​Although I enjoy all four seasons, autumn has a special place in my heart. Apart from its colourful landscapes, I enjoy the shift in light, and the anticipation of the darker months ahead. I sleep better, and enjoy transforming the bountiful harvest into warm and nourishing meals. 

Here are my tips to sailing thru the fall season with a sense of balance and overall wellbeing:

I just came back from a wonderful trip to Martinique where I spent the majority of my time staring at the beautiful blue ocean. The view was spectacular and by day one, I could feel the positive effects of being so close to the sea. 

​Curious as to why many people feel relaxed by the ocean, or by a large body of water such as Lake Ontario, I decided to research how it impacts our brain. I found out that a few things are at play.​

2024 is a leap year, granting us an additional 24 hours! Time is a precious resource in our modern day society. 

​​I read an article last week where prominent figures from different professional and cultural backgrounds shared their wishes for 2024. All of them, without any exception, wished for more time. ​

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​What a paradoxal statement: anger on the yoga mat. This is what I witnessed recently as I was preparing to lead a Gentle Yoga class. A student came in already pretty grumpy, and as she was settling on her yoga mat, she started complaining loudly and forcefully about something she had absolutely no control over.

​Her tone and negative energy was obviously affecting the other students. This went on for a few minutes so I decided to slowly step toward her and tried to address her concerns. 

I trust that this post finds you well, rested and ready to tackle 2023! 

This year, my personal intention is to trust that I am where I need to be, and to continue nurturing my body and soul so I can continue to learn, and guide you on your yoga journey.

Part of this nurturing process includes eating nutrient packed foods, moving my body everyday, and meditating daily. As I plan my year, I complete the following sentence, which I find quite helpful:

​Let me start by wishing you much happiness for the new year. May we all stay healthy and thrive!

As I was brainstorming a few creative ideas for the year ahead, out of curiosity, I searched the significance of the number 2022. Apparently, in numerology, 2022 indicates that there is hope and healing ahead... How fitting and uplifting for these unstable times!

I don’t keep a gratitude journal, but if I did, yesterday's entry would have been: “November 8th, 2020: today was a good day! I am grateful for the fact that I was able to write my monthly newsletter sitting outside, the warm sun on my back, occasionally glancing at the last autumn leaves swaying in the breeze. 20 degrees in November! Thank you, Mother Nature!” 
 
Research shows that the simple act of expressing gratitude can help ease symptoms of depression and improve our overall mental health. Whereas some people keep a daily gratitude journal, others may simply state what they are grateful for, when the feeling comes up.  That is my method. On the spot, feel the gratitude, express it out loud (even when I am alone!) and move on with my day.

More than ever, we need to equip our body and mind with tools that will help us stay calm, grounded, and resilient. I am sharing with you today, in the form of a video, a meditative practice which I hope you will enjoy. It's been my go-to practice this week!

​Take 10 minutes, find a comfortable seat and enjoy! VIEW VIDEO
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​What initially lured me to spend the summer in a small village located on the south shore of the St-Lawrence, in Quebec, was the chance to be closer to my family and to be in a scenic setting far away from the city's distractions. It was also an opportunity for me to take a step back from teaching yoga, which I have been doing now, on a full-time basis, for the past eight years. 

Meditation does not have to take place in a perfectly quiet space. In fact, one of my favourite method of meditation is the one where we focus on ambient sounds. The idea of an ambient sound meditation is to simply notice the sounds surrounding you without developing a narrative around it. Notice them, hear them, and let them be part of your experience.

Happy Winter Solstice! For thousands of years, the shortest and darkest day of the year (today!) has been a time of celebration. Back then, it was a time to rest, a time to rejuvenate yourself, mind and body. For a few minutes today (or more if you can!) allow yourself to stop, breathe, and appreciate the darkness, and find your light using this simple meditation technique:

​I was recently reminded, by a wise teacher, that yoga is not just about stretching our hamstrings. Unifying mind, body and breath, yoga is indeed a refined system that extends far beyond yoga postures. It is a way of life that is supported by what is referred to as the 8 limbs of yoga, each step preparing us for the next one, while offering guidance on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. The 6th limb of yoga, Dharana, refers to focused concentration. ​It teaches us how to slow down the thinking process (our monkey mind!) by concentrating on a single mental object.

Many years ago, I was an accomplished "multi-tasker". Combined with a couple of destructive personal traits and overwhelming losses, (which I won’t go into here,) I multitasked myself into a burn-out and a full-blown depression. Yoga and meditation, combined with regular counselling, played a huge part in my slow, but steady recovery. 

​"I can't meditate, my mind is too busy..." If this sounds familiar, you are not alone! Although we are very conscious of the wonderful benefits of meditation, many of us shy away from it. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help you develop a meditation practice of your own.

This morning, braving the strong north-west winds, I headed to the lake for my daily walk. The sun was gloriously warm on my face, as I sat on a log to admire the view. At that point, all I had in front of me was the vastness of Lake Ontario. It was so peaceful that I decided to close my eyes and meditate. After a few minutes, I realized that, even though my intent was to clear my mind, I was thinking of my afternoon projects and everything I needed to accomplish before the weekend.