I’m so glad to be home in Illinois, to wind down the year and celebrate my Mom on her 72nd birthday today. She is currently showing Daisy old pics of her grandpa, when he was in the Navy and at their high school prom, where she wore a powder blue gown she designed and made herself. Those crafting skills run deep, and I’m so happy I got a little of that spark. I’m most grateful for the longevity and endurance modeled by my Grandma and Mom to get up and keep going, every day, no matter what.
A little year in review here, to express gratitude to myself and to you, for all the good choices we made, and all the times we picked ourselves up when we were down. Whether you practice online with us on the Strala Yoga app, in person at some of the trainings, events, and retreats, or are new here to see what inspiration beams into you, I’m so grateful you are here. Connection and togetherness is the secret big time ingredient to wellbeing, creativity and so much more. Keep showing up for you, together, and the possibilities are limitless.
A big part of Strala that I’m proud of is how we support each other. It’s almost a spontaneous action that happens when we take good care of ourselves. It becomes easy, natural, and a joy to look around and see how to best connect and help others. When we forget to take good care of ourselves, it’s a chore to be good to others, making lots of room for stress, anxiety, comparison and jealousy. Growing up Catholic, I often had suggestions for remedying problems I saw, but bringing this kind of thing to my teacher didn’t go so well. I’ve kept trying ever since.
As Matthew is quoted, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”
It didn’t sit right with me. The order was mixed up.
How about something like this.
Love yourself. When that’s too hard, soften, notice how you feel, and respond to you with care. When you feel steady, have a look around, and use your gifts to connect, help, and support everyone you can.
I wrote a short story in first grade called Liquid Love, where a small bottle spilled out with a magical never-ending liquid, covering first a house, then a neighborhood, a whole town, and eventually the whole world. I have a workshop I lead now with the same name, and we practice in a way, by leaning on ourselves, leaning on each other, and noticing how we feel. It’s all possible, and so awesome in action.
Soften
Slow Down
Notice How You Feel
Respond with Care
Do this while you do your practice, your coffee-making, your family time, your work, your play time, and everything good is possible.
A Year in Review
I’ve never done this before, and am always focused on being moveable, and moving outward and forward. But I’ve been seeing a few of these, and I got inspired to reflect, show appreciation, and maybe inspire you to create your own year in review.
In Person
We launched Strala at the Farm at our friend’s gorgeous Edition Farm in Rhinebeck.
I led Chair Yoga at the Vogue Knitting Conference
I led a kids yoga series at Daisy’s school. I learned you have to feed the hungry before you can do yoga with them. So I brought approved snacks for everyone each class, and gifted each kid a yoga mat at the end of the series. I taught them how to LEAD yoga and they led a class for the entire school and parents!
I co-led a retreat with my friend, OG Strala Guide Erin Lewis, founder of Eat Pray Move, in the Dolomites, Italy with a wonderful group of people from all around the world.
We led a Strala Intensive in Geneva and met new friends who have been waiting for us to get back over to the Swiss / France area.
We had our first Strala Festival in Metzingen thanks to Anna Rampf and Julia for bringing everyone together.
We led a Strala Intensive at Strala on the Farm and had guests from China, Norway, France, Germany, and all over the USA to practice ease and be in nature.
I co-led Yoga and Creative Writing with my friend, best-selling author, Ann Garvin, organized by our friend Erin Lewis, in Tuscany. It was, as you can imagine, awesome.
I went to Little Rock Arkansas to support the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, and co-lead a workshop on self care with my friend Daniel Hatcher and Gabrielle Cochran.
We flew to the Kimpton Seafire in Grand Cayman to be a part of the epic Wellness Festival. I led yoga, worked out with Heather Robertson, took my first ice bath dunk and made new friends.
We went to Berlin to lead the 200+Hour Strala Teacher Training. It was the most epic support group yet.
I flew to Chicago to celebrate my friend Dr. Avanti Kumar Singh, moderate a talk for her book launch, and lead a yoga class.
Online
We practiced every day with everyone on the Strala Yoga app. We had new class every day, and live classes 2x a week. Occasionally we adjusted for our in-person schedule, but we had something for everyone to practice every day.
We launched How to Write Your Book and Get it Out in the World – the Online Course, and it grew into our ongoing writers’ support group.
Mike led his Advanced 500+Hour Tai Chi Training, the now-weekly tai chi Zoom group, and the Tai Chi for Yoga Teachers training.
Mike had some talks with the head of the American Tai Chi and Qigong Association, and the association now endorses and accredits all of Strala Yoga’s yoga, tai chi, and qigong classes and trainings.
I participated in many online workshops with global leaders, leading softness, ease, and connection, all led by my friend Daniel Hatcher of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. I also interviewed him for the Strala Yoga app.
I was grateful to be interviewed on several inspiring podcasts.
I interviewed loads of inspiring people and launched meditations and softness breaks on the Tara Stiles podcast.
I shared yoga practices for everyone on YouTube, still holding a candle for folks who haven’t found ease.
On the Family Front
Daisy started a horse care program and is working hard, with joy, to take care of a herd of rescued horses.
Daisy has shown quite a talent and passion for flamenco dance. I think she gets some of that feisty from me.
We visited my Grandma and the farm relatives and my Mom several times and are grateful everyone is doing well.
We moved into a cute farmhouse with a tree swing and a little creek, across the road from a horse farm, and are enjoying the peaceful life.
I gained loads of physical strength and vibrancy from our daily practices and 2x a week yoga and weights.
After 4 years of proposal writing and refining, I have an official announcement for my new book, Living Softly, which has found an amazing publishing home.
I’ve knitted countless hats and a few sweaters and blankets for strala friends and family.
I’m grateful for more opportunities to make a good connection with myself and others. See you out there and in here 🙂
First up, our Strala Gifts for you and your friends and family!
1/2 OFF THE STRALA YOGA APP
We want to make it easy for you begin or continue your practice. Now is the perfect time to notice how you feel.
Get 1/2 off the annual membership for the Strala Yoga app
(now through December)
CODE: EASE24
Get 1/2 off the Art of Sequencing
(through December)
CODE: FORYOU24
Strala GIFT Cards
Gift a membership, retreat, training, etc.
The codes only works on the web version (linked above) you can use with any of the app versions after you apply the discount. Email us info@stralayoga.com with any help you need.
GIFT YOURSELF A RETREAT
Yoga and Creative Writing Retreat with Tara Stiles and Ann Garvin, May 3&4, 2025 at award-winning estate hotel Troutbeck in Amenia, NY
We are already over 1/4 full for this retreat so please save your space now if you’d like to join.
Please click here to reserve your spot!
Where: Troutbeck Estate Hotel, Wellness Barns, at 515 Leedsville Rd in Amenia, NY. A beautiful 250 acre estate, with hotel, spa, restaurant, and plenty of space to relax together!
When: Saturday 3 May through Sunday 4 May 2025, from 10:30am to 7:30pm on Saturday, and 11am to 7pm on Sunday.
What to bring: Comfortable clothes for moving, a yoga mat, and paper + pen are all helpful.
Early-Bird Cost: This very special early-bird is $500, which is $500 less than the usual cost of $900, and is open through December 31, 2024. Please click here to register now.
Space in this retreat is limited, so please reserve as soon as possible. Enrollment will move to a waiting list when full.
Accommodation: Treat yourself for the weekend, staying on the 250 acre Troutbeck Estate property where we’ll meet each day, and enjoy the cozy, restorative, historic vibes. Please book asap if you want to stay at Troutbeck, rooms for this weekend will go fast!
There are also many other good hotel and Airbnb options nearby, here are just a few:
Willows Motel – A simple budget-friendly motel just down the road, in the Amenia town center.
Sharon Country Inn – Beautiful Inn in the cute town of Sharon, right across from a great restaurant and grocery store.
The Millerton Inn – Great option to stay in a nearby hip town with a nice coffee shop, cool diner, indie bookstore and shopping.
Airbnb – There are so many cute options nearby to rent a guest room, house, cottage, or even an airstream!
How to get here: Troutbeck is an easy 2 1/2 hour train ride from Grand Central Station in New York City, to the Wassaic stop in Amenia. From here it’s a 10-minute taxi to the other side of town, we love Morningstar Taxi, their number is +1 (845) 493-0211. Schedule for the Metro North is here. Uber also works just fine!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Berlin, Feb 1 – 2, 2025, 20+Hour Intensive in Tai Chi & Qigong
Join for this special weekend of learning how to move well with yourself and others in tai chi, qigong and life.
NEW WORKSHOP
London, March 21, 2025, Living Softly Workshop in London
We added a new London event! This workshop gives a fist-ever inside look at Living Softly – a special chance for you to shift from the breakdown strategies of stressing and pushing to get things done, into accomplishing far more than you might have dreamed, in a way that’s fully aligned with who you are, and how you want to feel.
London, March 22 – 23, 2025, 20+ Hour Intensive in London,
FULL – join the first to know list
We’re so excited to be back to London and practice moving in harmony and creating calm on and off the mat.
NEW RETREAT
Troutbeck Estate Hotel, Amenia NY, May 3 & 4, 2025
Yoga and Creative Writing Retreat with Tara Stiles and Ann Garvin in Amenia, NY
We’re thrilled to invite you to the award-winning Estate Hotel Troutbeck for a wonderful weekend of yoga with ease, creative writing, and rejuvenating nature and community.
NEW INTENSIVE
Berlin, October 4-5, 2025, Strala Weekend Intensive
Join for the a weekend of softness, and a celebration of community. Early bird is going through Friday, December 13.
NEW ONLINE 200+ Hour Teacher TRAINING
Online 200+Hour Yoga Training – April 2025 – March 2026
You can begin right away with all the instructional sessions, reading, and practices, and the zooms start in April 2025. Just like the instructional sessions and practices, the Zooms will all be saved, so you can go through the whole course all at your own pace, and keep everything as a resource forever.
NEW RETREAT – SUMMER IN ICELAND
Iceland Retreat, June 29-July 4, 2025
We’re so excited to return to the magical land of Iceland and enjoy our practice and adventures with you. There is an early bird happening through the beginning of June so save your space early!
PLAN AHEAD – 200+ Hour In Person, NEW 1 WEEK TRAINING FORMAT!!
200+Hour Strala Yoga Training, Online and In Person, Rhinebeck NY, Sept 20-Sept 26, 2025
Create the ground you need to move easily, confidently and capably through your whole life. And if you’re looking to lead classes in yoga, tai chi, or carry new approaches, skill-sets and practices into your work, it’s also a Leadership Training that provides a 200+Hour Yoga Teacher Training Certification.
Online Workshops, Intensives and Trainings
Complete your 25+, 100+, 200+ and 500+Hour Trainings right from home. Dive into The Art of Sequencing, Leading Kids, Tai Chi, Yoga and More Special Programs