Honor your Path: Tend the Flame and Widen the View
Stepping Back to Acknowledge You
“Whether today is a day of remembering, honoring, celebrating, creating, or waiting, nurturing, unearthing, practicing gratitude, or just making it through, there is room, right here for you, to let today be what it needs to be, welcoming the grace that gives you room to breathe. Let today be what it needs to be.”
—Morgan Harper Nichols
As I begin this Monday, sitting with myself, my breath and gaze, it’s a return to the unknown—what might unfold in my writing, what I am attuning to extend your way. This yoga journey for me has been a path of healing, from the rush of a previous chapter—stressful corporate work, the hustle of 9-5, caregiving, and case management for my late father as some of you know. And the building this messy, beautiful fulfillment in service to your healing journeys. It has been a time of learning to hold space for my unprocessed grief related to career, home, childhood, and my evolving sense of contribution to the world. Unlearning mostly- and to fill up my cup without shame so that I can spill into yours to then do the same. The cycles of giving and receiving.
We owe it to ourselves to honor the season of life we are in, the steady steps we take each day, and to extend deep appreciation for our becoming. It’s so easy to be forward-thinking—caught in the next task, the responsibilities, the building of our lives, the crises, the mundane. But the work of loving ourselves never goes away. Storms will continue to come, our strong hearts will be tested, and the unknown will always be part of our unfolding.
I am here to remind you—and myself—that we do not always have to reinvent, rush to the next thing, or let the pace of westernized culture and demands of life dictate our worth. There is wisdom in pausing, in taking in the view of our path. Growth does not always look like movement; sometimes, it looks like deepening, listening, digesting, and trusting.
This blog marks 52 reflections shared from my heart. It is easy to overlook our own efforts, but I invite you to step back with me and acknowledge. The writings, the learnings, the images— look at these photos my friends and how they and the words have impacted, subtle or not, your experience of yourself! They are all part of this evolving journey. I welcome you to revisit just the landing page of them here: Insights & Inspirations Archive. Your reflections, and insights are always welcome in the comments.
May this be the invitation for you to acknowledge in your own journey to celebrate, reflect, extend an inward smile to seeing you.
Tada Drasthu Svarupe Avastanam- "Then the seer rests in its own true nature." Patanjali Sutra 1.3
Inviting Balance in Kapha Season
We have seasons that repeat for a reason, just like our practices—so that we may deepen our connection as each season comes, as nature comes. The practices may not change, but we are the ones who are changing.
As we move through Kapha season, the invitation always is attune and invite balance. Kapha (earth & water) offers us gifts of steadiness, compassion, and nourishment, yet when out of balance, it can feel heavy, stagnant, resistant to change. In Ayurveda, like attracts like, and opposites heal.
This week, we elevate Kapha by bringing the warmth and digestion of Pitta (fire & water) while welcoming the spacious, expansive qualities of Vata (air & ether). When we invoke the inner flame, we move through what feels stuck. When we invite in air, we widen our perspective beyond the details, the busy-ness, the weight of daily life.
I welcome you now to place a hand over your heart. Take a deep breath into this space—the lungs and heart, where Kapha’s gifts of tenderness and life reside. Acknowledge your efforts, your resilience, your fragility, and your spirit to meet your life. Welcome the fires of Pitta within to reignite your spirit. Sense the air around. To bring forward the freeing qualities of Vata to uplift your gaze. See all that is your life—its ecosystem, its interconnection. Know that you are connected. A vital part of the elements, the sky, and the stars.
A Wider Lens on Our Becoming
When we step back, even for a moment, we create space. A wider lens offers freedom from the grip of our daily lives. Loss reminds us of impermanence, helping us connect more deeply when we feel mired in the details of the moment.
So today, may you continue to connect with what matters most. May you nourish your inner soil, soften into stillness, and trust in the wisdom of life’s rhythms. May the sparks ignite your fire—to digest, shed, and create space for clarity.
May you be reminded of the spacious miracle that a widened perspective offers—one that holds deep appreciation for all you’ve become and continue to become. May you embrace your wholeness and welcome the opportunities that may feel like threats.
Rest in a widened view. Take in your journey just as it is.
“Be kind to yourself, right here where you are, for you are more than your failures, your losses, your scars. You are worthy of love & kindness, no matter the times you have been rejected. You are beautiful and whole…let this be a time where you remember to slow down and notice the beauty about yourself. Here’s to recognizing the way the light shines through.”
—Morgan Harper Nichols
This Week’s Offerings
I’m continuing to hold space and guidance for you. Whether you're seeking movement and breath, a deeper self-connection, or personalized yoga therapy- let’s journey together.
In Studio @ Yoyoyogi:✨
Mon @ 6 PM – Mellow Monday: A 75-min integrated yin practice. Learn More
Online via Zoom:✨
GENTLE MORNING YOGA – Rise, Move, Pause | 30 min
Tues & Thurs @ 8 AM PST / 11 AM EST
$PayWhatYouCan
NEW! For those who would like extended access to class recordings for two weeks, contribute $12 or more to receive access to replays playlist. Register Here
Yoga Therapy Private Sessions:✨
Virtual & In-Person options available. Sliding Scale pricing.
Learn More
Support my Work:✨
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Here with you in practice.
In love & light,
Maya
2/17/2025