Mindfulness is the depth of intimacy that I cultivate with myself and the presence I give to others. It’s making magic out of the mundane, noticing the signs and synchronicities, and noticing my body in space - the edges of my skin, the quality of my breath, the thoughts that float through. Mindfulness means my days are designed with intention and a loving compassion for myself no matter what comes my way. 

What place does mindfulness hold in your wellness practice?

Mindfulness is the foundation, the pillar, the cradle upon which I set up my days. It’s the steady and graceful shifting of limiting, fearful, and doubtful thoughts when they come. It’s greeting my spirit through the portals of my eyes when I look in the mirror. It’s the way I listen to my body and inquire about what is needed next. 

It’s taking cues from my intuition and trusting my inner guidance without question, even if it doesn’t make sense in my brain. 

It’s the many small and invisible moments of presence, whether on my mat or walking down the street, when I affirm my right to be me, all ways. 

What daily rituals have you developed that help cultivate a greater awareness?

I wake, drink 16 ounces of water that I infuse with loving intention, and I stretch my neck and shoulders to make space right away for my heart. 

I talk to my guides in the shower and commune with Water element as a cleansing ritual, not only for my body, but to rinse me of any energetic attachments that have accumulated in my field. I always follow this by anointing and blessing my body with sumptuous oil in gratitude for my ecosystem. 

I listen to what my body is calling for. I choose my movement practice in accordance with whatever emotions need to be felt/alchemized/cherished. I might run for 10km or I might sit very still. 

I talk to and care for my plants regularly. It’s one of my favourite things to do. 

I engage with my creative energy every day in some way. Whether a delicious meal, a poem, a choreography, a share on social media - any and all actions taken with creative intent become a ritual for me.

And I write every night before bed. Even when I don’t feel like it or think I have nothing to say. I open my journal and I take a deep breath and I let my consciousness flow. The wisdom and healing that pours through is unparalleled. 

What place does .eluo. hold in your rituals?

.eluo. helps my spirit do the heavy lifting that I sometimes feel too human to do. When I need to be completely, totally held and treasured, I turn to an .eluo. Forma Terra ritual bath event. I drop in deeply for a decadent sensual experience that brings me into communion with parts of myself that are challenging to access day to day. Candles, sound healing, channeling mantra, gentle self-energy work, massage, self-pleasure - it’s the medicine of the primordial womb. Finish with Forma Rosea for my face and splash my body with cold water as I let the bath drain around me. And I emerge feeling like an absolute Priestess. 

When do you feel most in flow?

I am most in flow when my central nervous system is regulated, when I only have things on my calendar that feel like a full body YES, when I’m well-hydrated and vibrantly nourished, and when I give myself permission to create from the potency of my emotions without judgement. 

Tell us about The Strut Club and your new studio space. What can we expect?

The STRUT Club is an Empowered Embodiment community founded in intersectional feminism and the ethos of movement as your birthright. We offer a wide range of dance + movement practices for all bodies and all levels. 

It’s truly rhythm as church, music as medicine, and dance as prayer. With a side of Rihanna. 

Classes focus on igniting and elevating your awakened life force, supporting your sensual expansion, grounding into your personal power through activated body language, and somatic storytelling. We care-take and move the big feels. I 

STRUT is where you come to feel fierce, to feel bold, to take up space, to surrender, to crumble, to allow yourself to be an exquisite, badass, sexy, messy human. We are all dancers in our own right and STRUT encourages you to move the way YOU move. 

For the time being, classes are all held online, but we have a cute lil studio in Kitsilano where we look forward to gathering and creating together SOON! 

Why is movement such an important part of your wellness practice?

Because I am a multi-dimensional being with incredible power, and movement is the access portal. Movement unlocks the flow of my energy bodies and the information I hold in my tissues, attuning me to the imprints I hold. I get to meet myself in holy, intimate ways and remember who I am, what I know, why I’m here, and what I need to heal. Movement allows me to relate to myself as a Creator being, pulling action through me into life. It’s also my greatest practice of non-attachment - when I dance, I let it all flow through me and then I let it go. I let it be what it was. There is only pure presence and that’s the current in which I want to live. Right here, right now, not caught up in what was or might be. 

Besides movement, what are the pillars of your ritual practice?

Devotion. Gratitude. Listening. Creating. Releasing. Feeling. Radiating. Aloha.

How do release and authentic expression allow us to move into a place of self-love? 

Expansion and contraction is the pulse of all life. The inhale and the exhale are our very first dance. This ancient rhythm of opening and closing, receiving and releasing is the pathway to deep self-compassion. 

The Earth teaches us through her seasons that we cannot bloom year-round. There is a time for boundless expression, a time to shed and let go, a time to rest and reflect, a time to renew and burst forth again. When we honour our natural cycles, we take the pressure off ourselves to be all things to all people. To accomplish and produce and push and succeed. Rather, when we honour what it is we need, what it is we want to say, and how we desire to show up in the world, we turn the energy of love back in toward ourselves and the cup overflows. 

Do you think ritual is connected to self-acceptance and self-love?

1000%. Any time we dip into ritual we affirm our magic, our innate knowingness, our desires, and our creative spirit. This allows us to weave a bond of trust with ourselves and with the Universe, cultivating an unshakeable faith in who came here to be. And with that arises the deepest love affair of one’s life, with the Self.