Hey gang,

Calling all yogis, regardless of physical ability. Calling all apprehensive yogis still sitting on the sidelines...

Mastering a yoga pose is not about attaining a certain shape or body position. It’s about learning to fill whatever body you have, wherever it is, from inside to out. This insight is a cornerstone of the MBS approach to adaptive yoga. ANY body can do yoga poses, regardless of their level of ability... anybody. This is not because whatever you do is good enough and qualifies as yoga…the ‘everyone-should-get-a-trophy’ approach. No, the reason is much, much deeper.

Yoga poses slowly teach the yogi how to open into unseen possibilities. There is so much more dimension ‘here’ beyond physical doing, beyond simply thinking. Call it untapped potential within the human nervous system. Call it self. Call it whatever you like. There is a vastness accessible within you. Yoga poses make this vastness practical by combining it with breath and movement.

Shape matters, but not likely in the manner you might think. A shape or body position provides boundary, both a beginning and an end, to a yoga pose. Without boundary, there can be no true expansion, no true integration. This paradox, realized without words, is fundamental to yogic realization. Without boundary, openness dissolves into disassociation and is robbed of its meaning. This transforming insight is taught best through the body, not the mind.

This may all sound ethereal, but it’s not, especially for someone living with a disability (meaning all of us). When disability is realized not as a limitation but as a boundary that can create transcendent expansion, then true healing has occurred. This is a realization that our adaptive yoga community is practicing…together. 

We are studying the relationship between opening, boundary, and healing. 

Come find us.

With two examples of trikonasana, we can understand how a strong foundation enables the pose to unfold. In both versions, a stable base is established, allowing for an inclined extension of the spine while maintaining a broad chest and back. The dynamic sensation of the elongated underarm and side rib area can become habit-forming.

Seated Trikonasana: Sit on a chair, hit down through the feet and sit bones to extend up. Inhale and lift the arms out to the sides and feel the length along the side bodies. Lean towards the right hip, extend the right palm to the side and place it on a secure surface. Continue pressing through the outstretched palm and securely tuck the shoulder blades. Extend the opposite arm away from the torso, both arms in one long line. Notice the expanse around the periphery of the body. Play around with grounding the feet, sit bones, and palm to appreciate why the triangle is considered such a strong shape. Slowly come out of the pose as you went into it, and repeat on the other side.

Standing Trikonasana: From Tadasana, jump feet and arms wide apart. Ground down through the feet to extend up. Turn the right foot out and the left foot slightly inward. With outstretched arms, bend at the hip and extend the torso in the direction of the right foot. Secure the right palm on a block just outside of the right leg. Extend the other arm above that shoulder, broadening the shoulder blades. Direct the tailbone towards the anchored left heel. Staying long in the spine, continue the extension of the side bodies with a relaxed breath. Come out of the pose as you went into it, repeat on the other side. CONTINUE READING

Once a month, MBS-trained teachers gather in our virtual "Sandbox" to share all kinds of ideas about adaptive yoga -- from sequencing classes to cultivating community. 

Led by MBS faculty teachers Amy Samson and Bethany Hutchinson, the hour-long sessions offer attendees the chance to learn from one another while taking deeper dives into the MBS adaptive yoga approach. Shared wisdom and energy fill the Zoom room, re-invigorating the commitment to sharing adaptive yoga with everybody!

Check out what's in store for the summer sessions and beyond! They are free to attend and open to anyone who has trained with MBS.

Come be with friends old and new! Share ideas, and leave with new insights for your next class.

Learn more and register (free!)

Yoga, Disability, & Transformation: Created for people living with disability and open to everyone. Sep 6/ Being Heard by Those Who Cannot Listen READ MORE

Live Adaptive Yoga Mon-Sat. All offerings are no-cost for participants and can be practiced from a chair. SEE SCHEDULE

ICYMI

(In Case You Missed It)

Recent MBS social media posts

May 3rd / Yoga Disability & Transformation Breathing is not easy for everyone, but it is essential, obviously. For many of us who live with a disability, breathing cannot be relied upon as a default enlightenment tool. In this Yoga, Disability, and Transformation session, we share stories of breathing, singing, and of laughter. WATCH the replay.

May 31 / The Intention to Pay Attention..

Friday Meditation Practice with Jennie Ross

"Stay interested and curious to see what the mind's paying attention to and how it affects the mind and the body"

~ Jennie Ross WATCH 42 minutes

Jun 10 / Saturday AM Yoga - "Empty Spaces in Alignment" ~ with Matthew W. Sanford

"Prana rewards structure!" Explore this first step into action (structure) by using the sensation of balance, which is in itself, an integration to the space around you. Learn to see and utilize the empty spaces to connect it all." WATCH

What a yogathon! What an incredible display of creativity, courage, and community support! We are honored and grateful for how our community rallied together this year.

 And amidst all the fun, we SURPASSED OUR GOAL by raising over $55K! Your generosity allows us to continue freely offering a gathering space for people living with trauma, loss, and disability everywhere. Thank you!