Space for the Life that is Already Here | Let your breath be the water
"Peace is Every Step. The shining red sun in my heart. Each flower smiles with me. How green, how fresh all that grows. How cool the wind blows. Peace is every step. It turns the endless path to joys" Thích Nhất Hạnh
A midweek pause dear friends,
I invite you to include this Soundscape (from the Coming Home playlist) for this moment:
If all you receive from today's letter is this, let it be enough:
Place one hand over your heart.
Prepare to close your eyes if you're able.
Drink in ten slow breaths to the cadence of this mantra:
Breathing in: I am here.
Breathing out: I soften into now.
Breathing in: I am here.
Breathing out: I create more space.
Slowing to the pace of presence.
Permission to linger. Knowing you can return.
Let your breath be the water.
This musical companion is great in a restorative Viparita Karani (legs up the wall), resting beneath a tree, or simply pausing wherever you are.
"Sometimes our deepest practice is not creating more. It's allowing ourselves to receive what is already here." - Andrea Rare
A thoughtful revisit to Andrea's wisdom.
I've been thinking about space.
Not empty space, but the kind that allows life to unfold.
Last night, after sunset, the sky lingered in that deep summer blue as the warmth softened, the breeze carried through the trees, crickets began their evening song, and a delicate crescent moon shown sweetly overhead. I was reminded that even in the fullness of summer, everything is held within something much larger. This Akasha—the element of space, the quiet container in which all of life unfolds.
This season asks much of us.
July carries long days, full calendars, meaningful work, celebrations, responsibilities, and passions that deserve our wholehearted attention. In Ayurveda, we're also in the peak of Pitta season—the fire and water of summer. Fire helps us create, lead, and serve. But like every garden, too much sun without enough water can wilt the very thing we're trying to nurture.
We're not meant to burn ourselves out in the name of living fully.
We're meant to create enough space that life can actually be received.
Sometimes space looks like slowing down.
Sometimes it looks like showing up more completely.
Sometimes it simply means letting one beautiful moment linger for another breath instead of rushing toward what's next.
This morning, my classes reminded me how beautifully varied our human experience is. Some arrived carrying grief. Others came with excitement, uncertainty, hope, fatigue, or joy. Their expressions spoken with courage and compassion, from the anahata heart chakra through vishuddha throat chakra- all together they formed a kind of rainbow—different stories sharing the same room.
Yoga has never asked us to become someone else. To make things different.
It simply offers practices that help us meet ourselves with a little more steadiness, whether we need to be gently enlivened, soothed, or simply reminded that we are enough exactly where we are.
The gunas continue to dance through each of us—sometimes restless, sometimes heavy, sometimes clear and luminous. Nothing has gone wrong when we feel overwhelmed or depleted. The practice simply invites us back toward listening, opportunities to tend or balance, toward santosha- contentment, and toward the quiet wisdom already living within.
As Cancer season begins to transition into Leo, I find myself especially grateful for the wisdom of the sacred feminine—the invitation to listen deeply, to nourish before striving, and to remember that true strength is not found in pushing harder, but in creating a loving container that allows our light to shine naturally.
Perhaps this week - let your breath be the water.
Let your practices create space.
Let the good linger.
And allow yourself to fully inhabit this one precious life.
With warmth and gratitude- to these living inspirations of Mark Nepo, Andrea Rare, the yogic wisdom teachings, Ayurveda, the unseen others whose impact ripples. To the astrological seasonal unfoldings and nature as teacher.
In radiance & rest,
With love & light,
Maya
Weekly Yoga Offerings
Whether you're craving gentle restoration, mindful movement, time in nature, or supportive community, I'd love to practice with you.
🌿 Heart Spring Health | SE Portland
Small-group therapeutic wellness, community, and movement.
Weekly Schedule
• Root & Rise — Tues & Thurs 7:00 AM
• Somatic Strength — Tues & Thurs 8:15 AM
• Yoga Therapy (Small Group) — Tues 10:00 AM
• Slow Flow — Wed 4:45 PM
• Slow Flow in Sellwood Park — Wed 6:15 PM (donation-based • all welcome)
I'm Subbing This Week (July 20–27)
• Somatic Movement Flow — Wed 7:00 AM
• Hatha Yoga & Breathwork — Wed 8:15 AM
• Love your Brain Yoga — Fri 12:00 PM
• Yoga for Chronic Pain — Fri 3:00 PM
• Hatha for Strength & Family in Sellwood Park — Sun 9:15 AM (donation-based • all welcome)
✨ New to Heart Spring? (Prices to increase soon)
• Unlimited Classes for 14 Days — $40 & Affordable Membership
• 50% Off Your First Drop-In
I'd love for you to explore, receive, and discover what supports you. (Current introductory pricing will be increasing soon.)
🌿Mountain Park Saturday Root & Rise
A simple Saturday morning gathering rooted in movement, nature, fresh air, and community, with tea and connection afterward.
Saturday, July 25- Register Here
Upcoming gatherings: July 25 • August 15
🏡 Practice From Anywhere- via Zoom
• Community Circle (Free) — Wed 11:00 AM
• Friday Flow (Pay What You Can) — Fri 8:00 AM
• Private Yoga Therapy & individual support available year-round.
As always, take what serves you and leave the rest. My hope is simply that one of these offerings becomes a place to pause, breathe, and remember that you already belong exactly where you are. Stay loving, stay kind and I hope to see you soon!
