Tis the beginning of March, which will lead us into the beginning of Spring!
Can you honestly believe how quickly time is flying by right now? I can't. I'm flabbergasted with me mouth wide open. My birthday is this month and I very vividly remember last year's birthday like it could not possibly have been a whole year... But with Spring comes a time of transitions. The changing of stagnation into rebirth. The days are growing longer, the sun is beginning to come back with more strength, little by little. And with this rebirth, we ask ourselves...or rather, I ask you. What do you want to embody this month, or this year? We have hibernated this winter, maybe moreso than years past. And as we bloom, we have the choice of who we want to bloom into. What kind of person we wish to be. What desires we wish to manifest. How we move and groove in this lifetime. So, I encourage you to consider this question as you practice along with our calendar, in particular this week's free class. Why? Because this class is all about creating new, strong blood. As you practice with intention, new blood is being formed throughout your body, but the majority of that blood is being formed in your thighs, or in your femur to be precise. Creating new blood when your body and energy are aligned and in a good place, will encourage that blood to flow from that place of alignment. Our body is energy, remember. Our body holds memories. The more time we move in alignment, with intention, with connection, the more memories our bodies make in that space, and those memories it holds on to as we move forward in time. So are you ready to flow? See you on the mat! xoxo, Dylan
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"What is the purpose of life? To elevate all, big or small."
-Yogi Bhajan Sat Nam! Today is an eventful day!! So eventful for a Tuesday! Who knew? Here, let me give you the rundown on everything that's going on!
And as we close out this month, and leave the Aquarius season behind us, I want to share one final class from the Yoga Infusion Studio. This is a Kundalini inspired class that seamlessly blends Kundalini asana with a more classic interval flow so we end up moving both the physical and subtle energy bodies in a way that might be new to you! Whether you're looking for a sweat, or you're looking for breathwork, this class has got you covered! Do you like this style of Kundalini blend? Make sure to comment and let me know! xoxo, Dylan 2/7/2021 0 Comments Yoga for a Powerful Posterior
“Beautify your inner dialogue. Beautify your inner world with love light and compassion. Life will be beautiful.” ― Amit Ray
Sat Nam I write this as I'm beginning to settle into my new place, beginning to settle into something like routine, and beginning to catch up on all that I missed while having Covid, preparing to move, moving, unpacking, figuring out this new situation, etc. This last month and a half have been hard. But they have also included moments of pure joy. Moments of love. Moments of peace. There is never all bad, or all good. Life is not so linear as that. Life comprises of waves, of gradients. And when you take the time to stop moving, sometimes you get to see things clearly. So that's what I've been working on. Finding balance. Finding stillness. And finding some peace, while creating and building and growing and learning all at the same time. So, though I'm not yet filming for YouTube, I hope to have fresh classes back up and to start a new routine for us there next month. But, in the meantime, I am still filming for the Yoga Infusion Studio. If you haven't heard of our studio yet, it's Yoga Infusion's little corner of the yoga world, and it's growing monthly! Inside we already have 6 full length month-long training plans, with 4-5 new classes coming out each new month! If you'd like to build your practice with a likeminded community, follow structured yoga training plans, and get access to a whole host of exclusive content, I'd definitely hop on over and get on the free trial! Included in the membership is a monthly New Moon Circle, which is coming up this weekend! 12:30 PST Saturday Feb 13, 2021. If you're not part of the studio, you can purchase your spot HERE! I hope to see you inside! Today's new class is a little sneak peak and comes from our Yoga as Fitness Kickstarter program inside the studio. And I sure hope you like it! It'll get you warmed up and feeling strong from all angles! 12/27/2020 0 Comments Meditation to Move Energy
“Undisturbed calmness of mind is attained by cultivating friendliness toward the happy, compassion for the unhappy, delight in the virtuous, and indifference toward the wicked.”
– Patanjali, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali I write to you once again from the isolation zone that is my bedroom, because my stepdad has tested positive and I was in his vicinity on Christmas. Happy days happy days! But it's ok. It truly is. Why? Because it's testing me. It's testing me to change the way I see things, to self-motivate, to tuck and roll with the punches that life is giving me. One of the most profound things I've learned from yoga is that everything is a teacher. Every obstacle a lesson. Every situation an opportunity for growth. I'm leaning into that in a big way right now. That and my yoga practice. This weeks free class is a meditation that is available inside the Yoga Infusion Studio (if you haven't checked it out yet, I HIGHLY recommend doing so! From one of our members: "I've been meaning to say thank you to you for the community you have created. I have missed the community you find in a traditional yoga studio, and really crave that interaction. Your community is giving me what I need. It feels so good to be able to interact with like minded people." K.K.) Anyway...this meditation is from DeZenBer, where we focused on slowing down and moving the energy through breathwork and posture, rather than intensity. I know it's a bit different from what we normally do here on Yoga Infusion, but I figure, as we move into 2021, there's no better time than to make a few changes. Speaking of changes, I have a big one that I've been nervous about committing to for a while now... I'm taking a hiatus from YouTube. Not forever! But for at least the month of January. This is because I'm busy creating for the Yoga Infusion Studio, giving my Yoga Infusion Academy clients 110% of my love and attention, and learning how to be the most well-rounded yogi coach I can be. I'm also changing filming locations, have the Yoga Expo to prepare for in Pasadena January 16 (if it's still going on), and am halfway through my 200 hour Kundalini Teacher Training. So, needless to say, there's a lot going on, all of which I'm super excited about. However, that means that I need to take a break from filming for YouTube. But don't you worry! I will still be dropping into your inbox weekly with our January calendar, sharing old archives of the over 200 classes that already live on YouTube, and polling the community so that we can step into 2021 with content that is directly tailored to your needs and desires. How does that sound? So are you ready to try this meditation? Great! See you on the mat!
“She writes things with her movements that I for the life of me could never write with a pen.”
― Christopher Poindexter It's not yet Tuesday, but I thought that with this week being as busy as it is bound to be, that you might like to have an extra day to enjoy your "me-time." The holiday season is an overwhelming one. Possibly more so this year, with not being able to see loved ones, or seeing them but being maybe a little uncomfortable about it, to perhaps not having the ability to provide the kinds of gifts you'd like. There are a whole host of reasons why this holiday season will be trying. But I encourage you to flow through those emotions, whatever they may be. This year has looked a whole hell of a lot different than what we expected. There is good and bad in that. But there is not wholly good, or wholly bad. So even if this week holds some difficulties for you, remember to take a step back, sink into the body, sink into the present moment, and let your eyes and your mind seek for the good and the joyous. When we focus on gratitude and joy, we rewire our brains to continue to seek them out. And when we continue to see and feel joy and gratitude, we can't help but experience a more positive perspective on life. Yoga hacks, yo. So, let me know, WHEN this week you will practice presence in today's new class, by commenting below, or tagging me on social media. In a time of giving giving giving, don't forget to give love and attention to yourself. This 25 minute intuitive movement flow was shot inside of a meditation pyramid surrounded by mountain desert on the Californian Mexican border. The types of spiralling, undulating movements we flow through encourage rehydration of the fascia, loosening of the joints, and aid in circulation to those hard to reach places. Let your body lead here. You wont regret it! xoxo, Dylan
We're keeping it short, this month.
The classes, that is. There is always space in the world of fitness for 15 minute classes. Where could you squeeze them in? Lunch break? While the casserole is in the oven? While your kids are showering? While your partner is pooping? I'm just saying. The options are limitless! And that's just it, isn't it. The option ARE limitless. The options for which class to choose. How to go about your fitness routine. How to schedule your day? What to cook for dinner? What jeans to buy? What path to pursue in life. I LOVE knowing that there is more to this than the same old same old every day. There is more reason to be alive than to follow the paths and patterns set up for us by someone else. There's space to be creative. There's space to be unique. There's space to make mistakes and KNOW that the world will not end. We have this luxury don't we? Not everyone does. And not every generation did. So I offer a moment of gratitude for the fact that we live in a time and in a place and in a society and in a community that allows us the room and the opportunity to break out of the shell. And I offer this class which creates upper body strength in the flow of vinyasa. Strength and flow. Strength and Ease. Enjoy dear friend. It's short and sweet and I know you're gonna love it! 11/11/2020 0 Comments Go with the Flow Fluid Vinyasa
“Go with the flow. Force nothing. Let it happen – trusting that whichever way it goes. It’s for the best.”
- Mandy Hale Have you lately felt a bit stiff, a bit stagnant, a bit stifled? (yes alliteration!) If this season, year, election, virus, quarantine hasn't got your shoulders up by your ears and your body in a protective posture, I would be shocked. Fear and Anxiety are top of the mind right now, it's true. There's a lot of new and a lot of uncertainty happening; a lot of restrictions, too, that we're not used to. Our first instincts are to rail against the injustice of it all. To try to create some semblance of normalcy, and blame those that are trying to make things change. Have you done this? Where has it got you? But, sometimes, doing this is what's got your shoulders up round your ears. (Imagine banging your fists against a brick wall will you? Bloody inutile I'd say)(Is inutile a word in English?) It's so much harder to change, than it is to stay the same. Sometimes, yes, change happens in a direction or in a time or a place that you weren't anticipating, or didn't want. That's fair, the resistance to it. It can be right shocking sometimes! We're not prepared! I get it. What makes it harder, though, is fighting that change. Change is the only constant, they say. And it's true. Things happen when and as they were meant to happen. They are all lessons, sometimes hard ones, and sometimes obvious ones. But every obstacle, struggle, or bump in the road is a lesson. What have you learned from this one? So here, I invite you to go with the flow of these changes. Allow yourself to move with them, to flow, to become fluid, and see where that takes you. Energy goes where attention flows, so get that energy flowing, see what happens. And you know what, like my grandpa always said, if you don't like it you can spit it out. I got your napkin :) I'll see you flowin' on the mat. xoxo, Dylan 11/8/2020 0 Comments Floor Yoga for Energy and Strength
“If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” ― Nikola Tesla
It is a time to celebrate, Time to celebrate the end of an era and the beginning of healing. Collectively, for the world, for the USA. Whether or not Trump succeeded in some ways as the president of the USA, he is a terrible human being, and that means more to me than policy or money or our standing in the world. So I am happy that I no longer have to worry about another 4 years looking at his face and knowing he represents this country. I'm a humanist you see. There are a lot of different kinds of Humanists, but I consider myself someone who simply believes that our collective humanity comes first, before profit or laws or country, and that we all have rights that should never be stepped on, regardless of your home country, the language you speak, the color of your skin, your religion, or any other myriad of things that make you the beautiful being that you are. So that's my tangent for the day. I'm grateful that we will have a new president, who will not be perfect, but who, I hope, will be a more compassionate and thoughtful human than the last one. Speaking of compassion, this class is born from self-compassion. Do you remember when I hurt my knee? No? That's cool. I get it. No one pays attention to me anyway... *slouches off* KIDDING! Anyway, I couldn't put weight on my flexed leg, so there are a few classes filmed with no standing sequence. This is one of them. Rather than building heat through jumping or more intense postures, we build heat with the breath. In this class we focus on a pranayama technique called Breath of Fire. Breath of Fire is an AMAZING technique that releases toxins from the lungs, strengthens the nervous system against stress, expands lung capacity, increases oxygen delivery to the brain, boosts the immune system and, my personal favorite, warms you up! Though we don't move far from the mat, this class is sure to get you sweating, get the body heated, and is an excellent class to come back to in the winter months. Or anytime it's a tid bit nipply. Hope you enjoy! Leave me a "BoF YES!" below the class so I know you're doing that Breath of Fire! xoxo, Dylan
“I can’t stop drinking the coffee. I stop drinking the coffee, I stop doing the standing, and the walking, and the words-putting-into-sentences doing.” -Lorelai Gilmore
Good morning! Short version: I am three weeks without coffee and I am beginning to dream about coffee and I just want a coffee so bad! And, if you're like me and are (stupidly) refraining from drinking coffee, I have a coffee cup style class that will get you energized just the same, but without the delicious flavor (and aroma). Long version: Is there one? I remember when I didn't like coffee. I tried a sip of my nana's once when I was younger and was not about it. But then I got into High School, took all the IB and AP classes (not all. Some) and couldn't get through a day without my cuppa in the morning. -It's funny, if you look at any book I owned in high school, you will see a coffee stain on it, without fail. So now, here I am, 30 years old, and doing a 30 day program designed to get rid of inflammatory foods, AND THEY MADE ME GET RID OF COFFEE! Ok, it was my choice. I decided to go all in. For the first couple of days, it was mentally tough. Then it was easy peasy. I don't like coffee when it's hot. I prefer tea lattes. It was hot. I drank a lot of tea. Noooo problemo. Now it's grey and cold. AND THE THINGS I WOULD DO FOR A CUP OF COFFEE RIGHT NOW!!! But, alas, one more week. And what's the first thing I'm going to consume that I haven't consumed during this program? You better believe it. Coffee. Gluten and soy can wait. Dairy was meh anyway. I can live without american cheese. I don't want to live without coffee. So there you have it, my friend. No coffee for me, so instead we get a coffee cup style class. A class designed to energize, to help you focus, to boost your energy so you can take on the day, guns a'blazin. Or, like, not guns. Water guns. Coffee guns. Guns that shoot coffee straight into my mouth. I digress. This class is also one of the new classes from the Yoga Infusion Studio, and focuses strongly on core and cardio. I suspect it will be included in our next program, Core-Vember. So if you like this class, and you're looking to build your core strength, I got you babe! Check out the Yoga Infusion Studio by clicking HERE! And carve out 43 minutes of your day for some fabulous Yoga Infusion style Coffee! xoxo Dylan 10/18/2020 0 Comments HIIT Yoga to Boost the Metabolism
“Yoga means addition - addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul.” ― Amit Ray
What do you think of when you think of energy? Is it how you feel when you wake up in the morning? Is it the amount of spunk you've got as you go about your day? Maybe it's the way you feel around certain people. Maybe you only think of it when it's gotten away from you and you can barely keep your eyes open or think straight. Energy is, yes, the amount of vibrancy we feel throughout our day. It is what flags as we get overworked or overwhelmed, or when bedtime is nearing. But it is also the food we put in our bodies. That, too, is energy. Because our body uses that food as fuel to support all of the necessary functions of living. Energy is also the exchange made between people. The words, the intentions, the love, or the aggression. You can project your energy onto others, and you can have your energy stolen by others. You can have other's energy projected on you and invade your peace. But you can also project love, which is energy, onto others, and give them peace. Holding space is an energy exchange. Laughter. Embraces. Arguments. Words not said. Energy is everywhere and it is everything. I bring this up for two reasons.
So now I ask you to observe. In what ways do you use your energy? Are you efficient, kind, pushy, overbearing. Do you give more than you receive, or do you take more than you give? Do you hold space? Or do you feel more often that you've got your hackles raised? What about the energy you take in from those around you? Does it feel good? Supportive? Or invasive? Tense? Simply observe where you are these days. Without judgement. Without expectation. Leave those words at the door. Because we all have work to do. The power is in knowing that, and taking the steps, no matter how small, to do that work. And then when you're done observing and working you need to shake it off, this class has got your back. It's a full body burner, focusing on twists and detoxifying poses to support digestion and assimilation of energy. It's also a high energy class, so any stagnation in the body will be on its way out the door. Hope you enjoy! Side note, this class is one of the classes from our Yoga AS Fitness Kickstarter plan inside the Yoga Infusion Studio. This plan includes four weeks (5 classes/week) designed to kickstart your fitness journey and create that structure around hitting the mat daily. So if you love it, there's more where that came from! Check out the Yoga Infusion Studio by clicking HERE! xoxo Dylan |
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