Emilie B Yoga & Fitness

08/13/2021

I haven’t posted in a very long time.

But I came on to say please stop blaming individual people for their deaths and disabilities. I am seeing some of the most horrendous, fat phobic, ableist and racist sh*t coming out of some yoga teacher and wellness professionals mouths as a response to vaccines and COVID-19 in general.

I could not say everything I need to say in 10 slides. I didn’t even get into the fact that there’s a massive link between the wellness industry and QAnon.

I could write a book on the issue with healthism in our industry but I will settle on this for now and maybe an article in a few days.

02/15/2021

😅 How do I do this again?

Do you ever tell yourself you’ll be consistent but then immediately fall short of that expectation you’ve set? At the beginning of the summer I told myself I would post to Instagram 6 days a week but after two months I stopped all posts all together - thinking that if I can’t put in 100% then there’s no point in doing it at all.

I am the queen 👑 of not following through on my goals/resolutions but I’m slowly learning that it’s because I set goals way beyond what is actually possible for my schedule, my mental health and my ability.

Here are two lessons I learned in 2020 that I’m trying to bring into 2021:
⭐️ “Good enough” is better than “not at all.” This is also known as the 80-20 rule or the “Anything worth doing is actually worth doing poorly” rule.
⭐️ Right now, in my life, I need medication to stay mental well. And that is okay.
[No, this isn’t a “go do drugs and you’ll feel better” lesson - trust me, after 4 years of sobriety I know self-medicating is not the answer.] But for me, being on proper medication so I can just FUNCTION AS A HUMAN has been key to my survival this year. Because of my medication I can take care of myself: eat properly, show up to weekly therapy, exercise regularly, practice mindfulness and work towards my goals. I am thankful that I am destigmatizing my mental health and recognising the ways in which I can practice healthy coping mechanisms and for me, for now, that is taking medication. Because I am now taking care of myself I have the energy to show up for my clients, my students and most importantly my community.

(PS. I know talking about medication is SCANDALOUS in the wellness industry, which is why I’m talking about it.)

So let’s talk expectations.

What unrealistic expectations have you / your family / your community / our world set on you? How do you cope with those expectations? How do they make you feel and function?

09/10/2020

| CLASS SCHEDULE |
First two weeks of classes through Emilie B Yoga are FREE via Instagram LIVE, then classes start via Zoom on October 5th!

—> swipe to see my whole class schedule for the Fall, including all the places where you can catch me all week!

You can register for the classes by sending me a DM :)

***ryoga ***rsandmisfits

09/10/2020

| Full-Expression of the Pose |

There is no such thing as the full-expression of a yoga pose. There is only YOUR full-expression of your yoga pose on any given moment in time.

There is no such thing as “proper alignment.” Only alignment that is safe, sustainable and appropriate for you depending on your energy, boundaries, and ability in the exact moment you’re in.

There is no such thing as “yoga for weight loss.” Yoga is a deep spiritual practice - weight loss has nothing to do with it.

There is no such thing as the “advanced version” of a pose. There are no hierarchies to poses.

This image represents my Half-Moon Pose, on this day in time. I will never practice that pose in the same way again, because my body, my mind, my energy, and my intention changes everyday.

Using props doesn’t make a pose “the beginner version.”
Taking variations doesn’t make a pose “not the full expression.”
Adapting, changing, reviewing, modifying, varying our physical yoga practice doesn’t make it any less valid, relevant, advanced or important.
Our body is the least relevant part of our yoga practice, once we can understand that, we can leave the ego at the door and move deeper into a practice that was never about the physical body to begin with.

09/08/2020

| Just One Minute |

Never underestimate the power of doing yoga in your jeans. The power of doing yoga without your fancy yoga clothes, without being in your nice studio, without a quiet space. Never underestimate the power of one minute of yoga.

My anxiety has been much better these past few months, but today it got the best of me. Yoga teacher is my name, Imposter Syndrome is my game.

So today, in my jeans I practiced. Just to breathe. Just to be. And just for 4 minutes. Because that’s all I could do. And it was good enough.

09/07/2020

THANK A RIOT !
New Article —> Link in bio

09/07/2020

| FORGOTTEN MUSCLES |

In our typical physical yoga practice, we barely utilize the posterior chain; especially the latissimus dorsi + the hamstrings. But we can’t ignore these muscles as they are a key component in core stability, so incorporating various movements to help build strength into these all-too-often forgotten muscles is important!

This week, we are wrapping up our three-part series on Core Strength + Stability.

We’ll explore the accessory muscles of the core - such as the glutes, adductors, lats, hamstrings + hip flexors!

Ask your questions below!
⬇️⬇️⬇️

New video will be out this weekend !!

09/05/2020

Part 2 of our 3 part series on Core Stability ! Today we're exploring the movements of the trunk and exercises you can do to strengthen, stabilize and increase mobility within those movements !

Check it out below + then don't forget to hit subscribe !

In this week's How-To, we'll be looking at Part 2 of 3 of our Core Stability Series. Today, we're looking at how the spine moves, the muscles that support th...

09/03/2020

| NON-ATTACHMENT |

Did you know that billionaires have increased their total net worth by $637,000,000,000 during the pandemic so far?
Jeff Bezos (the CEO of Amazon) alone increased his wealth by $48,000,000,000.
(I like to write all the zeros instead of “billion” so one can see the money that that actually is.)

The fifth Yama, Aparigraha, translates to mean “non-attachment,” “non-hoarding,” “non-grasping.”

In the obvious ways this means letting go of what no longer serves you or that which is excess or that which you do not need.

In more nuanced ways, Aparigraha (as it is a Yama; therefore a way we exist with the world not just with ourselves), means advocating for policies that allows for equal distribution of wealth + resources.

Increasing taxes for billionaires, implementing salary caps, and advocating for the sharing of resources.

Non-hoarding can also be in reference to space, energy + time. How much space do you take up? How do you use that space? If you hold privilege (we all hold different privileges), how do you use that privilege to advocate for those without?

What about attachment to grudges? How can you practice forgiveness? Taking that further, how can we practice reformative justice?

All of these + more are part of Aparigraha. How do you practice this Yama in your life?