It’s been a little quiet on here lately. I’ve been teaching loads of classes, which means most of my free time goes into resting and recharging. That also means I’ve been avoiding social media a bit more than usual and taking the pressure off myself to constantly create something with an “output.”
But speaking of energy saving - here’s how I’ve been filling up my own cup these days:
Reading
I’ve been reading a lot lately, usually walking around with two books in my bag - one for fun, the other for learning. After teaching, I love that quiet after class bliss, sometimes I crave new knowledge, other times I just want to sink into a story.
Right now I’m moving between Threads of Yoga by Pamela Seelig and Arrangements in Blue by Amy Key. Both I can highly recommend. Threads of Yoga is a super accessible introduction to yoga philosophy and practice, with practical techniques for meditation, pranayama, and asana, all written from a modern Western perspective.
Arrangements in Blue has completely absorbed me these past days. I’ve never related to a non-fiction book quite like this before. It explores the thinking habits of a woman navigating today’s society, with all its expectations, anxieties, and uncertainties. Beautiful and honest.
Solo coffees
After class, I love sitting down for a coffee on my own. That blank, quiet space in my mind — especially after guiding a sound-infused śavāsana — feels like a complete reset. It’s as if the brain is tuned to a lower frequency, and I try to be very mindful about what I let in after that. Coming back to “normal life” in a super slow way has become a little ritual to me. I also feel super creative after teaching, so I so I kind of use this energy to work a little bit on my own in my own little bliss.
Silent walks
Whenever it’s not raining, I spend time in the park or simply choose to walk instead of taking the subway. Silent walks are my favorite, especially in the morning or late evening when the streets are emptier (peaceful, not scary). Walking home at those times makes the city feel different, quieter, more spacious.
I notice little details I would normally miss when rushing: a changed shop window, new graffiti, the way light hits a building. After living in one place for a while, it feels nourishing to look at daily life through different eyes.
Nourishing movies
Since I fall asleep so easily, I tend to watch movies in little “episodes.” I love creating a home-cinema mood in my small flat: switching on the projector, cozying up in bed, and completely diving into stories.
Recently I watched The Motorcycle Diaries, about Che Guevara’s journey across South America as a young man, and how those travel experiences changed him through witnessing poverty, injustice, and meeting people whose lives were very different from his own.
Another one I can highly recommend is Hit the Road, an Iranian film that’s actually a comedy. It follows a family escorting their son to the border as he emigrates, with beautiful Iranian landscapes and a mix of fragility, strength, and humor. I watched it in the original language with subtitles, and it was incredible. What struck me most were the family dynamics: the father, fragile with a broken leg and unable to help much; the mother, powerful and resilient, holding everything together while still being deeply caring; the younger brother, full of energy and innocent chatter, unaware of the gravity of the situation; and the older brother, solemn and heavy with the burden of what’s to come. The parents carry so much of the emotional weight through quiet grief, humor, small moments, and often silence.
Yoga Nidra instead of napping
I’ve been short on sleep lately, late evening classes mixed with early mornings and a full-time job leave me tired. I’ve noticed that naps don’t always give me back the energy I need - instead, I sometimes feel groggy afterwards.
So I’ve started turning to yoga nidra instead: a 20-minute guided meditation lying on my acupressure mat. Honestly, it feels like a shot of caffeine. I’ve especially been enjoying Ally Boothroyd Yoga Nidra Meditations lately.
Let me know if you’d like me to share more ideas on what to do and consume instead of doomscrolling and little ways to nourish your nervous system when life gets busy <33