I’ve had a hard time telling my left from right since kindergarten.

When my mom wasn’t teasing me about it, she taught me a cool trick to make an L with my left hand. I still use that tip on the daily, although nowadays I reckon we might call that a “life hack.”

I was nervous about this tick when I started teaching yoga. To help me keep my sides straight, especially while directing twists 😵‍💫, I started wearing a hair band or bracelet on my left wrist.

As a beginning teacher, I’d get flustered when I confused my right and left. Eventually I let that go as I started to notice teachers with DECADES of experience make the same mistake.

What helps me move beyond embarrassment is a mantra from one of my favorite mentors, yoga elder Judith Lasater (someone I’ve witnessed make that same error) — “How human of me!”

I encourage you to carry that mantra with you and pull it out whenever you need to give yourself a little grace. Say it with a smile and you're guaranteed to feel a little lighter.

NEW CLASS FORMAT

Tuesday Evening Flow is now a one-hour session of big stretches and flowing movement.

People seem to want a more active/less passive class on Tuesday evenings. So I'm honoring my motto — "Gentle yoga shaped for your present-moment needs" — and revamping the format.

Sore feet? Tight shoulders? Lower back pain? Kink in your neck? Whatever you'd like to address, I'll gear the class with movement and stretches to help you unwind from the day.

If you tried the Restorative class and it was too slow for you, %FIRSTNAME%, this new class might be just what you're looking for! Sign up and give it a try here.

BEYOND ASANA

Yoga is about so much more than asana (postures). The teachings also include guidelines for external and internal ethics, known as yamas and niyamas, respectively. To observe the yamas of Ahimsa (compassion) and Aparigraha (generosity) in my practice, I donate my time and 10% of the net revenue from my classes.

From the proceeds of May classes, I've donated $25 to Karuna Community MN. Karuna offers trauma-informed yoga and meditation to people who are incarcerated. To learn more and donate directly, visit

their website.

VIRTUAL SUMMER

I plan to keep the same schedule for virtual classes this summer.

Sundays at 11 am CDT

Tuesdays at 7:30 pm CDT

Fridays at 9:30 am CDT

I might consider a few outdoor pop-ups. If you're interested, shoot me an email and we'll see what we can work out.

I hope you're making time to embrace the smells, the sounds, and all the feels this new season has to offer. And don't forget to honor your human-ness!

Best,

Heidi