Insula Yoga

05/23/2026

On this Memorial Day Weekend, I wanted to pause & take a moment to acknowledge all who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. When I became a Marine, the meaning & purpose of this weekend shifted. Before, it was the weekend marking the end of the school year & beginning of Summer's long, hot days in Texas.

I was fortunate to serve during times of peace & don't personally know anyone who I should be remembering. My husband, however, lost a very close friend in Iraq. The loss of his buddy, forever changed him & still impacts him today. I think for him, there doesn't need to be a Memorial Day. Every day is a day of remembrance that his friend is forever 22 & not getting to experience life on Earth.

Ironically, President Harry Truman proclaimed Memorial Day to also be a day of Prayer for Permanent Peace in 1950. I learned that TODAY. So, this year will be different as I intentionally bring that into my pause.

I will be doing a Loving Kindness Meditation, too. Visit the link in the bio to listen the one that I recorded for you back in January. Doing variations of Loving Kindness, or Maitrī, has been helpful on the days when our world feels like a lot & there's nothing that I can do to change it.

It's an ancient Buddhist practice that helps us to connect with compassion, kindness, & good will towards ourselves and others. It can also be a powerful form of self-care & collective healing & have a positive effect on stress, anxiety, health, & empathy.
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​UW-Madison did a study on the impact of compassion meditation on the brain. They found that it changed the activity in the Insula, which is one of the reasons I named the studio Insula Yoga (it also means island in Latin)..."The insula is extremely important in detecting emotions in general and specifically in mapping bodily responses to emotion — such as heart rate and blood pressure — and making that information available to other parts of the brain."

May you take time to pause this weekend to breathe & consider adding prayers for permanent peace. If more of us knew that Memorial Day holds duality in remembering deaths from war & praying for permanent peace, maybe we could inch closer to that grand reality.

05/21/2026

🌺 Join Alexis this evening or tomorrow for one of her new offerings at Insula Yoga!

🧘‍♀️ RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY YOGA CLASS – Thursday 6-7 pm, class is accessible for everybody.

☀️Take a break from the world, and find solace in doing nothing, while supported by various props that can help your muscles relax and may help your nervous system start to calm.
☀️ Yoga shapes/forms are held for an extended period; however, students always have the choice to move into another yoga shape or form at any time if they find that more comfortable,
☀️ Class ends with a short iRest Yoga Nidra practice.
☀️ $20

🧘‍♀️ YOGA AND MOVE COMMUNITY CLASS, an experiential class for everybody – Friday 9-10 am, class is accessible for everybody, for all levels.

☀️ A community yoga class full of options, choices, variations, stillness, movement, lightheartedness, and a sprinkling of fun!
☀️ Facilitated through the lenses of accessible hatha yoga and alignment-based yoga, including mindfulness and awareness.
☀️ $20

🧘‍♀️ COMMUNITY YOGA TO BUILD BONE DENSITY AND HEALTHY AGING - Friday 10:30-11:45 am, class is accessible for everybody.
☀️ Students will learn the theory and safe practice behind building bone density, and aging healthy through participation in various yoga shapes/forms, variations, and sequences.
☀️ Alignment, stability, mobility, posture and safety is addressed in every class, and there’s always time for questions and observations in all classes.
☀️ $25 per class (4 class course package price starting 06/01/2026)

📍 5570 S Harbor Ave, Unit A, Freeland

🌟 Link in bio to register.

"Start from where you are, moving in alignment through each pose safely, connecting with the breath and body, acknowledging any limitations, and loving yourself because of that. To see the practice as a yoga practice and not a yoga perfect and to sprinkle in some fun and laughter along the journey."-Alexis

05/05/2026

✨ Join us this Friday, 5/8, for Insula Yoga's Open House in Freeland ✨

Friday, May 8th ~ 4 – 7 p.m.

5570 S Harbor Ave, Unit A, Freeland

Gather with us, meet our teachers, and learn about our offerings. There will be snacks, drinks, and giveaways. Blessing of the space at 6pm and live Kirtan music with Lauren.

Our mission is to create community where all feel safe to breathe, restore, and balance – body, mind, and soul.

🧘‍♀️ Better Balance Yoga Therapy (Sarah Birger)
🧘‍♀️Maven Alchemy Acupuncture (Vanessa Cameron)
🧘‍♀️Community Teachers: Leah Barnett, Alexis Burroughs, Lauren Flynn, & Emily Gilligan

📷 Debut of Coastal Chroma – locally inspired art & goods brought to you in a dynamic way.

Ongoing Classes:
🧘‍♀️Sunday 10-11:15 Power Flow with Emily (Until 5/10 and then on 5/19 moving to 🧘‍♀️Tuesday 6-7:15 pm)
🧘‍♀️Wednesday 10-11 Flow + Restore with Lauren
🧘‍♀️Saturday 10-11:15am Gentle Yoga with Leah

Beginning May 14th & 15th with Alexis:
🧘‍♀️Thursday 6-7pm Restorative Community Yoga Class
🧘‍♀️Friday 9-10 am Yoga and Move Community Class
🧘‍♀️Friday 10:30-11:45 am Community Yoga for Healthy Bones & Aging

We hope to see you soon!

05/01/2026

Scorpio Full Moon Community Acupuncture
Saturday, 5/2, at 4:30 & 6
Register via Maven Alchemy or text 512-934-1917

🦂🌝 The Moon is in Scorpio & making its way to peak fullness today at 10:22am on Bealtaine, marking the mid-point between the Spring Equinox & Summer Solstice. It's peak Spring energy & an opportunity to release what's holding you back from blossoming & growing.

There's an intensity in the air. Pluto (the God of the Underworld) is one of Scorpio's rulers & helps us surrender to the process of transformation. It's in Aquarius right now & creating a hard angle with this Full Moon.

It will help us go deep into all the muck of what we've been avoiding or deep within our subconscious to unearth what we don't know is there, return it to the Earth to compost, & bring nourishment to what's next in your life to grow. With Pluto's help, we can journey into our underworld & take the dark stuff of our life and learn to surrender & transform it into empowerment & wisdom.

The Scorpio Full Moon brings the Metal element of Autumn & its themes of surrender & letting go into Spring. As we tend to our gardens now, we have to get everything tidied up for optimal growth to occur. If we don't intentionally remove what's no longer needed, there isn't space for the new growth & our vision can be impacted.

I was reminded of this in my own garden. Several of our beautiful lilacs only produced a few blossoms this year because we didn't prune the dead blossoms from last year.

We can't fully bloom into our majestic nature if we're full of old stuff we no longer need.

The Full Moon acupuncture pattern connects deeply with Spring's Wood energy & the depths of Scorpio's Water element & surrendering. It inspires you to...

🌸 Connect with your element & nature. Have confidence to leave behind what's no longer needed & put your goals into action

🌸 Shed old wood & allow your true vision to emerge

🌸 Gain perspective from above to see your way home & put your dreams into action

🌸 Grow filled with order, purpose, harmony, & balance

🌸 Feel calm, stability from Mother Earth & receive ancestral insight, vision, & protection.

🌝 Full Moon Cycle Community Acupuncture
🌸 Saturday 5/2, 4:30 & 6
$50
🔮 Link in bio to register/text 512-934-1917 to join
🏠 5570 S Harbor Ave Unit A, Freeland

04/01/2026

it’s Go Time ⏩ What fuels you? What needs to drop off? Tomorrow is April 1st and the Full Moon. Come contemplate and move at Insula Yoga in Freeland at 10am. 🌕 register at the link on the image 🔮 cozy studio, limited spaces

03/25/2026

Come support your nervous system with a Spring Cleaning Community Acupuncture session!

🌬️ How'd you enjoy the boisterous wind & sun today? It was wild.

My anxiety was kicked up for no apparent reason, which happens for me on super windy spring days. I seem to feel the wind even when I'm inside.

Today was different, though. The wind seemed to be calling me, so I bundled up and went down to Sunlight Beach. It was SO windy, but it seemed to be just what I needed. Whether it was being near the water that nourishes & grounds me or the wind blowing the anxiety right out of me, my soul was settled by the time I returned home.

Spring can bring wild seasonal symptoms. Like...

🌸 anxiety
🌸 vertigo or dizziness
🌸 allergies
🌸 fatigue, low energy, or exhaustion
🌸 neck stiffness or pain
🌸 headaches
🌸 irritability, frustration, or anger
🌸 waking up between 1-3am
🌸 headaches or migraines
🌸 uncertain about what's next
🌸 lack of vision for next steps

I created a Spring Cleaning pattern to support our body, mind, and soul during the seasonal changes but also during these challenging times. I'm offering it as Seasonal Community Acupuncture and Private Seasonal sessions.

✨ For the first time, I'll be accepting walk-in clients for these seasonal community sessions this month. I highly recommend scheduling in advance, but if you're in Freeland and feel like stopping by, please do.

🌱 Wednesday, March 25th, 12-1:30
🌱 Saturday, March 28th, 1-2

The points support all 5 elements with a focus on supporting the Liver & Gallbladder; Spring cleaning to clear out the rubbish to make space for balance, harmony, and new insights; and finding your own inner qualities of love & care.

Libra Full Moon Community Acupuncture next Wednesday, 4/1. Appointments available at 1:30, 6, & 7:30

🏠 Located at Insula Yoga, 5570 S Harbor Ave, Unit A, Freeland

🔮 Text Vanessa at 512-934-1917 to schedule

03/18/2026

✨ 🐟 🌚 Join me tomorrow, Wednesday, 3/18, for the Pisces New Moon. 🐟 🌚 ✨

The Pisces Moon Cycle Acupuncture pattern will connect to Spring (the Wood element/Liver & Gallbladder) Becoming energy and give roots & growth to all of the depth from Pisces.

It will inspire...

☘️ Connecting with ancestral wisdom, unity, & oneness. Tranquility & calm allowing your own inner wisdom to emerge.
☘️ The warmth & love that you need to shine through, feel resourced, stable, & whole. Joyful sunlight filling the Heart with nourishment & love from above.
☘️ Establishing the roots of your Spirit to flourish & grow.
☘️ Stabilizing & grounding your vision. Security + nourishment = energy & confidence.
☘️ Letting go to become Who You Are...Spring cleaning creating space to become.
☘️ Your Earthen bowl being made whole again to feel love & care, opening to receive it all.
☘️ Your spirit receiving the dreams & vision you need. What needs to grow & develop?
☘️ Supports the Crown, 3rd Eye, Throat, Heart, and Root chakras and all 5 Elements.

Slow down. Listen. Feel. What is your intuition and dreams communicating?

We'll be using Roman Chamomile on several points. It's a great oil for Spring and Pisces. It helps calm the need to control. Our Heart is reassured that it can let go. The tight grasp relaxes, which calms the Liver and soothes the Heart. We can finally see a new direction, revealing the bigger picture and connection with the Universe.

This is a powerful time to pause and connect with who you're Becoming.

🌟 8 SPOTS open 🌟
🎱 Reservations Required 🎱
✨ 60-75 minute sessions at 1:30, 6, & 7:30 ✨
🌝 Moon Cycle Acupuncture sessions are $50
🌚 Zero gravity chairs with 1-3 other community members
🌝 Everyone receives the same pattern to work with Moon's energy
🌚 Wear loose, comfy clothes

🏠 Located at 5570 Harbor Ave, Unit A, Freeland, next to the Hearing Aid Center.

🌝 🌚 Ongoing offering near each New & Full Moon 🌚 🌝
🌝 Libra Full Moon - Wednesday, 4/1
🌚 Aries New Moon - Wednesday, 4/15

Can't make it Wednesday? Book a private session Friday, Saturday, or Sunday or Community session Saturday.

🔮 Link in bio to book or text 512-934-1917

03/17/2026

💥 Join Emily for Power Flow Yoga 💥

✨️ Sundays 10-11:15am
✨️ March 22nd - May 17th

Power Flow Yoga blends strength, balance, and breath through a continuous flow of poses.

This energizing class builds stability and flexibility while helping you reconnect to your body and mind.

All experience levels are welcome. Variations and modifications are offered so you can move at the pace and intensity that feels right for you.

✨️ Space is limited, so pre-registration is required
✨️ Link in bio with more info to register
✨️ $20

🏠 Located at Insula Yoga at 5570 S Harbor Ave, Unit A, in Freeland

Emily is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

03/14/2026

Support for Spring 🌱🌸 - https://mailchi.mp/be73295e363e/spring-forward-17382781 Winter has returned...at least for a few days. Did you get snow where you are? I miss the Colorado snow, but happily gave it up for our more moderate weather here on Whidbey. I do love when we get a little taste here. Hopefully, our beautiful spring flowers will bounce back. It's an opportunity to look to their embodiment of resilience for inspiration navigating our own challenging times.

02/28/2026

✨ 🧹 🌝 There's an Virgo Full Moon next Tuesday, March 3rd, (at 3:37 am) that will align with the Sun to create a Total Lunar Eclipse. Virgo is an Earth sign, detail oriented, and loves creating order with a good purge and cleaning. It likes getting to the root of things and can cleanse all levels...physical, emotion, and mental. It's ruled by Mercury, which is currently retrograde (appearing to move backwards) in Pisces.
The Virgo Moon Cycle Acupuncture pattern will connect with all of that Earthiness and the Spring's Wood element energy to support the seasonal transition, helping you see what's next on this journey of returning to light and how to burst forth and become.

This pattern will inspire you to open your eyes to life’s sparkles, & sacredness and see your own inner beauty...

🧹 Spring clean stagnant energy & old ways to make way for you own vital insight & wisdom
🧹 Return to calm & balance within your body, mind, & spirit
🧹 Let go of what is no longer useful and BECOME who you are
🧹 Find your inner qualities of love & care
🧹 Trust what you see
🧹 With new & vital insight, step forward with courage to unite your inner nature & purpose.
🧹Supports all Chakras and all 5 Elements

The Moon Cycle Community Acupuncture sessions are this Saturday, February 28th, at noon, 4:30, and 6. Book here.

🌟 8 SPOTS open 🌟
🎱 Reservations Required 🎱
✨ 60 minute sessions at 12, 4:30, & 6 ✨
🌝 Moon Cycle Acupuncture sessions are $44
🌝 Zero gravity chairs with 1-3 other community members
🌝 Everyone receives the same pattern to work with Moon's energy
🌝 Wear loose, comfy clothes

🏠 Located at 5570 Harbor Ave, Unit A, Freeland, next to the Hearing Aid Center.

🌝 🌚 Ongoing offering near each New & Full Moon 🌚 🌝
🌝 Virgo Full Moon - Saturday, 2/28, at 12, 4:30, & 6 pm
🌚 Pisces New Moon - Wednesday, 3/18, day time TBD; 6 & 7:30pm
🌝 Libra Full Moon - Wednesday, 4/1, day time TBD; 6 & 7:30pm