The day I turned 16, my mom took me to the local Department of Motor Vehicles to get my learner's permit. Growing up in the middle of nowhere Upstate New York meant waiting for a parent to be available to drive the long miles between points A and B. Having my license spelled freedom and gave my mom a break from carting my siblings and me around. I know she was relieved beyond words when I passed my road test and could help with after school pickups.

Being a farm kid and the daughter of a gearhead/tractor-fixing/former racecar team mechanic dad, car talk was pretty prevalent in our house. I still remember the powder blue VW Beetle that was our family car when I was a toddler. Of course it had a manual transmission, as did several cars that followed. I learned at a very young age to tune my ear to the stirrings of the engine, knowing exactly when mom or dad should engage the clutch and shift the car. When I learned to drive a stick shortly after getting my license, I felt the power that is resides in the low gears.

In life as in driving, moving at a slower pace is when we feel and discern how to harness our power.

This is one reason I created my style of teaching yoga on the gentler side. Mind you, I used to regularly attend yoga classes for the workout and the sweat. There is power in that for sure! But as I began to age and struggle with slower recovery from injury or fatigue, I needed to downshift my yoga practice. I hunted around for the kind of class I had in mind and just didn't find it. I knew there were other yogis out there like me: those who wanted a flowing practice at a more moderate tempo; those wanting to safely move and gracefully support their changing bodies; those who wanted to mindfully "work in" to see their inner landscape while building power in poses held for a few extra breaths, maybe while supported by props.

So much goodness happens when we come out of high gear! Even strength trainers will tell you that slowing down your reps will build more power over time. When we choose to slow down, be it in our daily activities or during our movement practices, we can really witness our brilliance!

If your new year plan includes a desire to feel the power of first gear that can ultimately help you move forward at sustained speed, I have a couple ways you can dip your toes into the water.

Private Yoga Sessions

If you are new to yoga, timid about a group class, or are seeking to reinvigorate a stagnant practice, a series of 1:1 sessions can be a sweet place to start. Together, we can craft practices that support your needs in the moment. Maybe you want to strengthen and stretch your chronically aching back. Maybe you want to learn how to rest and be at peace with stillness. Maybe mindfulness is a struggle and you want to learn how to intentionally pay attention to just one thing in a particular moment. Private yoga can help with all those things and so much more. Plus, you get 100% of my attention and care without distraction.

Gentle Group Yoga Classes

For those seeking a group class experience, I teach 3-4 virtual, gentle yoga classes each week including a Saturday morning session. My classes incorporate mindful movement including yoga asana (poses) and therapeutic exercises that strengthen and support healthy mobility. I invite and encourage the use of props and demonstrate in real time how props can support your practice. Each of my classes also inspires you to meet yourself exactly where you are in the moment. Yoga is a PRACTICE and I lovingly remind my students of this regularly. Leave your need for perfection off the mat and just come BE with yourself and the community of support in our yoga family.

Coaching

If you're ready to invest in making bigger, most lasting change, I offer a higher level of support that can combine a number of offerings (including yoga!) to help move you from where you are now to where you want to be. Whether you're seeking to make chronic pain or exhaustion things of the past, tame emotional eating, or create new habits rooted in your core values, coaching can offer the support you need to move from "meh" to marvelous. The first step in this process is to book a free Coaching Discovery Call to see if we'll be a good fit to partner in this way.

I'll close with one last anecdote about driving. The street on which I grew up has a massive, steep hill. In order for my dad to let me freely roam in the manual transmission car we had, I needed to pass his "roll back" test. He had me drive up the cliff and repeatedly stop and restart the car until I learned to feather the clutch and gas pedal in that sweet harmonic way that prevents the car from gliding backwards. After a few tries, I earned the Paul Kling Stick-Shift Certificate of Excellence and was sent on my way.

I currently own a 5-speed manual transmission VW Golf. It is fun as crap to drive (and annoying as f*&^ when stuck in city traffic, which thankfully hasn't happened much since the pandemic). Kid #1, a licensed driver for one year now, took her road test in this car and was the first teen her driving inspector ever saw take a test in a manual. It was on her own "roll back" practice course (not nearly the Pike's Peak that was mine) that she "got it" and is now a really smooth driver. I'll teach Kid #2 next year after he gets his permit. He's not as excited about driving and I may need a new clutch thereafter, but I want my kids to appreciate the power (and fun!) of life in first gear.

Here's to you finding YOUR power (but you need to slow down first),

Jennifer