Revitalize Your Relationship Coaching

Happy Spring Equinox! The first day of Spring is a huge relief from winter's chill. Today we can start to look forward to new growth and possibility for the season ahead. As an Elemental Yin Yang yogi this is also the time to welcome Wood energy into your life for the next few months. (If you aren't familiar with Wood energy you can learn about the basics here.) In preparation for all the creative output and work we are planning for here at Aquin Yoga HQ, I spent some time this weekend decluttering my office. (That's a picture of my badass library in fact.) But decluttering physical space is just a part of my Spring cleaning routine. The most important way I prepare to get productive for these next few months is by cleaning up my thinking and getting clear on my goals. To do that I use an array of tools and techniques and my hope is that by sharing them with you, you will find a few more ways to make your Spring amazingly productive.

I don't mean to be a #weathertroll to my friends on the East Coast and back in Canada, but the other night I sat on the beach with my friend Holly and Baby Ray watching whales breech off the North Shore of Oahu. After that we went back to Holly's amazing house and hung out with the dogs while we waited for the guys to finish a round of golf. Holly and her husband Ashley made us a serious feast and we all chatted and chowed down under the stars. We had such a good time. AND we started talking about inviting more people to enjoy the vibe here so... I am officially planning a retreat here in Hawaii next year (I will post details as I have them but if you are interested just email me directly and you will be the first to know: erin{at}aquinyoga.com) In the mean time, I wanted to send back some aloha to you in the form of my current yoga playlist.

I am not a Valentines Day kind of gal.

  After the launch of my new book, I began The Elemental Yin Yang Podcast: A Fresh Perspective on Yoga and Life and if you have been listening you know that this project, like my book, has little to do with yoga asana, and everything to do with yoga as a life path.   Physical yoga is a tool. If you use it consciously it will help do more than change your body and help you relax. As a method, yoga offers a chance to see how you deal with your own emotions and expectations.   The way you show up and work through a challenging posture or sequence is likely the way you deal with challenges in your life.    The way you allow yourself the freedom to let go into savasana is reflective of how well you are able to find ease in the pockets of time when you need not act or react.   Something that has been unfolding more and more as I record these episodes for you is that as powerful a tool as yoga asana may be, most people aren't using it to its full capacity because no one is teaching you how.    Yoga classes give you a glimpse of the freedom and perspective available if you choose to redirect your attention elsewhere for a time.    But most teachers and students stop there. They get a pleasant experience on the mat and try desperately to cling to that space while cramming themselves back into a mundane life.    Sadly, most people can only handle these two extremes for so long before they decide that "Yoga doesn't work for me."   Yoga is not a magic bullet that will change your life.   Yoga doesn't work...

If you are anything like me, right about now you are starting to enter holiday hyperdrive, especially what to get for the trickier people on your list. In years past I have been on my game and shopped well ahead of time but a few days ago I realized that I have next to nothing done and very little time left. Since you are reading this blog, I will assume you probably also have a few people in your life who are more difficult to find gifts for. The hardest people are my list are actually the yogis.  Don't get me wrong, I adore my yoga family, but what do you give the spiritual seeker who might not be as interested in the world of material trinkets that thrill others?

On Sunday December 11 I am teaching an afternoon workshop at De La Sol Yoga in Hamilton, ON  In order to get ready I have been working with the themes of the Water element, that which rules the coming winter season. If you missed it, I have been sharing some of the Water themes over on my podcast and on Sunday we are going to look at ways to not only practice yoga in a way that is nourishing over the coming cold months, but how to work with the natural energy of season instead of getting overwhelmed and burned out. If you are in the area you can join me by registering here. If not, you can still enjoy some of the tunes from my winter playlist.

I just got back from the library near where I live after another fun day of volunteering. 

I love teaching yoga and I love the Hamilton yoga community so much that I drive an hour each way a few times per week to get to my classes. While in the past I listen to loud tunes in the car while driving to classes, now my solo time in the car is often the only "alone time" I get in the week. While I am very late to the party on this one...my new favourite thing to listen to in the car is podcasts. I love hearing new ideas and perspectives from different people and it sounds like so much fun I started my own. It will be out on iTunes in a few days, but I couldn't wait to share it with you.

We are now just two weeks away from the launch of my brand new book Elemental Yin Yang Yoga. This book is for yoga students and teachers who want to take the themes we dive into on the mat and apply them in daily life.  But you might be wondering... What the heck IS Elemental Yin Yang Yoga? The short answer is, it is a style of practice that blends the richness of Chinese Philosophy with yoga poses. Yang yoga is more flowing and vigorous while yin includes more long-held static postures. However, the power and uniqueness of this form of yoga involves exploring the wisdom offered by the Five Elements: Water, Fire, Wood, Metal and Earth on and off the mat. Check out this short trailer we made about the book and a free chapter for you to read. 

I came across this article last night and I will admit, it hit me like a ton of bricks. You see, even though I wrote this two years ago (Nov 5, 2014) when my life was completely different, this article was exactly and eerily what I needed to hear at this moment in time. With my second book Elemental Yin Yang Yoga less than a month from its release and so many big shifts on the verge of taking place, reading this article soothed my inner tension immediately. I hope that sharing it with you makes an impact in your day the same way. Last night I had a dream. I was preparing to go on a solo trip to Hawaii, where a powerful spiritual transformation was waiting for me. In the dream, I was trying to pack a small suitcase with only an hour to get to the airport and check in. I began running around my house trying to find the right clothes. As I chose each item, something else would come to mind and off I went in search of it. Although I was aware that the window of time until my flight departed was getting smaller, I continued to hunt down very specific items so that my trip could be that much more perfect. Time ticked on and yet I was only concerned with silly little details like whether I would be content with one book for the flight or two. Being lost in having all the "right" things in my suitcase, at one point, I realized I had missed my flight and my beautiful adventure was not going to happen after all.