Generative AI uses up tremendous water and energy resources, violates copyright, distributes harmful content, contributes to cognitive decline, disseminates personally identifiable information, amplifies bias (including those of hate groups), and displaces human workers in order to profit the most wealthy and powerful.
We have so many amazing programs coming up in Spring in addition to our regular offerings. This includes another Yin Yoga series, a guest teacher (Alex Baker of Alex Yoga Arts), and a prānāyāma class courtesty of Agni's graduate studies! We are also collaborating with the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, so make sure you're on our email list to get first opportunity to sign up.
We have so many amazing programs coming up in Spring in addition to our regular offerings. This includes another Yin Yoga series, a guest teacher (Alex Baker of Alex Yoga Arts), and a prānāyāma class courtesty of Agni's graduate studies! We are also collaborating with the Shoalwater Bay Tribe, so make sure you're on our email list to get first opportunity to sign up.
Many of you know that we’ve been thoughtfully searching for a space that better supports the way Little Switch is growing. We are so thrilled to say that we've found it.We’re moving! 🎉 Beginning Sunday, February 1st (with our 5:30 pm Sunday Group class), Little Switch will open its doors at our new home:301 W. 6th Street, AberdeenThis new space gives us room to expand what we love most about our content with more space and better privacy, while staying grounded in the same consistent, quality, and bespoke yoga program we've crafted so carefully.
Ever feel like you were a jock… I mean, secretly a jock? Like you had the drive, the grit, the gumption — but nobody ever handed blew the whistle, passed you the ball and said, “Alright, champ, let’s see what you’ve got!”Varsity Yoga is your second chance. (Originally Agni wanted to call this class, “Sweaty Try-Hard Yoga”, if that gives you a clue!)This is old-school physical culture with a modern edge: a flow-based class built for people who want to train, and who want results!
Most yoga asana students compare themselves to others.It's okay, we all (most of us) do it!And I don't think we should judge ourselves at all, for comparing. This is a natural thing for humans to do. Comparison is part of how our brain works. We are social creatures!However, this tendency to compare and contrast can get dark fast. We end up with a strong or subtle experience of inferiority or superiority - and neither creates an emotionally healthy human being.There are a couple ways we can handle this.
1 ½ cups vital wheat gluten1 tablespoon paprika1 tablespoon nooch1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds1 tablespoon garlic powder2 teaspoons red pepper flakes1 teaspoon marmite1/2 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon onion powder1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/3 cup soy sauce1/3 cup tomato paste1/4 cup water1/4 cup coconut oil1 tablespoon lemon juice Mix and knead at least 3 minutes - a stand mixer works well. Make two logs and wrap in tinfoil. Steam for 35 minutes (I use a stovetop pot with a vegetable steamer). After steaming, put in fridge at least overnight.
I don't travel a whole heck of a lot, but the last few years I've been traveling more than typical. In fact the last week and a half I spent a lot of time in a car, on shuttles, trains, planes, a bus or two, and in the backseat of a few rideshares. Traveling like this means I'm around a lot of PEOPLE. Now - it has been trendy the last several years for people to talk about how they don't like people. Well, I like people the normal amount. I don't really have a problem with people. But it has to be said, I'm not used to *crowds*. And by traveling, I was in a lot of crowds. Amidst all this traveling I also had a pretty important (in my career anyway) presentation to deliver at a national conference. Between that, and the crowds, being away from my home and kitty cats, not to mention the wonderful Pacific Northwest... well let's just say, it was a lot! Once we got back from the conference, we just had a day to kind of settle in and then we were back on the road again - to round up family for my daughter's birthday. The happiest of reasons to travel but it was still - more travel. I want to point out that I did not get sick, I did not get fatigued, I did not get aches and pains - and I slept very well, through all of this. In fact considering the wear-and-tear physically, mentally, and emotionally I am doing very well. Which is great - because I had to get right back into my grad studies, as in immediately, the moment we got back home. I absolutely know that my sleep, my good health, and my generally low reactivity is due in large part to my yoga and meditation practices. Now, please don't think I'm *prescribing* yoga to anyone in particular. On the contrary, I'm testifying. I'm not saying YOU will get every benefit I have. But I will say that if you do make this time and apply yourself consistently, you are very likely to start receiving benefits. I am not a natural proselytizer and I'm certainly not doing that here. But think about this from my perspective. I have tried so many things - medications (prescribed and not-so-prescribed), I've tried alcohol (coming up on 14 years' sobriety next month!), I've tried shopping, group therapy, individual counseling, talk therapy - I've tried all those things to help myself get more mental resilience, to be stronger and happier. And none of those things are in themselves bad. But yoga and meditation are, to put it bluntly - FREE. In a world that's being choked out by consumer capitalism, can we get an AMEN that there are resources available to us - no matter what? Yes, like most good things - it takes time to see benefits. ONE night of meditation or ONE yoga class isn't likely to provide profound,…
Today is the anniversary of the yoga project Little Switch Yoga!I launched last year with under $1,000 I'd painstakingly saved up to make a rent and deposit on our wonderful Vasa Hall space.In one year we've grown to three instructors, four regular weekly classes, three monthly specialized series (Plant Power Hour, which starts this upcoming Sunday - as well as LGBTQ+ and Friends Yoga, and Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation), and monthly pay-what-you-wish and free yoga events in the community.We've lowered blood pressure, improved sleep, strengthened physical health, provided a safer community space, and prevented many injuries.Little Switch has served 𝟏,𝟏𝟐𝟓.𝟓 𝐲𝐨𝐠𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 to the community, and partnered with Grays Harbor College, Grays Harbor Public Health, the Dispute Resolution Center of Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties, the Montesano School District, and the office of Veteran Affairs amongst other entities.Not one month has gone by without a free yoga event or outreach. These events in particular take a lot to plan and market, and despite many changes in my life (including becoming a fulltime graduate student) I've not lost pace once.Perhaps most important to me are the regular formal and informal testimonials I have received about improvements to physical health, mental health, emotional well-being, personal and community strength. I will share some of these testimonials below.Thank you Andrea and Rachel (the two other Little Switch instructors) - as well as our first planning committee of five who met on January 2nd this year.I also want to thank Members.Many people might not realize how difficult it is to survive - let alone build and run a project - as an out trans nonbinary person. Little Switch has definitely been excluded from some more mainstream business associations and medias because of my identity, and I think things are going to get worse.Rachel, Andrea, planning committee, and Members - YOU are the reason we've survived and thrived our first year!Despite formidable obstacles, Little Switch has performed very well in our first year. I will leave you with some testimonials from those who've taken part in our courses, classes, and events:"Having access to a group yoga space and the opportunity to share a yoga practice with others means that I practice more often and more fully than I would on my own. Since practicing (and teaching) at Little Switch, I've developed more physical strength and endurance, more flexibility, and have exercised my teaching skills. I'm hugely grateful to Little Switch for the opportunity to connect with a new community since moving to the area. It’s provided a sense of belonging and purpose in the midst of a disorienting move. Thank You Agni!"My anxiety is much better now and I noticed that not much gets me upset because I can now breathe and settle my thoughts before reacting. Physically it has lessened pain in more areas then I thought it would. This includes sciatica pain, shoulder pain, and heel pain which I had undergone a lot of doctor appointments. My body doesn't feel as stiff anymore also.…
In leading up to Green Friday - where you are invited to purchase less or abstain for buying altogether - I want to share some brief thoughts on consumer capitalism.I notice that even for a relatively minor purchase - like toothpaste or bread or coffee - people feel defensive and over-explain their purchase. "It's not cheap but I like to support small business" or "it costs a little more but ___ ".I'd like to suggest that we resist a defensive posture about so-called "expensive" purchases.First of all, for many products produced at a higher standard it's likely you are not buying an "expensive" version, you are buying a more fairly-priced version. Americans have been subsisting off artificially low prices for many years (and many of us are not getting paid our worth either). When we buy an "expensive" product or service but it is better quality, employs higher environmental standards, and/or pays workers and collaborators commensurate to their value, that is not an "expensive" item - it is a more fairly priced one.I think this is a part of consumer capitalism that has crept in, and not in a good way. We *all* have a budget to live within our means, this goes without saying. For some of us this is easier than others. But all of us bear some responsibility.No matter our social standing, with every purchase we freely make we have tacitly agreed to the terms. This means when we buy an inexpensive shirt for instance, we are agreeing to the terms of production (including work-slavery and negative environmental impacts). So if you are buying something "expensive" that is better for the environment, for the ecologies used to produce it, something that is less exploitive of human and non-human animals and the planet writ large - you should NEVER feel ashamed of that.You should be proud of that!Instead of saying, "It's a little more expensive but - " say, "I feel good about supporting these better business practices". LEARN about the business' practices and be ready to explain the value of their practices to others. Your choices and the ability to communicate the Why as to your choices, will influence others. Thus your impact is at least two-fold!We want ethical businesses to succeed, correct? We don't want all Amazon, Walmart, Target, more major corporations consolidating and leveraging power against us - right? While policy reform and indeed government reform will be needed to get us out of our current economic and climate crisis, we cannot sit idly by and wish for this to happen. We must help build and strengthen the providers who are running ethical projects and entrepreneurships.These leaders and entrepreneurs are creating better systems!We have more power than we might realize. My family buys a LOT less than many families in our class group, and this means we have more mental, emotional, and financial resources to invest in better products - better quality but also better for the environment.On a personal note I can say I feel good…