All posts filed under: Fitness

yoga school Costa Rica

My Experience at Yoga School

Good morning world, It’s been a very long time since I’ve felt the desire to share anything on my blog. But today, I feel compelled and excited to give some insight into the two beautiful weeks I spent at Bodhi Tree in Nosara, Costa Rica, attending Teacher Training at Marianne Wells Yoga School. There is so much I could say, but I think it’s best to begin with the three over-arching aspects of training that I’ll carry with me forever… Teach people not postures. No matter what ‘level’ of yoga you are at, in Marianne’s classes you will always be doing something. Simply skipping a posture and going into childs pose is not an option. Marianne watches and observes her students and provides the necessary variations to ensure her classes are accessible to all who are participating. She taught us in training that it’s really not about reaching the ‘full expression’ of an asana, it’s about doing the right amount for your own body, and knowing the difference between pain and discomfort. Marianne’s teaching style is inclusive …

Namaste TV Palo Santo Wood

Movement Fundamentals with Namaste TV

Good morning! Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been working through a new program from Namaste TV called Movement Fundamentals. The program consists of 10 ‘animal inspired’ movements i.e. frog, monkey, scorpion, gorilla etc. I actually expected it to be relatively easy for me to grasp, however some of the movements are a little bit complex and require some time and repitition to grasp. I’m still trying to nail the bear-crab roll, martial arts kick, and pistol squat! 😛 The two photos you see below are a couple of my favourite movements from the program- the top one is frog and the one below is gorilla! I included photos of level 1, but in the actual program you will see level 1, 2 and 3 demonstrated by the program leader Slava Goloubov (he’s amazing btw!). I also absolutely love the corkscrew movement… However I’m still practicing it so that I can work up to level 3, which is done with the use of no hands! I love this movement because as mentioned on the Namaste …

Yoga Update + My New Fave Mat

Good morning loves, <3 There are quite a few advanced yoga postures I’m currently working on in my practice, so I thought I’d share a few with you (along with some tips) and perhaps you can relate it to your own practice. 🙂 The first posture I’m working on is king dancer! This pose seemed so far out of my reach even just a few months ago… But one day during my practice last month, I flipped my grip at the last minute and voila! I pulled it off… somewhat. 😉 King dancer is a very intense posture for me, so I make sure to warm up lots before getting into the full expression. I like to do lots of heartopeners and really focus on warming up my shoulders (lots of extended puppy) beforehand. You’ll notice a huge, positive difference in your ability to pull off ANY posture if you take the time to warm up and stretch first. I can’t stress that enough.  Another posture I’m working towards (and have been for some time …

Yoga Inspiration from Tulum, Mexico

Good morning! <3 I truly hope you’re all doing well and are excited for the beautiful things to come in the last quarter of 2017! I personally love this time of year… For me, it feels like a new beginning. Autumn is almost upon us, the air is fresh and crisp, the kids are back to school… It’s quite a nostalgic time really. 🙂 Irek and I arrived home from Mexico last week and are still getting back into the groove and finding our way back into our daily ‘routines’! I’m so grateful that we got to spend some quality time with our good friends, Amy and Carlo, in Tulum… and although the trip didn’t go exactly as planned, we bonded on a much deeper level and to me, that is worth so much more than a ‘perfect’ vacation with no hiccups or obstacles. I plan on writing a blog post soon dedicated to our Tulum trip where I’ll share some tips and tricks to help you if you do plan on visiting the area… But …

Back Bend Yoga Pose

Discovering and Embracing Our Oneness

Good morning everyone! <3 I wanted to start the week off with a bit of a reflective post, relating to a beautiful quote I read the other day by Black Elk. If you keep up with my Instagram page, you’ll already be familiar with my love for beautiful quotes and inspiring messages… So, let’s stick with that theme for today’s post. 😉 “The peace which is the most important, is that which comes to the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe.” -Black Elk I fell in love with this quote because I feel it to be an absolute truth in my own life… Once this peace came to me, this understanding (of the ‘bigger picture’ so to speak), my life and perspective was forever changed. Now, this doesn’t mean that my everyday is sunshine and lollipops, but it does mean that I understand things have meaning. Coincidence does not exist. Everything in this life is a lesson… and sometimes it takes a lot of reflection to find a …

Yoga Vernon, BC

Loving, Growing, and Flowing Through Life

Good morning, I hope everyone is having a beautiful week! <3 At the moment I’m listening to an audiobook book called “The Four Agreements”… This particular book has been on my mom’s book shelf for as long as I can remember. I never felt drawn to it over the years but it’s come into my life now… For a reason, no doubt. 😉 I love that I have a connection to my mom while listening to it. I can picture so clearly the copy that sits in her living room, to this day. 🙂 My mom is such a sweet soul, and the kindest person I’ve ever known. I love listening to it, thinking about how much I love and cherish her. As soon as I started reading The Four Agreements, I knew immediately that the words were meant for me… Sometimes, things just show up in your life at exactly the right moment. I no longer believe in coincidence, so when something speaks to me, or jumps out at me, I pay close attention. …

Vancouver Yoga

Yoga Update + Relief for Sore Muscles

Good morning beautiful people! I hope everyone had an amazing long weekend. The weather in Vancouver has been glorious lately, full sun and 25+ everyday! I hope it’s beautiful where you are as well! 🙂 First off, I just wanted to share a little bit about where I’m at in my yoga journey… I recently made the decision to start on my path to teaching. I can honestly say, teaching yoga was never on my radar… If you told me 5 years ago that this would be my focus, I wouldn’t have taken you seriously. But yoga has come into my life for a reason… It’s become a form of expression, a way of life, and the path to divine love. I will be spending a month in Bali next spring for an intensive 200 hour yoga teacher training course. I’m so excited and am simply allowing my decisions to be lead by my heart… Because of this, I’ve been able to find my own truths, and honour them at the deepest level. It’s so important …

Costa Rica Yoga

Costa Rica Yoga Snaps

Good morning! I hope everyone is having a lovely day so far. I’m back home in Vancouver for the next few weeks and am feeling super refreshed after spending the last couple of weeks in beautiful Costa Rica. 🙂 I didn’t get too many yoga sessions in while we were abroad, but that’s just because we spent so much time exploring and discovering the country. Costa Rica is an incredible place, magical really, and so full of love and positive energy. I plan on sharing lots with you over the next couple of weeks… But for now, I hope you enjoy some of my fave yoga snaps from Costa Rica! Sending lots of love! Have a beautiful week. 🙂 Molly xx Wearing: Tonic Active – use code “Molly20” for 20% off their site. __________ Feeling the oneness of yourself with all things is true love. – Eckhart Tolle 

My Top 3 Asanas for Stress Relief

We live in a very fast-paced, somewhat chaotic world… it’s so easy to become overwhelmed, stressed out, anxious, etc. The key is recognizing when you’re in these negative states and neutralizing them as quickly and calmly as possible. Therefore, I thought it may be helpful to share with you my top 3 asanas for stress relief. If I ever feel like I can’t catch my breath,  these are my go-to postures. I spend anywhere from 5 – 15 minutes in them. Puppy Pose The first posture is called Puppy Pose. Puppy is a great stretch for the shoulders and spine. Personally, when I’m in this pose I feel an overwhelming sense of surrender to the posture; this gives me the ability to let go of any tension or stress I may be carrying. If you’re a beginner, this posture may actually feel quite intense on the shoulders, so take it slow and only go as far as feels good. Savasana (with legs up the wall) The ultimate relaxation posture a.k.a. just lay there and do nothing. Stay in Savasana a minimum of …

We’re all Connected

It’s crazy to think that most of us go through our lives feeling totally disconnected and disempowered. We believe that life is just happening to us, and all we can do is react… But the truth is, we are all connected; connected to each other, to the planet, and to the endless, infinite energies that exist within this incredible universe. Once you’re able to break through and tap into this infinite energy (divine love if you will), you’ll experience life on a much deeper level… your days will start to have meaning, and purpose. You’ll realize that you are the co-creator of your life and that you have the power. I urge you to take care this year… Meditate and do yoga as much as possible, nourish yourself with plant-based foods, take care of your physical body, and most importantly, treat others with kindness and compassion (including our animal friends). Remember that you can manifest anything you want… we all can; we’re all connected. Namaste, Molly xx Don’t forget to sign up for #TheNamasteChallenge with me! Head to …