Quiet Mind

Winter Solstice

Sun, 21 Dec 2025 01:48:20 GMT

Somehow, alongside the tenderness, I have come to love the cold and the dark.

My heart is full after a weekend spent with old and new friends from the Quiet Mind community, marking the winter solstice together. And even as we gathered in person, I held close the many students who are far away this time of year—honoring winter in their own places. You were with me in spirit, as you always are, woven into this work and into this community in ways that stretch well beyond shared space.

Inspired by the solstice...We moved and breathed. We made joyful noise and sat in silence. We shared sauna and cold plunge beside the creek, letting cold water and warm steam remind us that contrast is not something to fear, but something to feel.

The solstice is a bittersweet time for me. Each year, it compels me to turn toward my own grief and our collective grief. I don’t just consider it—I go deliberately into it. The magic of the solstice becomes a catalyst for this feeling work. Not to fix or move past anything, but to sit honestly with what has been lost, what is changing, and what I continue to carry.

And somehow, alongside that tenderness, I have come to love the cold and the dark.

Swimming in icy ponds or the cold Atlantic brings me fully alive in a way very little else does. The cold wakes me up, sharpens my senses, reminds me that I am here. The dark asks me to slow down, to listen more closely, to wrap myself in what sustains me—poetry, friendship, family, long walks in the woods, shared meals, really good tea, and the inevitable little dance parties that follow a cold swim.

After the retreat closes out, I’ll be walking into the woods with people I love and who love me. We will light a fire, read poems, say names, and let our hearts be cracked open. We will touch the tender places in our spirits and hold each other’s hands and hearts. I am in love with this ritual and with the wise ones who have shared it with me over the years.

This time of year strips things down to what matters most.

I feel deeply honored to teach and to share whatever small bits of wisdom I’ve been lucky enough to gather along the way—not as answers, but as practices. Ways of remembering. Ways of returning.

Time is precious.
You are precious.
We are precious.

Yoga, again and again, connects me back to that truth—not as an idea, but as a lived experience in body, in breath, and in community.

Thank you to everyone who shows up—near and far, exactly as you are. May we move gently into the dark, trusting that the light is already on its way.

Letting it Land

lee@quietmindstudio.com — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 23:21:29 GMT

Truth has to land in a body. Best we prepare our bodies for that.

In class today I mentioned I was moved by Krista Tippett’s recent OnBeing conversation with musician Justin Vernon, where she said, “when we trade facts, we’re ignoring the fact that truth has to land in a body.” That line landed. In my body. I was driving and without thinking my hand left the wheel and touched the part of my chest where I felt it. Simultaneously I felt my breath and my vocal cords collaborate to make sound. Her words didn't make me think about how often we chase truth with our minds—debating, dissecting, seeking clarity through facts—while forgetting that real truth often shows up as a sensation. Instead the moment was just a knowing that settled somewhere deeper. Truth has to land in a body. Best we prepare our bodies for that.

Yoga, for me, can be a practice of preparing the ground for that landing. Eventually, it softens the edges, steadies my nervous system, and creates a kind of spaciousness where truth doesn’t just pass me by. But first it asks me to pay attention. To notice. And I do that using my body. The input and the output of my yoga practice is embodied awareness –to be aware of what I feel and where I feel it. For truth to land, I have to know how to be in my body and trust it’s resilience. This is important and sometimes difficult work.

In yoga philosophy, Satya —truthfulness—is a foundational principle, and I believe it’s more than just the ethic of telling the truth. It’s about living it, knowing it, embodying it. Letting it land. I love yoga. The postures, the breath, my personal practice and the community practice. Yoga isn’t about performing poses the “right” way. For me, it’s about listening, watching, attending with as much loving curiosity as I would to beautiful music, poetry, a thunderstorm off shore, —to what’s alive in my own body. Each breath and each movement becomes an invitation to uncover what is already there, what is already true. Yoga doesn’t hand me the answers, or debate the facts. It is a profound practice that prepares my being for truth.

Chaos + Clarity

lee@quietmindstudio.com — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 19:56:20 GMT

Chaos and clarity–

opposing and deeply intertwined states.

Chaos, is unsettling, overwhelming. Like a storm, it reminds us of all that we do not control. Still Rainer Maria Rilke suggests: “Let everything happen to you: beauty and terror. Just keep going. No feeling is final.” Surely this is the practice—learning to witness the storm without becoming it, to engage without being consumed, to be as aware of the wondrous as the worrisome. And to recognize when action, beyond bearing witness, is needed. Not all storms are to be passively weathered; some demand that we stand firm or make a move with awareness. The world’s turmoil is not to be ignored. This moment is not to be ignored. It calls for presence, for the discipline to see things as they are. The Yoga Sutras specify: “Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ”—yoga is the cessation of the mind’s whirlings. Yoga is a quiet mind, not an avoidant one.

Clarity is not an escape from chaos; it is the source that allows us to move through it with wisdom. It is the stillness that emerges when we surrender to the present moment, not in passive retreat, but in deep seeing. Clarity does not dismiss the weight of disorder—it reveals the right path through it. B.K.S. Iyengar reminds us, *“When your body, mind, and soul are healthy and harmonious, you will bring health and harmony to the world—not by withdrawing from the world, but by being a healthy, living organ of the body of humanity.” Yoga teaches us that we do not practice for ourselves alone; clarity is not just for personal peace, but for right action in service of the whole. Clarity emerges when we acknowledge that chaos has its place and must not dictate our course. It is through neither denial nor despair that we find the wisdom to act. Be clear and be bold, friends.

Truth & Gratitude

Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:38:44 GMT

An environment of genuine connection

In the yoga community we have built together, the practice of satya, or truthfulness, is a guiding principle. As we move through our practice on the mat, we strive to be truthful not only in our words but also in our actions. This commitment to truth extends beyond the studio and into our interactions with others. It fosters an environment of authenticity and genuine connection. In this way Satya only enriches our understanding of this season of thanks.

Applying the principle of satya to the history of Thanksgiving, means acknowledging the complete narrative, including the role of the Wampanoag Tribe in the first Thanksgiving. Truthfulness requires us to confront historical complexities and to honor the full spectrum of experiences that led to this shared feast. In doing so, we deepen our understanding of gratitude as a practice rooted in acknowledging the interconnectedness of all beings and the abundance of this land we call home. If you love the outer Cape, you have a unique opportunity to take that love and transform it into understanding the history and present of the people whose ancestors have inhabited this land for thousands of years.

For me, empathy is key to acknowledging interconnectedness. I want to be able to feel the joy in my mother’s heart as she makes and serves my late grandmother’s apple pie to my grandmother’s great-grandchildren. And I will allow myself to feel other emotions connected to this day. While I take comfort in the company of and traditions of my family, I am aware that today is a day of mourning for members of the tribe. Many will gather today, with friends and family in Plymouth and other locations around the country to commemorate historical losses and contemporary challenges faced by indigenous people. And, I hope all will find comfort in each other's presence. Satya is a powerful practice on one’s own. In my experience it is even more powerful in the collective.

It is my hope that our Quiet Mind community strives to embody the essence of santosha, being content in the present moment, expressing gratitude today not only for the abundance on our plates but for the diverse tapestry of our lives that shape this very moment. We can do this and embrace satya. Learn and honor the true history of Thanksgiving and feel the interconnectedness of our shared human experience. Tell me…what does that feel like in your body?

Root Down & Rise Up

lee@quietmindstudio.com — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 19:07:41 GMT

Tree Pose (Vriksasana)

Tree Pose, or Vriksasana in Sanskrit, mimics the grace and stability of a tree. Whether you're a seasoned yogi or a beginner, working with this elegant pose cultivates balance, strength, and focus. If my day has been chaotic or my mind feels blown in many directions, I might begin lying on my back or my side and taking the shape of the pose with more of my body in contact with the earth. Or standing with the support of a wall. Rooting down and rising up in the classic shape of the posture- balancing on one foot without support- is both grounding and empowering. It can bring me back to myself in short order. If on the other hand, I am feeling a little stuck with myself, dull or low, I dance my tree pose around the room. Touching on the shape of the pose, I will turn in one direction, take a big step and switch balancing sides to pause again briefly in the pose. I worked for a long time with a student who had about 35 years on me. Tree was his favorite pose, right through his last days. “It just feels great!” he would say. I agree.

First, steady yourself. Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), standing tall with your feet hip-width apart. Ground yourself, feeling the connection between your feet and the Earth.

Then, shift your weight onto your left foot, spreading your toes wide to create a strong foundation. Fire up your thigh muscles to stabilize your standing leg. Push down from the buttock through the corners of the foot.

Now, lift your right foot. Bend your right knee and bring the sole of your right foot to your inner left thigh. You can place it on your calf if this is more comfortable,or even keep teh toes on teh floor as a kick-stand. Keep your toes pointing down.

Create balance. Gently press your right foot into your left thigh while pressing your thigh back into your foot. This counterbalance helps you find equilibrium.

Use your arms to express yourself in the pose. Reach the arms skyward joyfully, powerfully. Grow taller through your spine, and imagine your body as a tree, with roots extending from your standing leg, and branches reaching up towards the sky.

Or bring your hands together in a prayer position at your heart's center, engaging your core for added stability. Experiment with different positions and notice what makes you feel strong and free.

Gaze at a fixed point in front of you, a "Drishti." This helps improve your balance and concentration. Breathe. Take deep, slow breaths to stay calm and focused. The Tree Pose requires patience and mindfulness.

Switch Sides. To balance your practice, release your right foot and return to Mountain Pose. Then, repeat the pose on your right side.

Saluting Summer

lee@quietmindstudio.com — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 15:22:42 GMT

When your mind is still, you abide in your own true nature. - Patanjali's Yoga Sutras 1.3

Most years I mark the summer solstice with a mala-108 or half mala-54 of sun salutations (surya namaskar). Often, I have done so as a participant or facilitator of a public group practice. This year I planned to salute solo. I had carved out some alone time in the middle of my day, just as the sun reached it’s highest point in the sky, to be in the studio. I am the slow and steady type. I would not be racing through but rather savoring the moments: just me and my breath. The truth is, this quiet ritual was the nourishment I thought I needed on that day. I shared my plans with Calie, my magical 15 year old daughter, and she asked to join. What a gift. The two of us. Breathing and moving, side by side looking out over the creek.

I experience both a sense of peace and power when attuned to the movements of earth relative to the sun. Sunrise, sunset, high-noon, midnight, longest day, longest night, equal day, and night. These moments are sublime opportunities to acknowledge what is always true. The light always returns. This planet is always spinning. Dawn is always breaking somewhere on this planet. Dusk is always falling. At times the sun shines so directly I might seek cover. At other angles I will have to turn to find it’s warmth. Always sun and earth are sustaining life together. Whether I am noticing it or not. And life is everything!

Still, my mind can get caught in critical analysis. Or auto-piloting through the mundane. Or, as of late, a little stuck in worry and sadness. Life is so very, very everything. So, I appreciate an invitation to pause and remember what is always true. To see myself a part of nature, not separate from the stars. Practicing meditative movement helps me to connect my physical, mental, and spiritual bodies to this universe we all inhabit. It makes me feel more myself and more in relationship with the natural world and my fellow human beings. Everything is connected.

108 is considered a sacred number in yogic tradition. There are several reasons for that but consider this amazingness... the distance between the sun and the earth is 108 times the sun’s diameter. And the diameter of the sun is 108 times the diameter of the earth. And the earths diameter is 108 times the moon's. Everything is connected. Today, that is reason enough for me to reach my arms to the sky 108 times! Sacred numbers and celebrations of the tilt of the earth’s axis are helpful inspiration. But it is always true that any day is a good day to practice mindful movement. Such practices cultivate awareness of truth. And the truth is, I am more me when I practice. It's circular, spherical even... like the sun. I hope you do something today that brings you into your body and connects you to the radiance of the sun.

Poetry Inspiration: PINK MOON-THE POND

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:27:36 GMT

Pink Moon – The Pond by Mary Oliver

You think it will never happen again.
Then, one night in April,
the tribes wake trilling.
You walk down to the shore.
Your coming stills them,
but little by little the silence lifts
until song is everywhere
and your soul rises from your bones
and strides out over the water.
It is a crazy thing to do –
for no one can live like that,
floating around in the darkness
over the gauzy water.
Left on the shore your bones
keep shouting come back!
But your soul won’t listen;
in the distance it is sparkling
like hot wires. So,
like a good friend,
you decide to follow.
You step off the shore
and plummet to your knees –
you slog forward to your thighs
and sink to your cheekbones –
and now you are caught
by the cold chains of the water –
you are vanishing while around you
the frogs continue to sing, driving
their music upward through your own throat,
not even noticing
you are someone else.
And that’s when it happens –
you see everything
through their eyes,
their joy, their necessity;
you wear their webbed fingers;
your throat swells.
And that’s when you know
you will live whether you will or not,
one way or another,
because everything is everything else,
one long muscle.
It’s no more mysterious than that.
So you relax, you don’t fight it anymore,
the darkness coming down
called water,
called spring,
called the green leaf, called
a woman’s body
as it turns into mud and leaves,
as it betas in its cage of water,
as it turns like a lonely spindle
in the moonlight, as it says
yes.

Blessing Spring

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:09:23 GMT

What is your favorite way in to mystery?

Yesterday morning I watched the spring sunrise from my sleeping bag on Newcomb Hollow beach surrounded by friends. Some of us stayed overnight on the beach, around the fire and under at least a zillion stars. Others gathered with at night and returned in the morning with cocoa and coffee and tea to warm our bodies after a very cold night. Spring is notoriously late on the outer cape. But the cycle of seasons does not care how much cold Atlantic water we are surrounded by. I woke slowly. Wanting for more time with the stars in pre-dawn light. Wanting for more time with the crashing sound of waves and the whirl of smoke in the wind. I held still for a long while, bundled up with my eyes open. Watching the light change. Red, then pink before turning gold on the horizon. Listening to the mummer of quiet conversation between those tending to the fire. My heart was warm and full of the magic and medicine of the night. But eventually, the promise of a warm cup to heat my bones sat me up. I waited to watch the light dance it’s way across the water from the sun to the beach. Then I rose and left the fire. I was eager to unfold from my huddled posture into an expansive yoga practice and to continue the blessing of spring that way.

The first of these equinox fires was inspired by a desire to begin a relationship with new friends from the Wampanoag tribe. There have been five oceanside sleep-outs now with this group, each spring and fall since 2021. The intention is to be together in community, in nature honoring the land and the gifts of the season. People come and go from the fire. All are welcome. There is no forced ritual. That first morning upon rising and greeting the sun two years ago, one of our new friends said “we will not tell you how to pray.” And then each and every person present did it differently. Some were loud, some silent; some were leaping, some pressed a fist to the earth, some flew hands to the sky, some splashed cold salty water on their cheeks. I find it incredibly freeing and comforting to be together but to be encouraged into my own relationship with spirit. It suits me.

I will not tell you how to pray. I can barely even try to describe the energy towards which I do. Other than to say it is something vast and directed toward love. I will tell you that immersion in nature, yoga, mindful stillness and mindful movement, breath and pure awareness of sensory experience are some of my favorite ways into the mystery. The ultimate goal of a yoga practice is to connect with your own true nature. For me, moments in that space of connection are full of beautiful mystery, awe and gratitude. Sometimes I practice awe alone. Other times I am with you and still I am able to be completely me. I am grateful for you. I am grateful for this land. I am grateful for the zillion stars, especially our sun. I am grateful for hot cocoa on a cold morning. I am in awe that I am a living breathing part of this spinning and tilting planet. I am grateful for spring and for a reason to celebrate both renewal and equidistance.

How do you practice awe? How do you bless the moment? What is your favorite way into the mystery?

Strong and expansive

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 20:55:21 GMT

Warrior II Pose (Virabhadrasana II)

This standing pose improves focus and discernment. Warrior II develops phyisical and mental strength and stamina. In addition to the stability and flexibility cultivated in the feet, legs and hips, the posture strengthens abdominal and back muscles, opens the chest, and strengthens your shoulders. This whole-body asana creates stretch that counters the effects of sitting.

Step (or jump! if you are feeling playful) your feet wide apart. Turn the right foot and leg all the way to the right. Turn your left toes in a bit. Feel for all four corners of each foot and press down. Pull up on your inner thighs and from there lift your chest and spread your arms out wide at shoulder height. Feel yourself expansive here. Truly, take a moment to feel expansive. What do you notice? Is it the first time today that you have taken up this much space? Where does the expansion come from? From the center out. But where? Can you locate in your body where this sensation of centered-ness begins? Bring centered expansion forward with you into the pose.

Keep the shoulders over the hips as you bend the right knee. Turn the knee toward the middle toe and turn your navel toward your left hand. Cast your gaze (dristhi) out over the right hand. Keep the gaze soft and steady to the right and spread awareness into the reach of the left hand too. Find a smooth comfortable pace for the breath. Use your breath and resolve to stay strong in the pose. It is named, after all, after a fierce warrior.

Stay for five breaths to begin and repeat on the second side. Increase time in the pose as you build strength. If your joints feel particularly stiff today, or you have been sitting for a while it can be useful move in and out of the pose a few time before holding. Once turning the feet and legs into position, exhale, bend the knee and sweep the arms out and then inhale, re-straighten the legs and drop the arms down. Repeat until you feel ready to hold the pose for a longer stay.

Heart opening for chilly days

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 02:54:36 GMT

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (bridge pose)

Setu Bandha Sarvangasana opens the chest, relieving shoulders that have been hunched against the cold. This pose also strengthens the core and low body, generating heat and cultivating focus.

To begin, lie on the back, knees bent, feet grounded to the floor a short distance ahead of your pelvis. Lay the arms by the sides, palms up.

(You could take moment here in stillness to feel the ground and feel the movement of your breath. You could also take a moment here to move gently...rock the knees side to side and notice sensation in the legs, hips, low back, chest and shoulders. I find taking time to tune in and sharpen embodied awareness before entering a yoga pose to be of great benefit. Try it for yourself and see what you notice. Does the pose feel stronger, more balanced, easier, more joyful?)

When ready, press down into the four corners of each foot and raise your hips high. To open the chest, draw the shoulder blades down the back and towards each other. If possible clasp the hands together. Hold a yoga strap or a scarf if the hands don't meet today. Press down into the clasped hands and forearms to lift the chest. Hold the pose. Repeat. Seek the fine balance between effort and ease.

In this pose the backs of the shoulders are on the floor and the chin tucks gently toward the chest, lengthening the back of the neck. If the neck complains, listen to it. You can adapt this pose by elevating the chest and arms on a folded blanket with the neck and head on the floor behind the blanket. When the hips and chest are lifted in this variation there is less flexion of the neck.

Reflecting on a year gone by

Sun, 01 Jan 2023 03:33:54 GMT

I have been preparing to reflect. It is one of those times of the year again. The moment to begin anew feels all of a sudden right here. What a wonderful thing. But before I set intentions and begin 2023, I want to remember 2022. It was a fast, full year. I want to slow down and bring to mind the small and large moments that filled the last 365 days. I want to spend some time seeing 2022. And I’d like to do that with a clear lens.

In truth I don’t spend a lot of time looking back in a purely reflective way. My mind drifts into the past as often as anyone's does. For me that type of thinking can be clouded by my current emotions, the fatigue or energy of the present moment. Insecurities or desires for the future might color my thoughts of the past. Often the lens is just not clear enough to reflect. Generally I can shift my perspective to refocus on the present moment. I love yoga , meditation and other embodied practices to feel my way back into the here and now. But it can be incredibly useful to reflect.

I have had the past week off from work. I have rested, taken beautiful walks with friends, snuggled with family, watched movies, cleared out my closet, listened to music, read magazines and poems and books, prepared and eaten good food, cleaned off my desk, shared time with beloved elders, listened to the plans and dreams of beloved children, played games, rested some more, got to the post office during open hours, looked at photos, cried a bit, laughed a bit more, danced, sweat in the sauna, had a dental cleaning, climbed at the gym. Taking this time is helping me to remember myself. Grounding me for the work of reflection. Preparing my mind and heart and body to remember in a meaningful way. Polishing things up so that reflection can be useful and truthful and as clear as it can be.

Earlier this month I sat with two of my greatest guides and friends, mapping out 2022 and telling each other and ourselves about the ride. Now that I have had some time to get clear, I’ll take another look back at the map as the year comes to it's end. From there I’ll take my first steps in to 2023... hopeful and present.

Love and warmth to you as you step in to the new year.

Lee

Poetry Inspiration: REMEMBER

Thu, 30 Dec 2021 15:54:29 GMT

Remember by Joy Harjo

Remember the sky that you were born under,
know each of the star's stories.
Remember the moon, know who she is.
Remember the sun's birth at dawn, that is the
strongest point of time. Remember sundown
and the giving away to night.
Remember your birth, how your mother struggled
to give you form and breath. You are evidence of
her life, and her mother's, and hers.
Remember your father. He is your life, also.
Remember the earth whose skin you are:
red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth
brown earth, we are earth.
Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their
tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them,
listen to them. They are alive poems.
Remember the wind. Remember her voice. She knows the
origin of this universe.
Remember you are all people and all people
are you.
Remember you are this universe and this
universe is you.
Remember all is in motion, is growing, is you.
Remember language comes from this.
Remember the dance language is, that life is.
Remember.

W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Joy Harjo is an internationally renowned performer and writer of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. She served three terms as the 23rd Poet Laureate of the United States from 2019-2022. https://www.joyharjo.com/