What energizes you?

What "grounds" you? I invite you to consider these questions throughout this week's mini moves practice --or walking through your day! You might have a concrete concept or sense of what feeling energized or "grounded" is like for you, and it's just as likely that you have a sort of fuzzy definition for either or both feeling --especially if these aren't words you use regularly in your interactions with others. That's ok! You can let your experiences be your guide, whether or not the words hold any meaning for you.
Enjoy!
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Standing Connections"
 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of moved to heal?

I offer a quick standing sequence of sunbreaths and warrior 1. It might be an energizing or "grounding" practice, depending on your preferences and where you're at today. If you want a bit more for your practice today, you might precede this practice with the Mini Moves from Dec 6th. I hope you'll use it however it suits you!
 

The forms + movements offered in this episode

• Sunbreaths
• Forward Lunge stance (aka Warrior 1) with fold and lift
• Standing arm hug (or Eagle arms)
• Standing pause

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit luan de oliveira silva, found on unsplash

All the sides

In this Mini Moves episode of Moved to Heal, I put together some hands and knees movements that emphasize the side body (really, the whole torso) and move towards a seated or standing finish so that you can move on to the next thing from the transition that you prefer.
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Side Body Moves"
 

The movements offered in this episode

• Cat / cow
• Thread the needle
• Side plank
• Child's form
• Downward Dog
• Seated or standing pause

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit lingesh r., found on unsplash

Reconnect

Stillness is powerful. And extended stillness can stick around in our bodies in ways that aren't always comfortable. Sometimes, even a short movement practice can go a long way to "shake off" any stickiness that builds up from sitting, sleeping, or otherwise being still in one form for a long time. Enjoy!
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Sun Salute Wake Up"
 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of moved to heal?

In this Mini Moves episode of Moved to Heal, I offer movements that build from hands and knees to standing, and might be a good way to "get going" in the morning or whenever. I hope you'll use it however it suits you!
 

The forms + movements offered in this episode

• Cat/cow (seated or hands + knees)
• Birddog (hands + knees alternate limb balance)
• Downdog / plank
• Sun salute series with high lunge twist

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit krystle van der salm, found on unsplash

Warming up your center...

....is so good for us! I think. I'm speaking purely from my own experience, so take my enthusiasm with a grain of salt. If you also like to ease into your body, warming up hips, core, and shoulders, whether to move into your day or into a fuller movement practice, I hope this practice is useful to you!
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Seated Core Warm Up"
 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of moved to heal?

I offer movements that build up to a lunge-based hip stretch. It's a short but well-rounded little practice, one that I might find useful after sitting for a long time. I hope you'll use it however it suits you!
 

The forms + movements offered in this episode

• Seated spine warm up: side bend, cat, cow, twist, and fold
• Seated core balance (boat) with a twist
• Roll down to reclining
• Bridge rolls with option to hold bridge
• Return to seated to finish

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit keyur nandaniya, found on unsplash

Just a little bit goes a long way

It's super easy to skip doing a movement practice because of time --or the expectation that every practice needs to be long or "full". So. not. the. case! Just move when you need it. Enjoy!
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Lunge Hip Stretch"
 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of moved to heal?

I offer movements that build up to a lunge-based hip stretch. It's a short but well-rounded little practice, one that I might find useful after sitting for a long time. I hope you'll use it however it suits you!
 

The forms + movements offered in this episode

• Sunbreaths
• Chair / squat + stand
• Runner's lunge (aka low lunge)
• Table top on hands and feet (aka reverse table top where the arms are behind you)
• Seated fold
• Seated or reclining rest

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit katie hafner, found on unsplash

Just breathe, just move

Sunbreaths are my go to when I just want to feel the rhythm of breathing in my movement. They can be used for lots of different things, so of course please let them be for you what you need! Enjoy!
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Sunbreath Variations"
 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of moved to heal?

I offer a practice of sunbreaths, linking breath with movement where the movement is of the arms, torso, or arms and legs together. The simple (defined as being two part rather than multi-part!) and repetitive movements could have an energizing or calming effect (or something else!) depending on the day and how you're feeling when you start.
 

The forms + movements offered in this episode

• Sunbreaths
• Chair breaths (aka Squat + Stand)
• Forward lunge stance (aka Warrior 1)
• Simple stance (aka Tadasana)

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit rosie kerr, found on unsplash

Challenge can be ok

Most of the practices I offer (including this one!) encourage you to do as you need and at a pace that works for you. I'm also offering the option of working with a challenge: lengthening your breath just a bit beyond normal. This takes some focus effort and some physical effort. And maybe that's challenging for you, and maybe it's not -- something else about this practice could be where you encounter challenge! If that's ok with you, then it's ok. And if it's not, then you can change up what you're doing until you're where you want to be for that moment.

I hope it's fruitful!
 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Choosing Challenge"
 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of moved to heal?

I offer up a practice you can use to embrace a challenge of using a long or full breath throughout the practice. You can also just breathe normally and move as you need!

 

The forms + movements offered in this episode

• 1:1 Breathing, with the option to lengthen your breath slightly
• Seated spine movements
• Downdog, hold 3-5 breaths
• Plank, hold 3-5 breaths
• Child's

Some forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit guzman barquin, found on unsplash

New on Moved to Heal!

We're all at different stages of our healing journey, so I decided to begin including some "regular" mov/ed yoga practices in addition to the trauma-sensitive yoga ones on the podcast.

The new "Mini Moves" episodes follow the same style of teaching I use in my general population classes that I teach online and in local studios. From move to move, there's a little bit more direction (let's do this, then this) than in TSY, though still with the invitation to make it your own and do as you choose.

Future episodes that offer practices in the trauma-sensitive yoga style will be labeled "TSY practice".

I invite you to give a quick listen to both kinds without expectation or judgment and see which feels better to you.

Enjoy!

 
Listen to "Mini Moves - Getting Comfy to Let Go of Tension"

 

What’s in the Mini Moves episode of Moved to Heal?

I invite you to get comfortable in these forms + movements and let go of a little unwanted tension -- or whatever they yield for you!

• Reclining, bringing attention to breathing
• Hip bridge, roll up, roll down
• Bicycles
• Roll up to sit
• Arm reach and release

Some of the forms may be pictured in my yoga forms library.

While you listen to the episode, you can do or not do any of the practices, and in whatever manner or degree you choose.

 
Be moving, be true, be you

 
 

photo credit jr korpa, found on unsplash