THOUGHTS with Love | Both at Once

Finding Balance: Embracing Dualities in Life

I read an email from Vivian over at Coherence Sound Healing the other day… and it was just so darn beautiful.

She highlighted some of it in a recent Instagram post:

I think it hit home for me on a couple levels…

One is that I am feeling the winter blues and the sparkle coming back feeling – very much! ❄️✨

Vivian articulated this feeling perfectly, so I will simply quote her:

That’s the thing about life, isn’t it? It’s always both/and. You can feel two completely opposite things at the same time. You can be exhausted and hopeful. You can be overwhelmed and excited. You can be buried under snow and still find little sparks of joy.

And two: this contrast, this both the light in the dark and the dark in the light – reminds me of a yoga concept…

The idea of “sthira sukham”, or the idea of “strong and sweet”.

(I love how Viveka Gardens writes about this idea of “strong & sweet“.)

Many a blog post has been written on this topic of steadiness and ease.

In just Plain Jane language, this sounds like “feeling strong and easy” in a yoga pose on the mat.

When you are being encouraged to find a “lift and a grounding” by the yoga teacher…

they are trying to evoke this embrace of both dualities at once.

I will finish this brief little thoughts with love post, with a short and sweet story on meditation. It was out of one of many books read in my yoga teacher training, but essentially the story goes:

in meditation, we should be sitting with everything that comes up. the gratitude, the sadness, the anger, anything and everything that arises, and just be with it.

acknowledging each one with, “yes, this too.”

Thank you so much for being here.

Sharing the tools of meditation and yoga is deeply important to me.

Wishing you strength and ease as you acknowledge “this too.”

You can find more from me in the MOVE with Love and BREATHE with Love libraries here at withloveesta.ca

MOVE with Love | Chair Stretches Volume II

Seated Yoga Stretches for Every Day

Continuing with the theme from last week, let’s take just over 5 minutes to try these seated stretches!

Not all yoga has to be super bendy and flexible.

Try out these 3 moves to bring some movement to an otherwise seated day!

  1. Gentle hip openers
    • From a seated and even balance of front to back, and left to right… we elevate one foot ever so slightly… and then inhale to roll onto the outer side of the foot, exhale to roll the foot flat once again. Gently opening and closing the leg, while moving with the breath.
  2. Seated forward folds
    • In a seat, we can enjoy a forward fold motion (and many of the benefits of this stretch!) without the element of balance. Letting the torso rest on the thighs, we focus on a nice long stretch in the spine… letting the head be suuuper heavy.
  3. Goalpost arm tilts
    • Find a gentle stretch for the side body, as we inhale the arms up overhead, exhale the elbows down to a goalpost shape… the next inhale we tuck one elbow down and into the waist, stretching the other arm up and overhead. Exhaling back to center, we try the other side.

Bringing you short and sweet yoga, that you can easily incorporate into your every day… is my mission.

If you’re wanting to add the benefits of yoga and meditation into your life, let’s connect in a free consultation!

Let’s Connect 💞

The combo of breath awareness and mindful movement, will bring you a sense of peace and ease.

This will overflow into your every day life in ways you couldn’t imagine!

Utilize a chat with Esta, a 500 hour certified yoga teacher, with 15 years of personal practice to draw from.

Ask your burning questions and develop a game plan for yoga and meditation in your life!

Thank you so much for joining me. See you next week for more movement with love.

With Love,

Esta

Find more in the MOVE with love series, we have on-demand classes just a click away.

OR

visit the (free) Yoga Pose Breakdown library – to practice some new or favourite poses!

The WLE Weekly | Super Comfy Yoga Nidra & Some Chair Stretches with love

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MOVE with Love | Chair Stretches Volume I

Incorporate Quick Yoga Breaks into Your Day

Not all yoga needs to be super flexible and bendy!

Try these simple stretches:

  • as a little desk break
  • or before you stand up out of bed in the morning
  • or on a commercial break while watching the game

Bringing you short and sweet yoga is my mission.

It can be incorporated into your daily life with ease!

Find more in the MOVE with love series, we have on-demand classes just a click away.

&

check out the (free) Yoga Pose Breakdown library – to practice some new or favourite poses!

BREATHE with Love | Super Comfy Yoga Nidra

10-Minute Yoga Nidra for Ultimate Relaxation

Let’s get super comfy. And do a yoga nidra together!

Short and sweet. Just ten minutes long.

We focus on getting extra comfortable and then fully relaxed.

You can also listen along on Spotify!

Thank you for joining me for another #meditationmonday

I so enjoy creating these free guided meditations for you to explore the benefits of meditation 🧘

Yoga Nidra is one of my favourite personal practices too!

Find more from me at withloveesta.ca

& let’s be friends!

I’m  @withloveesta  on all platforms. 🤗

See you next week for another meditation session!

🙏

With Love,

Esta

#guidedmeditation #breathewithlove #guidedyoganidra #yoganidra #yoganidra10minutes

MOVE with Love | TV Stretches Volume II

One-Minute Yoga: Easy Stretches for Busy Lifestyles

Okay quick – it’s commercial time.

Let’s use this one minute for a lil stretch!

Adding yoga into your life doesn’t need to take away from your time… you can sprinkle it into your every day activities with ease!

Try these stretches when you’re:

  • watching TV
  • waiting for the kettle to boil
  • on the carpet playing with kids
  • just home from a long bike ride
  • before heading out on a run
  • as a break when you’re working on a puzzle

There you have it – one minute of stretches – done!

See you next week for more short and sweet yoga.

With Love,

Esta

Find more in the MOVE with love series, we have on-demand classes just a click away.

&

visit the (free) Yoga Pose Breakdown library – to practice some new or favourite poses!

BREATHE with Love | Unsettled Waters

Quick Meditation Tips for Anxiety Relief

It’s been a long time since I reached out to my meditation tools with a twinge of … urgency.

But hey. Feeling the effects of food allergies just hours before a flight might induce some nervousness!

The good news is that… meditation is always available.

I knew that calming my breath would calm my mind,

and my calmer mind would soothe my body.

Here’s the exact meditation I tuned into:

Jayne Corner – The Calm and Happy Gut

Jayne reminded me of the tangible power of the tools I have dedicated my life to.

I highly recommend trying out a guided meditation from her channel. 🙏

Need a quick fix?

Take as deep a breath as you can, in through the nose.

Exhale as slowly as you can out the mouth, as if you’re blowing out a straw.

Try this twice more, each time trying to make the exhale just a bit longer & slower than the inhale.

This type of breath indicates to the brain that you are safe. You are in a place where you can be calm.

Think of it like… looking where you want to go when you’re riding a bike.

Photo by Sebastian V. on Pexels.com

Where the mind goes, the body will follow.

Thank you for joining me for another Meditation Monday.

And a huge thank you to Jayne Corner!

I hope this quick breathing technique helps you find settled waters in your own life.

With Love,

Esta

The WLE Weekly | Anxiety Buster and One Minute Yoga Flow

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Thoughts with Love | OOO

Away from Desk: My Family Vacation Plans

Setting up my Out of Office like 🏖️

Hello friends!

I am away from the desk and the yoga mat this next week. (Jan. 25 – Feb. 1)

This isn’t to say I won’t be ‘getting my stretch on’ during this family vacation… just that I am taking some “me time”.

I love seeing other people living their best on vacay though, so if you want some highlights … let’s be friends?!

See you in a week!

MOVE with Love | Scroll Stretch Break! ⏲️

One Minute Yoga Flow for Everyone

It will only take a minute. ⏱️

Join me in a one minute yoga flow as we get the whole body up and moving.

💃🏻 🕺

Use it to:

– break up a scroll break 📱

– start your day ☀️

– take a desk stretch ☕️

– warm up for a workout 🏃

– cooldown from a workout 🏋️

– end your work day 💼

– add movement on a commercial while you watch TV 📺

💁🏻‍♀️ There’s so many options.

Thanks for joining me as we MOVE with Love. 💕

Find more from me at withloveesta.ca

👉 including more mini-flows, a yoga pose breakdown library and free guided meditations in many different lengths!

See you next Wednesday for more yoga 🧘🏻‍♀️

With Love,

Esta

🙏

#movewithlove #learnyogaonline #yogaposebreakdown #learnyogawithme #yogaonline #yogaforbeginners #oneminuteyoga

Find more in the MOVE with love series, we have on-demand classes just a click away.

and

visit the (free) Yoga Pose Breakdown library – to practice some new or favourite poses!