Ruah Bhay Yoga, Brooklyn, NY (2026)

05/05/2026

I haven’t had time to really post and share fully since arriving here, but I’ve been taking it all in and reflecting.

This retreat brought me back to something I knew when I lived here years ago, but felt again in a deeper way this time.

There’s a way people show up here.
With so much joy. With warmth. With openness. With a kind of ease in shared connection that feels so real.

In Senegal, there’s a word for this. Teranga.
It’s often translated as hospitality, but it’s more than that.

It’s the feeling that you are welcome exactly as you are. That there is always space for you. That we are here for one another, in both big and small ways.

At the beginning of the retreat, we spoke about this idea through the proverb nit nitay garabam… a person is another person’s tree. And over these days together, that’s exactly what this group became.

Everyone showed up with that same spirit. Supporting each other, listening, encouraging, sharing, laughing, being real. It reminded me that this is what makes a retreat special.

And honestly, what makes life feel meaningful.

We are here for each other.

Deep thank you to this incredible group for your trust, your openness, and the energy you each brought. And to everyone at (especially Amir & Danya!) for holding us so beautifully and with incredible heart and smiles throughout this experience.

I will be reflecting and sharing more, but for now, I’m enjoying the glow of a grateful heart and spirit.❤️ 🇸🇳

04/24/2026

Almost 2 weeks ago, I competed in BJJ and won the gold. This was after taking time off post severely injuring my back and going through a fibroid surgery. I spent months in agony thinking I would never do BJJ again and there I was in the compeshowing up with my whole heart, mind, body and soul. And I walked away feeling amazing from the inside out.✨

The experience reminded me of how extraordinarily far I’ve come and at the same time it showed me how much I still have to learn and grow.

There was a significant moment for me where because of winning the gold I had the chance to enter the open division, across ages and weight classes. For a moment, I seriously considered it.

But then I paused… and listened to myself.
My body was clear. Here is enough. Not from fear… but from svadyaya, self awareness.

There’s a line from the Tao Te Ching (which my mom gave me years ago and has been a big influence in my life) that stayed with me:
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”

And that’s exactly what that moment felt like.
I had already done what I came to do, to show up, be present, be my best, and enjoy the experience.

Since then, I’ve been reflecting on how much my training has evolved.

When I first started, BJJ, I always felt and moved in a hurry, these days I have really come to be at peace with where I am and move much slower. Which turns out to be more efficient! And I rest when needed.

I’ve been working on trusting that where I am (no more and no less) is what actually allows me to expand into full potential.

Just a few weeks before the competition, I was suffering from a major leg infection that started small, but somehow landed me in the ER for 5 hours getting an infusion.

Another pause. Another moment of uncertainty.
And again, the practice was the same: be aware, rest, heal, ground in being enough
and then… rise.

As I prepare for leading a retreat in Senegal, I’m reminding myself to go slow and be patient with my heart and mind staying open to all experiences… curious to see what this journey will bring for me and my students.🥰

Staying grateful for all that is and open to what’s ahead. 🙏🏼

04/09/2026

A few years ago I did my first competition ever at as a white belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

I can still feel that moment… the handshake, the eye contact, the ref saying go, the adrenaline rush.

This weekend, I’m doing it again at . Now as a blue belt, more than 3.5 years later. And honestly… it feels so very different.

A year ago, I had just recovered from fibroid surgery and then severely injured my back shortly after. I was told I might not be able to do martial arts again. Getting out of bed and through the day was extremely painful. I came to a place of acceptance… and still chose to keep showing up for the healing journey that has brought me here.

And then recently… I had to pause again. A pretty intense leg infection that started from something small.

During that time, I felt it… the self-doubt, the sadness, that contraction. I even had a moment of tears in the locker room with a trusted BJJ friend.

But instead of pushing it away, I sat with it.
That’s the yoga practice Svādhyāya. Seeing clearly. Getting curious. Understanding. And then choosing differently… creating the path forward I actually want.

Thinking of that moment right before the match starts… it still gives me chills. It’s like standing in front of an ice bath. You know you can do it, you’ve done it before… but you still have to choose to go in.

I was really inspired by gold medalist Alysa Liu and the astronauts on Artemis II. Alysa said “I just go out there and do my best. That’s enough for me.” And that’s exactly it. Showing up with an open heart, mind, and soul is the most important part of the journey. Astronauts know there are risks, and still choose to go forward. Courage isn’t about certainty… it’s about showing up.

So this Saturday isn’t about proving anything. It’s about learning and growing from it.

Maybe you’re in a moment like that too… where you know the way is through, not around. This is your reminder:

you don’t have to feel ready, you just have to show up.

Inhale confidence
Exhale doubt

Please keep me, and everyone competing, in your prayers. I’ll share how it goes on the other side. 🙏🏼 ☮️ ❤️

03/22/2026

There are moments in life where you can feel everything aligning… your past, your present leading to purpose.

This feels like one of those moments.

I’ve been invited back to teach at the Bryant Park Yoga Festival, and this time, it is on my birthday.

I can’t think of a more meaningful way to celebrate than share what I love in the heart of our beloved city.

To move.
To breathe.
To connect in community.

To share the practices that have carried me through every season of my life - the highs, the challenges, the growth, the becoming.

Yoga has always been my anchor.
My teacher. My mirror.
My way to reflect upon what is important and how I can let go of everything else in order to show my better for myself and others. It’s been my way home to myself, again and again for a lifetime.

I can’t wait gather again in Bryant Park and feel the pulse of NYC’s heart surrounded by others who share the love of yoga and our city. It feels like a true celebration of life.

Not just mine, but all of ours.

If you’re in the city, I would love for you to come practice and celebrate life, my bday (and Bastille Day!🇫🇷💥) with me.

To pause. To reconnect. To have a meaningful experience with your fellow city dwellers. To remember together what really matters.

Save this, send it to a friend, and/or hope to see you in July!

With so much love gratitude always🤍

03/08/2026

Happy International Women’s Day.

Today I’m thinking about the women who shaped me.

My mother, my grandmothers, my aunt and my mentors who taught me that kindness and love are strength.

The teachers and coaches who encouraged me to pursue my best and stand tall in my truth.
The friends who inspire me every day with courage, tenderness, and resilience.

As women we are often asked to be so many things at once: strong yet soft, leaders yet caregivers, ambitious yet humble.

Yoga and martial arts remind me that these are not contradictions. They are expressions of wholeness, the balance of yoga and the yin and yang of martial arts.

Strength and compassion can live in the same body.

Power and tenderness can share the same breath.

In my classes and retreats I am constantly inspired by the women in our community. Women who are breaking glass ceilings, seeking growth, healing from injuries, navigating careers, raising families, taking risks, speaking their truth, and choosing growth again and again.

Your presence, your courage, and your willingness to keep showing up for your life fills me with awe and gratitude. You matter more than you know.

Today we honor the women who came before us, the women walking beside us, and the girls (like Aria and her friends!) who will carry the light forward.

May we keep lifting each other up.
May we keep practicing.
May we keep becoming.

Happy International Women’s Day

Peace, love & gratitude always ☮️🤍🙏🏼

02/16/2026

After a few very full weeks (and being cooped up in the freezing cold!), I’ve been craving the extraordinary culture this city has to offer.

Going to the Brooklyn Museum to experience the portraits of Seydou Keïta was just the medicine I needed.

We walked slowly through the exhibit talking about the history of Mali and the transition of West Africa to independence… then we sat in meditation together under the great chandelier in the Beaux-Arts Court.

Art, then stillness, then integration.

In the end, we paired up with one another and looked into one each other’s eyes to see each our creative and highest self, then we shared it out loud.

To witness art and then be seen like that is powerful.

Afterward, we shared thieboudienne and mafé at Café Rue Dix, with meaningful conversation, vulnerability, and real connection.

Several women in this circle are coming on the Senegal retreat this year, and the whole day felt like a bridge, Brooklyn meeting Dakar.

Someone asked at dinner, “When are we doing this again?”

So I’m thinking about it…

Perhaps another gathering at Metropolitan Museum of Art — explore art, meditate, then eat food from that culture. Stay tuned.

DM me if you’d come.

Or take it further, join on retreat and explore art, culture, and consciousness around the world.

This is yoga off the mat.
This is community/sangha.

01/07/2026

January theme: Freedom through focus. Kaivalya through presence.

There’s something powerful about concentrated effort (dharana) and then allowing that effort to soften into flow (dhyana). This is where freedom lives. Not in forcing, but in showing up fully and letting the moment carry you.

These clips were filmed at , thanks to my wonderful BJJ friend .lovlina , who invited me to try a really fun boxing class there.

We had an amazing time together circulating strong and positive energy! Then before heading to the sauna and steam room, I couldn’t resist playing on the rope and rings.

Climbing. Hanging upside down. Core engaged. Breath steady.

Strong effort followed by ease.
What made this moment especially meaningful was simply being able to move. After last year’s back injury and fibroid surgery, there was a long stretch where movement felt limited and uncertain. We’ve all been there before in someway or another whether it’s through an illness, injury or big life change. That kind of experience changes your relationship to your body and deepens gratitude for what’s possible.

For January, I’m reflecting on and sitting with this:

Where can focused effort create more freedom in life?

And where is there room to soften, trust, and let things flow?

Much peace, love & gratitude always ☮️❤️🙏🏼

GratefulToMove YogaOffTheMat StrongAndSoft MovementAsMedicine

01/02/2026

FREE VIDEO ON VIMEO
Gentle Reset: Yoga & Mobility for Herniated Disc Healing

This video was born out of one of the most humbling, and ultimately miraculous, chapters of my life.

Last year, I was navigating intense back pain from a herniated disc. There were moments I truly wondered if I would ever move freely again or feel strong and at home in my body. I had to let go of pushing through and learn how to listen, deeply, to my breath, my nervous system, and the quiet wisdom of my body.

This Gentle Reset sequence emerged during that time. What started as subtle, careful movements became the foundation of my healing.

Today, I share this with profound gratitude: I have healed. I am not only pain-free, but stronger than ever, able to move and challenge my body in ways I once feared might be gone forever.

Healing is never linear. There were ups and downs, pauses, and recalibrations. I worked closely with medical professionals and sought support along the way, and that mattered deeply.

Grateful for the science and teachers who guided me, including .stuart_mcgill and his book Back Mechanic, insights from guests on the , and my dear friend and mentor , who generously shares her own recovery resources on YouTube.

Filmed at .bklynbridge when there teaching for . It’s a place that mirrors the calm and grounding of this practice.

🎥 Gentle Reset: Yoga & Mobility for Herniated Disc Healing
Now on Vimeo. Link in bio.

Questions? Please reach out. You don’t have to do this alone. ☮️❤️🙏🏼✨

mobilitytraining paineducation yogatherapy mindbodyhealing resilience brooklynbridgepark ruahyoga

10/03/2025

✨Honored. Grateful. Excited.✨

I am beyond thrilled to share that I’ll be part of the Prema Yoga Teacher Training Program beginning this February. 🌿

To be included in this incredible faculty and community put together by the amazing is such a gift. Prema has always been a home for deep practice, soulful connection, authentic and experienced teaching, and I can’t wait to support the next generation of teachers as they explore the journey of diving deeply into yoga, meditation, philosophy, breathing, Ayurveda and themselves.

If you’ve been feeling the call to deepen your practice, expand your knowledge, connect with yourself and like-minded people and immerse yourself in the many limbs that make up yoga, this training is a truly transformative path.

🪷 You can learn more about the program by visiting premayogabrooklyn.com/evolutionofyoga or send me a DM.

Peace, gratitude & love ☮️🙏🏼💜

09/09/2025

✨ Faith. Focus. Surrender. ✨

This September, I’ve been reflecting on three guiding principles from yoga and Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist:

🌿 Śraddhā (faith): trusting your path has meaning.
🌿 Dhāraṇā (concentration): focusing your energy where it matters most.
🌿 Īśvarapraṇidhāna (surrender): handing it all over to something greater — God, nature, humanity, or the universe.

I felt these truths deeply on an amazing and beautiful recent journey to Mallorca where I taught and shared yoga, breathing, life guidance, support and more at a family friend’s wedding. I also had the chance to live life in full color flowing on a paddleboard and swimming and boating into coves, journaling under the Mediterranean sky, explore the breathtaking island looking for the perfect place for a retreat (found it!), and even sharing dinner with an amazing Olympic bobsledder who reminded me of the resilience we all carry (and invited me to see her compete one day : ).

What struck me most? That surrender is not just letting go… it’s also opening up our channels of energy to let in. Opening to connection, grace, and the signs of the universe guiding us forward.

💫 Coelho calls them omens.
The question is: are we listening?

✨Reflection for You

Where in your life are you being asked to:

✨ Trust in faith?
✨ Sharpen your focus?
✨ Practice surrender?

🌍 Come practice with me:
• Croatia | Oct 19–24, 2025
• Senegal | Apr 26–May 2, 2026
• Mallorca | 2026 (dates coming soon 🌸)

More details: or www.ruahyoga.com

Ruah Bhay Yoga

05/05/2026

04/24/2026

04/09/2026

03/22/2026

03/08/2026

02/16/2026

01/07/2026

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10/03/2025

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