Category: Surya Daya News

Because You Matter

Because You Matter

Amber_Young

Weaving The Threads Of Our Breast Health Through Our Whole Body Wellness

I want to very gently remind you that you matter; every part of you matters – your beautiful whole matters, and you are deserving of care and supportive attention. 

There are many things we can do to optimize the  health of our breasts and our overall wellness, as well as empower ourselves, this is a step on that path. 

Our breasts feed and nurture life in our infants, have an extensive role in our lymphatic system and offer us wisdom and insight into our hormonal health.  When we look specifically at our breasts, they have a simple anatomical design and quite straightforward needs; however they are often neglected in the overall care of our bodies. This neglect can create; pain, discomfort, lowered self-confidence and often fear. Emotionally our breasts, with their proximity to our heart and our lungs, hold some of our most profound emotions.

Statistics show that many people experience breast concerns at some point in their lifetimes, and that the number of folks that will report these concerns to their primary care giver, or to anyone, is quite low…why?  Perhaps because most of the time breasts don’t receive healthy attention as an important consideration in a persons overall care.  Breasts are often sexualized rather than respected, which gives many people a decreased sense of confidence in voicing any concerns they may have about their breasts.  

As human beings, I was reminded during a program I completed with Sat Dharam Kaur, we have the capacity to tune into our higher consciousness and use our inner light and wisdom to guide our thoughts, words and deeds.  We can choose to be stewards of our health, the health of our families, the earth, other species and future generations, or we can misuse and contaminate our bodies and the resources we’ve been so generously given.

It is an honour to weave the teachings of Debra Curties and her work with breast massage, the work of Sat Dharam Kaur, teachings on self compassion and mindfulness, and my 20 years of learning through workshop facilitation, one – on-one care, yoga and massage with people on their breast health and overall self care journey, into this empowering 6 week experiential program.

Through this process may you become a little more conscious, and walk with greater appreciation, harmony and care in your sacred body on this precious planet, our home.

I would like to acknowledge that as a little girl I lost one of the most important and special women in my life, my Nana, to breast cancer, I also lost one of my dear friends to breast cancer in February of 2022, at the tender age of 37. This offering is created in their honour, and in honour of all the women I’ve been privileged to work with over the past 20 years – your strength and courage are my biggest call to action.

I’m super excited to announce the next session for this 6 week Integrative program will be offered this October, 2022.

Why should you mark your calendars?  Because you matter, your whole body matters.

This program is primarily geared towards breast health, but explores different facets of our overall health and the ways we are woven together through body, mind and spirit.  There is an accessible movement and yoga practice recording sent out each week, in depth handouts for self study, meditations, and a different discussion focus at each live session over the course of the full program.

What can you expect? 6 weeks of focused self care and self love! Our live sessions will be offered virtually though the zoom platform.

  • We’ll also be discussing the connections between your breast health and your whole body
  • Learn and practice yoga and stretching specifically for your hormone and breast health
  • Learn self breast massage and other self care techniques you can put into practice immediately
  • Learn about different oils that help to support your breast health
  • We’ll explore the lymphatic system and how you can optimize the ways it supports you
  • Explore nutritional considerations for our breast health (with a guest speaker)
  • Discuss the emotional aspects of this sacred part of our bodies
  • Connect with community in a safe way
  • Weekly check in/practice sessions
  • Support through reflective practices, exclusive weekly downloadable videos, electronic worksheets, and handouts, and a live 90 minute (optional) weekly discussion where we’ll move our bodies and dive deeper into the material.
  • Ongoing support during the 6 weeks, as well as unlimited access to Amber’s live zoom classes for the duration of the program.

Enrollment in the full program is necessary, as each week we build on the previous weeks material..

There are a maximum number of spots for each session, to maintain a safe space supporting you to show up exactly as you are.

Amber is beyond excited to be offering this very important program and she looks forward to this journey with you…..

Dates: 

Fall Registration open

October 17 – November 21st, 2022 – Monday mornings from 10:30am – 12:00pm EST

Book your spot by clicking on this link

Optional evening offering and next cycle will be held March/April 2023 – Dates will be posted soon

Cost: $180 (+HST)  Includes all materials, downloadable practice videos, handouts and worksheets, weekly live sessions, an unlimited pass for access to Amber’s Live zoom yoga classes valid during the program dates.

Payment is due on registration to hold your spot as spaces are limited.

Refunds (minus 20%) available up to 7 days before program start date, and subject to a 20% admin fee.

In an effort to make this support accessible for all women, I am offering 1 full Scholarship and 1 spot at 50% off of full cost in each session (needs based). Email me at amber@suryadaya.ca for more details and to find out how to apply.

Please help spread the word!

Optional day retreat: A full day of self care practices and time in nature; Saturday, October 1st 10:00 – 4:00 (more details to come)

Cost: $65 (+HST) for paid participants of full program.

$95 (+HST) If space is available, for day retreat only.

Would you like to practice yoga together? My next session (both in person and on zoom) is scheduled for Saturday mornings; July 9th – 23rd,from 9:00 – 10:15 am EST. We’ll be exploring heart focused sequences, and self care to support us through the busier summer months. Registration is necessary, head on over to my schedule and simply click on the dates you’d like to join to reserve your spot!

Testimonials from past participants of Because You Matter

” I can’t sing the praises of this course enough!  It has transformed the way I treat myself and my health, not only through motivating me to take on healthier practices and habits, but also through establishing a stronger mindset on the importance of self care.  I truly looked forward each week to seeing Amber and the others in my group, and cherished that time I could spend with them.  After each class, I always felt rejuvenated, relaxed, and happy.  The reading materials were informative and extremely helpful in incorporating Amber’s teachings and explanations, and the videos helped me to practice at other times.  I’m grateful for this because it allows for the feeling that it doesn’t have to end – that I can continue these healthy habits and involve them in my daily life for a long time to come. “

Jasmin, Almonte, Ontario

“We need more of this!”

CW, Ontario

“This is a robust course with so much valuable information to digest, and after 6 weeks of looking forward to seeing Amber, practicing breathing techniques, and learning how I can improve my habits to nourish my own health and well being, I didn’t want it to end!  Needless to say, it was not long enough!    During the class, she is patient and kind, she teaches and also listens, and offers a safe and trusting environment to allow all the members to feel totally comfortable. But for all intensive purposes, the overall balance of the teaching material, mixed with meaningful discussion and practice, created the perfect environment for me to start some excellent habits and motivate me into caring for myself!  I believe the long term benefits will be immense!”

JM, Ontario

Solstice Blessings To You

Solstice Blessings To You

Amber_Young

Happy Summer Solstice Blessings !!

A time we celebrate the light, our inner fire, the obstacles we’ve overcome, our community, our power, our gardens as they grow, all the animals emerging, and we commit to taking steps to nourish ourselves and one another. 

Summer Solstice is a time we also honour the tilting of the earth wrapping us in the longest day of sunlight of our solar calendar year.  We move through the cycles of seasons and witness our own rhythms as they ebb and flow. 

I feel like over the past few years we’ve been reminded in numerous ways to not live with regrets, because wow, the unexpected can occur at any moment. 

Did you know that taking some time to; move your body – moving energy through you and also sitting in stillness and quiet on a daily basis, without any distractions, offers the potential for a greater sense of ease and clarity on your life journey. This feels important, for each of us. This little reprieve of movement and breath, even for a few minutes, brings you more deeply into the presence and reality of your life in this moment, and an awareness of what’s actually important to YOU. First however, we need to commit to our self care to have the space to hear that guidance. 

I invite you to light a candle today, and honour your connection to the light.  Move your beautiful body, and breathe a little deeper. Get your hands and feet in the dirt, and honour your connection to the earth. Honour YOUR strength. Honour the goodness inside of you, and the impact you bring forward with your actions – especially the seemingly small acts of kindness. 

Happy Solstice, from my heart to yours,

With love

Amber

Do you want to practice together? My next series (both in person and virtually) starts July 9th. You can see my schedule (and find out more details) here

Soul Wisdom Self Reflection cards, a little extra support on your journey.

How do we show up with our whole selves?

How do we show up with our whole selves?

Amber_Young

As we deepen our relationship with our self care, we consciously start to  respect that our physical body is the medium we move our gifts through and out into the world.  We need to tend to our physical needs on a daily basis so that we’re able to do what we do in the world – and that is considering our creativity, our passions, our personal pleasures, the ways we’re in service to the earth and the greater collective, as well as our professional, working and personal life responsibilities. When we cultivate more balance in our lives and care for ourselves emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually, our inner and outer worlds begin to easefully move into alignment.

Consider how you can stay true to your inner world as you move in the outer world, it is common for folks to shift and change depending on the company they keep – can you be true to your authentic self always? I’m beginning to realize the responsibility we actually have to show up, fully as ourselves in all situations.

Historically, and even now in our present day world, simply being who you are and speaking your truth is certainly not always easy. Moving in an authentic way has led people to bullying, persecution, isolation, ridicule, loss of family, loss of home, and even death – I know this continues seen and unseen, in small and largescale ways. This reality is heartbreaking, and I know we all carry the wounds of our ancestors and of the collective. How do we cultivate more acceptance and understanding of one another to do our part in helping to break these patterns? This is much bigger than we can dive into in this offering, but definitely a pause for reflection. It’s easy to say “just show up, be who you are” – but this is so layered, and it’s important to not bypass the layers.

It takes courage to be true to who you are now, and to stand up for what is meaningful. As we learn to step more fully into ourselves in a grounded way, we to help to heal the past. What needs to change in your external reality to fully honour who you are now, perhaps starting in small ways to step more deeply into your truth.

In your practice today I invite you to explore cat/cow in your body. A seemingly simple movement which holds within it so much potential on our healing journey.  Anatomically this movement is important as it allows the nourishment of cerebralspinal fluid to support the integrity of your nervous system, it helps to maintain flexibility through your spine as well as fluidity in your body – supporting the nerves as they make their journey through your body, and moving in a conscious gentle way will help to decompress your vertebrae.  

Cat cow can also help to release deep seated restrictions in your muscular body, which supports a greater sense of freedom internally. This movement is also energizing, and helps to release congestion and create deep internal space coming into a greater place of balance.  Cat cow invites us to connect with the waters of our bodies, as we move through the wave along our central canal. The more we can find fluidity and space inside and connect to our core – the easier it is to move with authenticity in this life journey.

If you’re working with a journal, I encourage you to grab it before you begin.  Take a few moments in silent observation and simply note the areas of your body you’re holding a little tighter, perhaps experiencing physical discomfort.  When you attune to these parts of you, what are the thoughts or memories that arise?  How can you offer them compassion?

When you move through cat cow, either on hands and knees starting in table top, or in a seated position with your hands on your thighs or shins – we want to initiate the movement from our sacrum (the bone at the base of the spine), moving very slow and subtly to begin – vertebrae by vertebrae – a slight movement forward on the inhale as we create space around the heart, and a gentle movement arching back as we create space between the vertebrae. Staying mindful moving vertebrae by vertebrae, like beads along a mala. Move with the fluidity of water, avoiding hard edges and compression with this movement, but rather welcoming in softness and space – and to learn to listen to what our body holds. Honour the power in the smaller, slower, more subtle movements, this is often when we feel the most profound effects in our practice.

I encourage you to reflect on how you’re feeling after spending some time moving through this exploration.

Please know my support is here, holding you in my heart.

I am grateful you are taking this time to care for your self.

I am grateful for the wisdom of your body, and mine.

I am grateful for the fluid that surrounds and nourishes my brain and my spinal chord, and that I know how to tend to it to support myself – through breath and movement.

I ask you now, what are you grateful for??

Sending you so much love

Amber

close up photo of white petaled flowers

Enrollment is now open for our upcoming fall session of Because You Matter, to find out more details click here

Taking 3 Sacred Breaths

Taking 3 Sacred Breaths

Amber_Young

Time in silence has been calling loudly – but rather with the intention to simply listen and bear witness. How often do we do that for ourselves and for others? Sit in silence and bear witness.

I have been teaching alot these days, both online and community classes, immersed in hands on healing sessions, as well moving with 2 groups of incredible and inspiring women through my because you matter women’s health program. It feels good to have this time now, to sit with all of you with a little more spaciousness.

How are you doing? Take a moment and offer yourself this window to check in. I urge you to not modify your answer, or change it to a more desirable response – this is for you – how are you doing in this moment? If we don’t give ourselves regular little check – ins, we contribute to a quicker potential break down.

Sometimes I find it helpful to simply take a few minutes and move through 3 deep breaths. Meggan Watterson offers us a reminder as we breath into our bodies with our first breath, landing into the physical. Our second breath anchors us into our heartspace – connecting to this well of compassion that lives inside each of us, and the deeper authentic parts of you. With our third breath we can ask our question – how am I, this will bring forth a more accurate account of how you’re actually doing, the answer your soul needs you to hear.

I recently came across a beautiful piece in Embers, by Richard Wagamese, which also speaks to this importance.

Me: You always repeat things three times.

Old Woman: Just the important things.

Me: Why? I hear you the first time.

Old Woman: No. You listen the first time. You hear the second time. And you feel the third time.

Me: I don’t get it.

Old Woman: When you listen, you become aware. That’s for your head. When you hear, you awaken. That’s for your heart. When you feel it becomes a part of you. That’s for your spirit. Three times. It’s so you can learn to listen with your whole being. That’s how you learn.

When we come to our breath and awareness with our whole being we support a full and authentic life – that’s a good thing, and that’s the point. Sometimes we spend so much time trying to please others that we don’t even know what the authentic voice that lives inside of us sounds like anymore.

Carving out windows to take 3 intentional breaths is so incredibly important – whenever you remember.

Teaching because you matter has a deep undercurrent of understanding our breast health but it became clear through these past few months, how it’s a program with an even deeper intention to remind us of all the parts of us that are deserving of care and loving attention. Taking those 3 sacred breaths as we settle into our bodies, holds so much potential. The more we can learn about ourselves grounded in compassion, the more we’re able to offer ourselves the care we truly need – and the less likely we are to overstretch ourselves in ways that aren’t supportive. Such a powerful journey, and I am so grateful to the openness of the folks that moved through this first offering with me. I hold the laughter, movement, introspection, tears, deep breaths, sacred stories, and holding safe space for one another so dearly in my heart. Still taking lots of time to reflect and integrate everything I learnt through the process.

This past weekend I said goodbye to the sweetest soul, and as I lay beside him on the grass with the sun shining, witnessing, as he took his last 3 breaths, I was deeply impacted by the reminder of the importance of those 3 breaths. We have a limited amount of time here, in this body, I urge you to listen and to live with your whole being, and know you are very loved.

Before I close, I wanted to share a video with my sweet Solomon. I looked through to find a wee session with Sol and found this shorter practice, made in February of 2021 (so please bear in mind it was from a while ago). A short 10 minute mindful meditation practice, supported with Solomon. Many of you knew him, he was in our family for 16 years, and was the most cuddliest loving cat. I’m grateful for all he taught me, and all he brought to our family.

To all of those we’ve loved, and the threads woven through our lives,

Much love, Amber

xo

Do you want to practice together? You can see my schedule (and find our more details) here.

Soul Wisdom Self Reflection cards, a little extra support on your journey.

The Wisdom Within

The Wisdom Within

Amber_Young

Sometimes we come to yoga simply for the physical benefits, let’s be honest the physical potential within our practice is amazing. We flush our organs, stretch our muscles, lubricate our joints, increase our thoracic capacity, support our full body oxygenation, we strengthen and lengthen, support our hormone health and our lymphatic system – this is only a small list of the potentiality of your practice.

Over time we may get to know our bodies better, by listening to the sensations our bodies send us as we move through our practice. When we really tune in, we realize our practice also has the potential to positively affect our mental and emotional health. We may start to feel more at home inside of ourselves, and more responsive to life rather than reactionary. Yoga, and mindful movement, can offer us another way to experience ourselves in the context of our lives.

As we come to our mats, part of what we may begin to seek is this beautiful invitation for transformation, as we notice the limiting memories and stories we often tend to carry and the ability to learn from them, honour them, perhaps put some down, and create new imprints that instead serve our inner growth.

Our lives consist of a constant series of integrating, taking in, letting go, learning and evolution – well, if we give ourselves permission.

With greater awareness and practice, we are able to begin to recognize and discern past associations that we hold in our bodies as constriction, but we also begin to notice the stories our bodies hold that are in fact expansive and empowering. When we feel safe and supported, our bodies hold such potential as we learn to follow our inherent wisdom and the guidance we’re offered through our physical knowing.

This reflection brings to mind the work of; Candace Pert and her pivotal work in Molecules of Emotion, Peter Levine and his groundbreaking work with Trauma and the Body, Jon Kabat-Zin who changed my life with his work with mindfulness and the body, and Bessel Van Der Kolk in his incredible gift to us The Body Keeps The Score. I am grateful for these works, and countless others, the list is endless.

In yoga, mindful movement, and hands on therapy, we understand that memory isn’t only in the mind. Our bodies, like our minds, hold the imprints of past physical, emotional and psychological experiences – both positive and negative, joyful and traumatic.

The body, when guided with compassion and kindness, also has the intelligence and wisdom to free us from the stories and the experiences we don’t need to carry anymore. Through gentle asana, movement, and compassionate hands on healing work, we have the potential to create space inside of ourselves and welcome in new imprints that support us, rather than hold us back.

Take some time this week to come to your mat, or find a quiet place outside. Perhaps move a little slower, breathe a little deeper, and listen a little more closely to what the wisdom of your body has to offer you. You may want to take some time to write in your journal.

I offer you this reflection with the hopes that you will become more aware of the parts of you that perhaps need some extra compassion and love. I also hope you’re able to become more aware of those places inside of you where you do feel expansive, where your breath flows easefully unobstructed, and where you carry the sacred seeds of potentiality within.

May you move with a gentle heart, and kindness, not only on your mat – but also as you travel through your days.

Love Amber

xo

Do you want to practice together? You can see my schedule (and find our more details) here.

Learn more about Because You Matter, a beautiful 6 week journey into your breast health and whole body wellness. Click here for more information. My next offering starts in October, 2022.

Soul Wisdom Self Reflection cards, a little extra support on your journey.

Through Kindness And Compassion

Through Kindness And Compassion

Amber_Young

I like to think that the feminization of yoga starts with the premise that we are all perfect just the way we are.  The transformation comes not in our hips and bellies, but in our attitudes about them as we learn to let go of (and thus be liberated from) society’s dictates.  We start on our yoga mats, but we take these concepts off the mat and into our daily lives – we learn to see ourselves as we really are, without judgement, and embrace the power we have to enact change through kindness and compassion.

Linda Sparrows

I’m just working on the handouts for my Because You Matter 6 week program, and I came across this quote – this is why I love yoga, and why it is an anchor for me. It’s true, if we’re able to come to ourselves with acceptance and kindness, we start to support change in the world around us simply by coming into coherence with this energy. It’s not about the physical changes or the “appearances”, it’s about how we feel inside – it’s about how deep we allow our breath to travel and how kind and gentle we can be with ourselves. It’s about being okay with making mistakes and softening our expectations, especially around ourselves.

I’m learning alot about the human condition these days, and feeling, often overwhelming waves of compassion and sometimes deep sadness. I’m choosing to allow those emotions to fuel my actions in the world. I’ve been reflecting a little more on what I can do to support myself to thrive and understanding that this is where the ripples for the greater collective start.

Making your self care a top priority is important, as we’re all – yes, that includes you, processing alot right now. I sense that if your actions are grounded in kindness – that you are in alignment with what the world needs more of right now……..

Sending you love as you journey through your days,

Amber

Do you want to practice together? You can see my schedule (and find our more details) here.

Learn more about Because You Matter, a beautiful 6 week journey into your breast health and whole body wellness. Click here for more information. My next offering starts in March of this year.

Soul Wisdom Self Reflection cards, a little extra support on your journey.

It’s Up To You

It’s Up To You

Amber_Young

Remove the obstacle of what you think you know about yourself and give yourself permission to discover who you really are, now, in this breath, in this chapter of your life.

I feel these last weeks of winter are urging us to embrace the quiet moments of reflection before we transition into Spring. Slowly, well for us here in Ontario, winters ice will begin to break up – the week we’re moving through is definitely requiring a slower rhythm with ice covered roads and snow once again falling outside my window.

As we prepare for this transitional time, I wonder if you’re able to consider where your energy may be blocked, what patterns keep coming up and what can and will you do about them.

You see the good thing about blockages, stress and stagnation is that they have the ability and potential to move through us – the hard part – is the responsibility to invoke change lays in your hands – noone can do that for you.

Did you know that by simply taking a big deep breath you’re already moving things through you, encouraging inner nourishment, space and movement – by a simple full deep breath.

Think about the ways YOU move YOUR energy. Now, go one step further – write them down, and even one step further – pick one and do it – right now ! You are capable of so much more than you think, and your body is here to help you find equilibrium and if properly supported bring you to homeostasis.

Sometimes it may not feel that way, but if we give ourselves opportunities to thrive we actually do. The opportunities I’m talking about here start with the simple ones really, but often the first we neglect – you know daily doses of enough hydration, proper oxygenation (through supportive breath rhythms), sunshine, walking through supportive doors, and the most important – love.

So what are you going to do today? The choice is up to you.

With so much love, and support on your journey

Amber

xo

Do you want to practice together? You can see my schedule (and find our more details) here.

Learn more about Because You Matter, a beautiful 6 week journey into your breast health and whole body wellness. Click here for more information. My next offering starts in March of this year.

Soul Wisdom Self Reflection cards, a little extra support on your journey.

Offerings – An Update

Offerings – An Update

Amber_Young

“The most important thing each of us can know is our unique gift and how to use it in the world.  Individuality is cherished and nurtured, because in order for the whole to flourish, each of us has to be strong in who we are and carry our gifts with conviction, so they can be shared with others.  Being among the sisters provides a visible manifestation of what a community can become when its members understand and share their gifts.  In reciprocity, we fill our spirits as well as our bellies.”

– Robin Wall Kimmerer from Braiding Sweetgrass 

These wise words from Robin Kimmerer reach inside of me and make me want to shine this light on everyone – each of us has to be strong in who we are – the wholeness of who we are, so we can carry our gifts, and live them, with conviction. She is referring to the three sisters in our gardens; corn, squash and beans – all needed strong in their authenticity for eachother to thrive. For the first time in my life, I actually understand this – not from ego, but from a deep well of compassion and dedication to being in service.

This is not a time in our lives to shrink or avoid our responsibilities, that’s for sure. Why are you here, and what do you care about? I have been asking myself this question since the beginning of all this shifting, settling a little more everyday in to the answers that arise for me.

It feels good to be back committed to my massage practice, offering treatments in peoples homes, in my private clinic/teaching space, and back with the incredible support at Carp Ridge. The years I ran the yoga studio were magic, but I realize where I’m most needed now with our present reality is in clinic – doing healing hands on work. People are feeling such a wide spectrum of emotions these days, I know I’m not needed to share that thought, but there is a deep awareness of how much support we all need right now – I feel that in my bones.

Being on my mat, practicing and teaching yoga, has evolved so much over the past few years. The yoga community I’m a part of also faced some raw truths during this time, and forced each of us to really answer the question – who am I, what is this path for me, tracing the roots for all of our teachings, and feeling fiercely about intentions and care in approaching these practices not only for ourselves, but also in the ways we hold safe space for others.

How do I bring forth the truth of these ancient teachings fueled by compassion and love, honouring all of my teachers (past and present), our ancestors and integrating the teachings from our natural world into the scientific and anatomical understanding of the movements in our body – weaving the science, the magic, the art, and the wisdom in our cells – truly embodying our yoga.

I’ve been teaching breast health workshops now for almost 20 years, born out of my massage practice, and inspired in so many ways from various trainings and teachers, and the intimate therapeutic and emotional work that has happened on my table. During this time, inspired by Sat Dharam Kaur’s work, I have put my energy back into these offerings and have threaded together an integrative approach within the container of my background; exploring our breast health, but also our whole body, mind and spirit wellness. This has taken (and continues to be in the creation state) time to craft, and I’m excited to hold this space. I am also so excited to be able to offer day long in person retreats starting again this spring.

Jessica and I launched our Soul Wisdom cards in June, that was a birthing process, and such a beautiful project, one very dear to our hearts. We have been spending some time pondering and visioning for our journal together, our next project to support you with personal and soulful reflective practices.

Through the last few years, spending more time on my own, I am acutely aware of what I love in the work I do in this life; writing, teaching, learning, exploring, and healing hands on work. I am hopeful over time that through these offerings I can help to support you to find your way into your own answers –

Why are you here? Start with the simple heart centered answers – to nourish your garden, to feel joy in your body, to be a support to those dear in your life, honouring self amidst your roles in this lifetime, to explore a creative endeavour that feeds your soul, to write, to serve food to hungry bellies, to dance, to be in service to the earth. The simplest and clearest answer here is the most profound and impactful – we have to begin with the simplest steps – remember that.

How can you best support yourself to thrive during this precious lifetime?

What do you care about?

What’s important to you? ,

Thanks for sharing these thoughts, I felt an update on my practice was due, as it’s been a while.

Please know my support is here – and there are many avenues we can work together through this wild human experience. I bow down to all of the amazing wellness guardians in our communities, supporting the whole to flourish.

You are magic unfolding, never forget that.

pink waterlily flower in full bloom

With so much love,

Amber

Do you want to practice together? You can see my schedule (and find our more details) here.

Learn more about Because You Matter, a beautiful 6 week journey into your breast health and whole body wellness. Click here for more information. My next offering starts in March of this year.

Harmonizing With The Elements

Harmonizing With The Elements

Amber_Young

Lighting the fire that warms my hearth and my home, I give thanks. In the silence of the morning I hear the call to head out to the forest, again I give gratitude, this time for my willingness to surrender to that call. Honouring each footfall, being mindful of the contact points, hearing the crunching of snow underfoot.

Walking amongst my elders; the white pine, the birch and the fir trees, I bring my attention inwards, reflecting on how we are composed of the same energy and are enlivened by the same cycles as our mother earth. This is an important realization in supporting our responsability, but also infusing that responsability with joy, as we nurture our reciprocal relationship with our natural world.

The movement of life force through us is also what nourishes the grass as it grows, the stars as they shine, the roots to grow deep into the earth, and the waters to flow.

On a yogic path we call this life force prana, it infuses your body with health and vitality everytime you move through the flow of every breath. Your breath is a gift, remember that, and give yourself permission to feel this sacred rythm moving inside of you, and moving all around you.

Through breath, as well as movement based practices, we can harmonize this energy within ourselves. Offering ourselves this time can bring us naturally into greater alignment with the land, the waters, the winds; our natural world around us. Likewise, the more time we spend in nature, the more we bring balance, nourishment and a sense of equanimity into ourselves – in body, mind and spirit.

As we attune to the rhythms of the earth we also naturally start to feel more stable in ourselves, more supported, and we begin to feel a greater sense of trust – this also leads to feeling more at peace deep inside as we invoke our inherent ability to heal.

Carve out some time to quietly sit by the water, or at the roots of a tree. Walk through the forest and be mindful of your steps. Take some time and journal your reflections, notice how you feel, and know you are very supported.

Much love

Amber

If you’d like to join Amber for her virtual movement and yoga classes you can find out more here

Supporting eachother on this human journey, our Soul Wisdom cards were created with the intention to help you find your way to wholeness.