All Humanity Newsletter | April 2022
Greetings...
A Gathering of Misfit Toys
Sometimes I refer to our expanding MBS community as an island of misfit toys. We do not feel slighted by being misfit toys. We know who we are. In fact, we embrace it…you should too. 

We invite you to a series of gatherings during our Kiss My Asana Yogathon week from April 23rd-29th. You could join our Saturday online kickoff on April 23rd at 10:00 am CDT. Or if you want to take a deeper dive onto our island, attend any class that week. There is no cost for any of us misfits, so there is none for you either.

You will encounter two things when you join one of our gatherings: acceptance and belonging. If you are totally honest with yourself, you belong on the island of misfit toys, too. Remember, when everyone MISfits, then everyone fits…including you. This is the superpower of the MBS adaptive community. We actually listen and support each other. We share stories and do yoga, all on a level playing field. We actually think you might like to join us. 

Hang with us if you please, support us if you are able, but know that we have been building something that matters. We are not afraid of who we are and how we are different. There is profound freedom in that realization. We offer this to you as an invitation.

We hope to see you during our KMA Yogathon week!



Matthew Sanford
Founder, Mind Body Solutions
Pose of the month...
Adho Mukha Svanasana
We are each other’s harvest, we are each other’s business, we are each other’s magnitude and bond. - Gwendolyn Brooks
Each day circumstances emerge, both heartbreaking and heartwarming, which confirm the impact of our cumulative energies and how tightly connected we are to one another. 

At MBS, we are a collection of individuals of myriad shapes, sizes, and backgrounds interwoven by the shared mission of helping ourselves and others find relief and joy in our bodies. 

Invite a friend or small group to gather around a secure table or solid flat surface. Although the surface is stationary, notice if one side is too forceful, as it could compromise the other side. Place hands flat on the surface, shoulder-distance apart and with the fingers spread. Focus on the area between thumb and pointer finger. Lengthen the triceps and open the elbow pits. Feel the stability of the upper body. Keep the neck in alignment with the rest of the spine as if there is orange under the chin. Slowly push the hips backward until the body is at an angle, hinging at the waist. Ground through the feet and/or sit bones. Lengthen the spine, lift the chest and broaden across the collar bones. Breathe naturally and stay for a few moments. Slowly and safely come out of the pose by stepping or rolling towards the table. Stand or sit tall and absorb the relief offered by the collective experience
Options:

  • Change relationship to gravity by adjusting the angle of the spine
  • Broaden base by changing leg positions 
  • Open skin of the elbow pit and connect that to the back of the knees 
  • Stay close to the surface and gently drop the chin and shoulders arching the back like a cat; then lift chin and chest, allowing for a slight back bend.
  • With feet/sit bones grounded and stable, lift ONE arm at a time and open to the side as if opening to give someone a hug. Alternate and find your rhythm 
  • To your ability, slightly bend and straighten the legs and play with slightly internally rotating the femurs
Benefits:

  • Broadens base and increases balance and stability 
  • Allows for space and well-being in the joints 
  • Encourages clarity along the spine 
  • Increases awareness, agility, and receptivity of surroundings
  • Notice if the interactions reveal sensations of “supporting” or “ being supportive” 
  • Some things are just better together
It's Yogathon Time!
You'll want to make time for this unique and powerful LIVE gathering. It's a time when we engage with adaptive students and hear their stories. When we practice together and feel the gifts of yoga. When we usher yogis from around the globe into a week of practice with purpose -- raising awareness of our adaptive yoga program AND $50K to keep it free and accessible to everybody.

This event is open to everyone, so please spread the word and invite a friend.

We look forward to seeing you there!
There's STILL time to join us in the yogathon week of practice with purpose. Join us and:

  • Be part of a global community practicing with a singular purpose -- to help improve the lives of people living with trauma, loss, and disability.  

  • Create profound change for YOU and someone living with a disability. 

  • Receive daily insights from Matthew Sanford and MBS teachers every day of the yogathon - delivered each morning directly to your email! 

  • Receive a FREE Practice with Purpose tee 
Yogathon Fun...
It's "bring a friend" to yoga class week - APRIL 23-29!
Because you're reading this newsletter, you're automatically part of the MBS family. Clearly, you know what we do. But have you ever tried to explain adaptive yoga to someone? Or put into words the magic of MBS? Do you or your friends assume adaptive yoga is "easy" or conversely, that you/they can't do yoga?
Introducing, "Share my Asana" -- a special opportunity to share MBS with others. Come check out a class. Invite a friend!  Let's practice and feel this work, together! Simply forward your class zoom link email to friends or head to our website page with zoom links for all classes. We look forward to meeting you!
More MBS Gatherings...
Offerings for people living with a disability, their caregivers, and yoga teachers, too!
May 10, 2022 / 2PM CT

People living with disabilities are forced to become masters of time. The pace of their clock is not the same as the world’s clock. Whether stressing about how to manage the next minute or how to age fearlessly with a specific condition, living with a disability is a study in time.


Join this interactive, community conversation about the relationship between disability and the experience of time. This session also includes a yoga practice that emphasizes the uses of time in your yoga poses. Time is a teacher, not an obstacle. REGISTER for this free event and please share with anyone you think might be interested. We'd love to welcome them into the fold. View previous sessions on our YouTube Channel.
May 16-20, 2022 / In Studio!

Calling all Yoga Teachers! Let's gather in May and explore Opening Yoga to every BODY. Join adaptive yoga pioneer Matthew Sanford and MBS staff and students May 16-20 for a week-long experiential training, "Foundations of Adaptive Yoga." This workshop combines the full course content of our Online Intro to Adaptive Yoga ( I & II )We're in person at the Yoga Center Retreat in St.Louis Park, MN. Join us! Partial scholarships are still available.