Insights
Did you know that the thoughts you have today are approximately 95% the same as the
thoughts you had yesterday?
In other words, 95% of who we are is made up of automatic, subconscious patterns.
Sounds crazy, right?
No wonder life sometimes feels like Groundhog Day! Mentally, it really can feel that way.
That sense of being stuck, feeling like “life just rolls on the same day after day,” is our
subconscious mind playing out patterns that don’t reflect the life we truly want. And it leaves
us feeling trapped.
The thing is, when we’re thinking the same thoughts as yesterday, we end up making the
same decisions as yesterday. This keeps reinforcing yesterday’s patterns, which leads to more
of the same actions—and eventually, these patterns become deeply ingrained beliefs.
Doesn’t sound great, does it?
We’ve all been there, stuck in life patterns that don’t serve us, yet we keep replaying them
over and over. Why do we do that?
Because our subconscious mind runs the show—95% of it—based on pre-recorded
knowledge and memorized habits. It doesn’t know any other way.
So, how do we change that?
You always have a choice. You can choose to start shifting things. It might not be easy—it’ll
take effort, love, and compassion—but it’s totally doable!
Creating new, healthy habits takes time and intention. But by choosing to do something
different, we begin to change our patterns. Starting small is key. Even small changes will
trigger your brain to fire in new, healthier patterns. The more you start moving, grooving,
thinking, and feeling differently, the more your perspective will shift.
Soon enough, you’ll notice that “stuck” feeling starting to fade. Solutions that once seemed
elusive will appear—like magic!—when we change the way we look at things.
These new experiences will elevate and inspire you. You’ll be on the right track.
Moving away from autopilot behaviour is hard, but it’s possible.
Anything you’ve learned along the way can be unlearned. We can shift to new, more
empowering ways of being.
So, this season, ask yourself: Is it time to shake up those old habits? Move and feel
differently? Create a new routine?
Here are some simple suggestions to get you started:
Wake up 30-60 minutes earlier.
Start your day slowly with a short yoga session or meditation to set a balanced tone for the day ahead.
Challenge your perspective.
Sign up for a course, training, or seminar to expand your knowledge and experiences.
Commit to a regular practice.
Practice yoga or meditation at least 4 times a week. After each session, write down three words that describe how you felt. (Even the
negative words are valuable—these are the areas you’ll want to transform!)
Find a mentor or accountability partner.
Reach out to a teacher or connect with someone who inspires you. Set up regular meet-ups or discussions to bring new
perspectives into your life.
Try something new every day.
Do something you haven’t done in a while—or something completely new, like drawing, walking a different route home, or cookin
a new dish.
Get creative!
The possibilities are endless. Think of new ways to approach your day and embrace the challenges that come with change.
I’d love to hear how you go! Take action, embrace the process, and begin shifting your perspective. The power to change is in your hands.
Love,
Mysan x
Allow Flow for Health and Happiness
Wherever there is flow—whether it’s water, blood, or energy in our body—there’s less
chance for inflammation to take hold.
Inflammation creates a welcoming environment for pathogens, bacteria, and viruses. Much
like rivers on our planet, when the flow is disrupted, things tend to get stagnant. But where
there’s movement, there’s cleansing.
Imagine a river polluted upstream. As it flows over rocks and moss, the water gets purified.
No pollution can cling to it when it’s in motion. The same is true for the water in our bodies
and the flow of energy within our Being. So, how do we create more flow and balance?
1. Move in a Yang Way.
Engage in exercise that increases your heart rate, builds strength, and boosts cardio. Let your
body move freely—this active flow will get your blood and energy circulating.
2. Exercise Your Fascia in a Yin Way.
Incorporate Yin Yoga into your routine. This practice focuses on deep elongation and
massaging the joints and bones—releasing the areas where inflammation tends to reside and
helping to “wash it away”.
3. Ground and Nurture.
Connect with nature by engaging in skin-to-skin contact. Walk barefoot to absorb Vitamin D,
or use a grounding mat. These practices help balance your energy and promote healing.
4. Fuel Your Body with Healing Foods.
Eat healthy proteins and fresh greens. Choose seasonal, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory
foods—like fresh vegetables, Vitamin C-rich fruits, good-quality salt for essential minerals,
turmeric, bitter greens, and medicinal mushrooms. These foods support your immune system
and reduce inflammation.
5. Laugh a Lot.
Lighten up! Life doesn’t have to be so serious. Play, be silly, and embrace the joy of
foolishness. Adults often forget how to have fun, so I dare you: dance like nobody’s
watching!
6. Take a Pause.
Allow time for relaxation and calm. This can be challenging during times of turmoil, but
behind all the noise, there’s always a space of peace. Don’t get caught up in the dramas being
fed to you. Switch off the TV, disconnect from social media, and focus on being present in
the moment.
How? Meditate. Breathe. Practice Yoga Nidra. Sit with a cup of tea in the sun. And yes, be in
nature—because nature has a way of bringing us back to balance.
7. Love a Lot.
Send love to those close to you, as well as to strangers, to people in pain, or those who may
be struggling. Share love freely, lead with your heart, and be love. How can you be more
loving today?
Mysan x
Exploring the Magic of Yin Yoga
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on some thoughts about Yin Yoga and felt compelled to share them with
you.
Why is it important for every teacher of Yin Yoga to be well-educated in this practice? Yin Yoga
has become much more common in recent years, and many yogis have tried or heard of it. When I
first started teaching Yin, however, it was still relatively unknown. Back then, the trend was fast-
paced, power-driven practices like Vinyasa. I remember being questioned several times: “What on
earth are you doing teaching such slow yoga?”
Well, it didn’t take long before the rest of town warmed to it, just as I had. My classes were soon
packed with yogis, surfers, runners, athletes—young and old, injured and hypermobile—all
benefiting from the healing power and the flow of chi that Yin Yoga brings.
As more Yin classes started popping up in studios and community halls, I was thrilled. How
wonderful to share this incredible practice with so many people! But as the number of Yin classes
grew, I began to notice a shift. I didn’t just see differences in the energy or vibe of each teacher’s
class, but in what was actually being taught and how Yin Yoga was being perceived and practiced.
The Essence of Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga is a deep, powerful practice that targets bones, fascia, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It
opens space within the body, allowing energy, blood, oxygen, and other fluids to flow freely. In
contrast to more dynamic practices like Hatha or Vinyasa, which focus on strengthening and
lengthening muscles, Yin targets the deeper, more dehydrated tissues—such as joints and
fascia—that require more time to release and soften. This is why the sensations in Yin poses can
feel intense, but the practice is incredibly therapeutic.
Unfortunately, I’ve seen Yin Yoga being taught in ways that don’t reflect its true purpose. Some
teachers approach it more like a slow-paced Hatha class, focusing on muscle work, while others
present it as a Restorative class, using props for relaxation rather than deepening the physical
intensity.
In Yin Yoga, props are used strategically to enhance the physical depth of each pose. Once this
depth is reached, props allow students to relax and soften around the strong physical sensations,
enabling them to sit with the discomfort and allow time to pass. The key is to find that balance
between challenge and relaxation.
The Need for Proper Education in Yin Yoga
This realisation is what inspired me to increase my offerings of Yin Yoga teacher trainings. I saw a
need for greater education and a deeper understanding of Yin’s unique approach to yoga. In my
view, empowering teachers with the knowledge, tools, and awareness to teach Yin Yoga is a win for
everyone. The more authentic and well-rounded our understanding, the better we can serve our
students.
A true Yin Yoga class should reach deep into both the physical and energetic layers of the body. It
should target the joints, fascia, and connective tissues while also creating space for mental
relaxation and heart-centred compassion. This, in my opinion, is the essence of Yin Yoga.
The Transformative Power of Yin Yoga Teacher Trainings
The Yin Yoga teacher trainings I’ve facilitated over the past years have been incredible. I’m
fortunate to guide so many passionate, curious teacher trainees—people who are eager to learn and
inspire others. The results have been profound: these teachers return home with a deeper
understanding of Yin, ready to share this healing practice with their communities, improving the
health and well-being of their students.
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Since these trainees typically come with a 200-
hour yoga teacher certification already, they are experienced teachers, but Yin’s functional,
anatomical approach challenges many of their pre-existing beliefs. This challenge excites me! It’s
what keeps me growing as a teacher. When my ideas and beliefs are pushed, I’m exposed to new
knowledge, perspectives, and energy flows that enrich my own teaching.
For me, great teaching doesn’t just come from knowledge of anatomy or yoga postures—it comes
from a place of inner wisdom, a deep knowing that comes from within. And if I’m too rigid or stuck
in my ways, my inner wisdom might be limited, too. The beauty of Yin Yoga is that it encourages
growth, not only in our bodies but in our minds and hearts as well.
Embracing Individuality in Yoga
The Yin Yoga teacher trainings I offer emphasise a profound, individualised approach. There’s no
one-size-fits-all when it comes to yoga. The shape of each of our skeletons is as unique as our
fingerprints, so why should we all move in the same way?
Yoga is meant to create health, happiness, and a sense of inner peace. It’s about stilling the
fluctuations of the mind—chitta vritti nirodhah—so that the energy in the body flows freely,
especially along the spine. As the mind softens, we begin to unlock the potential within, accessing
deeper states of awareness and trust. We start to see the bigger picture of who we are and why we
are here.
But if yoga is taught with rigid dogma, without room for exploration, individuality, and self-
expression, can we truly evolve as human beings? Yoga is a practice for the entire Being—not just
the body or the mind, but the soul.
Are You in Flow or Stagnation?
Does your yoga practice reflect the rigidity or dogma you experience in your daily life? Are you
moving with flow and freedom, or are you stuck in stagnation?
These are questions worth pondering as we continue to explore what yoga means to us as
individuals and as a collective.
Love and Light,
Mysan x
What are Tapas?
In this case, tapas is not the delicious small Spanish dishes!
Rather, it is a Sanskrit word used in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the ancient text I study and often teach from in my yoga practice. These sutras serve as a manual for yoga, but Patanjali made them cryptic, so we must take our time to unpack and understand their meaning. Yoga is a practice that unfolds gradually, helping us not only deepen our understanding but also live yoga off the mat in our everyday lives.
Tapas is one of the five Niyamas (personal observances) in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. It follows the Niyamas of Sauca (cleanliness) and Santosha (contentment), which, along with Tapas, are practices that help purify and cultivate a healthy body and mind.
The root of the word Tapas is tap, meaning “to heat” or “to burn.” In yoga, it refers to the practice of self-discipline, self-control, determination, perseverance, and austerity.
Ancient yogis discovered that a fiery passion is necessary for us to truly step into our authentic selves, honor our inner being, and evolve spiritually. Tapas is the conscious effort to burn away our negative habits, attachments, and ego-driven desires while cultivating positive qualities like self-discipline, focus, determination, and willpower.
Essentially, Tapas is doing something you don’t want to do—or not doing something you do want to do. This effort leads to positive changes in your life.
How to Practice Tapas
A great way to practice Tapas is to start with something you know you should do but often resist. It should be small enough to succeed at, but challenging enough to engage your willpower.
For example, it could be committing to a regular yoga or meditation practice, drinking more water, eating healthier, or walking more—whatever helps you evolve and become your best self.
You set a schedule, commit to the practice, and stick to it without wavering. No excuses. You show up for yourself, again and again.
This is how habits are formed. It’s about faking it until you make it. Why? Because our brains naturally seek the path of least resistance. They tend to follow the easiest, most familiar routes. So, for example, skipping yoga on a Wednesday might feel easier, but we must override that tendency and show up anyway.
The Science Behind Tapas
The way we think—and the specific thoughts we focus on—fires neurons in our brain. Each thought creates a neural pathway. The more we repeat a thought or action, the stronger that pathway becomes. Over time, this rewires our brain and strengthens our willpower in relation to that thought or action. But it takes practice—repetition, consistency, and discipline.
Tapas is the practice of training your mind and body, cultivating the self-control and perseverance necessary to develop new habits. This process doesn’t happen overnight, but with time, it can transform your life. By practicing Tapas regularly, we begin to strengthen our willpower, cultivate self-discipline, and shift our behaviours toward what serves us best.
The Deeper Benefits of Tapas
The practice of Tapas is an act of selfless devotion—free of ego. Through disciplined practice, we purify ourselves, gradually gaining more conscious awareness and control over unconscious actions, impulses, and poor behaviour. Tapas builds willpower, boosts self-esteem, and fortifies personal strength, which helps us become more dedicated to our well-being, our yoga practice, and our spiritual journey.
By practicing Tapas, we develop inner strength and perseverance. We can overcome obstacles, tackle challenges, and sustain the inner fire that fuels our yoga practice. Tapas empowers us to make positive changes, deepen our spiritual connection, and achieve our goals.
Enjoy the process of Tapas, and remember: consistency is key. Show up for YOU, again and again.
Mysan x
