I could tell you a lot of things about me, but probably the most important thing I can share with you is that I feel really at ease in my own skin, and it wasn't always like that. I've been practicing yoga since my senior year at Barnard College. I used to struggle with anxiety, depression, debilitating migraines and body image issues. I used to be attracted to people who couldn't love me in a way that felt good. I used to be attached to stories about how things should be, or how people should behave or what other people should do, say, want, need or feel. Life is not like that anymore. Yoga is not a magic bullet, it's a process of discovering what is really true about you, and a letting go of anything that isn't. It's an art form that teaches you how to listen deeply not just to your own intuition, but to the people in your life, without gripping the steering wheel with your sticky fingers, white-knuckling your way through it all. It's an acceptance of the impermanence of everything, in a way that inspires you to live each day fully and to love with your whole heart. Not everything in my life is perfect. I have faced some real heartbreak along the way, as we all have. I've lived enough and seen enough to know better than to use phrases like, "everything happens for a reason." Some things just happen, and our job is to rise up and grow beauty from whatever it is life puts in our path, and sometimes that is really, really hard. Everything good, real and true in my life, everything that flows and is fulfilling and rewarding comes directly out of my yoga practice, and it is one of my greatest joys to share the tools, ideas and practices that have helped me create a life I love. I'm a mom with two kids and an amazing husband. This site is my third child, and I'm thrilled you've joined me and this incredible group of teachers I'm so privileged to know and share with you. Every teacher on this site is passionate, down-to-earth and committed to her and his yoga practice. Everyone here wants to share, support you and inspire you to keep unrolling your mat, even on the days when it's tough. Especially on those days! If you like some reading along with your asana practice, I've written two books, "Open Randomly: Fortune Cookies for the Soul" and "Yoga's Healing Power: Looking Inward for Change, Growth and Peace", both available on Amazon, Book Depository, and wherever books are sold. If things go well, my third book will be finished soon. I'm very hands-on with the site, and if you have any questions, need some guidance, or simply want to connect with me, please reach out!
By Ally Hamilton on Mar 17, 2023
I was in the mood for everything in this practice! A creative, sweaty vinyasa flow, some heart-pumping yoga sculpting mixed in, deep stretching and long holds to use all that heat to seriously open, followed by 15 minutes of Yoga Nidra in savasana. If you're also in the mood for all that deliciousness, let's do this!
By Ally Hamilton on Mar 10, 2023
Oh hi there! If you're looking for a class that's going to open and strengthen every major muscle group, get you breathing deeply and feeling as open and energized as possible, then you've come to the right class! Once we're warm we play with bakasana and tripod headstand, and there are also tips and tools to play with lifting to handstand with both legs together. Enjoy, yogis!
By Ally Hamilton on Mar 4, 2023
What is the yogi LSD flow you may be asking? LSD stands for Long, Slow, Deep (Breathing!) If you really moved one breath per movement, you'd be going pretty slowly, right? And the longer you practice, presumably the greater your lung capacity, so the slower you'd go. When was the last time you truly practiced that way? If you want to experience what that feels like (and it is deep, intense and trippy) this flow is for you. We start with grounding and meditation, then begin with mindful juicy sweet movement and stay curious and open along the way. We deeply open the hips, hamstrings and shoulders, fire up the core, play with arm balances and inversions, all while staying with one breath/movement. You will be sore tomorrow, in the best possible way! And I vacillated between intermediate and advanced on this one. Intermediate yogis are absolutely welcome, just listen to your body and keep breathing. Enjoy this very deep practice yogis, and the natural high that comes with this kind of breath-work!
By Ally Hamilton on Feb 27, 2023
A practice for days when you have a moderate amount of energy but want to open up and breathe deeply. We move at a steady, mindful pace. You can expect to open every major muscle group, to fire up your core, to play with arm balances and inversions, but to do all of that with a calm, cool, curious state of mind and the willingness to turn the heat up or down based on how you feel. Enjoy, yogis!
By Ally Hamilton on Feb 17, 2023
I love a classic 90-minute class where we don't have to rush or edit anything out! This practice is all about opening to reality as it is, which is not always as we want it to be. Attachment and aversion are flip sides of the same coin. We approach this practice and our own bodies with curiosity instead of an agenda. It's incredibly freeing. There's a focus on shoulder , chest, upper back and neck release, but you'll get plenty of hip and hamstring opening as well. Core strengthening gets us ready for an exploration of forearm stand (a strap and a block may be helpful). And yoga Nidra in savasana should send you floating off your mat. Enjoy, yogis!
By Ally Hamilton on Feb 8, 2023
Can you get into a totally open mindset about your practice today? Can you work with your body and whatever boundaries it may make known to you as you move, with respect, patience, compassion and understanding? The more you're able to work with the truth of whatever you're dealing with, the more things flow. This is true on your mat (and it's the secret to greater strengthening and opening) and it's true in life! Good to work on ;) This is a fun and energizing flow with some sneaky strengthening slipped in and lots of deep stretching, too! Enjoy yogis!
By Ally Hamilton on Jan 28, 2023
This is a flow that opens every major muscle group. We start with a little grounding and meditation, and move into a flow that's all about focusing on how you feel from moment-to-moment without attachment or agenda. You can expect lots of spinal mobility, shoulder, chest, upper back, hip and hamstring opening. Standing balance and arm balancing and inverting because nothing makes us focus like a good balance pose, and because they're fun when approached with curiosity. Enjoy, yogis! Being able to focus is not just fun, it's also freeing!
By Ally Hamilton on Jan 17, 2023
This is a fun, creative, twisty, energizing flow where we play with our friend Garuda in all kinds of ways! Expect shoulder, upper back and chest opening. Expect tons of love for your hamstrings and a visit from a special monkey! Expect to fire up your core so we can explore side crow (and I have you covered if it's hard for you!), eka pada koundinyasana 1, dwi panda, handstands with monkey and eagle variations, and a guided meditation at the end, along with a very quick story about Garuda, the gods, his mother and a snakepit! The moral of this story is you're going to feel great, and remember not to shrink yourself for anyone! Enjoy yogis! This is an advanced practice but I gave building blocks for everything, so intermediate yogis are welcome and encouraged!
By Ally Hamilton on Jan 9, 2023
Oh hello yogis! If you're looking for a deep hip and hamstring opening flow with lots of core work, arm balances and inversions, here you go! Lots of heat-building and mindful sequencing so you're prepared to play with poses like bird of paradise, koundinyasana 2, compass pose, astavakrasana, wide straddles in tripod headstand and handstand, and some deep poses that dive into those hips once we're warm. Guided meditation in Savasana xx Intermediate yogis welcome, please listen to your body!
By Ally Hamilton on Jan 4, 2023
Welcome to a new year! We work with the idea of beginning again, or starting where you are! There's so much freedom and power in recognizing we can begin again at any time :) This is a juicy flow where we aren't in a rush. We start with grounding and a short meditation and then we start to move, breathe deeply and open! The hips, hamstrings, shoulders, chest, upper back and neck get tons of love, we fire up the core and play upside down. Monkey pose is on offer right side up and upside down (I did tweak my shoulder last week and had to modify a couple of things but it won't slow you down ;)) Wishing you the very best 2023 and sending you tons of love. SO grateful to be traveling with y'all!
