Fire in Balance | Strength of Spirit, Clarity of Mind
"Whenever you find yourself lost in a sea of a thousand things to think about and do, may your next breath remind you that amidst the chaos, there's a constant rhythm, right here." – Morgan Harper Nichols
Hi everyone,
May this space give you permission to pause. Weekly offerings & free centering practices are at the bottom- Take was serves, and leave the rest.
✨ Today’s Track for the read: Gratitude- Spiritual Moment. - added to our community Coming Home playlist.
Let’s begin with a moment to pause & gather your spirit. To return within.
Intentional breath in. Releasing breath out.
As you arrive here, I welcome you to place a hand to your solar plexsus, above the navel & below the floating ribs, the other to a knee or your heart space.
Ask yourself sincerely: How is my spirit today?
How is my spirit?
Without rush. Let yourself feel.
Without judgement, sense what your body has to share with you.
Without force, allow yourself to listen.
Now. Attune your breath to deepen. Feel your body grounded.
With each inhale let life rise from your steadiness—strength, courage, compassion. With each exhale, release, unattached.
5–10 rounds, unrushed, weaving steadiness, strength, courage & compassion inward.
You matter.
Your spirit matters.
The prana that lives around and within, can both soothe & enliven.
These were the messages I needed, along with connection this past week. When the world feels like too much, or our spark is dim, a moment to meet and enliven, to uncover enthusiasm and heart are the call. These are moments we can return to.
Enliven your Spirit
This week, we honor the rhythm and integration of the lower level chakras. Last week we rooted in breath and radiant heart—1st chakra (belonging, steadiness) and 4th chakra (compassion, courage). Now we turn to the solar plexus, the 3rd chakra—the flame of personal power, purpose, and clarity. Its element is fire, the guiding light that enlivens our spirit. Vitality, nourished in the 2nd chakra, fuels this spark. (for a deeper dive/visit sister blog: Tending Passion with Presence).
" When the wind stops, the trees still move." – Mark Nepo
Fire shows up differently for each of us. Sometimes it blazes, fueling creativity and commitments. At other times it dims, resting in comfort or pause. Fire can also scatter the mind, stirring restlessness and unease. These are the rhythms of the gunas—qualities of energy shifting between lightness, activity, and heaviness.
Through yoga, we learn to balance these energies, tending our inner fire with care. Aparigraha—non-hoarding, non-possessiveness—reminds us we don’t need to cling to what was or grasp at what’s ahead. We can return to clarity, contentment, and balance.
This is the invitation of Libra season too—air meeting fire: harmony, presence, gratitude. A spark of inspiration that uplifts without scattering, that warms without consuming.
This week we’ll honor that spark through various practices that build warmth and clear stagnation from a place of steadiness. Think ujjayi breath, kapalabhati, and intentional asana to expand your window of capacity. Attuning fire can brighten depleted energy or calm scattered restlessness, integrating earth, water, fire, and air so the flame becomes steady, spirited, and nourishing.
"Give your all, be present to all you need to do, while also knowing through it all you are uncovering and refining your pace with every breath that is rising within you." – Morgan Harper Nichols
With every breath rising within you, let it renew and remind you: strength and courage are already here. Let prana, your life force, spill into your relationships, your work, your creative expression, and the spaces you serve.
On gray days—both literal and metaphorical—I return to the candle flame within. It doesn’t need to blaze; it only needs tending. A steady glow to remind us of this week’s mantra:
Healthy Body. Clearer Mind. Strength of Spirit.
Let yourself anchor there as you make choices on and off the mat. Our practices this week also explore Aparigraha (nongrasping)—balancing effort and ease, meeting the edges of capacity, and finding steadiness in the middle. This season invites not stagnation, but enlivened presence, compassion, and clarity of focus.
“You will weave in and out of beginnings and endings and somehow through it all, you will end up growing in the way you were meant to. You will be tender and you will be strong and you will be glad you lived to see beautiful things flourish, even though they took so long. You will heal along the journey. You will find: you were always learning. Strength was rising within you.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
You will be tender. You will be strong.
Your flame is here. Steady. Rising. Ever-present.
In gratitude- let us each and collectively enliven our flame, the spirit within. More present to meet the sorrows, the shines and everything in between. Check in often. How is your spirit?
Here with you in practice,
In radiance & rest, with love & light,
-Maya
Free Fall Centering Practices Online
Feeling scattered, tender, or just in need of a reset? 🍂
Enjoy these short centering practices (10–15 mins each) to support you this fall:
🌿 Anxiety & Ease - For scattered energy & clarity
💛 Rooted Breath, Radiant Heart - For grounding & love
🔥 Energetic Reset & Breathwork - For clearing residue & vitality
Each practice is an invitation to pause, breathe, and return to what matters most.
BONUS: Chant: 3rd Chakra Gayatri Mantra on Youtube
✨ Find them all on YouTube: Meditation, Mindfulness, & Breath Practices
Yoga This Week
A single practice nourishes—but consistency deepens the impact. Join me in any of the following
✨ Community Circle (Online) — Wednesdays @ 11 AM PT
A 30-minute midweek pause for centering, nervous system reset, and heartfelt check-in.
➡ Join Us From Anywhere
✨ Friday Flow (Online) — Fridays @ 8 AM PT
A mindful, 45 min flow with pranayama and seasonal themes to ground and uplift.
➡ Flow @ Home
✨ Morning Yoga @ Humberside Farm — Saturdays @ 9 AM
All levels welcome. Cozy indoor space. Come for yoga, stay for the gardens, greenery, goats & gathering. Save your spot and start your Saturday with me.
➡ Details & Registration
✨ Heart Spring Health (SE Portland) — Small-group therapeutic yoga. Space limited, register in advance!
- Slow Flow Yoga | Wed @ 4:45–6 PM
- Ground & Release Yoga | Wed (begins Oct 8) @ 6:15–7:30 PM
✨ Yoga Therapy 1:1 Sessions — In person & virtual
Trauma-informed care for nervous system support and embodied healing.
➡ Learn More
✨ Supporter Membership & Support My Work
Access 70+ class replays, seasonal practices, playlists, and more — or support accessible yoga therapy for the under-resourced with a one-time gift.
➡ Join the Membership
➡ One-Time Donation