This email is brought to you directly from my brain to yours. It took me 400 years longer to write it than it would have had I allowed myself to use ChatGPT. I want to make sure I can still write and still have my own ideas.

I hope you enjoy it. I welcome your feedback anytime.

If you're like me and trying to retrain your attention span, this newsletter is here to help, as it's a bit long!

TL;DR my podcast link is in the second paragraph below, and event info is way at the bottom of the email.

I am happy to share that I had the honour of being interviewed by Mark Atherton on the Global Online Yoga Associations (GOYA) Gatherings Podcast on my experience of being a yoga teacher, small business owner, and practitioner while navigating a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

I am very happy to share my interview with you here. Thank you for listening.

Growing up, my best friend’s mom had a fridge laden with magnets stating words to live by. Two of which are forever etched in my mind.

One: A clean house is a sign of a misspent life.

Two: To Err is Human.

As such, I would like to apologize in advance for the errors this email is likely riddled with. I am trying to avoid as much AI as possible, including editing, in an effort to remain a human whose mistakes make them more interesting and less formulaic.

I recently listened to an episode on the Ideas Podcast titled, 'With a decline in reading, is our capacity to think eroding?'

I may go so far as to say it could be mandatory listening for anyone concerned with AI, and wanting to understand more about how our brains, our children, and our future interact with it.

I cannot stop thinking about the following shared by one of the guests on the episode:

“…there's an MIT graduate student study in which the students were given ChatGPT or not to write an essay. And the students who used ChatGPT compared to the others had different brain activation patterns, but very importantly and very simply, they couldn't remember a single sentence that they had written themselves.”

Like most of us, I would really like to engage with and remember most things that I write and learn, and especially, but not limited to, these emails I write to you.

AI is almost impossible to avoid. It may even be a privilege to do so. I would also be remiss not to mention that there are also, of course, some incredible breakthroughs with its advancements, like disease prevention and treatment accuracy.

But, big but, I could sense that personally, I was already on a slippery slope of thinking-outsourcing and social media fixation. I could literally feel my attention span seeping out my pores.

And I'm an adult, with agency, experience, and self-control. What about children?

In an effort to give my thinking brain the jolt back that it needed, I have committed to reading at least 10 minutes of a physical book every day. Shout out to my friend Kelly at The Happiest Little Book Club for this manageable yet synapse-saving goal.

The push for max optimization and efficiency is all very Plurabius meets Klara and the Sun. As it turns out, I like my fiction right where I can see it, on the television and in my book.

Let's keep reading, asking questions, going slower, breathing, getting curious, exploring, moving our bodies, practicing yoga, and staying our human selves in all our messy glory.

Love,
Sara

"Rage, rage against the dying of the light."
Dylan Thomas (1914–1953), Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

P.S. A couple of new playlists: ocean & dark.

Just yesterday morning, in an effort to keep my students steeped in the benefits of their practice. I decided to close without my regular spiel of what’s coming up.

Instead, I said, “I have announcements to make, but I am not going to make them. Please stay tuned for an email.”

I wanted them to leave feeling integrated in their practice.

What I didn’t realize was that this was like saying to someone, “I have something important to tell you, but I will tell you later!”

On their way out, several students asked me, “Is everything ok? Should I worry?”

I felt terrible. Have we been conditioned to expect bad news? Perhaps it's just that we care deeply about one another?

My announcements were just about upcoming workshops and classes, and I should have been more specific.

They are all listed below, and I would love for you to join me.

Yoga is a balm for these times.

We are lucky to practice in safety and community, and I am incredibly grateful. I hope that our energy and efforts make us strong and resolute in standing up for what we believe in. That our vibrations somehow reverberate outward to help others.

Workshops, Events & Classes

The following are all in addition to my weekly schedule. Please share with friends who may be interested!

Yoga Fundraiser for Cohen & Family

Sunday, March 22 | 2–3 pm
A gentle, all-levels yoga class in support of Cohen and his family as they navigate his recent childhood cancer diagnosis. Please RSVP here. Cash donations accepted at the event. All money raised is going directly to Cohen's family.

Flow + Restore with Kristen

Wednesdays, March 4, 11, 18 | 7:30–8:30 pm
A beautiful balance of movement and rest to unwind midweek. Passes, memberships, and drop-ins welcome. We’ll continue beyond these dates if we can keep building a good turnout of participants. Please sign up in advance.

Prenatal Yoga Mini Series

Thursday, March 5, 12, 19 | 6–7 pm
A supportive and specifically designed series for pregnancy. Register here for the three-week series, or message me directly to drop in.

Vinyasa Foundations Workshop with Sara

Sunday, March 15 | 1–3 pm
Refine your understanding of the popular vinyasa sequence, including the postures: plank, chattarunga, cobra, upward dog and downward dog. Explore variations, modifications, strength-building, and position to help you find your strongest, safest, and most sustainable vinyasa flow. Register here.

New 5-Week All Levels Yoga & Stretch at Glendale Community Centre

Wednesday, March 18, April 1, 15, 22, 29 | 9:15–10:15 am
No class: March 25 or April 8
You may make up missed classes at any Elbow Park class. Save your spot here.