All Categories - Mandala Moon Yoga, LLC

You probably have enough

5/18/2026

Lakshmi is a goddess of abundance, beauty, fertility, and prosperity. She is often depicted seated or standing on a lotus flower, symbolizing purity and spiritual awakening, even amidst the murkiness of life. Gold coins flow from her hands, representing generosity and the continuous exchange of giving and receiving.

Lakshmi’s gifts aren’t only material. She reminds us that true abundance includes love, presence, connection, and gratitude.

So what does it mean to practice yoga through the lens of Lakshmi? It might look like:

Moving with appreciation for what your body can do
Softening the constant striving for more
Letting your breath feel like a source of richness rather than something to control
Pausing to notice small moments of beauty—sunlight, stillness, sensation

Many of us are comfortable giving—but receiving can feel more vulnerable. Lakshmi invites us to receive the breath fully, to receive support from the ground beneath us, and to receive rest without guilt. Even in a strong standing pose, there is a subtle undercurrent of receptivity—your muscles engage, of course, but they also respond and allow.

As you move through your practice this week, consider:

Where am I already abundant?
What am I overlooking that is already enough?
Can I soften into appreciation, even for a moment?

Abundance isn’t something we chase; it’s something we notice. Sometimes, all it takes is a single breath, fully received, to remember that nothing is missing. We are enough, and we have enough.

Mother's Day

5/3/2026

For some people, Mother’s Day is a celebration. For others, it may feel complicated, tender, or reflective. In our yoga practice, we have the opportunity to approach this day in a way that is expansive enough to hold all of those experiences—by looking at the deeper qualities that the idea of “mothering” represents.

At its core, mothering is about creation, care, and protection, and these qualities are not limited to one role or one relationship. They are energies that exist within all of us.

In yogic philosophy, Shakti is the creative force of the universe—the energy that gives rise to life itself. It is movement, expression, and the spark behind all growth and change.

Shakti is present in the breath as it moves through the body, the thoughts and ideas that take shape, and the cycles and seasons of rest and renewal. When we step onto the mat, we are engaging with Shakti in a very real way. Each movement, each breath, each moment of awareness is an act of participation in that creative energy.

Alongside creation, there is also the need for protection and boundaries. This is where the energy of Durga comes in. The Goddess Durga, pictured above, is often depicted as strong and steady—a guardian figure who protects what is sacred. Her strength is not aggressive, but purposeful. It arises from clarity, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility. In our lives, this energy might show up as setting boundaries, and standing up for ourselves or others.

In our yoga practice, we may notice that we have the ability to hold the energies of softness and strength at the same time. In a single practice, we might move fluidly (Shakti), hold steady in a pose (Durga), build strength (protection), and soften into rest (care). This balance reflects the reality of life. We are not only one thing. We are capable of nurturing and protecting, creating and sustaining.

When we widen the lens, “mothering” becomes less about a specific identity and more about a way of relating to the world.
It can look like:

offering patience to yourself on a difficult day
supporting someone else through a challenge
tending to something you’re growing—an idea, a relationship, a practice
Knowing when to rest. When to say no. When to create space.

In practice this week, you might notice moments where these energies naturally arise. When you move with breath and flow, you’re tapping into creation. When you hold a pose with steadiness, you’re practicing strength and protection. When you choose rest, you’re honoring care and sustainability. None of these is more important than the others. Together, they create balance.

As you move through your practice this week, you might ponder:

Where am I creating?
Where am I being asked to protect?
How can I offer care—to others, and to myself?

Mother’s Day, from a yoga perspective, becomes less about a single role and more about recognizing the many ways we participate in the cycle of creation, support, and renewal. Perhaps most importantly, it’s also about remembering that we are allowed to be included in that care, too.

Earth Day

4/20/2026

Earth Day is, of course, a day to honor the Earth from a nature conservation perspective. Check out EarthDay.org or google “Earth Day events near me” for a list of local endeavors and ideas about how you could participate and be a better Earthling. You can go big or you can just make small, consistent changes that make a difference every day.

For our Earth Day theme here at the studio, let’s take this as a reminder to notice and remember our place within something much larger. The word yoga literally means “yoke” and refers to several levels of connection. Breath connects movement. Awareness connects body and mind. And through it all, we might be reminded that we are not separate from the world around us.

One of the simplest ways to experience this connection is through the body. Every time you step onto your mat, there is something beneath you offering support. Whether you’re sitting, standing, kneeling, or lying down, the earth is always there—steady, stable, and supportive.

In practice, we often hear the cue to “ground down” through the feet or hands. But what does that really mean? It can be as simple as noticing the weight of your body, feeling the contact points between you and the floor, and/or tuning in to the subtle sense of being held. This awareness transforms something ordinary into something meaningful. The ground is no longer just a surface; it becomes a source of support. When we’re feeling overwhelmed or out of sorts, grounding can bring us back into balance.

Earth Day also invites a shift in perspective—from doing to listening. In daily life, it’s easy to move quickly, to act, to consume, to push forward. But nature doesn’t operate that way. It moves in cycles. It rests. It adapts. It responds.Yoga offers us a way to return to that rhythm. When we slow the breath, pause between movements, or soften into a pose, we begin to listen—not just to the body, but to the subtle cues that often get overlooked. Listening creates connection, and connection naturally leads to care.

One of the deeper teachings of yoga is the idea that everything is interconnected. This isn’t just philosophical—it’s something we can feel directly. The breath you take in has been part of countless other lives. The ground beneath you supports not just you, but everything around you. The energy you cultivate in practice extends beyond the mat. This awareness doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It can be simple. A moment of gratitude, a pause to notice, a choice to move with intention.

In a culture that often values effort and productivity, connection can feel subtle, but it carries its own kind of strength. When you feel supported, you don’t have to push as hard. When you feel connected, you don’t have to force growth. When you feel grounded, you can move with more ease and clarity. This is the kind of strength we explore in practice this week—not force, but relationship.

Earth Day isn’t just about a single day of awareness—it’s about how we move through the world.

That might look like:

stepping outside and noticing the air, the light, the space around you
pausing before rushing into the next thing
making small choices that reflect care—for yourself and for the environment

Yoga doesn’t ask us to do everything. It simply invites us to be more aware of what we are already doing. Happy Earth Day!

Season of Rebirth

3/30/2026

Spring has a way of reminding us that change doesn’t always happen all at once. It's 70 degrees one day, 30 and snowing the next. Sometimes, the temperature fluctuates dramatically in the course of just one day. Do you wear your down coat or your raincoat or a sweater? Boots or sandals? The shift unfolds slowly, in fits and starts. I'm always excited when I realize that it's still light out when the evening classes are heading home. The air starts to feel different. When we get the odd warm day, it's heavenly to open up the windows and let the stagnant winter air out. Eventually, the ground that was frozen for months transforms into muddy puddles.

Across cultures and traditions, this season carries the symbolism of renewal and rebirth. Easter is one of the most familiar expressions of this theme. While it holds deep meaning in Christian tradition, its imagery—new life, emergence, transformation—resonates broadly as a reflection of the natural cycles unfolding all around us.

In yoga practice, we can approach this time of year in a similar spirit: as an invitation to gently awaken, release what feels heavy, and create space for something new.

According to Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, spring corresponds with kapha dosha, which is associated with the elements of earth and water. (Earth and water = mud.) Kapha brings qualities like stability, nourishment, and grounding. When we’re in balance, these qualities help us feel supported and steady, but when kapha becomes excessive—as it often can at the end of winter—it can manifest as sluggishness or fatigue, mental fog, resistance to change, or feeling physically or emotionally “stuck.” If you’ve noticed it feeling a little harder to get moving lately, you’re not alone. This is simply the seasonal rhythm of the body responding to the environment.

The good news is that yoga offers simple ways to bring kapha back into balance. Kapha-balancing practices focus on creating movement, warmth, and spaciousness in the body and mind. In class this week, you may notice practices that include:

rhythmic, flowing sequences that build gentle heat
standing poses that activate the legs and core
heart-opening shapes that encourage expansion
breathwork that energizes and clears stagnation

These practices aren’t about pushing harder or doing more. Instead, they help us shift from heaviness into vitality—much like the earth itself moving from winter dormancy into spring growth. Each movement becomes a small gesture of awakening.

The symbolism of rebirth isn’t just something that happens once a year or in nature alone. It’s something we can experience in small ways every day. It might look like letting go of an old pattern, starting again after a difficult moment, softening where we’ve been holding tension, or choosing curiosity instead of resistance.

Our yoga practice reminds us that we don’t have to wait for a perfect moment to begin again. Each breath offers that opportunity. Every inhale creates space. Every exhale allows release. In that sense, the practice itself is an ongoing cycle of renewal.

Women's History Month

3/23/2026

March is Women's History Month, and I don't want to miss an opportunity to honor some of the women in yoga's history. When we learn about yoga, we often hear the names of male teachers and gurus, but women have played a powerful and often unrecognized role in shaping the yoga we practice today.

One of those women is Indra Devi, sometimes called the “First Lady of Yoga.” At a time when yoga was taught by men and largely reserved for men, she stepped into spaces where women weren’t always welcomed. In the 1930’s, she studied in India with Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, one of the most influential teachers of modern yoga, and went on to bring yoga to a global audience—teaching in places like Hollywood and making the practice more accessible, especially to women.

Megha Nancy Buttenheim, a long-time Kripalu yoga teacher and creator of Let Your Yoga Dance, was one of the original creators of the Chandra Namaskar (Moon Salutations) flow that we practice often in our classes. In the late 1980’s, a small group of female Kripalu teachers created this more feminine flow sequence, as a complementary practice to Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations), so that yoga felt more accessible to women.

Lilias Folan, who died just last week, at the age of 90, brought yoga to people in their living rooms long before social media and the internet made it a common practice. Her PBS show, “Lilias, Yoga and You” ran on PBS from 1970-1985. It was cancelled because they felt yoga was not going to be popular in the 80’s. (How funny. We showed them!) She was back with another show, “Lilias!,” from 1987-1993.

Judith Lasater was a co-founder of Yoga Journal magazine, The California Yoga Teachers Association, and the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco. She is considered a pioneer of restorative yoga in America, helping shift the culture from a constant state of “doing” to also valuing rest and nervous system regulation. She still teaches today at 79 and is considered one of the leading teachers in this country.

These are just four examples. There are so many women—named and unnamed—who have carried this practice forward quietly, steadily, and with deep care.

So as we move through practice this week, let’s hold the awareness that this practice has been shaped not just by discipline and structure, but by intuition, resilience, and quiet strength.

Is it Luck?

3/9/2026

My family enjoys games. A lot. We have created our own annual holiday, known as “International Benny Day,” dedicated to all-day game playing. Usually, it’s board games, but recently, we’ve been attending local trivia nights. The last two weeks, we came in second at the Wednesday night event at the Village Tavern. It felt like a win, though, because the winning team, both nights, had a ringer. Tim Swankey, from little old Marcellus, will be appearing on tonight’s (March 10) episode of “Jeopardy!”

Every March, St. Patrick’s Day arrives with a burst of green — shamrocks, parades, leprechauns, and the playful search for the pot of gold. It’s a lighthearted holiday, but like many traditions, it holds a deeper thread worth exploring.

With my newfound interest in trivia, I thought I’d share some St. Patrick’s Day factoids. Some of it may surprise you.

“St.” Patrick was never actually canonized by the Catholic church. He died before that was even a thing.
The shamrock is considered a national symbol of Ireland. There’s a legend that St. Patrick used it to teach the Irish people about the Holy Trinity. And if you come across any of the people who were once in my 3rd grade religious education classes, they may remember that I did the same!
My friend and current yoga teacher trainee, Pam, lived in Ireland for several years. She introduced me to a very entertaining Irishman on social media (@Garron Music)*, and he informed me that the Irish do not eat corned beef and cabbage. They eat Irish bacon and cabbage. A bit of research revealed that when the Irish immigrated to America, they often lived near other marginalized groups, including Jewish and Italian people. They discovered corned beef in Jewish delis and found it was the closest and most affordable substitution for Irish bacon. *(Warning: if you find him on social media, be prepared for some Irish cussing.)
Most scholars agree that there were never any snakes in Ireland. The stories of St. Patrick driving all the snakes out of Ireland were probably symbolic of him driving out the devil or the presumed evil of paganism.
St. Patrick’s Day was originally a more somber religious observance. Like we do with many things, Americans made it more of a secular celebration, and it has become a parade-worthy, green-wearing, shamrock-shaking, Irish-dancing cause for festivities. We need the joyful occasions. Wear some green, and carry on.

Ok, that’s it for the trivia. Back to yoga. Is it a leap to think of luck when we think of St. Patrick’s Day? The luck o’ the Irish and all that? Let’s lean into that idea.

Is luck something that happens to us, or something we cultivate? Yoga teaches that the most meaningful changes in our lives rarely come from chance alone. Instead, they arise from consistent practice — showing up, breathing, paying attention, and meeting ourselves honestly. What might look like luck from the outside often has roots in patience, resilience, and willingness to begin again. Every time you roll out your mat, you’re practicing this quiet kind of magic. You’re creating the conditions for clarity. You’re strengthening your capacity to respond rather than react. You’re building steadiness in body and mind. In other words, you’re making your own luck.

The shamrock has long been a symbol associated with this holiday, often representing the holy trinity. In yoga, we also work with meaningful triads that support our practice. Some that come to mind:

Body, Mind, & Soul
The three parts of AUM or OM, the universal sound
Creation, Preservation, and Destruction

There’s a famous legend about a pot of gold hidden at the end of the rainbow by leprechauns. While it makes for a fun story, yoga suggests something different: the treasure isn’t waiting somewhere far away.

It’s already here. It’s in the quiet moment after a deep breath. It’s in the feeling of strength in a pose you once struggled with. It’s in the simple joy of moving your body and sharing space with others in practice. These small moments of awareness and connection are their own kind of gold.

As you move through class this week, consider this reflection:
Where do I notice small moments of “luck” in my life — moments of presence, connection, or gratitude? You may find that the more you pay attention, the more they appear. And that might be the most magical part of all.

So this week, wear a little green if you like, breathe deeply, and step onto your mat ready to discover that the real luck is simply being here.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day, and we’ll see you in class. 🍀

Let's Dance

3/2/2026

Half Chair Pose, sometimes called Balancing Figure 4 (and in March, perhaps "Dancing Leprechaun"), looks simple enough. Find a rainbow to practice near, then one ankle crosses over the opposite thigh, hips sit back as in chair pose, hands at heart or reaching forward.

The standing leg roots firmly into the earth.
The outer hip of the lifted leg softens and releases.
The spine lengthens upward even as the pelvis lowers.
The gaze steadies.
It is both grounding and expansive.

The pose builds on Utkatasana (Chair Pose) — a posture traditionally associated with strength, heat, and focus. By crossing the ankle over the thigh, we introduce an element of external rotation and hip opening, creating space in the outer hip and gluteal muscles.

Like many standing poses, this asana works in two directions at once:

Downward rooting through the standing foot (stability and boundaries)
Upward lift through the spine and heart (clarity and presence)

Sanskrit:
Ardha = Half; Utkata = Fierce, Powerful, Intense; Asana = Pose
(ARE-dah-OOT-kah-TAH-sah-nah)

Benefits/Purpose:

Strengthens legs, ankles, and core
Improves balance and proprioception
Opens outer hips and glutes
Encourages focus and steady breath under mild challenge
Builds resilience — physically and mentally

There’s also a subtle emotional teaching here: we cannot remain open if we are not stable. The standing leg does the quiet work that allows the hip to soften.

Precautions & Contraindications:
As always, check with your healthcare provider before beginning any physical practice. If you have heart disease or high blood pressure or if you are struggling to balance, avoid long holds in this pose. If your knees are weak or you have any recent or chronic injuries or pain in the knees, hips, or legs, you may want to avoid the posture. As always, sensation is information — not something to override.

Preparation:

Low lunges to awaken hips
Chair Pose pulses for leg strength
Supine Figure 4 to gently open outer hips
Mountain Pose balance work to steady gaze and breath

How to Practice:

Begin in Chair Pose (Utkatasana): feet hip-width, hips sitting back, spine long.
Shift weight into the left foot.
Cross right ankle over left thigh, just above the knee. Flex the right foot.
Sink hips back as if sitting into a chair, keeping chest lifted.
Hands at heart or reach forward for counterbalance. (Or for St. Patrick's fun, down by your sides like an Irish dancer)
Breathe steadily. Gaze soft but focused.
To exit, slowly return to Chair before standing tall.

Modifications/Variations:

Keep the hands on the waist.
Arms lifted outside the ears or arms overhead with palms together.
Hands at the heart in Anjali Mudra (prayer position)
Lean buttocks against a wall.
If hips are tight, cross the ankle lower on the shin rather than high on the thigh.
Hinge forward and place hands on the ground or on blocks.
Lower down into a deep squat with the standing leg. (Pictured below)

Counterpose;
Follow with a gentle Forward Fold to release the spine and legs, or return to Mountain Pose and pause to feel the rebound effect — steadiness after effort.

We practice balance not just in the body, but in how we hold ourselves in the world — rooted, steady, and quietly courageous.

Sacred Edges

2/23/2026

In February, yoga teachers (present company included) often emphasize heart opening poses -- to stretch the physical chest as well as to open the energetic heart to connection, compassion, and loving kindness. Openness is beautiful; but the heart is not meant to be unguarded at all times. It is meant to be balanced.

Balance plays a part in every yoga practice. The inhale expands; the exhale contracts. The spine arches and then rounds. We stretch one side, then the other. Strength supports flexibility. Even in heart-opening poses, the back body must engage to safely lift the front body. Without that support, openness collapses.

This final week of our February arc explores the often-overlooked truth that healthy love, like healthy heart openers, requires structure. Boundaries are not walls; they are clarity. They are the energetic container that allows love to circulate without depletion. They protect what is sacred. They prevent resentment and create safety.

On the mat, this may show up as:

Engaging the legs in backbends to support the heart.
Embracing the moments of rest as well as moments of movement.
Choosing the variation and depth of a pose that feels sustainable and safe. Or choosing an alternative pose altogether.
Recognizing, pausing, and modifying when sensation becomes strain.

In heart-centered poses like Anahatasana, we practice both yielding and grounding. The chest melts, but the hips stay stacked. The heart opens, but the spine remains supported. There is both surrender and structure.

Off the mat, boundaries of the heart might look like:

Saying no without apology.
Resting without guilt.
Speaking truth with kindness.
Offering compassion to others, but also yourself.

Many of us were taught that love means limitless giving. Yoga suggests something subtler: love that is steady, sustainable, and rooted in self-awareness.

The Sanskrit concept of ahimsa (non-harming) applies inward as much as outward. If opening the heart leads to exhaustion, resentment, or self-betrayal, something is out of alignment.

A heart with boundaries is not closed. It is discerning. It is strong enough to remain open without losing itself.

As February closes, consider:

Where do I overextend?
Where do I overprotect?
What would balanced openness feel like in my body?

This week, we practice heart with backbone, softness with steadiness, love with clarity. Because the most sustainable love, much like the most sustainable yoga practice, is the kind that honors its edges.

Everyday Bhakti

2/16/2026

Love is in the air. All you need is love. Love will keep us together. I could keep going, but I'll stop. Love is for sure a big topic during the month of February, but it's not limited to those days just before Valentine's Day. It's in most songs and movies. It's a fundamental human emotion. We might think of it as a feeling—something that arrives, fades, and returns on its own terms. In yoga, however, love is also understood as a practice: something we cultivate through attention, intention, and presence. This is the heart of bhakti, the yogic path of devotion—not dramatic or sentimental, but steady, sincere, and lived through everyday action.

Over the past two weeks, we have returned to center and explored the courage to feel. Now we begin to ask: what does it mean to meet our experience with care? Love in practice is not about forcing positivity or avoiding discomfort. It is expressed in how we breathe when sensation intensifies, how we soften when the body resists, and how we remain present rather than pushing or withdrawing.

In this way, love becomes less about emotion and more about the relationship we build with breath, body, and awareness. Each time we choose patience over judgment, listening over striving, or steadiness over force, we are practicing love.

This week, Heart-Melting Pose (Anahatasana) continues as our companion. Rather than approaching the pose as something to achieve, we enter it as an offering of attention. The shape invites the chest to soften while the body remains supported, reminding us that openness grows from safety and trust, not effort alone. You may notice that the pose feels different each time—sometimes spacious, sometimes tender, sometimes neutral. All of these are welcome. Devotion is not measured by depth, but by presence.

In yogic philosophy, devotion does not require perfection. It asks only sincerity. To practice love is simply to return—again and again—to awareness, to breath, and to a willingness to stay.

As you come to your mat this week, consider this reflection:
What would it mean to treat this moment—just as it is—as worthy of care?

Love, in yoga, is not something we wait for. It is something we practice—quietly, patiently, one breath at a time.

The Courage to Feel

2/9/2026

In the early days of my yoga practice, one of my teachers noticed a pattern. The poses I didn't enjoy (whined about) were all heart openers/back bends, like camel, bridge, cobra, and fish (pictured above). With that awareness, I was able to explore what was going on there.

In February, we often lean into the Hallmark vibe of Valentine's Day - open hearts, love, and compassion. This year, we're going to dive a little deeper. We started the month with a return to center—reconnecting with support, steadiness, and breath. We'll continue with an invitation to something both simple and profound: the courage to feel.

In yoga, heart-centered practice is not about forcing openness or chasing emotional experiences. Instead, it is about developing the capacity to remain present with sensation, breath, and inner movement—especially when those experiences are subtle, complex, unfamiliar, or even a bit uncomfortable.

The heart space, associated with Anahata, the heart chakra, is often described as the meeting place of opposites: strength and softness, joy and grief, expansion and protection. To practice here is to allow multiple truths to coexist.

Many of us are conditioned to move quickly away from discomfort. When sensation intensifies—whether physical or emotional—the nervous system often reacts by bracing, distracting, or pushing through. Yoga offers another possibility: curiosity without urgency. When we slow down, breathe steadily, and remain grounded, we begin to notice the difference between sensation and story, between feeling and reaction.

Working with the heart also means acknowledging vulnerability. If you also tend to whine about heart openers, this is for you. Openness is not the absence of protection—it is the ability to remain connected to ourselves even when sensations are tender or uncertain. This is where courage arises: not in pushing past limits, but in staying gently present.

As you come to the mat this week, consider this reflection:
What happens when I pause long enough to feel, without needing to change anything?

You may discover that the heart does not need to be forced open. When supported by breath, steadiness, and awareness, it opens in its own time—quietly, honestly, and with wisdom.