Moving Forward and a Change of Heart

June 3, 2013Katrina ArielLeave a comment

Hooraay!

Isn’t it wonderful that, as human beings, we are able to make mistakes, feel, learn, reconsider, and be brave enough to try again?

We’ve all made quick reactions that we wish we could re-do, or said things in ways that maybe could have been more skillful, more soft. But I don’t think we’re meant to do everything the “right” way every time.

If we didn’t make mistakes, we wouldn’t grow. Uncomfortable situations make us stronger, wiser, and more flexible.

I mean, look at yoga! Most of those poses aren’t easy, and can be awkward especially when you’re starting out. Yet when you don’t give up, keep practicing, and believe that you can learn, amazing things happen.

I’m very happy to say that Shaylen, the owner of Let’s Move Studio, contacted me this weekend and offered to come to an agreement that we both hope is in the best interest for the students who attended Let’s Move specifically for my classes.

This makes me feel good for many reasons:

1) It transfers the credits for students who wish to continue classes with me so there is no need to worry about class cards, refunds and whatnot. Just show up, roll out your mat, and take a deep breath.

2) We can move forward. There’s closure. I like that. All I wanted in the first place was a smooth transition and a space conducive to my teaching, where students can feel safe and go deep into their practice.

3) Conflict makes me feel icky. But this was a valuable opportunity for me to practice something that has long been difficult in my life: “Don’t take things personally.” I’m still working on this.

I want to take a moment here to honour every single individual teacher for sharing their passion and caring, as well as the studio owners and teams, and the spaces themselves (Let’s Move, the Yoga Loft, Kamloops Hot Yoga, Bikram Yoga, the Mind Body Connection, our new sanctuary at St. Andrews on the Square, and all the other rooms and buildings that hold space) for helping people to move, breathe, and connect with who they truly are.

We’re all in this together. We all need to let go of stress while bringing more happiness, health, play, peace and empowerment to their lives. And every person who teaches yoga, fitness, dance, movement, and any other modality that contributes more harmony to the world is needed. And to you, the students, I bow.

So. Moving forward now. From the heart!

Let’s do yoga.

All love,

Katrina

Leaving Let’s Move Studio

May 30, 2013Katrina ArielLeave a comment

The last yoga class I taught at Let’s Move Studio was all about being strong enough to flow with life, and trusting the Universe while knowing you’re supported by inner and outer strength.

I did not know that would be the last class I would teach there. Perfect theme, really.

When I told Shalen, the owner of the studio, that the noise and distractions at the studio were conflicting with my teaching, and that I am moving my classes to St. Andrews to better serve my students, I got a big surprise.

I spoke from the heart, with the intent that the transition be smooth and easy for all involved, especially my clients. I did everything with integrity, honesty and respect to the best of my ability.

And her response was to request that I leave Let’s Move. Immediately. No notice. Even though my students expected me to teach there on Monday.

I was shocked by the corporate, sterile feel of the conversation when my entire business is based around service and helping people. Especially when I have been teaching at that studio for so long.

This said, I know she is doing what she needs to do for herself, while I do what is best for myself and my classes. I also know all of it is unfolding perfectly. Shalen later came to me with a compromise in the best interests of the students, and I am sincerely grateful for this.

There are very good people at Let’s Move Studio, and I wish them all the best.

Beginnings and Endings

The first yoga class I ever taught was at Let’s Move Studio seven years ago. Many of the students who were in that very first class were also in the last classes I taught there this week. Again, perfect.

In fact, many of my clients have been with me since Let’s Move was located downtown. These clients, and so many others who have found my classes through the years, have become my friends.

I taught at that studio for 7 years, and have done much to support, grow, and help the business and community there. Though I am leaving I wish all of the teachers and the studio team the best of success. Every teacher and space is important, and Let’s Move serves many people in wonderful ways.

To you, my friends and students, I want you to know that I left Let’s Move Studio in response to your requests and my own knowing of what kind of space is best for the yoga I teach.

This wasn’t a business decision on my part. I chose to switch locations because it was the right thing to do for my students.

It is my highest priority to provide you the most authentic, full spectrum practices.

And I can’t do that when the noise from the gym downstairs is so loud that my voice is drowned out when I sing mantra in savasana, or subconsciously you’re holding tension because the room is too cold, or 6 guys come up to use the bathrooms on the other side of a thin curtain, or there’s a guy beating on a heavy bag downstairs while you’re trying to meditate.

As I say this, I have absolutely nothing against the guys downstairs. I love that they give’er! It just doesn’t quite work for me when I’m teaching on the floor above.

There is a certain challenge in finding peace and being able to focus within all of those elements, and yes, challenge is a part of life, but it is not the safe, comforting environment I want to create so that you can get the most of your practice. So I went seeking a more suitable option, especially after many people have voiced their concerns about the distractions.

St. Andrews on the Square is my favourite place to teach. It is a sanctuary at the heart of the city.

It’s peaceful, absolutely beautiful, spacious, and has the most amazing acoustics for singing to you in savasana! Plus it’s always nice to have more bathrooms so you don’t have to wait.

Let’s bring it back to what’s really important here:

This is about yoga, not business. I really just want to teach exceptional yoga classes in an ideal space.

Though the transition was not what I had envisioned, it doesn’t matter. It’s done, and our new space is perfect! So, time to move on and get back to what it’s all about.

Just yoga, you know?

st-andrews-crescent — Myself and Carrie Few both love teaching at St. Andrews!

Honesty. Integrity. Intention from the Heart.

These three virtues, “Honesty, Integrity, and Intention from the Heart,” are the guiding forces of my life.

And by following my heart I always arrive in the right place.

I am truly excited about creating a yoga sanctuary at St. Andrews on the Square!

It’s perfect, and I know without a doubt that everything is happening in the best possible way, even if it’s a bit of a shock and really fast.

When things need to happen, the Universe can make them happen NOW.

I’m okay with that.

There are beautiful new props ready to be enjoyed, including bolsters with organic covers.

I think everyone who comes to class in this new space is going to feel a tremendous difference in the energy of the room, which will translate into a more meaningful practice, whether it’s a playful Align and Flow class or peaceful Restorative Yoga.

My intention with the space and the investment I’ve made in the props is this:

Teach authentic, meaningful yoga in an ideal environment.
Balance the benefits of physical practice and asana with those of meditation, pranayama (breathing exercises), and holistic wellbeing.
Collaborate with talented independent instructors wanting to share their skills and heart in playful, peaceful, empowering service.

jen-pigeon-yoga-kamloops — Yoga classes at St. Andrews on the Square.

This will truly be a sanctuary of the heart.

And we’ll have a grand opening night on June 20th, Summer Solstice. I’ll let you know more about it soon, but expect a night of song and celebration (this will also coincide with the release of my new Yoga Music Album titled “Gratitude”).

In closing, I’d like to say this:

It’s all good. I am so completely flowing with things right now because everything up until this point has given me a foundation of both strength and the ability to surrender and trust.

And, most importantly, I feel so very supported. The genuine caring that has been shown to me from my friends and students (you know who you are!) goes right to my heart.

Thank you. I love you.

And it’s time for a fresh start!

Please click here for my updated Kamloops yoga class schedule, location details, and pricing.

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha

This little prayer to Ganesh is all about new beginnings and having the strength and wisdom to overcome any obstacles that arise on the way.

The Path of Re-Awakening . . . What Yoga is All About

March 4, 2013Katrina ArielLeave a comment

We are each on our own path.

Your path looks different than mine, yet we are wandering this Earth together, as human beings–bright sparks of spirit who have voluntarily forgotten how incredibly amazing we are so that we can go through the adventure of remembering.

This, to me, is the re-awakening.

It is the realization, that comes in moments and songs and deep breaths and tears and dances, that who you truly are is Divine.

This is what yoga is all about–union, or really, it is RE-union, since we were never truly separate in the first place.

We’re in Mercury Retrograde now, which can make technology, communications, and things like that tricky. But what it does invite willingly is re-lease, re-newal, re-connection, and yes, re-union.

This month the theme I’ll be teaching in my Kamloops yoga classes is “Re-Awakening.”

Perhaps this is always my theme, simply spoken in different ways and woven into other angles of seeing.

The point of so many incredible teachings is to really get you to not just think of yourself as a Spark of Source–which is a challenge because the ego fights it–but to feel, at the heart, from the pure being-ness of who you are, that you truly are Divine.

Tricky, eh?

Yet you aren’t expected to just pick it up in a flash, it’s actually what the entire journey is about. That and enjoying all of the experiences along the way, including nature, loved ones, dance parties, sunsets, chocolate, and numerous detours that somehow point you back to yourself.

As you live, breathe, do, and be, when you practice yoga and when you’re caught up in the whirlwind of life, see how often you get flashes of this remembrance.

The more you tune in, the more you’ll notice those moments where you feel a knowing that goes beyond the mind to your heart–that, yes, you are this beautiful physical form, but you are also so much more, and that your essence is pure, flawless, and truly Divine.

A deep bow to the journey of Re-Awakeing!

Re-Awakening Quotes

“Life gives you exactly what you need to awaken.”
― T. Scott McLeod

“Jesus Christ knew he was God. So wake up and find out eventually who you really are. In our culture, of course, they’ll say you’re crazy and you’re blasphemous, and they’ll either put you in jail or in a nut house (which is pretty much the same thing). However if you wake up in India and tell your friends and relations, ‘My goodness, I’ve just discovered that I’m God,’ they’ll laugh and say, ‘Oh, congratulations, at last you found out.”
― Alan Wilson Watts

“WE ALREADY HAVE everything we need. There is no need for self-improvement. All these trips that we lay on ourselves–the heavy-duty fearing that we’re bad and hoping that we’re good, the identities that we so dearly cling to, the rage, the jealousy and the addictions of all kinds–never touch our basic wealth. They are like clouds that temporarily block the sun. But all the time our warmth and brilliance are right here. This is who we really are. We are one blink of an eye away from being fully awake.”
― Pema Chödrön

Make Your Own 5 Minute Yoga Practice [Video]

January 22, 2013Katrina Ariel

There are ways to give yourself the very needed time to cultivate self-love and support, even when it doesn’t feel like there is space in the day. You can create windows of time for your yoga practice that revive and re-inspire you on every level.

Even one deep breath can make all the difference.

When it comes to asana, the physical postures and practice of yoga, my body craves it every single day!

Yet, because life can be busy and time becomes a premium, I’ve found myself developing a home practice that fits into 5, 10, or 15 minutes.

In this video, I show you one possible 5 minute practice. (Okay, it’s only 4:27, but I did do Savasana at the end and you don’t see that bit.)

The singing in the background is me. A bluesy Om of sorts, with occasional accompaniment by my dog Riley.

5 Minute Yoga Practice Flow

So that’s an example of what my practice might look like if I had only 5 minutes to stretch everything that needed stretching, and open to a more full and free ME.

You very likely have experienced how much more freedom and ease you feel when you’ve taken time to strengthen and stretch your body, as well as connect to a deeper sense of self.

The increased clarity, circulation, and feeling of well-being is very noticeable!

So what does your yoga practice look like if you only have 5 or 10 minutes?

Your practice might not look like mine. It might look like a chair practice, a slow gentle sequence, a rock-star arm balance play session, or just 5 minutes of Legs Up the Wall pose followed by Savasana.

It’s about finding whatever is most appropriate for you, for your body and any needs it has, and for your energy or capability at any given moment. Day to day it changes.

Part of a home yoga practice is learning to trust yourself and feel what’s right for you.

Create Your Own Custom Yoga Practice

Here are some questions you can ask yourself, and examples of poses to get your creative juices going:

Yoga and the Liberating Force of Nature

August 30, 2012Katrina Ariel

“May the force be with you.”

I always wanted to be Princess Leia when I was little.

Her character is courageous, strong, beautiful, capable, and totally dedicated to saving the universe from evil forces. I was very drawn to the idea of fearlessly living a life devoted to saving the world. I also was intrigued by the idea of a mysterious force that provided powers to those trained in its ways.

In yoga, there are stories of superpowers attained by master yogis. And yet, I don’t think you need to master yoga to benefit from its gifts.

Simply being able to create inner peace, find freedom in your body and mind, be in the moment, and remember to take a deep breath when life is challenging are superpowers as far as I’m concerned.

But there is a mysterious energy that yoga helps us discover. It has always been there, but we sometimes forget to notice it until yoga or nature or something else calls us to wake up and be present.

You can call it “The Force” or “The Universe” or “God” or “Source Energy” or whatever you like. You might feel it in meditation or in the space between your breath. It might be strong when you’re in a particularly challenging pose, or when you simply take time to pause and feel.

For me, one of the most powerful ways I tap into this energy that weaves all of life together is when I am in nature.

I love looking at the beauty of nature upside down!

I just returned from a trip to the Kootenay Mountain region of my home province, British Columbia. It was beautiful, breathtaking, inspiring, and such a welcome opportunity to simplify life by being in the moment.

When I am in nature, I come home to myself.

The trees remind me to be still and breathe.

The lakes and creeks and rivers remind me to flow and that the depth of my potential is limitless.

The sky reminds me that the truth of who I am is vast, and to simply be open to what is.

The birds and chipmunks remind me to laugh.

The earth reminds me to be.

Even in the city, nature calls to us. The sky is still there. The flowers and trees just waiting for you to notice them and listen to their wisdom.

The Force, the energy that is life, makes anything possible. Tapping into it and being with it in everyday life is what yoga is all about.

When you’re on your mat, you get to cultivate courage and strength, beauty and peace. When you find the flow of your breath, you connect with the source of superpowers.

This is so liberating! And I am so glad to share it with you.

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

~ Albert Einstein

“I thank you God for this most amazing day, for the leaping greenly spirits of trees, and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.”

~ e. e. cummings

Finding Sanctuary in Tough Times

June 29, 2012Katrina Ariel

Wow has life ever been challenging lately!

That’s not to say there hasn’t been fun and beauty and love, because there has. Lots of it. But somehow there is also so much pressure and difficulty and confusion and tragedy and injustice that it can be rather discouraging.

What I’m trying to say is that, if you’re going through tough times right now, you’re not alone.

Yoga gives you a way to create inner sanctuary–a safe haven that cradles you and gives you strength when you need it most.

When you get on your mat and move and breathe, it clears out stuck energy and offers you a different perspective. It reminds you that nothing is permanent and that “This too shall pass.”

I’ll be honest and say that sometimes I don’t know how I can show up and teach yoga when I’m dealing with my own stuff. And yet, every time I start class I am able to get out of my own way and let source flow through. It’s amazing, and I’m grateful to do this work and offer what I can to you.

The wisdom that I bring to class is what I’m working with in my own life. And it’s astounding how frequently I’m told by students that it’s exactly what they needed that day.

This is our practice: riding the waves of life with as much kindness and gentleness and skill and strength as possible; supporting each other directly and also by creating an inner sanctuary that radiates peace; connecting to our highest selves…

Because the work you do on yourself directly affects the world around you.

It’s very helpful to do this in community, so thank you for contributing by coming to class and/or showing up to be present with those around you. We really need each other right now–not to be anything dictated or expected, but just to be who we are in each moment, real and raw and with respect.

My Birthday and Thoughts about the Grand Game of Life

May 27, 2012Katrina Ariel

Katrina-Casey-Fandango-Earthdance — Me and Casey at Earthdance a while back. Remembering to just enjoy BEing in the Grand Game.

Tomorrow is my birthday, which generally makes me take a deep breath, check in, review, and ponder. Today I offer you some contemplations that have come up for me lately:

I’ve often thought of life as a grand game. It helps me keep things in perspective.

We’re here to learn, to play, to experience, to adventure, to trip up and fall down and make mistakes and try again. There’s no judgement other than that which we create ourselves. There are as many turns as we want to take, and we can play the game however we choose. For the most part, we get to make up the rules as we go along.

The big picture, to me, means remembering that I am a spiritual being having a human experience. I am more than who I often think I am.

And my sole responsibility is to be who I am. Not who anyone else thinks I should be, not who I tell myself I “should” be, but to just unfold naturally into the fullness of who I am and creatively express myself accordingly.

When I remind myself of this, I have more patience, more forgiveness, and worry less about the games within the game of life.

The grand game encompasses many smaller ones: there’s the money scheme, the social ladder, the collector’s connundrum, and the workaholic’s world. There’s nothing wrong with money, social structure, consumerism and work per-se, but we can get so caught up in them that we forget there is a bigger game being played. We lose sight of the fact that we’re here to BE who we are.

There’s a lot to be said about the importance of being able balance work and play. Too often it’s far more work than play. And there is a great need for all of us to take some time to simply relax!

Sometimes we need to place less importance on DOING, and just practice BEING.

In the last little while I’ve basically ignored my to-do list and let myself simply be. It’s been amazing, though sometimes I still feel overwhelmed with pressure to be productive because there is so much to do! I’m really working on allowing myself to BE more and DO less.

Tonight I’m leaving for a short journey for my birthday. I’ll be out in nature with a dear friend, doing the presonal work that helps me reveal to myself more of who I truly am. Connecting with my pure being.

No matter where you are in the cycle of your own life, it is always a worthwhile consideration to check in, breathe, feel, and connect with the part of yourself who knows that life is a grand game. May your path be blessed!

Change the World, Change Yourself… And Be Generous While You’re at it…

April 10, 2012Katrina Ariel

This video, and the following quote which is now legendary, have so much to teach us.

Please watch, read, ponder. And then see what it makes you consider changing about yourself and the way you look and act in the world around you.

Video from KarmaTube

Amazing isn’t it?

And, one of my all-time favourite quotes:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

—Marianne Williamson

You don’t have to be Gandhi or Mother Theresa to change the world. All you need to be is YOU. Fully, completely, from the heart.

If each of us choose, sincerely and wholly, to shift the paradigm of “what’s in it for me?” to “what can I contribute, what can I give?” everything will change. And it will be beautiful!

The amazing thing? It’s already happening. 🙂

How to Get Focus and STAY Focused

April 2, 2012Katrina Ariel

Being focused is the number one way to get where you want to go, but sometimes this can be a real challenge to maintain. Distraction, discouragement, and delays (along with other obstacles) tend to get in the way and before you know it the focus you had dissolves into nothing.

So this article is all about getting focused and STAYING focused, even when life does its best to throw you off track.

First of all, what is your focus?

What is your number one priority right now?

You’ve probably heard this everywhere, but one of the essential keys of being focused is knowing what your focus is. That means writing down your goals, intentions, or dreams, and having a specific plan to make them happen.

Do you have an overarching theme such as a one year goal, or even a five year goal?

This is a great thing to have as it helps you remember the bigger picture of how you are choosing to direct your life. This is especially important to remember when you’re caught up in smaller goals that get you there, but perhaps aren’t as attractive or glorious.