Mandi Garrison

Connecting with the element of FIRE

On Sunday, we begin our journey into the element of FIRE, with the intentions of connecting with confidence, sovereignty, motivation, leadership, passion, and soul purpose. Fire corresponds with the Zodiac signs Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius with ruling planets Mars,  Sun, and Jupiter. The direction is South, the chakras are Sacral and Solar Plexus, and the energy is Yang. Candles, incense, lanterns, lighters, and wands are all nice ways to represent the fire element in yo...

Beltane ritual idea and playlist

Hi everyone! Here’s a quick clip of my latest Beltane workshop that describes a ritual idea for Beltane (also known as May Day), which is celebrated on May 1. Ribbons can be purchased at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NXF43DB?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_8BCRTQSVDVPKJT6XVVDA. 

The affirmations I offered are as follows (but feel free to use your own):

• RED: I ...
  2022-04-23 17:31:47 +0000 UTC View Post

Summer Solstice Mini-Retreat at Tower Hill has been posted!!!

For local patrons: I wanted you to know first. The last mini-retreat sold out before I even had a chance to notify anyone, and I will be adding it to my newsletter tomorrow. The date is Saturday, June 18, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. Register via https://purchase.nebg.org/PatronEducation.aspx?pid=4437&cal=https%3a%2f%2fpurchase.nebg.org%3a443%2f...

Lightness of being meditation for the air element

Experience lightness, ease, and peace with the all-pervading and shifting current of air. This meditation uses breath, visualization, and heart-centered awareness. 

(Adapted from a meditation written by Joseph and Lillian Le Page)

Winds of change

Every spring, nature brings us winds of change.

The air: releasing old, dead branches and leaves, shedding the barriers to new growth. The air: distributing seeds, transporting clouds and rains to nurture and water the soil. The air: carrying shifting temperatures, cool awakening chill and warmer gusts of comfort. The air: traditionally associated with the heart chakra, moving from the dense to the subtle, from earthly desire to the unpredictable force of love. The air: unseen, untamabl...

Awakening Beltane virtual workshop — this Saturday!

Hi everyone! Just a reminder about my Wheel of the Year workshop this Saturday in honor of Beltane. Beltane is a fire festival when the veil is thin (opposite of Samhain or Halloween) and earth spirits come out to play. It’s a time of celebrating the halfway point between spring and summer when life begins to awaken and growth is evident all around.

During this workshop, we’ll practice yoga, meditation, intuitive movement, and more. I’ll discuss the meaning of Beltane, ritual idea...

Air element yin to make space for inspiration

Blissfully open the body in a series of clearing breathwork, side bends, hip openers, and heart-centered awareness to connect with the element of AIR. Begin with a mudra meditation and clearing breath series and then move into a sequence of seated and reclined side bends, neck stretching, pigeon with a cooling breath, twists, and reclined butterfly.  

Props: bolster and two blocks  

Benefits: air element, clearing, creating space, energy shifts, side body, lungs, heart, ...

Connecting with the element of AIR

On Sunday, we begin our journey into the element of AIR, with the intentions of connecting with ideas, inspiration, new beginnings, breath, meditation, and exploring the mind. Air corresponds with the Zodiac signs Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius with ruling planets Mercury, Venus, Uranus, and Saturn. The direction is East, the chakras are Heart and Throat, and the energy is Yang. Ethically sourced feathers, incense, wands, singing bowls and bells are all nice ways to represent th...

Foundational standing postures for lower body activation (25 minutes)

Practice a sequence of foundational standing postures with added instruction to feel your physical alignment and awaken prana. This sequence includes chair, warrior 1, pyramid, warrior 2, and triangle (held for five breaths each). We close with a brief relaxation on the belly.  

Level 1 hatha  

Props: 2 blocks:  

Benefits: stability, strength, determination, physical connection, coming back to basics, awakening prana in the lower body

Earth and prostration namaskars to clear tension and ground (19 minutes)

Practice a short sequence of earth salutations with a variation of ancient prostration namaskars to gently awaken the body and clear tension. This is a great practice when you need to clear stuck energy, create healthy circulation, and move through anxiety.  

Level 1 vinyasa  

Props: 2 blocks  

Benefits: earth connection, grounding, physical connection, anxiety-relief

Earth element flow and foundations

A full-spectrum earth experience with an opening meditation, chanting of a Lakshmi mantra, and spinal warm-ups with downward dog to awaken the body. Then we’ll begin a sequence of gentle earth salutations with prostration namaskars — ancient practices to connect you with the earth. We continue with some foundational standing postures to help you feel stable and strong. This class combines ancient teachings with the most ancient of elements — earth — to support you in coming back to yo...

Earth element meditation

Use mudra, breath, and visualization to deeply root into the earth element and receive a healing. Affirmation: “Today I lay the foundation for a fulfilling future.”

Earth element yin

A yin practice to help you root, ground, receive healing and nourishment, and connect to the earth. Begin in a meditation with a brief mudra overview before moving into seated butterfly with some acupressure massage and caterpillar fold. (Note: the connection gets spotty in this section, but it eventually fixes itself.) Transition onto the belly for full prostration and crocodile, then practice a sequence of child’s pose, yogi squat (modified version available), and dangle post. We close ou...

Connecting with the element of EARTH

On Sunday, we begin our journey into the element of EARTH, with the intentions of rooting, planting seeds, grounding, embodiment, and connecting with the physical body. Earth corresponds with the Zodiac signs Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo with ruling planets Saturn, Venus, Earth, Mercury, and Chiron. The direction is North, the chakras are Earth Star and Root, and the energy is Yin. Gemstones, crystals, plants, and items from nature are all nice ways to represent the earth ele...

Energetic alignment (30-minute version)

Practice deeply listening and attuning to your body’s needs in this invigorating and awakening practice. We’ll practice a feel-good mandala flow of low lunge vinyasas, moving lunge twists, runner’s lunge, warrior I, pyramid, humble warrior, camel variation, wide-legged forward fold, warrior 2, and moving extended side angle. End with optional yogi squat, meditation, and take a shavasana on your own!    

Props: 2 blocks    

Benefits: energy align...

Energetic alignment

Practice deeply listening and attuning to your body’s needs in this invigorating and awakening practice. Begin with seated warm ups of hip circles, Kali mudra, twists, side bends, and forward folds. Stretch the spine in child’s pose, hip circles, melting heart, and sphinx. Then we’ll practice a feel-good mandala flow of low lunge vinyasas, moving lunge twists, runner’s lunge, warrior I, pyramid, humble warrior, camel variation, wide-legged forward fold, warrior 2, and moving extended ...

REMINDER: Patreon meetup: sunrise full moon hike TOMORROW morning

 Saturday, April 16 at 5:45 AM

REMINDER: sunrise full moon hike tomorrow bright and early! It looks like the weather may be cloudy tomorrow morning, but you never know how things will unfold. Park at the Gates Road entrance (link to the parking lot location below), and we’ll meet at the bridge just before 6 a.m. It’s just a short walk from the trail entrance. From there, we can view the sunrise/moonset and hike the rest of the way, about 3 mile...

Trust and surrender

Work your way through the physical body to release and surrender your muscles, allowing you to float in a sea of infinite space. Trust that you are held by the universe.

Quick benefits update

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to send a quick update to let you know that I'm getting your April gifts ready today and will be dropping them off to the post office shortly. I also wanted to remind you to book your intuitive readings for April (if you want one) via https://mandigarrisonyoga.as.me/intuitive using the coupon code PATREONREADING to remove the cost.

I'm also offering a special...

Seeds of hope

“The wind also carries in its gust a seed of hope, both powerful and gentle, reminding that new things can begin, take root and grow after the cyclone of events or sudden gale of destruction set you back. And with renewed dedication, this tendril will continually thrive in the warm light of life, its leaves flourishing inside each fresh, invigorating morning.” - Susan Frybort

Class schedule:

*REMINDER: Use the new coupon code PATREONFREE when registeri...