Monthly Topics

At Unfold, we center our classes and community focus around a topic of the month. We recently completed going through the 100 Healing Qualities by Phil Shapiro. And for 2022, we're focusing on the more traditional yama and niyama from The Yoga Sutra.

You can find our introduction to topics of the month, and how they apply to our everyday lives, in our monthly newsletter and blog posts. We've gathered those blog posts that are only about our topics of the month below.

Jul 28
2 min

Practicing Contentment in a World of Conflict

Given the need for action and participation these days, it may seem counter-intuitive to practice or pursue santosha, or contentment (the...

Jun 30
2 min

Reclaiming Bodily Autonomy

Blog post about how yoga allows a practice of bodily autonomy, and can support us in our activism.

Apr 27
2 min

Aparigraha - Allowing Space for Something New

About aparigraha, one of the 5 yama of yoga. This is our monthly topic for May. We use monthly topics to explore yoga in everyday life.

Apr 5
2 min

Right Use of Energy: Walking My Talk

The practice of yoga is a practice of connection. Whether our practice centers around movement, breath, meditation...

Jan 24
3 min

Satya - Using the Truth to Find Connection

While I don't always find telling the truth to be a challenging concept, being with the truth (satya) can always bump up the work to a...

Jan 5
3 min

Ahimsa - Personally Practicing Non-harming

When faced with the harm that is done every day in this world, it can be overwhelming to consider. I know I often feel frustration, fear...

Dec 10, 2021
3 min

Being Your Own Witness - a Seat of Self-Compassion

Our topic this month is witness, or wisdom presence (vjanamaya kosha). The term witness here refers to the kosha model of the human...

Nov 1, 2021
2 min

It's a BABY!!! Seeing Our Potential for Unconditional Love

We are so very excited to welcome Rachel and Steve's new baby into the world! Baby arrived on Friday, Oct 29 at 3.58am, at 9.6 lbs and 22...

Oct 7, 2021
2 min

Boundaries, Will and Openhearted Intention

Our topic this month is will. The way this is showing up for me right now, is in the arena of boundary setting, and holding. Now, I'm...

Aug 26, 2021
2 min

Trust and Meeting Ourselves Where We Are

Our topic this month is trust. Trust is what is needed when we make changes. The bigger the change, the more that a leap-of-faith may be...

Jun 25, 2021
2 min

Stillness in the Heat of Things

As I sit here, waiting for the heat to descend upon Portland, I am reminded of other heated times of late. Particularly heated...

Jun 2, 2021
2 min

Spaciousness & Being a Mindful Advocate

I've recently been thinking about a couple of situations that seem like they could be managed more skillfully, next time. The first was...

Mar 26, 2021
2 min

Try a Little Tenderness

In that classic song made famous by Otis Redding, he urges the listener to be tender with their beloved, for it makes weariness easier to...

Feb 26, 2021
3 min

Finding Some Peace with Surrender

These days, any difficult blow can seem like a huge pile-on to an already built-up pile of pre-existing conditions. I don't have to list...

Jan 29, 2021
2 min

Celebrating Our Strengths

Our topic of the month for February is strength. Now, I don't know about you, but when I think of the word strength, on its own, I think...

Dec 23, 2020
1 min

Embracing Simplicity in Troubled Times

"There is nothing to chase after. We can go back to ourselves, enjoy our breathing, our smiling, ourselves and our beautiful...