This year, can we please just skip the big-box mayhem and instead turn our attention to the incredible family-owned, women-run, and BIPOC-led businesses right here in the Tri-Cities and Vancouver? These businesses are the heart and soul of our community. They’re run by people who know your name, remember your usual order, and genuinely care about whether you’re happy with your purchase.

Embracing vulnerability is not a weakness; it's a superpower that connects us to our true selves and others. During my university years, I neglected my well-being, abandoning meditation and yoga, which had grounded me since childhood. A panic attack, soothed by my brother's comforting presence, became a turning point, teaching me to live with my heart first and trust that vulnerability leads me to where I'm meant to be. This revelation brought me back to yoga, shaping how I teach at Jai Yoga, where we encourage students to embrace Satya, or truthfulness, and find strength in their vulnerability.

When I watched this movie, I was reeling from the hurt of my postpartum experience. Watching Laapataa Ladies inspired me to prioritize my well-being, set boundaries, and speak up. The protagonists' journey of self-discovery and resilience resonated deeply with me. They navigated societal norms and personal challenges, ultimately finding their own identities and voices. This reflection inspired me to realize that I am my biggest advocate, both for myself and for my son. We are worth standing up for.

There was a day in Whistler that will always stick with me. In 2016, despite a recent ankle sprain, I was determined to enjoy the perfect winter day. I went tubing down a hill, thrilled to embrace the snow. At the bottom, needing help to get out of the tubing ring, I asked a staff member for assistance. Instead of a helping hand, I was met with a muttered comment that cut deep: “Why are you so fat then?”

Yoga and journaling is a combination that is like cookies and cream. Why? Because yoga is more than just a physical form of exercise; it's a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. I love enhancing my personal yoga journey through various methods, one of which is journaling.

A journaling practice can significantly deepen your yoga experience, whether you practice regularly in a studio or at home.

Discover the calming power of Restorative Yoga, a unique practice that offers a tranquil retreat from the daily hustle. By guiding you gently back to your body and into a soothing 'rest and digest' state, Restorative Yoga promotes deep relaxation, balance, and well-being. Join us as we unravel the transformative journey that this practice provides, and how it can help untangle knots of stress, leading you towards a space of tranquility and restoration.

B.K.S. Iyengar was a renowned Indian yoga teacher and the founder of the popular Iyengar method of yoga. He is credited with helping to bring awareness of and respect for the practice of yoga to both India and around the world, inspiring millions along the way.

Incorporating the understanding of the Pancha Maha Bhutas into our yoga practice and teachings can help us to deepen our connection to the elements and to the world around us. By exploring and embodying each of these elements, we can gain a greater sense of balance, harmony, and fulfillment in our lives.

We may feel small and insignificant when it comes to politics but if we are centred and balanced, then we are able to become stronger and achieve much bigger things. We become focused.

Whenever Fall arrives, I always get inspired to retreat within and introspect on how I want to finish up the year. As Coquitlam is in the northern hemisphere of the planet, we move from Summer into Fall and the energy starts to move from an outward, extroverted, masculine state to an inward, introverted, feminine state.

Here’s some food for thought - you’re not the same person you were this morning. Why? Because that was in the past. The past doesn’t exist right now. If you are not the same person you were yesterday, then what is the point of guilt and regretting the past?

Welcome to this first blog post! I’m going to be straight out honest with you. This is my eigth attempt at writing this blog post. This made me think, “wow Prem, you’re super judgemental about yourself.”