Do what you love longer; find peace when you are stopped.

An adage in my practice and sharing of therapeutic yoga has long been: “Do what you love, longer into life.” However, I've come to realize that I need to add to that: "and be okay when you can’t.”

Julie, Railay Bay Thailand, 2026

While rock Climbing in Thailand just a couple weeks ago, one aspect of why and how I practice yoga the way that I do was clear.

After hosting two glorious retreats, it was time for family play on the rock faces of Railay Bay. Here, the rewards of regular, intentional  practice kicked in.  My personal practice, that I also share on retreats,  consists of purposeful, and inquisitive, meditative,  evidence-based movements which prioritize function over form.

They are designed to foster deep listening, strength, connection and responsiveness and a deep sense of safety. It’s super rewarding and fun when it comes together doing an activity I love.

Yet, life is not always a smooth trajectory of safety, success and embodied empowerment. I was reminded of this just last week.

On the first morning after returning home from a month of tropical living, I was completely out of my Canadian winter routine. I set out for the usual dog walk, neglecting to put on my boots with built-in ice cleats. Although the sidewalks and streets were clear, our favorite off-pavement trails were treacherously slick. I ignored the intuitive thought to "go back for the cleats”. I managed to stay upright for the entire 40-minute walk—until I didn't! With one small step to cross an icy slope, I fell backwards, hitting my head in a way I'd never experienced before.

Thankfully, the resulting concussion symptoms were mild, and I am already feeling much better a week later. My daughter, Lauren, wisely reminded me that I possess the tools to navigate these challenges, and to be present and grounded with the physical discomfort and the "brain fog." She is absolutely right, and for that I am deeply grateful. We all experience phases in life when we are capable, and phases when our body is not. 

To me, self-care practices that teach us to move with life's inevitable ups and downs, all within the foundation of being okay no matter what, are vital. This profound sense of just 'being' is as constant and accessible as the air we breathe; we just haven’t learned to recognize it.

This doesn't negate the times when we feel like we are a mess, or we feel hopeless about something. "Being okay" aren't the perfect words to describe the aspect of us that has never been hurt or broken. From that unshakable ground of basic being, life ebbs and flows.

I wasn't the only one who returned home from retreat to a difficult situation. Tracy Rohl shared that as her plane touched down on the Canadian tarmac, she received news about the loss of a loved one. She confided in me, saying, "I have never felt so light and aware of myself as I did after two weeks with you. I will get back there, now that I know what it takes. You gave us the tools, and it is up to us to use them." When I asked Tracy for her permission to share her words, she added, "I really believe each and every one of us on the retreat with you feels that."

The principles of therapeutic yoga and meditation are not just for the good times. They are the scaffolding that allows us to meet difficulty with a deep, quiet strength, and perhaps even a bit of grace. Whether it's a tumble on the ice or another unexpected challenge, the tools of self-awareness and gentle movement pave the way for resilience. My hope is that we all continue to prioritize the small, consistent self-care practices that reveal our inherent 'okayness'—a truth that sustains us, no matter the terrain.