Blog – Wander to Wonder

Harvest Reflections

As I begin typing these words, I am aware that at this exact time last week, we were beginning to gather around the dinner table, mugs full of warm mulled apple cider, ready to enjoy a meal prepared by loving hands as Kayla was ready to lead us through a devotion and share pieces of her story. It’s 7:33pm and to say I am done reflecting on Harvest would be so far from the truth… *All photos by the amazing Jamie Mae Photography Similar to our Nourish event held in June this year, my first dose of reflection exposed my own deep unravelling. While I guide people through work I am also doing (you can’t teach what you don’t know), it is after the event passes I begin to do my own reflecting work-- what did I learn, how did this event impact me, what did it uncover? [...]

Aelea2019-10-14T13:30:46+00:00

HARVEST

There's something about Autumn that just draws me in, unlike any other season. To say Fall and Winter are my two favourite seasons is something I probably wouldn't have even realized until my realization a couple of years ago that I'd rather pile on the layers and watch the snow sparkle gently from the sky than sit in the heat in as little clothing as possible with a heat rash. Autumn, you see, feels so magical. The warm breeze, the changing colours of the leaves-- there's this sense of renewed excitement for the remainder of the year as the Academic calendar kicks off and even those of us who haven't stepped foot in a classroom for years can feel the energy of the season that brings a crisp air to sweep out the lethargic heat of summer. Autumn and winter are two of the more introspective seasons. They [...]

Aelea2019-09-16T21:58:57+00:00

Seek Truth

Taking on the Masters Program by Holy Yoga this year has been an adventure. Once I completed my 225-hour training in November of 2018, I knew I had just scratched the surface and I was immediately drawn to taking the Masters program. The Masters program is a 300-hour training the full duration of the year. Each class takes us a little bit deeper into understanding God, scripture, yoga, spiritual disciplines, and so so so much more. It feels like that popular quote, 'the more you learn, the less you know' as you are opened up to so many concepts and ideas and theories that make you want to freeze time so you can continue to learn. While many of the weekly classes, additional video and audio recordings and books to review have left me saying, 'this was my favourite class yet!', this past Monday's class was nothing short of [...]

Aelea2019-08-10T03:40:01+00:00

NOURISHED

When I sat down to write this blog post about NOURISH: A Holy Yoga Class + Zero Waste Brunch I was immediately overwhelmed with my own personal work that happened on my yoga mat in preparation for the yoga portion of the class. I spent a solid hour (and took over the google doc titled Nourish Blog) and used it as a personal time to journal; to write about my own unravelling and seeking Nourishment on my mat the week leading up the event, the unwinding of my own story that led me to place of surrender and tears on my yoga mat while the playlist for the class moved me to worship. The writing was therapeutic, as always, and helped me process the moments on the mat that went to form the experience I brought to those who attended Nourish. I’ve already told you all about the beginnings [...]

Aelea2019-06-12T00:10:34+00:00

NOURISH

There are people in your life who are encouragers. They are the ones who want to see you flourish, who support you with ideas and help when you need it and who are there to come alongside you the days you don’t know what to do next and tell you it’s okay, that you’ve got this and that you can keep going. There are a few people in my life that are encouragers and I honestly can’t imagine life without them. The first is my friend Ashley. A co-worker-turned-biggest-cheerleader, if Ashley has an idea for a yoga event, she shares it with me and allows me to springboard ideas off of her. She has continually encouraged me even before I took my yoga teacher training, nudging me to apply to teach workshops and calling out the good and beautiful things in the work I am doing when I seem [...]

Aelea2019-05-19T20:33:50+00:00

My Theme for 2019

Instead of goals for the year I’ve chosen a theme. I’ve been doing this since at least 2014 and it has been such a beautiful way to set an intention for my year. I write the word out in gold calligraphy and frame it on my desk so I see it often— a constant reminder of the kind of person I aspire to be and where I want to focus during the year. I find the theme, appearing as a common word, has a way of finding you. It’s one thing to sit and think of a word— to reflect on the year past and see what theme would be of benefit to you in the coming year. It’s another to let it come to you— to hit you while you’re talking with a new friend about yoga, God, energy and connection at Starbucks on a frigid Thursday night.2 When it [...]

Aelea2019-01-03T00:02:39+00:00

When Your Heart Is Full

Do you ever get that feeling like your heart is full-- there’s a smile on your face that just won’t fade and your heart actually feels like it has expanded? This past weekend gave me this feeling and it leaves me searching for the words to say to appropriately describe the goodness of the moments I’ve experienced. When it comes down to it, all I can really say is, ‘God is good’. There are three things in particular that are giving this full-heart feeling right now and I want to share the profound simplicity of them with you today. 1- Feeling Known. Feeling truly known is something I desired for so long without really being able to put my finger on what it was. I’m generally known as the unicorn who loves cats who is always passionate about something different that I am actively pursuing. This generalized statement isn’t [...]

Aelea2018-12-16T23:45:09+00:00

Hope + Heart

You are invited to HOPE + HEART: a Christmas Holy Yoga Experience! Since completing my yoga teacher training with Holy Yoga I knew I wanted to do Christmas yoga flow. I couldn't imagine a more perfect way to begin using my training-- hosting an event that would truly be an expression of my own experience with Holy Yoga. The event will open with a sharing of information on Holy Yoga and what 'Christian yoga' is. Then we will move into a few moments of prayer and meditation practicing Lectio Divina, an ancient method of praying scripture. The yoga portion of our class will be a heart-opening slow flow practice to the sounds of inspiring Christmas and worship music that will remind you of the hope of the Christmas season. During a slow flow class, we hold poses for longer periods of time to learn the flow and build muscle memory [...]

Aelea2018-11-30T03:47:14+00:00

Yoga Teacher, Gospel Preacher

"You're a yoga teacher, gospel preacher." Those were the words spoken to us during our 'graduation' on our final night of immersion week as part of our 225 hour Holy Yoga teacher certification. Before that declaration was a stream of words spoken by one of our leaders that only God knew would reach the depths of each of our hearts as the words articulated the truths we most needed to hear, the encouragement to stay the path once returning home, and the confidence to stand in the truth of who we are even when we so often forget. Each member of my small group had a different divinely inspired word spoke over them and mine was just as special and unique as each of the others... Seen. Adored. Kind. Sweet. A few other words were spoken then came the one... accepted. The very first night at Bible with the creator [...]

Aelea2018-11-30T03:26:02+00:00

FEATURED: Prairie Love Festival 2018

I am so excited to be leading a Speakeasy Workshop at Prairie Love Festival this year! When I first became a life coach, I knew I wanted the opportunity to work with people in both 1:1 coaching situations, but also in group sessions where I allowed a group the space to sit, reflect, and be challenged by questions that help them reframe their current ideas or dive deep into what truths they are holding close that may, or may not be, serving them. When I finished my training, I dreamed of one day leading a workshop at Prairie Love Festival. Prairie Love Festival has become my little safe space to reconnect with myself, to move my body and rest my mind, and to recharge after what always happens to be a busy summer. Prairie Love Festival brings out some amazingly talented yoga instructors and other wonderful teachers who are [...]

Aelea2018-09-02T02:24:05+00:00