During the coronavirus crisis, Rachel's regularly-scheduled classes are held virtually over Zoom. The logins for all classes are on this password-protected page -- email Rachel for the password.
Yesterday in our Yoga Class Curator Pilgrimage & Puja Community Practice, founder and teacher Susanna Barkataki led us in an inquiry around devotion. She referenced Yoga Sutra 1:39: Meditating on that which is elevating. She gave us some inquiries for reflective journaling and the focus on meditating on what elevates is still unfolding within me. I am […]
What is this thing called Presence? What comes to mind when you think of Presence? How do you know if you are experiencing Presence? It is a word heard often from many wellness professionals. We are often informed that “being present” is a desired state in this world of overstimulation. Mark Nepo in The Book […]
The curious mind is a healthy mind. Merging inquiry without judgement is akin to a childlike state of wonder and awe. Certainty to me […]
In my dreams last night, a golden eagle flew overhead swooping down around me and eventually landed on my arm, its large talons wrapped securely around my forearm. In waking life, I likely would have shrieked and attempted to ward off a large bird with razor sharp talons diving from the sky towards me, […]
Here we are, right before what we call, “The Holidays.” “It is a strange and wonderful fact to be here, walking around in a body, to have a whole world within you and a world at your fingertips outside you. It is an immense privilege, and it is incredible that humans manage to forget the […]
Here we are at the threshold of holiday season. Earlier this week, on the eve of Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day acknowledging the violence against and murder of Transgender individuals, a mass shooting took place in Colorado Springs at Q Club, a gay bar. On the threshold of the holiday season, we have yet […]
Yearning/Longing is part of the human existence. We witness longing in the Judeo-Christian sacred texts in The Song of Songs and The Psalms, the poetry of Rumi, Hafiz, Kabir, Mary Oliver, the phrasing of Billie Holiday’s intimate relationship between melody and word, the music of Kendrick Lamar, and the sound of the modes, Aeolian and […]
Random Thoughts and Ramblings: I love that Gen Z is falling in love with Kate Bush. I could care less about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. My early summer perennial flowers are starting to bloom and it is 96 degrees mid June. They look disgusted. And wilted before they even flowered. Stop calling human rights […]
I walk in the dark night, staying next to buildings lest I cast a shadow. Seeking to blend my footsteps into the rhythm of the subtle night sounds, traffic, other people walking on ahead of me and behind me perhaps also seeking anonymity, I walk carefully, heading towards the unknown. My clothes are filthy. I […]
This past Saturday, hosting a petition signing for a friend to get on the Democratic ballot for State Rep, our tea kettle remained on the whole day while folks gathered round the table for really good conversation and many laughs. Many people from various parts of the planet have gathered in our kitchen which has […]