Deep Dives
Towards the end of 2015 the 8 Limbs admin staff dedicated 2016 to be a year to internally and externally hold space for difficult conversations. The foundation upon which we rested this commitment was a particular awareness––recognition of our consistent willingness over the years to move beyond our comfort zones and dive deep into what we’ve […]
Behind the Scenes: When Being With What Is Feels Unbearable
“The bud stands for all things, even those things that don’t flower, for everything flowers, from within, of self-blessing; though sometimes it is necessary to reteach a thing its loveliness, to put a hand on the brow of the flower, and retell it in words and in touch, it is lovely until it flowers again […]
Behind the Scenes: Growing Edges
I’m in charge of a lot of meetings at 8 Limbs. Some of you may be taking pity on me when reading that sentence but no need; I’m also one of those people who like meetings, at least usually. I like the sum-is-greater-than-individual-part-outcomes they often generate. I enjoy watching people thinking and pondering and co-creating […]
Behind the Scenes: Brave Spaces
Last week, 8 Limbs, along with a handful of other Seattle area yoga studios*, hosted a cultural competency training for yoga studios, teachers and staff. The decision to pursue such a training was born out of a number of factors: racially-inspired incidents this past Fall in the Seattle yoga community; an increasing un-ease with the […]
Conditions of Trust
Every year, towards the end of winter, we hold an all-day 8 Limbs admin staff retreat. Studio Managers and those of us working in the back offices gather at Owner/Studio Director Anne Phyfe Palmer’s house for a day of reflection and a home-cooked meal. We talk about what we did well in the past year, […]
Behind The Scenes: Difficult Conversations
I distinctly remember the first class I took at 8 Limbs as an employee. It was 9am on an unseasonably sunny Saturday morning, just a couple of days after my initial orientation. It was by no means my first class at 8 Limbs, but as my first time attending as staff the moment felt auspicious. […]
Behind the Scenes: 28 Day Commitment
Our mission at 8 Limbs Yoga Centers is to create a supportive, inclusive, and non-competitive atmosphere in which yoga practitioners can learn and grow. We recognize that each individual is unique and has a different approach to life. Thankfully there are many ways to practice yoga. Mission statements are essentially commitments. They are a way […]
Behind the Scenes: Give The Gift Of…
We’re a group of double dippers, those of us working behind the scenes at 8 Limbs, that is. What you all see in terms of 8 Limbs offerings––our marketing campaigns, our general communication––is a direct reflection of the work and conversations we’re having behind the scenes. We’re not reinventing the wheel in what we outwardly […]
Behind the Scenes: Giving Thanks to Your Inner Critic
November is a time of year where many of us take stock in what we have to be grateful for. It’s a season when we’re invited to formally recognize people and opportunities that feed our spirit and enrich our lives. Research backs up this tradition. Scientists are finding that folks who practice gratitude are healthier, […]
Behind the Scenes: The Face of an Introvert
Just as Eskimos have 97 words for snow, I have as many reasons for why I blush. I’m extremely introverted. And with people I don’t know, I’m extremely shy. While shyness and introversion don’t always go hand in hand, they often do and in my life they’ve enjoyed a long and deep love affair. Flushed […]