hello again.

Good morning friends!

I have disappeared for a couple of weeks and have missed you all! This season of new beginnings and the fresh start of growth, has required my full attention. I have been dedicated to building new offerings for our community and preparing to welcome guest teacher, Max Strom this coming weekend.

As an international teacher who travels all over the world teaching the transformational power of breathing and moving, Max is delighted to be back in CLE to share his recent work in breathing to heal. While his Friday night workshop is sold out, there are a few spaces left in the other 4 workshops. Max’s offerings are perfect for this season of beginning again.

Collaborating with other like-minded organizations has continued to inspire me in this new season of growth and lead to the event this Thursday evening at Gordon Green. Inner Bliss, along with Jacob from Gordon Green and Adam and Rob of Him&His, will be creating a sensory experience to move us all into a state of bliss. We will breathe into the expanse of this gorgeous space and move our bodies with the ease and eloquence of a Slow Flow as we are immersed in aromatherapy and the glow of candlelight. And then we will get still and enter the healing vibrations of an enveloping sound bath. There are spaces still available for this blissful night.

As I step into this new season, I have a renewed enthusiasm for writing and I am grateful to you for opening my thoughts each morning so that together, we can continue to explore this beautiful life, navigating the wonder-filled, ever changing, always humbling, shared experience of human-being-ness.

Have a great day and hope to see you on the mat soon!

Biggest love,
Tammy

generous now.

Yoga is like like an invitation into the generous now.

There is a beautiful transition that takes place when we begin to breathe and become aware of our bodies.

We lie down in savasana and feel the ground beneath us. We spread our arms wide and take our feet to the corners of our mat. We feel the ground rise up to meet us where we are in that moment. And we take that first conscious breath in and feel our lungs inflate as our chest and belly rise. And then we follow the exhale all the way out and our body sinks into the mat.

There is a new awareness of our skin, tissues, muscles and bones. Suddenly, impossibly, miraculously, we stop thinking the thoughts, the worry ceases, and for a moment or many, we arrive. The moment of all moments. The one that is the generous now.

You can have the experience above almost anywhere today. Unroll your mat at home or with us in the studio. You can even skip the mat and lay down on the bare ground of your home or office.

Find the generous now. It is waiting on you.

Big love + happy Friday,
Tammy

have been.

This little nugget dropped into my brain yesterday during class at 9:15.

I am grateful for the moments the divine speaks through me to all of you. Often I can’t remember these divine messages, but this one was meant for me and you to hear again and again.

…We have to remember where we have been (and all that we have overcome), to be inspired to go where we are meant to be.

To me this means to remember often all that you have been through in this one precious life. All that you have found a way to overcome and persevere through - in order to stay inspired, to keep going, to continue to reach towards - where you are meant to go!

Hope this lands in your heart and you can feel it in your body as you contemplate what it means for you!

Big love,
Tammy

the feeling.

Many years ago when I was healing from my 15 year eating disorder and looking for a way to love my body, I stumbled upon the realization that if I could get so in touch with how my body feels moment to moment, my body would guide me to the best decisions.

That trust in my bodily intuition has lead me day in and day out all of these years since. What I eat is because of how I want to feel. How I move my body is inspired by how I want to feel. Who I surround myself with is guided by how I feel in their presence.

Are there exceptions? Yes. Do I sometimes get confused because my thoughts get in the way of listening? Yes. Does my ego run interference with my bodily intelligence? Yes. But day after day, listening to my body is my true north. It is the path I return to over and over. It is the guiding force I believe in. And yoga is my way, the way, I am able to clear the clutter and listen. My mat is the place I can hear my body whisper softly, the answers I need most.

Join me in the practice of listening to and being guided by, your bodily sensations today. On the mat, in the world, at work, at play!

Have a great day in your body!

Big love,
Tammy

your body.

Your body.

See your body as the solution, not the problem.

It changes everything.

See your body as a source of wisdom, not the problem.

It shifts everything.

See your body as the great truth-teller, the ultimate sage, not the problem.

It all feels different.

Love your body today, exactly as it is - and see the world outside of you change into something brighter, more expansive and promising.

Big love,
Tammy

surrounded by.

Good morning!

Myself and a group of about 25 are in the midst of a 10 Day Experience. As we step out of our habits with The Experience, it is a great time to consider the people we spend most of our time with and reflect on how they light us up or let us down.

It is worth it to ask questions like do the people you have chosen to surround yourself with, fill you up or are they an energetic drain? While in some cases we do not have a choice in spending time with certain individuals (co-workers, family, etc), it is important that those you do get to choose, lift you up by truly seeing you, listening well, supporting you, bringing out your best and most importantly, leave you feeling open-hearted.

I love this Seth Godin piece on Faucets and Drains:

“Some people, every time they engage with others, are an energy drain. They take persuading, cajoling and enthusiasm to get going, and require ever more of it to keep going.

And some people are a faucet, an endless pipeline of possibility, potential and forward motion. It’s possible to turn a drain into a faucet. It’s mostly a choice, a decision to dance with the fear of contribution.”

Do your best to surround yourself with people who are faucets and believe in you. When you have the chance to help someone become a faucet, don’t miss it!

Go out into the world today and be a faucet for all of those around you!

Big love,
Tammy

the roar.

Today is exactly 2 years from the date that we had our first virtual class.

Our last day of classes was Friday 3/13/20 and the next day we did our first virtual offering.

One of the things I missed immediately was the class ending, sacred sound, deep roar of Om being sung by the class. I missed that moment of voices in unison, singing a united sound in honor of the practice, the people and the meeting of each other and ourselves, in the middle. The sound that evokes the dropping into the heart, the entry into the vibration of love and the echo of our conscious exhale.

I cannot wait to teach today and share in the ancient roar of Om!

Hope to see you and hear you there!

Big love and Om’s,
Tammy

breath obsessed.

Good morning all!

I am immersed in breath these days because Max Strom (A Life Worth Breathing) is coming in April and his teaching of the breath always brings me into the magic of our inhales and exhales.

And, I am reading a fascinating book called Breath by James Nestor, recommended by Abbey Spiro, that has me a bit obsessed with the inner workings of our anatomy related to breathing.

We all know, intuitively, that the breath is the compelling force in the healing nature of yoga. I have witnessed the breath work miracles as it melts the armor of the most constricted, bound up student.

We have all felt the breath change the energetic state of an entire room full of students from low to high! The breath is a force of wonder we can easily underestimate or even forget about at times. But it is always there for us.

Remember your breath today.

As one of the 7 practices of The Experience, getting still and simply breathing on purpose, the breath can be the shift we need in any moment!

Breathe today!

Big love,
Tammy

the exhale.

Good morning,

It is a great day for an extended exhale 😊!

Take a few moments today to slow your breath down and concentrate on the exhale. Let your intention be to lengthen the exhale to about 5-6 counts.

If you can, sit down with a timer and concentrate on your breath for one minute. See if you can slow it down to take around 5-6 rounds of breath in one minute. The round includes the beginning of the inhale all the way to the end of that same exhale. Relax your face but be sure to close your mouth and take the inhales and exhales through your nose.

Notice how your nervous system relaxes during this practice.

Don’t miss this!

Big love,
Tammy

a sign.

Good morning,

I wrote about this many months ago, but I was called to share these words again today:

When you are immersed in the work of building and creating change for the good in your life, be sure to ask for signs that your work is working.

Ask for a sign that you are on the right path, that you are aligning with your highest self. Ask to see a sign on the outside that your practice on the inside, is working.

The confirmation, which may show up in a number of fascinating signs or symbols, can enhance your efforts.

While our work may not always be confirmed with a sign, merely being open to seeing signs, pulls our attention into an awareness and presence that gives energy and enthusiasm to our good work.

You, reading my writing, is a sign to me that my words are worthy of being written. Thank you for being my sign to keep writing. You never know when you may be a sign for someone else to keep going 💕

Big love,
Tammy

the doubt.

It creeps in and takes over the show as if it were the star.

It stops the flow and digs it’s ugly nails into the flesh so that nothing else can be felt except that stabbing pain of not-enough-ness. It builds a wall between thought and feeling, mind and heart.

Doubt, by its very nature, multiplies as soon as it gains attention.

Doubt has an original enemy, called presence. Feet on the ground, head up, heart open, doubt has met its’ match. It cannot stay alive with a conscious breath deflating its power. And it cowers in the face of strength and grace. Your arms, my legs, our breath, our mindful movement, dismantles the resources doubt previously held.

Look out doubt, here we come.

Big love,
Tammy

a seat.

Practicing stillness (one of the 7 practices of The Experience), can be daunting to say the least.

Not quite as intimidating as the scary word meditation, but a close cousin.

To soften your resistance, it is helpful to remember the act of taking a seat in the spirit of getting still, is truly an act of love.

It can feel like a crunchy trip down to stillness, but once your feel your flesh and bones come into non-movement, there is relief.

The doing ceases and the presence envelopes you. Closing your eyes feels like butter melting, warm and sinking and inviting.

Awake and so at ease.

The generous presence feels like a welcome land beyond doubt and worry.

Make and appointment with yourself today. The location, inside your heart. The agenda, nothing. Be generously still and heal. It is an act of love ❤️

Big love,
Tammy

good math.

I have missed you all and missed writing with you!

These last couple of weeks have been full of goodness! Preparing for our our Arizona retreat, then retreating to Miraval and returning to celebrate our 20th birthday with our Give Back this past Sunday!

If we allow it, the good brings us in touch with more good. Concentrating on the good actually multiplies the goodness. I can’t explain the math or calculations behind it, but I have something better to argue this statement. I have personal, real life experience. I have done my own inner examination of this proposed truth and the outcome is compelling.

When we can get our mind in a place where we recognize the good over the not-so-much-ness, it’s as if the good multiplies and we see it pop up in the most unexpected places.

So lately, while I have been quiet, I have been concentrating on the good and finding more of it. There is so much that we can see in the world that is not good, but let’s see if we can make more, multiply and expand on what is good today.

So happy to be back! Thank you for being here!

Big love,
Tammy

the best.

Good morning,

I felt called to share this today. Maybe you called me to share, maybe I called me to share, but all the same, here it is:

do the best you can with what you have.

over and over.

do the best you can with what you have.

stay with it.

join me today in remembering this mantra.

Big love,
Tammy 💛

steady practice.

Well hello there!

If you are in CLE, it is an exciting day with the possibility of lots of snow this evening! Keep in mind we do follow the school closings for the respected cities of Westlake and Rocky River (unless they close for reasons other than road conditions) for the morning classes but we also take into consideration our teachers’ safety in getting to the studio. If you are unsure, the best way to check is to look at MindBody or our schedule of classes and it will be noted if a class is canceled.

These possible snow days are a great opportunity to unroll your mat at home and step onto it, stepping into your own practice. Trust yourself to inhale into expansion and exhale into contraction and find a steady call from inside to feel your feet on the ground, your strong legs beneath you and your head up and heart open.

On the outside, there will always be surprises, distractions, things that knock you down but your practice can always be a steady, grounding force.

In the midst of the rise and the fall, the love and the loss, the habits and the hustle, there is a call to return over and over to our steady practice on the mat. The dedication to our ongoing showing up for ourselves on the mat doesn’t always look bright and shiny. It is sometimes dull and even a chore to move through the breath and movement. On those days in particular, there is gold to be found in just getting to your mat and practicing - even one sun salutation at a time.

If you have been there through it all or are just finding your way back, our doors are open, our hearts are open and we cannot wait to see you for practice!

Big love,
Tammy

it's monday.

It is Monday and the perfect time to begin again.

It is a fresh week with the day ahead of us stretched out into possibilities.

Take a big breath in and feel the breath land in your body. and then hold it in, to feel the expansion, the lifted-ness, the best inhale ever.

And then exhale long and slow like you are letting go of anything in your way in slow motion. Watch it go.

Begin this day with the mantra “the best is yet to come” and feel those words land in your body. Notice the infusion of energy those 6 words carry.

Right now, stretched out in front of you, this day holds the possibility to be the best day ever.

If you have a few extra moments, imagine what would make it so. Have fun with that one!

Hoping to see you walk through the doors of Inner Bliss as your best day ever unfolds!

Big love, Tammy

body whisper.

Many years ago as I was healing from a 15 year eating disorder and looking for a way to love my body, I stumbled upon the realization that if I could get so in touch with how my body felt moment to moment, my body would guide me to the best decisions. That trust in my bodily intuition has lead me day in and day out all of these years since.

What I eat is because of how I want to feel. What I choose to drink is guided by how I want to feel. How I move my body is inspired by how I want to feel. Who I surround myself with is guided by how I feel in their presence. The help and support I seek in the world is driven by a desire to feel better, to feel more of myself.

Are there exceptions? Yes. Do I sometimes get confused because my thoughts get in the way of listening to my body? Yes. Does my ego run interference with my bodily intelligence? Yes. Do I get derailed - um, yes. Do I forget all of the above in moments of overwhelm and anxiety? For sure.

But day after day, listening to my body is my true north. It is the path I return to over and over to make even the most seemingly insignificant decisions. It is the guiding force I believe in. And yoga is my way, the way, I can feel for the information. Yoga is how I clear the clutter so I can listen. My mat is the place I can hear my body whisper softly, the answers I need most.

Get clear on how you want to feel and then find your mat and breathe, move and listen 💛

Big love,
Tammy

little practice.

Good morning!

Try this simple practice - stand in mountain with your feet firmly planted hip distance apart, legs engaged, belly drawn up and in, palms at your side and turned open, heart broad, head lifted, spine long.

Close your eyes and feel your power, your strength, your determination.

Feel into your strong legs, strong source in the center of your body, your uplifted heart, your focus and concentration and your fierce courage.

Stand in your power and grace for 15-20 breaths, taking all of this in and then move through 3-5 sun salutations.

Finish this mini practice on your back with a supine twist, happy baby and a final rest in Savasana.

Ahhhhh so simple! I love yoga!

Big love,
Tammy

body work.

Good morning!

As many of you know, we are in the midst of our New Year 10 Day Experience which is a cleanse of sorts rooted in a regular yoga practice, unprocessed, clean food, lots of water, a daily stillness practice, the practice of giving, gratitude and mantra. It’s really 7 practices that lead you to feeling better!

As part of our 10 days, one day is dedicated to some sort of restoration and relaxation. It could be as simple as a hot bath with epsom salts or as involved as going to get body work (sound baths, acupuncture, massage, reiki, cupping, etc). As I lead The Experiencers, I sadly often skip this day (not proud of) or I try to go see my amazing acupuncturist. But this time around I was determined to do something really indulgent for my body, mind and spirit.

I had a gift certificate for a massage that a close friend gave me for my birthday back in October and I decided this was the time to use it! I share this because it is easy to forget how healing it is to be in the presence of great body worker and to set aside time to do something profoundly restorative for ourselves.

My massage was incredible and I felt so energized and at the same time relaxed when I left. Mostly, I felt good that I carved out time to do something truly restorative for myself. What a gift!

The therapist, Tres Armour (216-393-7958) is an intuitive and highly trained Licensed Massage Therapist. His space in Lakewood is quiet, relaxed, warm and so inviting. If you are looking for a way to turn inward and care for yourself, getting a massage is wonderful option.

There are so many ways to heal ourselves. Yoga, food, water, breathing, stillness, laughter, outdoors, giving, gratitude, sleep, aromatherapy, etc. Massage is another!

Hope to see you all on the mat soon!

Warmly,
Tammy

CLE Handstands.

Several years ago I committed to a fun handstand project on Instagram called #365daysofhandstands

My intention was to have fun everyday and investigate, explore and promote local CLE businesses, organizations, iconic locations and people! Each day I found a local CLE spot that I loved and threw down a handstand right there and asked some unsuspecting stranger to capture it on my iPhone! I got out and found new places to explore and discovered businesses and their owners and met so many interesting people!

It was a challenge each day to find someplace new and figure out a way to kick up to handstand right there in the middle of it. It gave me a chance to promote local businesses as well as highlight some of CLE’s best spots. There was an uplifting frivolity about the project that I loved. If you are interested, the year is still chronicled on my Instagram @tammyatinnerblissyoga.

I’m a believer in handstands. There is something pretty magical about getting your hands on the ground and your feet in the air. There is something therapeutic about getting your head below your heart and turning things on purpose, upside down.

The benefits of practicing handstand are compelling… build core strength, improve balance, strengthen upper body, mood booster, improves circulation, breathing, and bones. I even read one study that indicates due to the increased blood flow to the head, handstands can help with hair health.

In reflecting on how much fun this project was, I decided to try a new version of it this year! #CLEhandstands2022 and invite you and everyone to join me! Simply get out and explore CLE, kick up to a handstand, capture it and post it with the #CLEhandstands2022 and tag me so I can share it!

I am not committing to every day this time around, just when I feel moved to get my feet in the air!

I hope you will join me in the FUN! Remember, you can always use a wall! PLEASE be safe!

Big love,
Tammy