Category: Behind the Scenes

When entire forests go up in flame and you live down wind it can be unsettling. Sunsets take on gorgeous hues – to be present in their presence, though, one can sometimes sense the price paid. Similar to current political and cultural tension, smoke stings and can make it hard to breathe. Both can feel […]

I still remember a particular (rare) sunny Winter afternoon back in 2011 when I walked from 8 Limbs Capitol Hill down to the waterfront. I was meeting with Seattle Art Museum staff about an exciting proposition: free summer yoga classes for Seattleites at Olympic Sculpture Park.  That first summer, classes rotated among different grassy areas throughout […]

8 Limbs is an unabashed fan of our Capitol Hill neighbors, Gay City. Our respect for the work they do has inspired numerous benefit classes and Pride month fundraisers over the years. This year we have been posing a monthly question that helps us get in touch with not just why we practice yoga, but […]

I remember the year I noticed just how much my knees were bumping up against the underside of the kids table at family gatherings, and feeling both the excitement and nervousness of understanding I would soon be invited to the grown-ups table. This year, the year we turn 21 as a business, has felt a […]

Between the political climate, soggy weather, tax season, and pervasive digital stimulants, many folks are having a hard time of it. People are sharing that they feel overly tired and more reactive. Good self-care can help. I’m increasingly appreciating, though, that self-care is not always an option, it may not even always be the best […]

Something I read last week from Buddhist scholar Stephen Batchelor* has been lingering in my mind – the idea that ethics are rooted in three things: empathy, courage and intelligence. My attention was caught in part no doubt because our current political culture, featuring a dramatic range of beliefs about what is ethical, has brought […]

A number of years ago I discovered that not only was I not good at being kind to myself, I was acutely afraid to be nice to myself. Somewhere along the way I had gotten it in my head that being extra tough on myself was the way to ensure I’d be an accountable, productive […]

A handful of years ago we began an annual tradition at 8 Limbs: coming together for the month of February in a community-wide commitment to practice. At a time when New Year resolutions often begin to lose their luster while the actual new year gains traction, we devote ourselves to several core yoga questions. Why really do we practice […]

Today I’m flying low and I’m not saying a word I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep. The world goes on as it must, the bees in the garden rumbling a little, the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten. And so forth. But I’m taking the day off. Quiet as a feather. I hardly […]

At the beginning of each month I make space to step back from daily responsibilities to get in touch with the broader conversations impacting those responsibilities. I hone in on a particular thread to follow and unpack in this column. In a typical month, one, possibly two or three ideas float up. This month? I’ve […]