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We hear so much in the yoga world and beyond about self-care these days. About how it’s important to put our own proverbial oxygen masks on first so that we have the resources to care for others. But there’s an opposing view that suggests  it’s selfish to spend time and resources on self-care. Yoga philosophy offers some insights. One of the preeminent texts of yoga…

Malasana Anjaneyasana variation Anjaneyasana Utkatasana with a twist It’d been a while since Kristin Trute, a Michigan based yoga instructor, had been in a prenatal class. After a few minutes of thinking she recalls with fondness her first prenatal class as being a way for her to connect, relax and challenge herself. She had stepped into class and noticed that the other participants, other pregnant…

by Lydia Munn Oh my goodness! I can’t believe WE made it! To say the challenge was challenging for me, is… an understatement. Between end-of-summer celebrations, my sister’s birthday, and starting law school, my schedule was all over the place. I had to remain flexible and patient with myself while staying committed to my obligations. I don’t mean obligation in the pejorative sense, obligations can…

Mary Jahns is one of those people you meet and instantly start smiling. You can’t help but catch her infectious positive, gentle energy. Mary is someone who has been with Citizen Yoga from the first day it opened — in fact Citizen’s first day of yoga class was Mary’s too, and she hasn’t looked back. We are a week into the Citizen Yoga Wellness Starts…

It’s the beginning of the Citizen Partner Challenge! Hey! I’m Lydia, a fellow citizen and recent CY 200-hour teacher training graduate. When the challenge was first announced, I was beyond excited to sign up. After completing my 200 hour training, I was ready to recommit to my personal practice. I began the year with practicing yoga almost every single day, but things changed during teacher…

By Halle Wangler,  former U-M women’s basketball student-athlete Every single day we are faced with choices. The magnitude of these choices could be as small as choosing to eat the last slice of pizza, or as profound as deciding which career path you want to pursue. We all have choices, even when we think we do not. It is easy to get caught up in…

At 37 years old, I can still do some pretty sick yoga moves. I say that tongue in cheek, but from the outsider’s perspective it is true. I often joke that I was blessed with genetics that made me dumb strong and ridiculously flexible. Not to mention, I started gymnastics at three years old because I was also fearless and my mom was tired of…

A few months ago, I had a coffee date. It was nothing too out of the ordinary, just catching up with someone without any real agenda. I was sitting with Mallory McMorrow, a friend, creative director, activist, and long-time Citizen, when our conversation drifted over to our professional lives. Slowly, we began to notice a trend, and then we couldn’t escape the similarities: despite working…

Female Empowerment is a mending of inherited inadequacy and passivity. It is a common occurrence for me to hear, you are intimidating (Definition: frighten or overawe (someone), especially in order to make them do what one wants.), strong (Definition: able to withstand great force or pressure.: “cotton is strong, hard-wearing, and easy to handle”. Synonyms: secure, well-built, indestructible), straightforward (Definition: uncomplicated and easy to do or understand.: “in…

When we are sick, or in pain, we often turn to medicine to ease the symptoms or heal what hurts us.  Medicine regulates the systems in our bodies that are not functioning optimally – it can clear a blocked pathway, strengthen our bodies’ defenses, and soothe our body back to healing. In its own very powerful way, yoga is often described as medicine (#YogaAsMedicine, in…

Nominated not once, but twice Chelsea Marshall is our good citizen of the month, and winner one month of unlimited yoga. Read her nominations below: Chelsea does good. She is a teacher for the some of the most physically and mentally challenged elementary school children in her school district. She transferred into this position after teaching 2nd grade because she saw a gap in education for…

I would like to nominate Jennifer Johnson.  She and her family are the most kind and genuine unit I have ever met. She and her husband empower me in a parental sense. They have two wonderful girls and their creativity, patience, and love inspires and reminds me of the potential in myself to be a great parent and husband. Aaron (her husband) doesn’t do yoga unfortunately,…