out. This sequence could also be nice for a brief Active Recovery practice post-training or post-surf/sport
It was an honor to have the opportunity to write a piece for the Manduka Blog as a part of the Manduka x Gerry Lopez collection launch. In this article, I share my personal experiences with surfing and yoga and how I view the two as similar spiritual paths that reconnect us to life.
Now don't get me wrong, sometimes simple can be easy. And that's great. And sometimes there is a place for complexity as well. But the simple, the simple is available. Accessible. And when noticed and practiced regularly, the simple can support us in coming back to center. Back to what's true.
“In every outthrust headland, in every curving beach, in every grain of sand there is a story of the Earth.” - Rachel Carson. How amazing is it that we get to be a part of this story?? And while our time on this planet is relatively short-lived — the Earth was spinning long before us and will likely continue to spin long after us — I can’t help but think about the small-but-mighty impact our own existence holds.
I was flipping through my old notebooks and journals and came across this poem by Pixie Lighthorse which I just love so much. Her words resonate deeply, especially during these times, so I thought I’d share them with you. Despite this awful and devastating virus, one positive take-away is that Mother Nature is most definitely healing.
Any new self-care routine, practice, or form of cross-training is always super exciting, at first. But, once the newness wears off and repetition sets in, finding that motivation to keep showing up can be challenging. So how do we continue to stay motivated?? Here are 6 tips that have been helpful for me.
In today's world, comparison and jealousy can show up often and in many different ways. How do we gracefully acknowledge these sparks of jealousy without them igniting a wildfire of self doubt? And how can we use this fire to motivate us and inspire us instead of burning us down? Here are a few simple practices to transform jealousy into unstoppable motivation.
The beginning of summer is a notable halfway point through the year and has an oddly similar feeling to the beginning of a new year. And like a new year, summer always feels like a good time for a checking in and for a fresh start. Here are a few quick prompts to help you get clear on what you want to create this last half of the year.
For many surfers, surfing is a lifelong sport. One in which there is no final destination, no finish line to cross. Even as average, working class surfers (as I like to refer to myself) we get locked into this obsession of always wanting to take our surfing one step further. So, if you’re a bit like me, and looking for a few ways to help improve your surfing and up your fun factor out in the water, I’ve put together an easy-to-follow list here!
Like everywhere in the world, Bali has its fair share of issues, downfalls, and straight up ugly sides. But, for me at least, the positives greatly outweigh the negatives, and I credit this little slice of paradise to teaching me some extremely valuable life lessons, lessons that seem to be deeply rooted in the people, the culture, and the sacred lands and waters found on, in, and around the Island of the Gods…
Shortly after my meditation this morning, as I was sipping my coffee and writing in my journal, this affirmation drifted into my mind: I am constantly and consciously creating my best life. I reflected on this, and I thought I’d share what I took from it, what it means to me, and maybe my words will also land with you.
From the moment my obsession with surfing began, maybe around 8 or 9 years old, I always day-dreamed about becoming a professional surfer. Throughout my early teenage years I surfed in competitions and I even managed to receive support from a few amazing sponsors. And as a kid that grew up in a wave-starved stretch of coast in South Carolina, I felt like I was doing a damn good job. Like I was well on my way.
I first connected with Ariana through Instagram. I came across her jewelry line, Summer Love Jewelry, and was instantly obsessed with her simple-yet-elegant, beach-inspired creations.
The conditions are always changing... Out in the waves. Here on dry land. While we breathe and sweat on the yoga mat. The world around us is constantly moving through seasons and cycles and transformation. And we are much the same. So while we can't always control the conditions, the question becomes, "How can we respond?"
Bali is a place that had always been on my list of places to visit before I die, but it’s a place that also seemed so far away, so foreign, and somewhere that I didn’t think I was quite ready for… Not just yet. That is until, about a year ago now, I received an email from Go Light Our World Founder, Kayla Nielsen, that would change everything.
