RePose

Amber Karnes is a leader in the yoga community and has a lot of great points here on how recent troubling events relate to yoga and our nervous system and actions we can take (especially white yoga and wellness people). While here in Yellowknife it may feel less relevant, if you follow leaders in the yoga and wellness community/movement you may not have realized that some posts you’ve shared or liked from wellness leaders in the past several months have ventured in QAnon/co...nspiracy theory land and are pro-Trump. Perhaps one of the most well-known people to venture into this dangerous territory a leader in wellness for decades is Dr. Christiane Northrup you might even have her book Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom on your bookshelf. I have seen several posts shared by friends here in Yellowknife, including by local wellness leaders, that unknowingly contributed to sharing this misinformation. It might seem like legit spiritual stuff to vaguely speak of the Great Awakening or condemn child sex-trafficking (of course!) and so we quickly like or share not realizing the larger forces behind what we are sharing. This has become so huge in the yoga and wellness industry in the past several months, and if you haven’t been following closely you may not have realized, and may have unknowingly contributed to sharing posts that are caught up in this. Please read Amber's post below. ~ Jenn

Have been busy with my pain mentorship homework and trying not to let the news crush my optimism for human kindness winning....so haven't made any new posts recently. I've been hearing from a lot of people lately concerned about core strengthening so thought this blog I wrote from a while ago (long but FULL of info) would be good to repost. It contradicts much of the popular beliefs/myths out there about the core with references from *science* (so maybe it is a hoax, fraudu...lent, or fake news - you decide). The good news is that core health is much more within your grasp than you think and is more about letting go than it is about commitment to new year's boot camps (just say no)! In health, ~ Jenn https://www.reposelifestyle.com//so-you-want-a-strong-cor/

Hi Friends, I had hoped the newsletter about the new online class library would go out today but it's going to be one more day. Marley, Gabe from Raven Web Services, and I have been working day and night to get the site ready but there is one last thing that isn't working. It will be ready tomorrow in time for you to practice with me over the holidays (or for those planning on gift subscriptions) so watch your inbox as the announcement will go out in the email newsletter and not on Facebook. Thanks for your patience! Jenn

New Year's hike. Wishing you a healthy, peaceful, hopeful 2021! #newyear #newyearshike #spectacularnwt #yellowknife #repose #yogaoutside #thisismyyoga #accessibleyoga #onlineyoga

Here we are closing out 2020. I find myself reflecting on the lessons I'm grateful for in the year of chaos. In setting intentions for the future and in wishing for a return to normal, it is not the normal of the past I'm hoping for. No, there is no going back. What new, more equitable and ecologically sustainable normal is there potential for going forward? What is required from me personally to see that vision through? That's what I'm reflecting on. Thankful for all the ...lessons of 2020. As you reflect on 2020 are there moments you're thankful for? What kind of normal are you hopeful for? #thisismyyoga #repose #newyearsintentions #interoception #selfawareness #2021 #yoga #goals #intention #newyear #possibilities #change #newnormal #mindfulyoga

In case you missed it, here is the link to learn more about the New RePose online yoga class library and membership. https://www.reposelifestyle.com/online-classes/ Sometimes the new normal is better than the old normal and I'm super happy to be able to offer you more options than I ever was at the studio. The flexibility to practice on your schedule, for 20mins or for an hour, a relaxing practice or a strengthening one, or even a 25-minute desk relief practice over your l...unch hour! There are 30+ classes to start and I will be adding new classes every month. The first few months I’ll add A LOT of new classes to grow the library. This link contains all the info about what’s included and what to expect from the classes - with a focus on accessibility, progressive strength and mobility, self-awareness, pelvic health and relaxation. For those that have already joined, don’t forget to join the Facebook group. I’ll be posting there regularly starting in January and see it as a little community where we can interact with each other. Looking forward to growing with you in 2021! ~ Jenn

Happening very soon! A lot of behind the scenes details we're still sorting out but if you're thinking of a gift subscription this is launching within the next 48 hours! Newsletter going out by email Wednesday or Thursday when the online class library is ready for you to join. Make sure to subscribe for all the details. ~ Jenn

Who thinks Marley should teach the yoga-props-from-things-you-have-at-home tutorial we're filming today for the online class library? #yogaprops #yoga #catyoga #repose #accessibleyoga #virtualyoga #onlineyoga #bestcoworker #yogaathome #yogapropsathome

I posted this video in March when chaos hit and there was a run on toilet paper. Thought I'd repost - practicing yoga from home is here to stay. Overlander is still a great place to get yoga props. This video offers some ideas for affordable at-home alternatives. Making a new version of this today for the online studio members - better video and sound quality and a few more ideas. But this one still offers great suggestions in case you missed it or need a refresher. Jenn https://www.facebook.com/ReposeLifestyle/videos/210651776670371

There are very few moments when my kids will practice yoga with me. They have their own body-mind practices and I've tried many times to offer practices to help with regulation but they're usually not into it. So it was a surprise to find this guy practicing with one of my new recorded classes. So if you were wondering about whether the new online class library will be as good as practicing with me live in person, one of my fave people in the world seems to think so, maybe even better? #yoga #shouldersclass #onlineyoga #virtualyoga #repose #shouldermobility #onlinestudiogoeslivethisweek

Filmed a hip hinge and hamstring strength class this week using the dowel (or broom handle) to help find hip vs spine movement in the hinge. #hiphinge #yogaprops #repose #hipmobility #spinemobility #yogastrength #yoga #onlineyoga

Been working on filming some strength classes this week for the online class library. Here is an oldie from the spring (Yoga Strength Flow). Enjoy! ~ Jenn

Took a great workshop with @dearyoga_ on ableism in yoga and making yoga more accessible. Learned many new things. Thanks Shanèl! Shifting perspectives on yoga props. I teach with lots of props! Yet there is still a popular idea in yoga culture that props are for those not able to do the "full expression of the pose" and it can lead to discouraging their use I see three main categories of reasons to use props in yoga, and despite the popular idea mentioned above, props can *...increase challenge* More posts coming on each soon. This hands on blocks position could qualify for all three! 1. Props are tools that make yoga more accessible for more bodies. Although this is the popular perspective on prop use the attitude towards it tends to be very ableist instead of welcoming and inviting more bodies to participate in yoga. Why not see greater participation in yoga as something to strive for? In the photo by placing blocks under my hands I shift more of the body weight to the stronger muscles in my lower body and decrease the upper body load. The hands can move to an even higher surface to further decrease upper body load. 2. Props are tools to help with proprioceptive awareness or help access muscle engagements. In the hands on blocks photo, by decreasing load to the hands I am more able to access co-contraction of all the muscles in my hands, forearms and shoulders so that I am not passively dropping weight into the wrists but actively engaging and pulling back up. 3. Props are tools to increase the challenge and add diverse options for finding new benefits in a movement or posture that no longer challenges you. If I take the blocks a little wider and slowly lower to the floor between them it makes this eccentric push-up phase *more challenging* because I've now made room to lower myself further than to the floor. All of these uses are valid and allow more people to take their unique expression of the pose. Shouldn't we always be teaching with props? When the online class library launches next week it will include a video about what to use from home if you don't have all the fancy yoga stuff. #yogaprops #accessibleyoga #onlineyoga #yoga #repose

This was a short practice today taking a subtle somatic approach to spinal extension ("backbending"). More about feeling the subtle connections in the body rather than big movement. A before and after cat-cow to see if the practice changed the experience.

Further to my movement blindspots post the other day... Shoulder flexion to overhead is a blindspot for me (see earlier post and first photo here). Proprioceptively I feel my arm is overhead when it's actually a bit forward. This *might* be because I took my ribs forward rather than shoulder overhead for so many years during sun salutations. It could also be for some other reason. I am on the hypermobile side so proprioception is more challenging. I can work on shoulde...r-upper spine-rib mobility and awareness during my practice as I teach in many of the upper body & shoulders classes. You may have experienced a big change when we do the before and after shoulder range of motion check in those classes and remember me mentioning this isn't a permanent change. We didn't do an hour of yoga/movement and permanently change our shoulder range of motion or perceived range. We did start to show the nervous system some new options. And doing this more often may help reset perceived position or *sensations of* tightness in the long term. Also, our connective tissues are "viscoelastic." They may change shape during the class from movement and stretching (the viscous part) but then they go back (the elastic part) to where they were. I like to follow more passive movements with adding load (increased load - could be body weight or external load). As long as the load isn't too much I'm able to *feel* the arm overhead position more than without load. When I can manage additional load I also increase capacity (kind of like strength) of my connective tissue in 180-degrees of shoulder flexion. A range of motion required in sun salutations as well as higher load positions like down dog, handstand, or pull-ups Here's a couple of examples (photos 2 & 3) I'm doing more often these days (along with higher load bodyweight activities less often) to increase my total time loading this position. These feel so good when I monitor my rib/spine position and load in shoulder flexion. I have a hyper focused facial expression in the last photo as I'm using my toe to press the remote camera button. #shoulderflexion #proprioception #yogastrength #repose #onlineyoga #movementoptions #nervoussystem #tissuecapacity

Reminder: Somatic Class with Backbend Focus rescheduled for today 3:15 due to tech issues Monday. Recording will be available.Reminder: Somatic Class with Backbend Focus rescheduled for today 3:15 due to tech issues Monday. Recording will be available.

Getting there! (this is still a screenshot and not a link). Lots of work to bring this to you and I'm super happy with how flexible the options will be for practice and progression. Still looking good to launch middle of next week. Details will be in the email newsletter! Jenn

Look who my kids found practicing on my mat when I wasn't looking. Marley our cat now has some competition for online class cameos. #dinoyoga #repose #yoga #spinosaurus #yellowknife #velociraptor #triceratops #paleoyoga #yogaforeveryone #onlineyoga