Hey friends! It’s been a while. I figured it’s a good time to fill you in on what I’ve been up to… I’ve had to take a step back from it all in order to reconnect to my practice and to get clear around what’s really important for me, what I want to focus my energy and attention on, and what it is I want to share.
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.
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
We all come to yoga for many different reasons, yet there is also no denying that our yoga practice has a way of influencing and enhancing every aspect of our lives. Here are a few ways that my yoga practice supports my cross-training, beyond flexibility & range of motion.
Space for you to check in & recalibrate along with a practice of loving-kindness to carry with you into your day. This is a 10-minute, guided, and seated practice that includes some really gentle movement, a few rounds of breath work, and closes with a metta meditation.
While the “Make a Wave” challenge was more about raising awareness and donations for the SurfAid Programs, I also ended up learning a few things about myself, and life, from attempting to surf for 30 days straight.
This is a quick and effective full-body workout using a long-loop resistance band – a great one if you're short on time (you could also repeat the sequence for a longer workout) or if you're traveling and have minimal equipment or space.
Get grounded, clear out the clutter, and cultivate a sense of connection, balance, and harmony through this month's featured breathing technique: Nadi shodhana pranayama, also known as alternate nostril breathing.
I spend a lot of time in my head. Like, a lot of time. But thank goodness for this practice of yoga that has given me so many tools that help pull me out of the whirlpool of overthinking and anchor me into the magic of the now. Here are 3 practices that I use regularly!
To be honest, I'm kind of over hearing about how “time is just flying by,” I'm sick of saying it, too. Because really, all that means is that life is flying by, and I don't know about you, but I don't want to rush that sh*t. I mean, don’t we all know what's waiting for us at the finish line?
A 15-minute, mindful movement break that incorporates myofascial release (MFR) with an accessible, standing ‘Sun Salutation’ flow using the support of a wall. This practice is great to use anytime, especially to help break up your work day. Enjoy!
In positive psychology, “flow state,” sometimes referred to as “being in the zone,” is defined as “the mental state in which a person performing some activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity.”
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” The showing up is the pathway, and just like in yoga, it doesn't really matter how we show up, it just matters that we do. Because each & every time we show up we learn something new.
Turn down the noise between your ears and turn up your capacity to self-regulate, re-align, and speak your truth through Bhramari pranayama, also known as humming bee breathing. This is one of my favorites because it’s simple, accessible, and very effective.
Long day? Say no more. Check out this Restorative Yoga sequence that uses just a blanket or towel, along with the support of your breath and the floor, to help unravel tension around the spine and reset your posture. Repeat this one regularly!
Too much working, surfing, sitting, training, running, or anything & everything in between?? Well here’s one of my FAVORITE “recovery yoga” sequences — using a wall — to give the legs, hips, and low back some tender, loving care.
The practice of yoga not only holds this capacity to reconnect us with our selves, but it also carries this potential to reconnect us with our humanity — the common thread that binds us all. Relearning, over and over again, what it means to be human...
A quick (5 min.) MFR sequence using a foam roller to keep your shoulders, chest, and upper back feeling good. This one is so versatile and nice to use as pre-surf prep, for post-surf recovery, or just as a movement break during your work day.
As humans, we are not just one way or another. In fact, we can be and it’s OK to be a living contradiction. Why?! Because we change. We adapt. We learn and we unlearn and we shed many skins over the course of a lifetime. And these layers of feelings and emotions just give life that much more depth.
Let’s talk story: You may have heard this one before, but if you didn’t know, I was a surfer long before I was a yogi. Yoga didn’t come into my life until I was 21. The night of my 21st birthday I was out celebrating with friends…
Mainland Mex has been on my list for a while now, so I was super excited when this trip came together. I went into it with few expectations, and after planning this trip months in advance, we just so happened to luck into one of the better swells of the season…
This hour-long playlist was curated for a Restorative Yoga practice with the intention to support you in slowing down and doing less (without feeling guilty) as a way to recalibrate, reconnect, and refill your cup. Enjoy!