Lovely, How has your week been?

I’ve just come back from a couple nourishing days in nature at the beach with some of my old-school besties here in Bali.

I left my computer behind for the first time in ages, and let myself spend quality time with my friends, practice yoga as a student, be in the moment, simply be…

It was powerful.

I feel like a totally upgraded version of myself.

Our students say that all the time, and it’s just so true.

Every so often, tt’s so important and necessary to take some time out for some time in.

For me, this sacred pause is so necessary for self-care.

What I notice, when we stop ,and press pause on busy,

we relax and unwind, and naturally things start to fall in place:

we become more receptive

fresh perspective on our challenges are revealed,

creative treasures start to flow through,

gratitude arises for what we do have

and most importantly perhaps, that space we’ve intentionally created allows for a deeper openings,

more connection with ourselves, with those we love, with the moment,

and with the wonder of nature itself.

When was the last time you took a sacred pause? How did you feel after? I’d LOVE to hear from you!

—-

Pure Flow Yoga News

Sacred Sound: Yoga + Music retreat with Francie & Mel Dobra | July 7-13, 2019

Early bird pricing ends APRIL 30. BOOK NOW to avoid missing this transformative embodiment and vocal awakening experience.

Francie’s Events in Bali

For those of you in Bali, keep checking my personal fb page to stay tuned on upcoming offerings.
Starting next week I’m so excited to be sharing Sound Medicine with Kirtan master Punnu Wasu, Wednesdays 6:30-9, and Thursdays 2:30 – 4:30.
I’ll be sharing a concert soon @Zest cafe, so stay tuned!

—-

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead:

Quote
“When people come to me and they ask, ‘How to meditate?’ I tell them, ‘There is no need to ask how to meditate, just ask how to remain unoccupied. Meditation happens spontaneously. Just ask how to remain unoccupied, that’s all. That’s the whole trick of meditation – how to remain unoccupied. Then you cannot do anything. The meditation will flower.’ – Osho

Watch
How to Receive Revelations From Nature – Uplift TV
In this 2 minute video, Ecologist,Stephan Harding, shares with us a simple practice on how you can transform your relationship with the natural world.

Following on Instagram…
@eatpraynewyork – I want it. You want it. George Costanza wants it (“Serenity now!”) So I’m taking one step a day towards inner peace in the world’s most chaotic city.

Check out Sabine’s new insta-project @eatpraynewyork, where she gives step-by-step insight on finding serenity in the city.

Here’s one of my favs…

Step 19: DIGITAL DETOX. I’ve read that the average American sends 3,400 messages a month from bed, and checks their phone 200 times a day. That’s once every six and a half minutes. One in four people spend more time online than they do asleep. Our attention span has dropped over the past decade from 12 seconds to a mere eight – shorter than the attention span of a goldfish. Not surprisingly there is a direct correlation between my happiness and reducing my screen time so I’ve started digitally detoxing for periods of time that are getting longer and longer, mostly around sleep. I just spent a couple of days in a remote national park that had no power after dark, which led me to turning off my phone during those periods. The change in my experience was palpable. I’ve also turned off my push notifications, and will be more mindful of putting my phone away during meals.

How do you limit your screen time?

Reading

The Soul of Money: Transforming your Relationship with Money and Life by Lynne Twist
What I’m loving about this book is the invitation to examine and confront our attitudes towards money – earning, spending and giving it away, and demystify our challenges, fears, addiction, attachment, remorse, regret, and hurt around money, so that we can align our relationship with it and embrace it all to transform our lives.

“Our relationship with money can become a place where, day in and day-out, we can engage in meaningful spiritual practice”.

Listening to…
Ah Ni Kuni (Mose Remix) – Lindsey Wise
I pretty much love ANYTHING this magical woman creates and shares. and I’m loving this new remix EP. Check it out the EP here.

The Lindsey Wise remix EP is an offering of devotional medicine music reworked into beat driven dance journeys. The three remixers Intiche, Mose, and Binder each add their own signature touch to the already beautiful voice and message of Lindsey. Intiche offers his sunny joy filled take to Ah Ni Kuni in addition to Mose’s more subdued slow journey approach and Binder brings his playful groove into the celebratory
energy of Stardust.

—

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe,

We truly LOVE and APPRECIATE you! being here,

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. We appreciate you so much. Until the end of the year 2019, use promocode “lovelovelove” for $75 off your next retreat with us:) This is exclusive to LOVELETTER subscribers only!

P.P.S Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, I’d recommend you bookmark this message, and also please consider and sharing. SHARING IS CARING! We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Happy New Moon and Vedic New Year!

Today is considered a very auspicious time in the Vedic calendar to reclaim and renew your power.

“The Sun Moves into Aries to start the Tamil New Year, and there is so much transformational energy available during this transit. You can empower the Sun within you. This is the time when you can alter time, succeed in your business as well as personal life and affect a change in your destiny.” ~ Dr. Pillai

Today is considered a powerful day to move forward with your dreams and aspirations, moving through obstacles so that you can have prosperity, good health and abundance.

How will you empower the sun within yourself for this new year cycle?
Or in other words, how will you push forward with all your dreams and aspirations for 2019 so you can have a year of success and fulfilment?

I’d LOVE to hear from you!

—-

BSF Wrap-Up:

I’m finally starting to find my own personal rhythm after an incredible but highly full and stimulating week at the Bali Spirit Fest.

There are so many highlights:

I loved all the music, and the workshops i was able to attend. I loved the art, and the vibe.

It was such a treat to run into so many of the Pure Flow Yoga family, and to hear about everyone’s journey’s since their retreats with us.

I loved connecting with the community from all over the world as well as making so many new beautiful connections.

I especially loved sharing vocal activations and a concert with the incredible Lindsey Wise. and I was so honoured to share live music for a Yoga Nidra class with the amazing Cathy Pearson.

Of course, a big highlight was being able to step out of my own way and show up to share music at the Coco Love Stage. I invited a number of friends to play with me, and that felt super supportive and nourishing, especially at these beginning stages of me sharing myself more with the world.

What was so special about this particular moment for me, was that I was sharing a song from the rainbow family. These are kind of folk songs that people from all over the world sing around fires and in circles, and often we don’t know who wrote them or when.

The woman who actually wrote this song in the 70’s, when she was living with Osho, Maha Laxmi, happened to be front and center at the Coco Love Stage, spinning and dancing with utter glee. She was heart-blasted to hear her song shared decades later in this wild tropical land. It was such a beautiful and synchronistic connection, for which I’m beyond appreciative.

—-

Pure Flow Yoga News:

For those of you in Bali:

I love being invited to share, and since doing the show at Bali Spirit, I’ve been invited to share on some sound medicine journeys around town, and i’ll be doing a live acoustic show next week.

Feeling really grateful for these opportunities to learn and grow.

I’m also gonna start doing a weekly singing circle soon, so for those of you in the Ubud, Bali area, please follow my personal page on facebook here to learn about my offerings!

For those of you in North America:

I’m starting to think ahead to my trip home to Canada & the US this August/September and would love any invites to share Yoga, meditation, workshops, singing circles, vocal activations…

If you are interested, and have a studio or connection to a space and a group of people that would benefit from these offerings, please get in touch by replying to this email, and hopefully we can arrange something awesome!

For those of you joining / wanting to join us this month in Thailand:

Yay! Please meet Nadia Moon, who starts sharing her magic this week. She is an incredible Yogi and teacher, who will be teaching alongside our beautiful Sophie, and you can learn more about her here.

—

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead:

Quote:

“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation, but thought about it. Be aware of the thoughts you are thinking. Separate them from the situation, which is always neutral. It is as it is”. – Eckhart Tolle

Sacred Sounds:

Here in the Now – Murray Kyle [Temple Step & DJ Lo Qi Remix

Murray Kyle is one of the most uplifting and inspiring sacred musicians I know. Check him out and discover more of the gold he shares.

Bali Spirit Festival Highlight

Porangui LIVE @ Bali Spirit Fest

I was super blown away by this epic performance by multi instrumentalist and ceremonialist Porangui. You can check out more of his transformational music and healing experiences here.

Reading:

Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness by Rick Hanson PH.D
I tend to read a number of books at the same time to match my mood of the moment. I’ve just started this book and I’m already getting so much out of it. It’s all about resilience.

It’s not about what happens, but what happens next…

In this practical guide, and with his trademark blend of neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology, New York Times bestselling author Dr. Rick Hanson shows you how to develop twelve vital inner strengths hardwired into your own nervous system. Then no matter what life throws at you, you’ll be able to feel less stressed, pursue opportunities with confidence, and stay calm and centered in the face of adversity.

Conscious Clothing:

Tao Muse Designs
Meet my friend Pavitra. I LOVE what this sister is creating – love-infused earth-friendly, organic, sustainable and stylish clothing from beginning to end. Hand-crafted in Bali. And guess what? She’s been so kind as to offer our community 10% off with PROMOCODE – PUREFLOWMUSE

—

Happy new moon and new year again.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe,

We truly LOVE and APPRECIATE you! being here,

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. We appreciate you so much. Until the end of the year 2019, use promocode “lovelovelove” for $75 off your next retreat with us:) This is exclusive to LOVELETTER subscribers only!

P.P.S Have some inspirations you wanna share with us? Hit Reply and share! If we share here on L&I, we’ll be sure to credit you!

P.P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Happy Full Moon & Equinox Magic from Bali beautiful,

How are you?

I’m transitioning from Thailand to Bali, and just sitting in a place of awe, wonder and gratitude.

It’s amazing how quickly everything can suddenly seem to change.

One minute, I’m full power in our beautiful teacher training in Thailand, and the next minute I’m in Bali, rehearsing for Bali Spirit Festival, which starts this weekend.

—

This year at the festival, I’ll be sharing mantra and music on stage for my first time ever going on a stage as a solo project.

I’m feeling all of my shadow self rising….

I’m feeling self-conscious, nervous, apprehensive, self-doubt…

all the things really.

What if I’m not ….enough?

What if they don’t like me? What if I fail? What if I get too nervous or haven’t practiced enough? What if I forget all the words or chords to the songs? Why am I even doing this anyway?

—

Today, I want to dedicate our love and inspirations here to courage.

Did you know that the root of the word courage is cor – the Latin word for heart?

Somewhere along the lines, when I said “I do” to Yoga, I committed myself to a life-long journey of showing up to discomfort, fear, evolution and change.

I’ve made myself a promise to develop courage, an open heart, to keep showing up to my fears, my tears, my edges, my comfort zones, to keep working towards an opening my heart, especially in the face of fear.

Not always easy, but always worth it.

So my plan, my prescription for courage:

1. Prepare as best as possible for that which we are summoning courage for.
2. Know that we will likely feel challenged/self-doubt
3. Accept that we may not be perfect and trust that that’s okay, and ultimately
4. Surrender to whatever happens, and trust…

   Wish me luck/courage!

When was the last time you summoned the courage to move out of your comfort zone and into the magic? How did you feel before & after?

I’d LOVE to hear from you

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead!

—

Quote:

• “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” Mark Twain
• “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” – Walt Disney

Book:

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brene Brown

I love this book. It almost feels like an essential read to help us embrace worthiness and open-heartedness and to better navigate the paradoxes of courage: that we become strong by embracing vulnerability, how we dare more greatly when we acknowledge our fear.

Ted Talk:

The Power of Vulnerability | Brené Brown

Classic ted talk. Also Brene Brown. Such good insight and reminders.

Brené Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

Music

Wise in the Way – Francie Love

Courage to share this raw recording of myself with you. Hope you can sing with me!

Oracle Card:

“Courage” – From the Osho Zen Tarot

This is one of my favourite of the Osho Zen tarot cards:

“The seed cannot know what is going to happen, the seed has never known the flower. And the seed cannot even believe that he has the potentiality to become a beautiful flower. Long is the journey, and it is always safer not to go on that journey because unknown is the path, nothing is guaranteed.

Nothing can be guaranteed. Thousand and one are the hazards of the journey, many are the pitfalls–and the seed is secure, hidden inside a hard core. But the seed tries, it makes an effort; it drops the hard shell which is its security, it starts moving.

Immediately the fight starts: the struggle with the soil, with the stones, with the rocks. And the seed was very hard and the sprout will be very, very soft and dangers will be many. There was no danger for the seed, the seed could have survived for millennia, but for the sprout many are the dangers. But the sprout starts towards the unknown, towards the sun, towards the source of light, not knowing where, not knowing why.

Great is the cross to be carried, but a dream possesses the seed and the seed moves. The same is the path for man. It is arduous. Much courage will be needed”. – Osho Dang Dang Doko Dang, Chapter 4
—

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe,

We truly LOVE and APPRECIATE you! being here,

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. Announcing LAST MINUTE SPECIALS, HERE and ONLY here. Sign up for our spring season with promocode last-minute-deal-march-2019 until the end of the month, and receive $50 off 🙂

P.P.S Have some inspirations you wanna share with us? Hit Reply and share! If we share here on L&I, we’ll be sure to credit you!

P.P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Happy Friday beautiful ,

Sending lots of love of you on this lovely first day of March 2019.

Here are some fresh inspirations for you!

—

Sing with Me
Om Namah Shivaya GuruDev Sat Chit Ananda Murtaye | Namastasye Namastasye Namastsye Namaha

My highlight this past week on our Yoga Teacher Training was sharing Kirtan, or call and response singing with the group.

Kirtan is one of the beautiful ways that we can practice Bhakti Yoga, or Yoga of the heart, to loosen our mental chatter, by repeating a mantra over and over and over again, to come into the heart.

For many of the students, it was their first time trying this practice, and despite thinking beforehand that they did’t like singing, or that they would feel uncomfortable, all the students left feeling “surprised”, “open”, “softer”, “released”, “alive”, “grateful”, “more connected” and “happy”.

I invite you today to sing with me, and let me know – how do you feel after?

photo by Margit Selsjord

Quote:

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. ~Albert Einstein

Oracle Cards I’m playing with:
Isis Oracle by Alana Fairchild
Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly amused and informed by divination, and I happen to love this among other decks. Everyday I ask: What do i need to know today?

Pretty much every culture throughout history has turned to some sort of divination, whether it’s, tea leaves, palm reading or divination.

Divination is pretty much just a way of looking inside, and communicating with the subconscious.

Do you have a favourite oracle card deck that you use? I’d love some recommendations!

Sacred Dance Music I’m LoVin’:
Walkerji @ Sundaydance – Ecstatic Dance Set

Profound and sacred ecstatic dance journey, connecting inner and outer worlds, from one of my favourite sacred music dance producers, Walker Barnard.

Pure Flow Yoga Video:
Spiral into the Flow – 10 min Practice

In this beautiful dancing warrior flow, we move through any stagnancy, any stuck energy to increase the feeling of flow in our bodies, minds, and hearts.

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe.

We LOVE you!

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. Ready to dive deep into Yoga, Nature & Community? Sign up for our spring season retreats with our epic new teachers Nadia (April), Michael, (May) and Daphne (June), and receive a FREE NIGHT before or after your retreat @ Bamboo Huts with promocode “hellospring” 🙂

P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Instagram Post of the Week

Most yogis twist in a variety of ways during their practice-while sitting, standing, lying down and even standing on our heads! So why do we twist so much in yoga and why do twists feel so damn good?…Because these poses provide an abundance of amazing health benefits✨ Twisting improves digestive function by compressing the digestive organs, stimulates circulation, helps restore the spine’s natural range of motion, helps to increase detoxification, reduces stress and lessens back pain?

How are you beautiful?

Happy Friday!

You know that feeling when you fully and finally complete a project that you’ve been working so hard on, for so long, and that you love so much, yet that’s been so challenging and resistance-full at times?

This is how I’m feeling right now.

Grateful. Satisfied. Proud. Excited. Inspired. Uplifted. Transformed. (excited to rest!)

I’m also feeling a lot of mudita.

This is one of my favourite words in the Yoga tradition. It roughly means, sympathetic joy, or the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people’s well-being.

Tomorrow at Pure Flow Yoga, we celebrate!

It’s the last day of our Yoga Teacher Training here in Koh Phangan, and we’ll be having a well-deserved graduation ceremony celebration for this incredible group of teacher trainees.

I am truly in awe of the perseverance, hard work, dedication, progress and transformation I’ve gotten to witness and experience this past 4 weeks.

It’s not easy to keep showing up, day after day, for 4 weeks of 8 hours a day, 5.5 days a week, saturating ourselves with new information, powerful practices, and ongoing invitations to step outside of the comfort zone…

Atira and I have been truly blown away with joy and pride these past few days as we’ve witnessed and experienced our students gracefully, powerfully, and beautifully step up and into the role of teacher, sharing yoga classes with the world for their first time ever. Truly amazing.

The feeling of mudita for our students is strong. We are so happy for these beautiful people to be moving into the world with more self-trust, self-love, confidence, skills, passion and purpose.

Please send them some of your love if you feel inspired..

When was the last time you felt mudita or sympathetic joy?
How much do you love that feeling? Hit reply and let me know, I’d love to hear from you!

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead!

—

Quote:
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fresh from our Blog :
Drishti: Find your Balance in Life by Nadia Moon
Our drishti, or point of focus, is an important aspect of the Yoga practice both on and off the mat, to help us find balance in our bodies and in our lives. Read the article here.

You can practice Yoga with Nadia in our upcoming retreats this April!

Song :
Good Harvest – Clocks (Coldplay) – Live Session
Such Pretty harmonies. Such a lovely song.

Article:
Sorry to bother you, but do you say “sorry” too much? What to say instead
This is great. As a Canadian, I have the tendency to over-apologise. When we needlessly apologise, says sociologist Maja Jovanovic, we end up making ourselves small and diminishing what we’re try to express.

This word “sorry” has been coming up a lot on our teacher training, as the trainees dip their toes in to the waters of teaching. We are all noticing how often this word slips out, and one of our students Mirco, shared this awesome article with us.

This is part of TED’s “How to be a Better Human” series.

Celebrating:
Best 9 Yoga Retreats in Thailand
Feeling grateful and honoured. Pure Flow Yoga has been voted one of Thailand’s top 9 Yoga Retreats. Come and find out why…

—

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe,

We truly LOVE and APPRECIATE you! being here,

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. Have some inspirations you wanna share with us? Hit Reply and share! If we share here on L&!, we’ll be sure to credit you!

P.P.S Ready to dive deep into Yoga, Nature & Community? Sign up for our spring season retreats with our epic new teachers Nadia (April), Michael, (May) and Daphne (June), and receive a FREE NIGHT before or after your retreat @ Bamboo Huts with promocode “hellospring” 🙂

P.P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Instagram Post of the Week

The sweet guys at Bamboo Huts? Bringing us the biggest smiles and the best food everyday ?? #smiles #joy#yummyfood #healthybodyhealthymind#yogafood #yogaretreat #yogaholiday#yogateachertraining #yogacommunity#yogavibes #thailand #thaifood#bestrestaurantever #kohphangan #islandlife#radiatelove #paradise ? @izaviola

Happy New Moon & Friday beautiful,

How are you doing this new moon?

New moon can be a great time to be quiet, to sit with yourself, reflect and introspect.

—

Did you know that Yoga is not all love, light and unicorns?

True story.

It’s also about persistently showing up to our practice, and being with whatever arises, including our shadow sides.

Our shadow includes all our resistances, our challenging moods, excuses, and all those aspects of ourselves that we don’t fully love, accept, or that we judge or feel shame about.

The parts that we often want to hide from other people or even our own conscious minds.

—

This week, we had the privilege and honour to welcome Malaika Darville, a true master of shadow work processes to our Yoga Teacher Training. (Just one more week to go!)

With love, wisdom, experience and 5Elements Dance Activation, Malaika helped to crack our students hearts, bodies and minds wide open. She helped hem to break down their ego barriers, limiting self-beliefs, and helped empower them to create and re-shape the stories they tell themselves about who they are, to support more confidence, clarity, and most importantly, self love and acceptance.

(You can learn more about her work in the podcast below)

Not easy work. Yet so powerful, and so worth it. Wow. Gratitude.

Whether you’re a yoga student, a teacher-to-be, or just a person in the world committed to personal growth, I do believe shadow work can truly benefit you. It is a necessary process of awakening, and can really help you find more clarity, self-honesty, self-compassion, and self-confidence..

There are many ways to go about it, and nothing beats working with a pro, or in a safe container with a trained facilitator.

Today I invite you to do one very simply form of shadow work:

– Make a list of 5 negatives – things you don’t like about yourself. Be honest with yourself.
– Make a list of 5 positives – take those 5 things and transform them into positive statements about yourself.
– One list at a time, read both lists aloud to yourself several times.
– Notice the sensations, and where you feel it in the body.
– Notice how it make you feel in your heart and in your mind.
– Journal the experience: What comes up for you? is it surprising? Interesting? Empowering?

When you’re done with the activity, BURN your negative list! This will help bring that energy to a close, and help support that energy of transformation. Plus it just feels soooo gooood! 🙂

What kind of work do you do to be-friend your shadow? How does it feel? I’d love to hear from you.

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead!

—

Quote:
Wisdom is knowing I am nothing. Love is knowing I am everything., and between the two my life moves”. – Nisargadatta Maharaj

Song on Repeat:
All Related – Nessi Gomes – Temple Step Remix

Interview with Malaika:
Malaika Darville: Walking the Beauty Way

In this episode of the Pure Flow Yoga podcast, Malaika explains:
the Rise of the Feminine, Shiva & Shakti principle, Ecstatic Dance & Community healing,, Emergent Culture and the rise of festival and retreat culture, the Importance of Ancestors, Tribe & Ceremony, Indigenous Wisdom – Ho’oponono – conscious relating to bring freedom from the trauma / drama cycle, Elemental Awakening and the benefits of planting seeds for exploring our shadow as well as our light, Going with the Flow & why we need to have experiences timelessness for our inner evolution

Podcast for YogaTeachers:

Upward Facing Yoga Career Podcast – with Alanna Kaivalya
Helping Yoga Teachers Make More Impact and Step into their Role as Spiritual Leaders.

Yoga teachers and Yoga teachers-to-be, you are going to love the simplicity, wisdom and tools shared o this podcast: from myth and philosophy to teaching and the business of Yoga, Alanna has got us covered.

Film / Documentary:
Samadhi: Part 1- Maya the Illusion of Self / Part 2 – It’s Not What You Think

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe,

and inspiring us to inspire you!

We LOVE you!

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? Sharing is Caring. I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it.

P.P.S Ready to dive deep into Yoga, Nature & Community? Sign up for our spring season retreats with our epic new teachers Nadia (April), Michael, (May) and Daphne (June), and receive a FREE NIGHT before or after your retreat @ Bamboo Huts with promocode “hellospring” 🙂

P.P.P.S Know someone who needs a break? Check our our awesome referral program. Your friend gets $25 off their retreat, and you get $25 USD cash. Win win win!

Instagram Post of the Week

Come flow with our YTT students as they blossom into teachers! ? Next week our teacher trainees will lead Vinyasa Flow at 9am Monday-Friday, by donation?? ✨@izaviola@claudia.mclellan @martin_malmstrom

Happy Friday beautiful,

Sending lots of love of you on this lovely first day of March 2019.

Here are some fresh inspirations for you!

—

Sing with Me
Om Namah Shivaya GuruDev Sat Chit Ananda Murtaye | Namastasye Namastasye Namastsye Namaha

My highlight this past week on our Yoga Teacher Training was sharing Kirtan, or call and response singing with the group.

Kirtan is one of the beautiful ways that we can practice Bhakti Yoga, or Yoga of the heart, to loosen our mental chatter, by repeating a mantra over and over and over again, to come into the heart.

For many of the students, it was their first time trying this practice, and despite thinking beforehand that they did’t like singing, or that they would feel uncomfortable, all the students left feeling “surprised”, “open”, “softer”, “released”, “alive”, “grateful”, “more connected” and “happy”.

I invite you today to sing with me, and let me know – how do you feel after?

photo by Margit Selsjord

Quote:

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. ~Albert Einstein

Oracle Cards I’m playing with:
Isis Oracle by Alana Fairchild
Over the past few years, I’ve become increasingly amused and informed by divination, and I happen to love this among other decks. Everyday I ask: What do i need to know today?

Pretty much every culture throughout history has turned to some sort of divination, whether it’s, tea leaves, palm reading or divination.

Divination is pretty much just a way of looking inside, and communicating with the subconscious.

Do you have a favourite oracle card deck that you use? I’d love some recommendations!

Sacred Dance Music I’m LoVin’:

Walkerji @ Sundaydance – Ecstatic Dance Set

Profound and sacred ecstatic dance journey, connecting inner and outer worlds, from one of my favourite sacred music dance producers, Walker Barnard.

Pure Flow Yoga Video:

Spiral into the Flow – 10 min Practice

In this beautiful dancing warrior flow, we move through any stagnancy, any stuck energy to increase the feeling of flow in our bodies, minds, and hearts.

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this beautiful growing Pure Flow Yoga Tribe.

We LOVE you!

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. Ready to dive deep into Yoga, Nature & Community? Sign up for our spring season retreats with our epic new teachers Nadia (April), Michael, (May) and Daphne (June), and receive a FREE NIGHT before or after your retreat @ Bamboo Huts with promocode “hellospring” 🙂

P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Instagram Post of the Week:

Most yogis twist in a variety of ways during their practice-while sitting, standing, lying down and even standing on our heads! So why do we twist so much in yoga and why do twists feel so damn good?…Because these poses provide an abundance of amazing health benefits✨ Twisting improves digestive function by compressing the digestive organs, stimulates circulation, helps restore the spine’s natural range of motion, helps to increase detoxification, reduces stress and lessens back pain?

Happy Friday lovely,

How do you deal with the space-between moments in life? Between day-to-day moments or experiences, travel destinations, jobs, relationships…?

In this present moment, I am settling back home after my big little trip to India, and am really cherishing these present moments of the in-between zone,

reflecting with gratitude overflowing for the experience I just had being a student this past week in India. and preparing for the upcoming Yoga Training that starts on Sunday. 🙂

I left the retreat in India feeling fully juiced up, inspired, and more connected than ever to the path of Yoga, and my dharma, or purpose, as a teacher.

And now the space between.

These are the moments that really test us humans,

How quickly will we fall back into routine patterns of being, into being busy and thinking about what comes next?
Can we keep up the practices outside the retreat setting? How?!

These in-between moments, challenge our ability and willingness to stay consistent with our resolutions to keep showing up to the practices we cultivate on retreat.

I feel myself already slipping back into old patterns: checking my phone more often, and having less time for meditation and asana practice.

So, what’s the best way to integrate all of the beautiful feelings, lessons and learnings that we have on retreat?

# 1 – Self-Compassion:
Less guilt, more love. For me, there is an important element of self-compassion. Without the disciplined structure of a conducive environment and retreat container, teachers, a schedule, space from our devices and work, of course it’s going to be more challenging to keep it up. Better to love ourselves, and celebrate all that we are doing, giving, sharing… than to find yet another reason to feel guilt or shame about something we are not.

#2 – Keep Showing Up – 5 minutes a day
Showing up. This is the hardest part. There is really no short cut to doing the work of taming the mind. It’s takes A LOT of practie over time. Our commitment to the practice, can be as simple as 5 minutes a day. Add it to your morning routine. Put on a timer and just close your eyes for 5 minutes, or journal for 5 minutes, or whatever you want to practice. We all have 5 minutes. And the rewards are just so flipping worth it.

#3 – Celebrate all Wins
Every time you do show up to the mat, the meditation cushion, the practice – celebrate! Compliment yourself. Make yourself feel good. As I just mentioned, showing up is really the hardest part. Some would say that 80% of “success” in life is just about showing up. The more we can associate good habits with with good vibes, the easier it will be for us to flow and exist along those deepening neural pathways.

How are you going to show up today?

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead!

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Quote:

“There is a place in the heart where everything meets.
Go there if you want to find me.
Mind, senses, soul, eternity, all are there.
Are you there?
Enter the bowl of vastness that is the heart.
Give yourself to it with total abandon . . .
Once you know the way
the nature of attention will call you
to return, again and again,
and be saturated with knowing,
‘I belong here, I am at home here.”

― The Radiance Sutras

Poetry for your Soul:

The Radiance Sutras: 112 Gateways to the Yoga of Wonder and Delight by Lorin Roche
This modern classic, will keep coming back again and again. For Yoga and meditation students everywhere, the Radiance Sutras is an invitation to experience directly the ecstatic depths of yoga as revealed by the divine partners Shiva and Shakti, and their breadth of human experience. In it, we explore:

The divinity that is permeating your body at this very moment
The alchemical power of Sanskrit
Yoga meditation—harmonising all the elements and levels of your being
The depths of your connection to the energies of life

Book:

War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Do you have a project, idea, or dream that you’ve been thinking about, feeling into and procrastinating from for a long time?

This Week, as our first ever 200 Hour Teacher Training approaches on Sunday, I come back to this classic, War of Art. The biggest challenge and teacher along this journey has definitely been RESISTANCE, in all of its infinite myriads of forms; fear, self-doubt, procrastination, perfectionism. No book that I’ve come across, does this topic better justice than “the War of Art: Break through the Blocks and Win your inner Creative Battles. (Pssst. It’s not the art of war)

Song:

Shiva Nataraj – Desert Dwellers, Remixed by Drumspyder

Classic for the dance floor + your Yoga mat.

Video Practice

Flow for Transformation
What are you transforming in your life? – Join me for 9 minutes of building heat and fire in the body for the purposes of purification and transformation.

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Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this Pure Flow Yoga Tribe.

See you next week when I reveal our all-star cast of guest retreat teachers for April, May & June!

We LOVE you!

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. The Bali Spirit Festival is just a few weeks away – March 24 – 31st. Did you know that you get 10% discount on your ticket when you enter promocode “Francie”. See you there!

P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Instagram Post of the Week

One the amazing benefits of living in our little paradise is being able to walk barefoot?Connecting our feet to Mother Earth everyday ? as we walk through jungles ?and on sandy beaches? not only feels amazing but also brings grounding to the body and calms the mind?

Namaste from Mother India!

Hope all’s well, beautiful !

I’m here in India now, being a student, for a short Yoga course with some incredible teachers. I’m feeling grateful to focus on myself for this moment. That being said, anytime we leave our comfort zone and verge into the unknown mysteries of life, to a new place, a new rhythm, a new environment with new people, our sense of security and predictability gets challenged.

India is said to be the land of the unexpected, and I can assure you, my short journey here so far has been no exception. They didn’t let me on my first plane because of a spelling mistake on my reservation (their bad!), on the 2nd flight they lost my baggage, and then at the airport carousel waiting for my lost bag, I magically ran into my SEO website helper. We talk on the phone all the time and this was our first ever meeting! It was like connecting with long lost family. In a sea of billions of people, how is that even possible??!

In the face of the challenges, the frustrations, the tiredness of travel…I realised I had a choice. I could get angry, cry, feel upset…or I could just laugh and see the humour and beauty in the imperfect perfection of it all. I mean, How can I / we ever truly know or understand the bigger picture…?

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend ahead!

See you again next week when I’m back home in Thailand!
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Quote:
”A grand adventure is about to begin”.- Winnie the Pooh

” We are all deeply flawed. We are all deeply beautiful. We need to know that”. – Vidya, Classical Indian Musician on retreat with us

Just a Few Questions I’m Pondering:
Journal, Discuss or Reflect Upon:
What is synchronicity? How does it work? Is there a greater meaning to it? Is it random? Is there meaning to life? What is the meaning of any of this? How am I supposed to live? Especially, how shall I live knowing I will die?…. Do you have stories of interesting or amazing coincidences or synchronicities? I’d love to hear from you!

Music I love:
DJ Dakini Chill-Step Mixes

This is a ridiculously amazing resource of music from one of my soul sisters DJ Becca Dakini, an Aussie based in the US. Here you’ll find over nine 3-hour Sacred Chill-Step DJ mixes that are perfect for Yoga, dance and flow meditations. I’ve been listening to the HeartSong Mix 2013 mix on repeat for 6 years and counting! 🙂

From Our Award-Winning Blog:
5 Qualities of the World’s most Exceptional Yoga Teachers
Being a great yoga teacher is so much more than making fancy yoga shapes with our bodies. It’s much more about walking the walk than talking the talk- living with humility, openness to learn, self-love and compassion and walking the walk rather than just talking the talk.

Our Yoga Teacher Training is just 9 days away now, and we’d so love to have you! There’s really no better way to Invest in Yourself, Deepen your Practice, Develop and Refine your Home Practice, while building the confidence and skills to share your passion with other. We have just a couple spaces left now, so be sure to book now!

Video I’m Thinking about from UpliftConnect:

The Maharishi Effect – 2 mins

Did you know meditation can have effects beyond the individual? As individuals, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of the world’s current problems. Alone, we feel helpless often to change what is. Some of us numb ourselves with addictions and distractions, or don’t undertake our responsibility to change our consumer and lifestyle behaviours because of a diffusion of responsibility – hey if other’s aren’t doing it, why should I? So if there’s one thing you would be willing to do for global change and upliftment, why not join together with some friends and meditate?! Fascinating research shows how meditating as a group can lower crime rates and create more peaceful cities.
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Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead, & thanks again for being a part of this Pure Flow Yoga Tribe.

We LOVE you!

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. We have a couple spots left on our upcoming teacher training. It begins in 9 days! So if you’re ready to invest in yourself, Sign Up NOW!

P.P.S Sharing is Caring. Did you like this e-mail? What was your favourite part? I’d LOVE to hear from you! and If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Instagram Post of the Week

‘True belonging is the spiritual practice of believing in and belonging to yourself so deeply that you can share your most authentic self with the world and find sacredness in both being a part of something and standing alone in the wilderness. True belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are, it requires you to be who you are’~ Brene Brown ✨
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How’s it all going?

I’ve been wondering for a while if I should send these e-mails to you post-retreatees, as not all of you are signed up to our Loveletter. After talking to lots of students, the answer seems to be a resounding YES PLEASE! So from now on, unless I hear from you, I’ll start sending you these weekly Love & Inspirations. Is that cool?

I’m great. I’m super full these days to be honest. (I try to avoid the word “busy” if I can…). I’m working super hard to dot my “i'”s and cross my “t”‘s, and put the finishing touches on our first ever YTT manual (only 16 days away!!!) Next week I head off to India for some moments of self-care and to do a Yoga course with a teacher who I’m really looking forward to studying with.

For me, in order to keep my cup full so that I can keep giving and holding space on these Pure Flow Yoga retreats and trainings here in Thailand, it’s so important for me to allow myself the time to be a student, and to let someone else hold space for me. I’ll tell you more about it all next week (provided I can get some good internet access!)

Here are some fresh inspirations for your weekend!

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Quote:

“The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”

– Jack Kerouac, from On the Road

This quote was shared by one of our beautiful retreat participants, Sanjit, in an ongoing post-retreat, post-”Pabuk” (the crazy storm that almost hit us in early January) e-mail thread.

Beautiful Song I’m Loving:

La Luze del Bosque – by Issa-Elle

Book I’m Re-Reading:

Maps to Ecstacy – the Healing Power of Movement, by Gabrielle Roth
I am revisiting (and also highly recommend) this beautiful book, by legendary 5 Rhythms dance creatrix, Gabrielle Roth, who in this work, teaches us how to transform daily life into sacred art.

Blog:

Yoga & Sacred Activism: How to Stay Light in the face of Dark
Did you know that we’ve just been voted one of the top 15 Yoga Blogs on the Planet?! Amazing! Check out our latest blog post.

In this article, Atira Tan, one of our beloved Pure Flow Yoga teachers, and the founder of art of healing and yoga for freedom share about what sacred activism is and three ways to stay light while dancing with the dark.

Video to Inspire You:

I am supported – Root down to Rise up!
Enjoy this beautiful grounding sequence to help you feel supported, within and without. In this short dynamic flow asana practice, we connect meditation, breathing and asana in dedication to all the people, experiences and to the Earth that supports and nourish us

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Have a wonderful weekend & thanks again for being a part of this Pure Flow Yoga Tribe.

We LOVE you!

With Love & Blessings

XOXO

Francie

P.S. We have a couple spots left on our upcoming teacher training, Feb 17 – March 17, 2019. It begins in 16 days! So if you’re ready to invest in yourself, Sign Up NOW!

P.P.S What is your favourite inspiration from this e-mail? What would you like more or less of? HIT REPLY and please let me know!

P.P.S Sharing is Caring. If you enjoyed this little inspiration, please consider sharing it. We also have an awesome referral program if you know of someone would love and benefit from joining us in paradise.

Instagram Post of the Week

? Sunrise Gayatri Mantra @whynambeach.
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Mantra chanting and sacred music has become a huge part of my personal journey towards bringing more peace, contentment, joy, and clear authentic expression into my life. .
It’s truly a journey: I always know how I feel in relation to how open my voice is. And I always know that if I want to bring in more openness, more love, I simply need to sing more and offer my song and prayer in devotion to the great mystery…
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Originating in the Rg Veda, the oldest of the 4 Vedic texts, the vibration of the Gayatri Mantra, said to be one of the oldest mantras known and beyond translation is said to significantly effect the consciousness of the chanter who repeats the mantra.
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Ga – to sing Yatri – Protection
dhi – sound that indicates Buddhi, the illiuminated ultimate state of the Yogi consciousness that arises in pure awareness
Savitr – the force of the sun’s light that brings each day into being from total darkness – avidya (also known as ignorance)
Sun is the metaphor for the light of our own awareness
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Om bhur bhuvah svah
Tat savitr vernyam
Bhargo devasya dhimahi
Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat
.
Earth, Air, Heaven
We meditate on Savir, giver of light,
May he illuminate our consciousness
.
Want to sing and learn more about Mantra? Join @meldobra and I in a very special Yoga and Music retreat this July! More info on our website calendar.
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