I was on the phone with a dear friend recently, and 10 minutes in, our conversation turned toward… the doom and gloom of current events. 


We centered on a topic both of us were equally passionate about…and no surprise: Both of us fervently disagreed, and left the conversation “disagreeing to agree.”


I usually enjoy debates. I always have. I’m genuinely interested in learning human behavior — and I love to practice verbalizing my views out loud with people I know will still love me if my words don’t come out right. Then, when I need to express myself in a situation where it matters, I make an impact!


In this specific instance, for whatever reason, I thought I was being a good listener… but as I reflected that night, I realized I was ultimately hoping to change my friend’s mind. (And I definitely didn’t achieve my goal.)


Disappointment is a sneaky byproduct of attachment, isn’t it?


Cue the holiday season! Are you ready for the onslaught of awkward parties, family feuds, and gift exchanges where you plaster on your best smile to pretend to love a gift you don’t need (or want)?!


Joking aside, let’s be real: We are likely to find ourselves in rooms with lots of folks we love (or don’t love) in the next few months… and we will likely find it difficult to communicate at times. 


So: How do we relate to people, from the perspective of yoga?


My teacher in India always says that the same person who approaches a problem cannot be the same person who finds a solution. Meaning: The aspect of ourselves that feels “bummed” or “stuck” in our interaction is missing the entire point. We must literally rise up — above the desire to change someone else’s truth… and step into a more aware version of ourselves, where we stop expecting anything in return. Only from that place does the problem disappear, and we can exist without trying so hard.


Easier said than done! I wasn’t able to do this with my friend — and that’s why we talked in circles for 90 minutes with neither of us backing down from our position. 



But that’s why it’s called a yoga practice.


Instead of dreading the emotional turmoil of our final months of 2022, I invite you to consider joining me in “coping ahead.” Coping Ahead is a technique I’ve learned where we identify potential (or certain!) stress on the horizon, and instead of walking into the fire unprepared, we prepare ourselves ahead of time to reduce that stress. To me, this seems both logical, and simple, no?


And this time, I think I’ve got you covered: 

The Yoga of Relating
A three-week online course 
to prepare you for easeful interactions
with just about anyone. 


Starting November 7th, you’ll get a lesson from me each Monday about a strategy from yogic philosophy designed to help you navigate crucial conversations — alongside sneaky yoga practices you can use in the moment to stay grounded and connected with your true self, no yoga mat required! 


You’ll learn:

• The three aspects of YOU that all show up during any crucial conversation (and the one who’s most important)
• Why some people don’t think or act like you + how to engage them without wanting to poke your eyes out.
• Four foolproof ways to get through awkward conversations at holiday parties (and beyond!). 
• The five ingredients in every successful interaction, and how to know just the right amount of each for any occasion.
• The three sneaky techniques that will save your sanity in a room full of people (and no one will know you’re doing them!)
• … and so much more!

My Soulful Sadhana courses are always $27 week — making this course just $81. But as a newsletter subscriber, sign up before November 1st with the code RELATE to save $22, and own the course for just $59.


CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP!


Or, if you’re interested in on-demand access to ALL Soulful Sadhana courses (yes, all of them!), subscribe as a Yoga Hive “Honey Pot” Member for $66/month.

Minimum commitment is 2 months + the Honey Pot membership auto-renews as long as you want, and you get total access to all current and future Soulful Sadhana courses during the time you’re subscribed. Click here to see all the courses available. You won’t own lifetime access to the courses, but if you’re like me and need a fire lit under your  sometimes to get it done, this membership is for you!


And a bonus? Honey Pot members get access to the entire on-demand library of classes, worth $14.99/month — free! 


BECOME A HONEY POT MEMBER!

Already own lifetime access to a course or two, or have an on-demand membership and want to roll your purchase(s) into the Honey Pot membership instead? Reach out to me directly by replying to this email and let’s make it happen :-)

​Sending love,
Mollie

As I reflect upon the magical space that we call Yoga Hive Wisconsin, I am deeply honored and grateful to be a founder, owner, instructor, and teacher training facilitator within this community. Some of you reading this are members locally in Waupaca. Others have joined my e-newsletter journey from places far and wide.


What a journey it’s been! 


When I opened the studio in January 2020, my life was so different. My home address was technically in northwest Montana, where I owned and managed three additional Yoga Hive studios. I was commuting regularly to Alaska for weeks at a time to be close to my husband who’d moved there in 2019. I was also frequently traveling to Waupaca as often as I could to be close to my dad with his ailing heath, and to assist my mom with necessary transitions. 


I was constantly on the road, making no moves to settle down. Then COVID hit, just 55 days after we opened our doors — screeching halt. 


Sometimes we don’t see life clearly until we finally stand still… and in an instant, life comes into focus. I experienced a sacred pause. It helped me realize that my heart — and my love for my family, and myself — was rooted in Alaska all along. 


As I consider what’s next, I know in my heart that it’s time to find a new owner for our Waupaca yoga studio. 


This has been a big decision for me, and one that I don’t take lightly. Above all, I am hopeful for the future of our amazing community.


In the meantime, nothing is changing!


Yoga Hive Wisconsin is still serving, creating and evolving; there is no rush. For those in Waupaca, our incredible Waupaca teaching team (who have been such a grounded force since the very start) will be at the studio daily, ready to greet you with a smile when you come to take class. You can have confidence in purchasing memberships, class packs and drop-ins.  Plus, I will continue offering online courses and yoga teacher trainings — in fact, our 2023 dates for online YTT are launching next week! 


We are operating business as usual — and we’re here for you. I include myself in that statement, even here from Alaska. I’m just an email or phone call away!


If you, or someone you know might have interest in being the future owner of Yoga Hive Wisconsin — or perhaps you/they want to rebrand — please reach out to me. I care so much about Yoga Hive, and I’m here to steward this process the whole way through.


Thank you, for the bottom of my heart, for the support and love during this transition to new ownership. I am filled with warmth and gratitude to know each of you are enjoying and supporting our little studio — and I know that now, more than ever, Waupaca needs yoga. We need yoga. The world needs yoga.

In light,
​Mollie

After taking a few weeks off to host SHEWild yoga teacher training, Sean and I returned to the build process on our house this week.


We set out to install the front door.


Easy peasy. Sean insisted we fit the door first, before caulking and flashing. As we heaved it into place, we exchanged knowing glances.


The door was too big for the hole.


Something we’d prepared for (and *I thought* I double checked!) went completely sideways, in an instant.


It wasn’t the end of the world — although frustrating, yes. We spent three arguably unnecessary hours knocking out studs, chopping up boards, gluing a new door header, and re-nailing everything into place. Overall, crisis averted.


But what struck me was that the last time we built a cabin (Arctic Hive's Cabin 4, last fall), the door opening I’d made was too big. Different mistake… but essentially the same.


I do NOT like making mistakes twice!


Because I’m the math whiz of our husband/wife team, it was definitely my error… and I spent a good amount of time feeling bad about the whole thing… until I couldn’t stand my pity-party any longer.


I needed forgiveness.

Y’all know I’ve been on a kick of re-reading the scriptures of my childhood, and finding parallel teachings to yoga philosophy, all to find healing and acceptance with my Dad’s battle with Alzheimer’s (that 3-part story is posted on my blog here, here and here).


What popped into my head was a passage from the Gospel of Luke (7:47) where Jesus said, “And for this, I tell you, her sins {...} have been pardoned, because she has loved greatly; but one who has little pardoned him, loves but little.”


I didn’t really like this passage when I read it in Hal Taussig's "A New New Testament" — as if we all need to be forgiven by someone in order to find peace. This would mean peace is conditional. Sean assured me over and over “it was fine,” but I still felt bad for myself, and for him. Forgiveness was apparently "given" — but no peace in sight.


Then later that day, a lightbulb went off — or, perhaps you could say a door opened (*wink!*)


Forgiveness can happen in the world outside of ourselves, yes. But ultimately that’s just a warm-up for true forgiveness which comes from the inside. In other words, I’d say it like this:


She who forgives herself much, loves herself much.


I only made peace with the error after reminding myself that forgiveness was not only mine to seek; forgiveness is also mine to give.
Ahhhh the wide world of emotions, thoughts and finding balance within. I'm so excited to dive deep into acts of forgiveness, love, intuition and more through the new 7-week Soulful Sadhana online course, that starts next month called Channeling the Chakras.

Have you ever had a yoga teacher tell you to open your heart chakra... or shine your throat chakra forward... and thought to yourself, "What the heck is a chakra?"

Or perhaps you learned about the chakras in a yoga training or course— but you can't quite remember what's what. 

This is your chance to dive in to the chakra system and integrate what you learn through practice on your mat. I'll take you through each one, step by step and explain it from a yogic philosophy perspective, and my personal practice with each one.

We'll also lean on Caroline Shola Arewa's incredible knowledge for understanding the rich history of the chakras through the lens of both yoga from India and ancient Africa. We'll also weave in wisdom from Caroline Myss to anchor our understanding of the Chakras from a medical perspective, and — if it feels relevant to you — find evidence of these energetic centers in both Christian and Jewish stories and scriptures. 

Here's what you get:

• 8 Chakra Satsangs (Wisdom Talks): 
  You’ll get seven lessons — one about each chakra, as well as an introduction to the Chakras being recorded live on Zoom on October 9th, 2022. (If you sign up before then, you'll get an invite to the meeting!)  These satsangs are also where I'll include my perspective on our textbooks of the month, and how I'm integrating their thoughts into my own life. We'll cover chakra basics like color, age cycles, and evidence of balance or imbalance... and then we're also going deep into planetary wisdom, body health, spiritual practices and goddess work, and more. My aim is for these to be the deepest dive you've taken yet into these ancient centers of wisdom.
  
  
• 7 Yoga Classes:
  You'll get 7 (total) customized Himalayan Kriya Yoga classes — one per week — taught by yours truly, customized to flow with one of the 7 chakras. They will include Kriya, Breathwork, Asana, Mantra and Mudras. You can use the recording to practice daily, for the greatest possible results!
  
  
• 7 Bhakti Practices:
  Each week, I’ll offer a mudra and a bija (seed) sound mantra that you can utilize to optimize and sync your internal energy rhythms with the chakra of the week — tapping into devotion within your heart.​
  
  
• 1 Chakra Balancing Meditation: 
  I'll be teaching this meditation on October 9th, but as stated, it will be recorded and uploaded for use whenever you wish! 

This course is $189 for the 7 weeks — if you pay in three monthly installments of $63/month.

It's $162 (save $27!) if you pay in full.

OR… I've extended my birthday discount code — HBDMOLLIE — which saves you $36! If you sign up and pay in full, pay just $126!

​​If you're unsure about whether the Chakra course is right for you, my second season of "The Yoga of Business" is dropping this month, and the introduction is LIVE, wherever you get your podcasts!

Although I do apply these specifically to business in the podcast, the course is relevant to all aspects of life. This preview will give you a good idea of what to expect. 

Click here to binge the entire season on Momence before it's launched week by week on your favorite podcasting app... or stream the first episode below:

Thanks for reading, and have a fabulous weekend!

In light,
Mollie

I know it’s down here, somewhere. 


It was early 2020 and I was in my parents’ basement, rifling through large Rubbermaid totes filled with memories, scrapbooks and notebooks. I was on the hunt for something I’d seen only a handful of times in my life.


My holy grail.


I remembered it as a small, black binder filled with my dad’s old sermons. When I was growing up, he volunteered to preach at church when the pastor was out of town. I remember walking into his office a few times, and he’d have the little binder open, making notes. I also remember friends at church gave him a hard time because he was long-winded at the pulpit!


These days? I’d take a long-winded sermon a million times over if my dad was the one giving it.


Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2015, and although it was a slow progression at first, 1 year turned into 5+, and things were changing fast. He was close to needing round-the-clock care, and it was only a matter of time before… well, you get the idea. 


I just wanted to hear his words clearly again. Or at least read them.


I don’t even remember where I found it, but I did. Just like I remembered it — a black binder filled with his most treasured thoughts on the meaning of life. 


I cracked open the first sermon, and by page 2, my jaw dropped. Dad wrote: 

We as human beings cannot, and will not, have that for which we ask — nor can we have anything we want. This is because our very request is a statement of lack. Therefore, our prayers should not be for our wants, but rather to be thankful in advance for that which we choose to experience… we are, in effect, acknowledging it’s already here.

My mind was blown. I couldn’t have said it better myself… because I had. In similar words, that’s what I teach about abundance and living yoga.


And another sermon: 


… and there’s the rub. For it’s what we do when we imagine ourselves to be ‘better than,’ which sets the stage for great human tragedy. […] Paul said, “All of you are Christ’s body.” Let’s try taking that literally. Let’s assume that God is the only body, and every time we do something as a part of that body, it affects the whole being. The only condition that God puts on our experience in the flesh is that we can’t remember where we came from or where we are going. (Many of us get accused of that quite frequently anyway!) We are just here to enjoy and experience the experience. And doesn’t this really make great sense? If we knew all things both before and after life, what good would the life experience be? There would be no surprises and what fun would that be? We must believe there is no separation, no disunity. We are simply different parts of the One Body, called Humanity. No path through life is any better than another. Simply, different. 


Minus the cast of characters, the concepts were the same as I teach when discussing yogic philosophy. His sermon was essentially the same answer I’d found through yoga to my question: What’s the point of all this?  


Page after page proved that I’d been studying and teaching precisely what my dad was studying and preaching years ago. He may not have called it yoga, and I may not call it religion, but we each had a spiritual connection all the same. In his words: Same body. Same unity. Different paths to get there, as it should be. 


Finally, I found a passage where I felt him speaking directly to me:


Life is an opportunity for us to know experientially what we already know conceptually… this is so because our soul knows all — it just can’t remember. Therefore, your job on Earth is not to learn (because you already know), but to remember Who You Are, and remember who everyone else is. That’s why a big part of your job is to remind others: So they can remember, also.


Tears pooled in my eyes. 


Now, I knew with certainty I’d come full circle. No more mountains to climb — just a big, poetic circle to enjoy lap, after lap. 


There isn’t just one way “to the top of the mountain.” Dad’s words confirmed what I’d come to know: Yoga isn’t some weird, new-agey outlook that goes against other spiritual paths or religions. The yoga that taught me to love my body, quiet my mind, and open my heart is — in fact — the same “yoga” my dad had in his own heart. Call it God. Call it church. Call it meditation. Call it spirit. Call it religion. Call it hiking-in-the-woods-because-it-makes-you-feel-connected.


To me, it’s all just… yoga. 


The Sanskrit word yoga means “union,” and thus, yoga in all its shapes and forms helps us systematically remember who we are, deep down. There in the heart, we find unity of all paths and all beings.

Furthermore, as a yoga teacher, simply by being in that space and sharing how we arrived there… that is enough to remind others that they can get there, too — choosing whatever path meets their needs. We all arrive at the same place eventually. 


My friend Angie puts this concept so sweetly: We’re all just walking each other home. 


And that, my friends is the end! Or rather, our beginning. 


Inspired by my dad and our story, I created a 5-week, self-paced course for spiritually-curious women that is not — by any accounts — yoga for fitness.  It’s part philosophy, and part breathwork/movement, and I’m calling it Yoga for the Spirit because, well… that’s the point! 

In light,
Mollie

My feet landed back on the earth, and elation coursed through my veins — followed immediately by tears streaming down my cheeks. I felt on top of the world.
 
For 4 years leading up to that moment, I’d immersed myself in all things yoga as a way to heal my body, my heart and my spirit.

I took trainings and continuing education courses, opened multiple Yoga Hive studios, taught a handful of classes every week, incorporated yogic philosophy as a way of life, and spending hundreds of hours apprenticing senior teachers and assisting at yoga teacher trainings.

I knew I wasn’t an expert in all things yoga — but I *thought* I knew a lot. Adding “handstand” to my repertoire felt like a pinnacle.

But, just like any mountain summit, we must eventually descend again. I just didn’t realize at the time how far down I'd have to go.

                                                                                                 ***
 
Late 2017 into 2018 was a particularly difficult time in my life. I lost a lot — and consequently, found a lot of new perspectives. While I trudged my way through the muck, I realized that despite everything I'd done and all the knowledge I'd acquired, I still had a lot of big, hairy questions.

Where does yoga come from?
When will I know it all?
Is handstand really the peak?
 
Deeper still were questions unanswered from my weekly childhood visits to Sunday School:

Why am I here?
What is the meaning of all this? 
What does it mean to be spiritual?
 A friend of mine mentioned she was going to India for advanced yoga training, and I surprised myself by admitting I was interested in joining her. Sean was supportive, and I booked my ticket. By the time I arrived in late November and experienced my first Himalayan Kriya Yoga journey, I knew with I was on my way back up the next mountain of my journey. 

By integrating everything I’d learned in India, plus two additional pilgrimages in 2019, I changed the way I live and breathe, I was able to deepen my connection to life itself. My body felt like home. My breath was easeful. My mind was still, more often than not. I was filled with wisdom and I felt the magic of the universe was alive all around me. What I first learned as “yoga for the body,” had truly morphed into Yoga for the Spirit. 

And while I thought I’d reached a spiritual peak with all this new knowledge, I soon discovered there was more I needed to learn. That little girl inside me who exchanged church for McDonald’s still needed some answers.

… and it all started with a little black binder, tucked away in my parents’ basement. I'll share the final part of this story (and a gift!) tomorrow....

In light,
​Mollie

Growing up, my dad made a deal with me.
 
If I went to Sunday School at our church with a smile, he’d guarantee a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin Happy Meal on our way into town. It was bribery, sure... but I felt like I had a choice!
 
(And let’s be honest: It was worth it for the new toy nestled in that glorious cardboard breakfast box.)
 
As I got older, and the toys lost their luster, I remember asking my parents why I still needed to go to church rather than sleep in or hang with my friends. Dad always said, “All I ask is that you stick it out, and once you’re in high school, you can decide if you want to keep going.”
 
I did what he asked and promptly stopped attending after 8th grade, other than the occasional special Sunday. Dad would always ask me after that, “You coming to church tomorrow?” with a knowing grin.

99% of the time, I said no!
 
My parents respected my decision — and even after all those Sundays at church, I didn’t really understand what all the fuss was about. When we spoke about it, Dad would reassure me, “You’ll find a spiritual connection when you need it.”
 
Flash forward to 2009, when I was fresh out of college.

I was living in Madison, Wisconsin with a million friends, working my dream job in a city I loved, and yet… felt totally empty. I was unhappy with my body and confused as to why I hadn’t met the love of my life — because wasn’t that the point? I was wholly uninspired.
 
It made exactly no sense.
 
As I was brainstorming ways to get my life in order, I remembered Dad had told me during his college days in Madison, he would attend Sunday service at a church nearby.
 
Lo and behold, that same church was still standing. I’ll never forget my first time back in a pew, holding a hymnal in my hands. After an incredibly moving sermon, powerful organ notes blaring, and emotions swirling in me, my eyes brimmed with tears and my heart tightened in my chest. To this day, I don’t really know how to describe what I felt other than: Spiritually inspired.
 
It was a first.
 
Although I’d found a breadcrumb on the path that day, it wasn’t what I’d call “the start” of my spiritual quest. I didn’t rush out and become a member of the church — and it would be 2 years until I found a method to mend my relationship with my body, and another 5 years until I was exposed to spiritual teachings I could sink my teeth into.
 
But I knew something had definitely changed inside me, and I was so grateful for Dad’s guidance along the way. Bribery and all, he knew that sooner or later I’d need to chart my own path inward. He gave me all the support he could, until I was on my own.
 
And eventually, I did find my path… and what happened as a result blew my mind.

I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow...

In light,
Mollie

I’m a yoga teacher who lives in the wilderness. And I love learning about history, philosophy and the signs and symbols we can learn from studying nature, the animal kingdom, the moon and the other planets.


A friend recently asked me what I mean when I say “I’m studying” something, like the planets, and I chuckled. I’d never considered that question before!


Let’s just say that instead of raising children, grabbing drinks in town, or meeting up with a friend group for dinner,  I’m hanging out in the arctic with Sean and the dogs. I’m either outside exploring the Brooks Range with family or retreat guests, managing our businesses with a slow internet connection, or reading books and studying things I’m interested in. In the summer we build, in the winter we mush dogs, and all year round I spend my spare time with my nose in some book, furiously scribbling notes.

And you know what feels like a timely topic today? Mercury Retrograde.

When I committed to a long-term study of the planets of a few years ago, I wanted to understand how a planet — so incredibly far from where I stand — could supposedly travel backward, break the internet, make me communicate horribly, and strike down fear in the hearts of yogis everywhere. I mean c'mon. It's getting a little out of hand in the media, yes?


The short answer to what I discovered? It’s all good, and we've got nothing to fear. 


My philosophical conclusion? Per usual, it's going to take a few more paragraphs to explain... 


Firstly, we need to understand what that might be obvious, but it's important to the storyline: Three-ish times a year, from our vantage point, the planet Mercury appears to be moving in reverse. We call this phenomenon Mercury Retrograde. If you were to fly up above the entire Universe and look down, you would see it's an illusion. Mercury doesn’t actually go backward. It’s moving along its inner circle around the sun, whereas Earth is moving on an outer circle. We’re essentially getting passed by Mercury because it’s moving fast on its smaller track and from where we stand, it looks like it's going backward.

Secondly, we need to remember that for MANY thousands of years, cultures all over the world (including those at the root of yogic philosophy) have viewed the planets as symbols or archetypes that help contextualize life on Earth. And humans have been cooking up archetypes ever since, so this is not "new age". Little Red Riding Hood is an archetype. Madonna is an archetype. The seasons are archetypes. And wouldn’t you know it: The planets are all archetypes, too.


Through my studies, I’ve learned that Mercury is an archetype for intellect and discernment. We associate him with communication, speaking, and the intellectual side of our mind (versus the subconscious mind).


So humor me. If we sub the symbol of “intellect” for the word “Mercury,” this is what we know:


If we look directly at our intellect, it appears to move backward — but if we remember to use our intuition, we don't need to see to believe that our intellect is always moving forward, no matter what.

So here’s where we have to get philosophical (my favorite part): When we look at Mercury, so slyly “moving in reverse,” we consider how our own life appears to move in reverse, with roadblocks and setbacks and problems… Let's blame a planet, they say!


But, we can use Mercury's timely illusion as a mirror in our life. Knowing what we understand about retrograde motion, we’ve been moving forward all along. And consider that setbacks aren’t actually setbacks at all — they're illusions!

*mic drop*


The way we approach setbacks can actually be our superpower. As long as we're doing the best we can with what we have, setbacks are like course corrections in disguise. I like to think the Universe is saying to me: Here, little human, it's OK. This is the path forward that you couldn’t see before. Take my hand and I’ll show you…


So we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and take a step or two in the new direction. Whether Mercury “causes” setbacks or not remains to be seen — and will likely never be known.


But this I know for sure: The more time we spend looking over our shoulder at “what could have been,” the more time we spend NOT seeing the gifts of the new path in front of us. Sometimes it takes us a mile down the road. Sometimes we spend days, months or years still waiting to comprehend the "Big Why." But someday... somehow, it clicks and we think: Dang. Thanks Universe!

Definitely something to think about :-)

With love from Alaska,
Mollie
​

One of our adventurous retreat goers last month arrived early for breakfast to thank me for creating a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for she and her partner at Arctic Hive.


Without skipping a beat, I humbly replied “You’re so welcome,” as I’ve been taught to do... I smiled graciously, as I’ve always done.


But then she went on, trying to put into words how deeply this place has touched her, and I watched tears well up in her eyes. Just then, something clicked in my head.


I remembered how the week earlier, another retreat guest had walked up to her cabin every afternoon for four days straight and exclaimed, out loud, “Today was the BEST day!”


And I remembered another retreat guest shared how he stayed back from an excursion to meditate on the deck of the Igloo, and felt as if he could hear the mountains speaking to him as he meditated and memorized the outline of one peak at a time.


I realized that we hadn’t just given our guests a “good time up north.”


We facilitated access to a sacred space to heal.


How do I know for sure? Because Sean and I have felt it, too. Healing is the foundation upon which our retreat center was built — which didn’t really dawn on me till that moment.


When the COVID lockdown happened last March, Sean and I were thrown together in the same space for an undetermined amount of time, and all our plans to bring people to the Arctic that month were cancelled. All that time together was something we hadn’t experienced in years, given the haphazard schedule we’d been maintaining for work.


So even though it was uncomfortable at first, we took that opportunity to re-imagine Arctic Hive, build our dream retreat center, and build up our relationship that had suffered some wear and tear from our intense entrepreneurial lifestyle.


This sacred ground — which we were so lucky to purchase from an Alaskan Native family as some of the last available land in the entire Brooks Range — helped us relearn each other. It helped us learn more about ourselves. It helped us create a shared vision for our future.


In short, Arctic Hive changed our lives, and our marriage.


And incredulously, in that moment standing in the kitchen, hearing this woman’s words, I realized that healing capacity of Mother Nature wasn’t exclusively for Sean and I. That side effect of eye-opening self-discovery after spending time here, so close to the earth, is available to everyone... anyone who’s willing to show up, sit in quiet and listen to the heartbeat of Mother Nature — 270+ miles away from the nearest shopping center, town, and reliable internet.


Here, we can hear Her feedback and wisdom. We can integrate Her teachings slowly, and steadily into our own lives. This is the way we were meant to be — one with Her, and thus one with all. Everything — and everyone — is interconnected.


Sure, these retreats are filled with adventure, yoga, laughter, good food among good company (you'll see a photo recap, below!). But I now understand on a deep level that this land, so far from the hustle and bustle and yet in the middle of one of the most delicate ecosystems in the world... the Arctic... it’s here to jumpstart healing. Not just for us, as stewards of this property and visitors to Arctic Hive. But healing for humanity — and Mother Earth herself.


I always tell folks that environmentally-speaking, what happens in the Arctic should be the concern of everyone, everywhere. It’s ground zero for climate change — which isn’t even debatable anymore. The changes happening here trickle into everyone’s life, no matter where you live around the globe.


And now I know it can also be ground zero for reestablishing that connection with Source so that we might tread a little lighter on Her soil. So that we may be more conscious in our connections with others. So that we may live a more spiritually-sound life.


With that, I’m honored to open up dates for our Fall 2021 retreats, as well as Winter 2022. We also have just one more spot open at our women’s 200-hour YTT happening in September. I hope if you’ve been thinking about it, you are able to join us — and if the timing isn’t right, we’re not going anywhere. We’ll be here in the Arctic when you’re ready! (Enjoy the photo recap, below!)

Here are some highlights of what's coming up:

• We've launched dates for our Fall 2021 and Winter 2022 Arctic Hive retreat dates... come join us above the Arctic Circle for 5 unforgettable days off the grid!
• Himalayan Kundalini Training (Level 2) with Mollie on Zoom will be November 3-7, 2021. Participants must have taken Himayalan Kriya Training (Level 1), or a Yoga Hive 200-Hour Teacher Training with Kriya, and must have maintained a consistent meditation practice since then (a refresher will be available if needed). Mark the dates!
• Himalayan Kriya Yoga Teacher Training (Level 1) is set for December 1st - 5th and is open for enrollment! Secure your spot today.
• SheWild is a women’s only, in-person yoga teacher training for a small, intimate group up here at Arctic Hive in the backyard of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We have ONE space available, so don't miss out if you've been considering the opportunity.
• Our next (and current FINAL online training of 2021) starts this week Thursday... it's a 100% online yoga teacher training registered with Yoga Alliance, over the course of seven monthly meetings, starting April 29th. You in?
• Yoga Hive Colorado is offering a Kids Yoga teacher training module all about Babies and Toddlers live, on Zoom. Check it out!

​In light,
Mollie
PS - Enjoy the photo recap!

First, we left Fairbanks (the nearest town to Arctic Hive) and drove 7+ hours on the famed Dalton Highway. The views are... epic:

                              Guests brought their cross country skis to enjoy the scenery during our downtime...                     

                                                                           and come out, they did!

                                                                                          and again...

                                                                             Bonfire under a full moon...

​And our Arctic Safari road trip north for a day was incredible... we saw hundreds of Caribou from the Central Arctic herd and had high hopes of also seeing a Muskox. This photo with the full Brooks Range Panorama in the distance looks like a moon landing, doesn't it?

And what I’m about to share has been one of those things I’ve been holding close.
​
Seven years ago, my dad, Steve — a 65-year-old Green Bay Packer loving attorney with a knack for cribbage, who was devoted to the happiness of his wife and two kids, who had built his entire life in a marvelous small town in central Wisconsin — was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. One of the brightest minds we knew had decided to make its excruciatingly slow exit from this reality. The diagnosis left my mom, my brother and I scratching our heads. Why him? Why now? It’s one of those life changes you can do nothing to prepare for... and you can do nothing to change.


It just... is.


My teenage fascination with the movie, “The Notebook” has been constantly on my mind as I’ve watched my mom navigate what I can only imagine is a prolonged traumatic love story. An unraveling. A re-writing of a future she never imagined she’d be living when she married my father over 35 years ago. And although I can watch that play out, a love story isn’t mine to write.


So why bring up Dad’s story at all?


I guess I feel like there have been enough silver linings, love-filled moments, and learning lessons that dad would approve of other folks learning from our experience now... or specifically from his experience — his world, and all of us living in it.


His condition is not a secret anymore like we initially felt it needed to be. We moved Dad into a local nursing home last week, so now there’s no turning back. Even though it’s been that way from the start... today feels more concrete. More certain.


And as hard as it is to adjust to my own perception of the situation, Dad is seemingly settling in with ease. And I’ll tell you: When he laughs? He laughs SO HARD. That’s the biggest thing I’ve noticed about his manifestation of this disease, especially over the past few years. Emotions cannot be hidden. Forgotten, sure. But in the moment, his emotions ride his face like a wave in the ocean — unmistakable.


Like any disease, every person and every body handles it differently... and even though there are less emotions and far less words for Dad overall, when he does feel, he feels big. In contrast to his relative silence, his emotional moments, hugs, and laughter fill the space more than usual.


I’ve been thinking about this a lot as I reflect on my own ability to cloak my feelings... to cushion my own vision or soften my opinion so that others won’t feel uncomfortable. (Even though, as I teach others frequently, I have exactly 0% control over everyone’s reactions to my actions!) What good does this habit do? Sure it might make a whole crew of folks feel good in the moment... but the more comfort and insulation I build for others, the more raw I feel inside of myself.


And then as my brain fog settled in, pondering how to end this story for today, I paused to open up my dad’s old binder of sermons and notes to a page titled, “My Conversation with God.” Dad wrote a series of reflections in the early 90s after picking up a newly minted copy of what became his favorite book, “Conversations with God,” by Neale Donald Walsch. And right there in one of the first paragraphs, I realized that 20+ years ago, Dad wrote a perfect conclusion to my story today. His story.


“Feelings... these are considered the language of the soul. [God] says that if you want to know what is true for you about something, you must ask yourself how you feel about it. Hidden in your deepest feelings is your highest truth... and these are the defining characteristics of who we are.”


So today— for the sake of getting in touch with your Highest Self, the Universe, Consciousness, Earth Mother, God... whatever word(s) feel good to you... please don’t feel sorry for me, or my dad, or my family. He wouldn’t want you to feel for him. Rather, do as he does and FEEL FULLY for yourself, through yourself. And know that even if it’s uncomfortable, it’s your highest truth coming out. And that interplay of noticing your feelings without judgement? That is the greatest conversation with God we can have.

In light, love and big feelings,
Mollie