The latest installment for Tayoga Conversations is with the one and only Sam Wiesner. Sam is well-known throughout the Modesto Yoga community. In my opinion, her knowledge of the restorative side of yoga is unparalleled in the area. I have enjoyed learning from her. I consider her a true friend and a beautiful person both inside and out. Sam and I started this conversation back in June. It is safe to say that life became busy, and now we are just now finishing this conversation late in August - better late than never! Much has happened during this time. You may not know this, but Sam will be leaving the Modesto yoga community to start a new adventure – which includes more yoga training (no surprise there!). While she may be leaving Modesto, Sam’s impact on this community will never leave. We wish you the best of luck, my dear! Know that you always have a home here in Modesto. With that said, the following conversation is quite lengthy, but well worth the read. Namas(tay) friends. Tay

It is that time of year again. Yes, it is summer (which I love), but it is not summer that I am talking about. I am talking about the time of year when stress is higher than usual at my full time job. Yoga definitely comes in handy with the stress, but I still find myself getting anxious while sitting at my desk. This happened to me this past week. But just then, I looked up and saw this picture I had saved from years ago. It reminded me that despite the stress, life puts on us we really are still on top of the world. Remember that. Namas(tay) friends.

If you are like me, you've probably used the phrase, "Give me some space." I have recently figured out that it is within our ability to create the space we need. Yoga is all about creating space - creating space in the body and in the mind. I recently heard that the mind has the majority of control over our health - this is something I never fully thought about before. Genetics does play a part, but more often than not, stress is the cause of illness. Since I work in healthcare, I see the side effects of stress all the time. Stress interferes with the mind through fear, confusion, lack of focus, etc. One of my favorite ways to control stress is through yoga. Yoga is about mindfulness. It gives the mind something positive to focus on. More specifically, our breath focuses the mind which can cause change to brain activity. When we practice yoga, we create the space our mind and body need, which allows for breath to move freely throughout the body - ultimately leading to b