A slight change of plans...

Sometimes you just gotta know when to fold 'em.

Hey! It’s Jenny, your favorite Alaskan yoga teacher.

Welcome to my weekly newsletter where I share stories about my life, insights from my personal yoga practice and the best online resources, handpicked just for you.

This is the third issue in the “Sadhana Series”. It’s a departure from the planned offering - sometimes you just have to surrender to what is, especially when it’s not what you had in mind. I hope you enjoy the issue!

You can access the entire Root&Rise library in the Archive located on the homepage.

Full transparency, I struggled to get the newsletter out this week. Call it procrastination. Call it writers block. Call it resistance. Whatever the case, I just could not seem to get my butt in the chair to write. And when I did? The words would not come.

I had plenty of time. I mean, I’m all caught up on the Olympics and my huge lawn is freshly mowed. I spent an entire day on my couch with “Moonflower Murders"- a nearly 700 page sequel to a book I loved called "Magpie Murders”. I’m already 200 pages into “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows”.

Time was not the issue. I guess I just didn’t have it in me to summon the muse this week and I’m choosing to give myself grace on that.

So, although I was planning to wax poetic about all the different shades of sadhana I’ve practiced over the years…I’ve decided to simply show you what my Sadhana entailed this week.

You’ll notice that most of what I’m sharing are Yoga Nidra classes. That’s because I stuck with one asana class for the entire week. I don’t normally do that. I like variety in my morning practice. For some reason, this class grabbed ahold of me and didn’t let go!

I’ll be back next week with a more eloquent offering. For now, let’s move right into the practice section.

Releasing With Gratitude and Resonance - Coming Together With Yoga / Our Echo Yoga

15 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly

I used my sadhana practice to nurture an attitude of gratitude this week.

The idea came to me during a yoga class I was teaching last Sunday. We had reached the end of our asana practice and I was looking on as everyone organized their blankets and props, creating cozy nests for the Yoga Nidra meditation I was preparing to guide them through.

As I watched them scurry around, happily chatting with each other, I was so thankful for each and every one of them. I felt my heart lift for what felt like the first time in weeks. I’ve been feeling a bit low lately and in that moment, I was reminded of how powerful a tool gratitude can be. Tuning in to gratitude is like turning the channel to the frequency of hope and joy…and I could use some of that in my life right now.

So, I got up on Monday morning, searched for “Gratitude Yoga” and found this gem. I have a lot of gratitude themed classes saved in my playlists, but I was in the mood for something fresh.

I had never practiced with this teacher before and I loved this class so much I ended up revisiting it every morning this week - following along with the video for the first four days then guiding myself through the sequence and adapting it to teach at my next in person class. I’ll be looking forward to seeking out more classes from this channel in the future!

Abundance and Gratitude Morning Meditation | 20 Minute Yoga Nidra | Loren Runion

21 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner friendly

I discovered this Yoga Nidra practice on Monday morning as well.

I had slept in until 9:30am (absolutely unheard of for me!) and the day was in full bloom, so I took all of my stuff outside and set up to practice in my lawn. The sun was warm, there was a slight breeze and it was glorious.

I sat up after this meditation with the biggest smile on my face. I felt abundant and it felt good. Like the previous class I shared, I practiced this one multiple times and adapted it to share with my next class. It’s a beautiful way to start the day!

Yoga Nidra to Trust in Life | Kristen Rose Yoga

49 Minutes | All Levels

I forget about Kristen Rose, but every time I stumble on one of her classes I’m reminded of how much I like her style of teaching. It’s funny, I actually picked this class because I thought it was an abundance themed Yoga Nidra practice. It wasn’t, but that’s okay. I enjoyed it anyway!

I practiced this class later in the week, on a day when I woke up extra early, feeling tired. I always go for longer Nidras when I don’t get enough sleep because they really help! It’s like the extra hour of sleep I wanted but didn't get. :)

New Moon Yoga Nidra | Ally Boothroyd

48 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly

Another long Nidra because I woke up way earlier than I would’ve liked on Friday and I was tired. Also, the new moon is happening this weekend so I thought “why not?”. It was a lovely practice. I’ll be saving this one to my “Moon Cycle Nidras” playlist for sure!

At this point, I view these extra long Yoga Nidra classes as a treat, like a silver lining or a consolation prize for days when I wake up tired. It’s completely changed my attitude. Now, when I wake up at the crack of dawn, I don’t feel upset. I know that I’m about to have a long, luxurious Yoga Nidra session and I cannot be mad about that.

Yoga Nidra For Gratitude | Ally Boothroyd

36 minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly

This is one of my all time favorite Yoga Nidra Practices. I’ve shared it in multiple issues and I just love it. I don’t know how to explain it, but it just seems like good things happen when I practice this Nidra.

The sankalpa, or intention, for this practice is: “I am grateful for all the blessings in my life. The more gratitude I feel, the more I attract into my life to be grateful for”. There’s something about this particular sankalpa, combined with the act of acknowledging my blessings and gives the day an added layer of magic.

If you try one practice this week, make it this one!

The section headers for this week are adorned with pictures of interesting things I saw on an impromptu evening stroll. I cut through a parking lot between the library and the hospital and found a little garden filled with roses and dragonflies. It was enchanting and I just had to capture a little of the awe to share with all of you.

Okay, well that’s it for this week. I’ll see you next Sunday!!