The Dragon is a powerful symbol in both eastern and western mythology. In the east, the dragon is a benevolent and wise ruler and her “celestial breath” breathes life into the created world. She rules water and orchestrates the flow of the seasons and the natural ebb and flow of all things. The Dragon lives in the seas but can fly up to the heavens and can even coil herself into mountains. She is a shape-shifter who can take on many forms and become large or small at will.

In some buddhist traditions, the Dragon appearing through the clouds was a symbol of truth and the difficulty of seeing it clearly. In Taoist practices, awakening the Dragon is about reconnecting with the realm of spirit and integrating a sense of reverence and wonder into everyday life. In Taoist Inner Alchemy, the energies of the Dragon and the Tiger spiral up the spine, merge in the head, and descend again to the base of the spine. This powerful Union of Dragon and Tiger - Yin and Yang - is described as the way to transcend your physical form and experience the Tao.

The Tiger is a powerful symbol across cultures and has a central role in healing rituals and meditation practices. In many eastern traditions, the powerful mysterious Tiger is associated with willpower, courage, nobility, and strength. Tigers inspired awe not just because of their strength but because they seem to appear and disappear at will. Because of the Tiger’s stealth Shamans invoked her spirit to move between worlds.

Tantric Buddhists believed that Tiger skin represented the transformation of anger into insight. The Hindu warrior Goddess Durga who slays demons and fights for justice rides a Tiger. And the Taoist goddess Xiwangmu - who preserves life and fights corruption - has the teeth of a Tiger. In Taoist Inner Alchemy, the energies of the Dragon and the Tiger spiral up the spine, merge in the head, and descend again to the base of the spine. This powerful Union of Dragon and Tiger - Yin and Yang - is described as the way to transcend your physical form and experience the Tao.

Before becoming a yoga teacher I was a journalist and filmmaker. Today I play a lot with movement narratives and how new ways of being in the world can take shape.

I grew up with an image of the ninja shaped by fantasy novels and television. I thought that first and foremost, a ninja learned to fight. So when I started to dig into the ninja myth, I was surprised by a lot of things. One thing that really got my attention was that ninjas weren’t really trained to be supreme warriors. They were trained to be consummate spies. They were trained to move unseen behind enemy lines and bring back valuable information to help farmers fight off power-grabbing lords and their samurais. The very word ninja can be translated as “to endure”. And one of the ways that ninjas trained to endure was to head to the parts of Japan considered to be both the most magical and treacherous - the mountains. Here in the steep terrain and mountain mists, volatile spirits were believed to roam free and a ninja had to become a keen observer if she was going to survive. But the mountains also had Shugenja, spiritual teachers who believed in living in harmony with the mountain spirits and taught ninjas a “right-mindedness”.

In Ninjas, we'll explore our inner terrain through flowing gentle movement, meditation, and breathing practices. Like ninjas on a mission, we'll sneak into the places we guard the most, and make peace with our own mischievous (and sometimes treacherous) spirits.

Why monkey around?

Storytelling is part of all cultures throughout human history.  It is how we understand and express who we are.  Myths and stories can reinforce the dominant culture.  But they can also challenge it…

The Monkey is a subversive and a mischief-maker!  In stories from India and China monkey characters are often outsiders who have to charm their way into power.  They tend to be clever and strong so they can leverage wit OR strength to gain an advantage.  And sometimes they can get a little power-hungry!  It is frequently during a demanding quest that they confront their own "shadow side" and discover what they are truly capable of becoming. With self-awareness and a clear sense of dharma or purpose, they can be fierce warriors who challenge dark forces and fight for justice.

The Monkey Archetype will have you charming, mischief-making, and exploring how to best use your considerable powers.