Mandy Henderly Yoga

Sometimes, I get to have my ideal morning.

Sipping on my coffee while I read. A quiet yoga practice. A warm, nourishing breakfast before getting the kids up for school.

But, this morning wasn't one of those days.

It was bike to school day, which meant we needed to be ready to ride earlier than we usually get out the door for school.

And, there was a time when that change of routine would have had me in a tailspin.

But, the beautiful thing about yoga therapy is that it's highly personalized and flexible, so for me that means from time to time my practice is in the evening instead of the morning, and sometimes it is five minutes of breath work while I'm in the car rider line.

Ready to learn about how yoga therapy could support you?

DM me to get started 💗

Yoga is listening: Begin Again Edition

This morning I was swimming laps at the Y and while I was stopped at the wall, I turned to my left and a fellow regular was getting in the lane. I told him good morning and asked how he was doing.

"I'm good," he said, "I haven't been in a few weeks. I feel like I'm always starting over."

I smiled and told him I could relate to that feeling, and as I went back to my swim, it hit me that this is one of the gifts of yoga.

It builds our capacity to dig deep and begin anew with a willingness to detach from the outcome.

It builds our capacity to find resilience.

It builds our capacity to realize that we can begin again at anytime 🔥

The gifts of yoga go far beyond the mat.

Last night was just one of those nights where nothing felt right, and I found myself on the verge of losing it 😵‍💫

The kids were tired and bickering 🙅‍♀️

On our evening walk, the dog wanted to chase every squirrel he saw 🙅‍♀️

My skin felt grimy and hot from walking in the summer heat 🙅‍♀️

As soon as I got in from taking my evening walk with the dog, I closed my door, rolled out my mat, and did this breath practice along with some movement and some long wxhale breathing combined with legs up the wall.

My whole system shifted, and I came back to myself ✌️

Yoga is listening: Gwyneth Paltrow Edition

In case you missed it, Gwyneth Paltrow dropped an ad marketing luxury condos in Israel during an ongoing genocide, and I had to talk about it.

Because wellness culture divorced of ethics is just naval gazing, and I'm not here for it.

I'm here for yoga that is relational. I'm here for yoga that tells the truth. I'm here for yoga that embodies integrity.

If that's what you're here for too, let's be friends ✌️

Walt Whitman wrote: "Do I contradict myself? Ver well then I contradict myself, (I am large, I comtain multitudes.)"

And yoga philosophy agrees.

The layers of self are called the koshas, and they offer a map for understanding ourselves: physically, energeticly, mentally, intuitively, and spiritually.

And when I say “yoga is listening,” this is part of what I mean.

So often, we only pay attention when the physical body starts shouting. But sometimes what we’re experiencing isn’t only physical. Sometimes exhaustion is emotional. Sometimes tension is nervous system overload. Sometimes what we’re craving is deeper connection or meaning.

The koshas invite us to ourselves deeply by asking:

What layer of me needs support right now?

That question alone can change the way we care for ourselves and help us learn to embrace the fullness of who we really are 🌿

selfstudy embodiedliving

Svadhyaya is up next in my yoga is listening series ✨

Svadhayaya means self-study, and it's one of the ethical guidelines of yoga.

When we journal, discuss a sticky life issue with a mentor, or notice a subtle change in our breath, we're engaging with svadhaya.

Sometimes, though, to really take a look at our habits, thoughts, and patterns we need someone to reflect with because they can help to illuminate the places where we can't yet fully see ourselves.

When we can take a look at our blindspots without being afraid of what we'll find, we begin to embody svadhayaya.

says...

"Yoga is an inside job, but we can't do it alone."

Changing patterns, beliefs, and thoughts that hold us back from what we truly want in life is deeply personal. It requires developing a self-awareness muscle, and that's hard work.

And, sometimes, we can't always see ourselves clearly. Working with a trusted practitioner–a yoga therapist, yoga teacher, psychotherapist (maybe all of the above)–can help us come to see ourselves and the patterns that can hold us back in life more clearly.

Drop the word LISTENING below, and I'll DM you a link for a complimentary friendly chat 💗