Marcia's Musings: The Y Class
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What are the ingredients of a brave, peaceful, and meaningful life? Marcia explores a lesson from her most recent retreat to Greece, along with sharing beautiful images from the trip.
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Marcia's Musings: A Visit to the Midnight Library
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What if…? In this moving reflection, Marcia explores the powerful idea that our rejected paths hold as much weight as the ones we walk. She invites us to look at our own life stories not with longing for what might have been, but with deep gratitude for what is.
Read MoreYoga, Zen, and The Artist's Way: Finding Flow in Uncertain Times
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Feeling stuck in today’s chaos? Carrie shares how ancient Zen teachings, yoga, and creative practices can help you rediscover flow — that energizing, present state when creativity and peace take over. Join us to explore how simply showing up — on the mat, with a pen, or through the breath — can become your path forward.
Read MoreMarking the Turn: From Summer Energy to Autumn Equinox
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Summer is short in Minnesota. We honor each long, warm, slow day. But as the season begins to turn, we consider what makes autumn - especially the equinox - such an important time for ritual.
Read MoreMarcia's Musings: I'm Falling in Love
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There are so many ways to fall... This month, Marcia explores the crucial importance of falling in love with life, as the season of fall approaches…
Read MoreMarcia's Musings: Beach Reads?
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July finds beach life in full swing in Minnesota, and nothing says summer more than a book on the beach. Check out seven of Marcia’s top recommendations for your beach reading list this summer.
Read MoreMarcia's Musings: The Good Stuff
/What should we do when the bad stuff in our lives piles up? Is there are way to get out of the continuous loop of stress and rumination? One way is to recognize abundance in our lives.
Read MoreDare to Grow: How Positive Risks Shape Our Lives
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Taking risks can be intimidating; if it weren't, it wouldn't be a risk. However, staying stagnant and not challenging ourselves prevents growth. As human beings, growth is essential. We learn, adapt, make changes, and evolve. By taking risks, we can achieve small successes, feel empowered, and experience the positive effects of moving in a direction we desire in our lives.
Read MoreMarcia's Musings: Global Entry
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Travel changes you. When you travel, you grow. You learn to listen. You become a citizen of the world. Join Marcia as she recounts her travels, both personal and with Green Lotus, and extends an invitation to you to travel with us
Read MoreMarcia's Musings: The Five-Minute Fantasy
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If you’re confronting grief, here is a first-aid love offering for you. When it hits you, remember that grief is normal, fully human, and manageable. When it surprises you, even after many years, remember the Buddha’s advice about all emotions and feelings that come calling: Open your door and invite them in for tea and visit with them with kindness.
Read MoreMeditating in Loving Kindness with Anxiety and Stress
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We will never live in a stress-free world. So, how do we help our bodies and minds, when we encounter those stressful moments? Zen Buddhism teaches that as human beings, it is the nature of the human condition to suffer. However, there is a path to alleviate those conditions. Luckily for us, you don’t have to be a Buddhist nun or monk, or even commit to the religion itself, to practice helpful techniques deriving from these original teachings.
Read MoreYoga and Weights: Reclaim Your Bone Density
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What do you do if you find out that your bone mineral density is low and you may be on the path to osteopenia or osteoporosis? Weight bearing exercises can rebuild BMD and slow or reverse the process. Luckily, yoga can play a crucial role in preventing and managing BMD loss. By combining strength, flexibility, balance, and mindfulness, yoga offers a holistic approach to bone health.
Read MoreMarcia's Musings: An Explosion of Color and Knowing
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A palette of bright yellow and coral; riotous reds, oranges, and purples. Vibrant prints and tropical colors form one word in my mind: Spring! And Knowing spring stands just around the corner helps to ease some of our stress…
Read MoreTo Touch or Not to Touch – That Is the Question
/In our post-pandemic world, we have grown used to not being touched. Friends hug less, acquaintances and strangers are less likely to shake hands, and yoga teachers have significantly reduced their hands-on guidance for their students. Is it time to bring back the option of touch, with student consent, in a yoga class?
Read MoreA Racing Heart and Instant Relief
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When we are scared, stressed, or startled, our heart starts to race and pound within our chest. It is an instant feeling, unlike the increased heart rate that comes gradually as we exercise. Luckily, yoga provides us with a heart-healthy, calming pose for just those moments…
Read MoreBalancing Gratitude and Grieving: What do you need to let go of this fall?
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Gratitude and grief often seem like two separate things. They are not. Gratitude, when practiced wisely, is not about pretending everything in your life is perfect. Gratitude requires a fundamental recognition of What Is. Grieving plays an important part in that acknowledgement.
Read MoreThe Cardiovascular Benefits of Yoga: An Evidence-Based Exploration
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Cardiovascular diseases contribute to 32% of deaths globally. Did you know that yoga has proven benefits for your heart health?
Read MoreThe Importance of the Core, On and Off the Mat
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You’ve probably heard the terms core conditioning and training, but do you know which muscles make up the core? A strong core can help you move more efficiently and avoid injury. Use these yoga poses to strengthen your core in as little as 5-10 minutes a day!
Read MoreChair Yoga: Grounding Yourself in Eagle Pose (Garudasana)
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Practicing Garudasana (Eagle pose) in a chair gives your mind and body many of benefits without the intensity of the standing pose…
Read More“Wheeling” and Dealing with Our Precious Energy
/Chakras help illuminate profound truths about whether we are more than just a physical body…
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