Rooted in Love, by Michelle Chua
7/28/2024
 Yoga uprooted my life and led me on a healing journey of inspired wellbeing that moved me to share the practice with as many people it could also benefit. I envisioned a Yoga practice that was accessible, sustainable long-term and inclusive to diverse bodies, backgrounds, ages and experience, including beginners. At the heart of this vision was the knowing that when we root into our true nature of pure love, we rise individually and collectively in wellbeing and consciousness. "At the heart of this vision was the knowing that when we root into our true nature of pure love, we rise individually and collectively in wellbeing and consciousness."  The many practices of Yoga, from meditation and physical postures to balance energy to practicing non-harm (ahimsa) and devotion to what you hold sacred (isvara pranidhana), are tools for aligning with our true nature. Naturally, the name Root 2 Rise Yoga sprouted for this community offering. I began offering Yoga classes by donation at my mom’s home for family and friends in 2010, as I completed my first Yoga Teacher Certification at YogaWorks. Our monthly gatherings usually ended with a healthy potluck. Our Root 2 Rise Yoga community gradually grew to include regulars from the classes I facilitated at gyms, local YMCAs, universities, running clubs and more. While we stemmed from different walks of life (which contributes to broadening our perspectives), we were unified by common values: expanding our consciousness, wellness in all dimensions and sincerity in trying to live the values of Yoga. We began practicing together more regularly at parks, where nature invited us to connect with her. Our practices branched out into hiking and meditating among trees, retreats, and more recently, Reiki energy healing sessions and Soundbaths. "While we stemmed from different walks of life (which contributes to broadening our perspectives), we were unified by common values..."  Our first Yoga retreat (photo above) was a one-day gathering in my mom’s backyard in 2012 and included guest speakers from a meditation temple and the vegan chef and co-owner of Sun Café Organic. Over the years, our retreats expanded to other locations in California and internationally to Bali, Peru and Costa Rica, the latter where I received the impetus to reroute my vocational path to facilitating Yoga and the healing arts while teaching abroad as a schoolteacher in 2009-2010. Now in 2024, we prepare for our retreats in Yosemite in August and Northern Thailand in October. A universal theme that threads throughout our retreats is exploring ways to integrate the practices and values of Yoga in our daily lives to support our and the collective wellbeing. During our international retreats, we explore ways to connect with the local culture and nature meaningfully, embracing the definition of Yoga as union and expanding it to harmony with all beings. We also integrate creative arts, such as dancing freely, drumming or painting meditatively, as ways to tap into the expression of, and strengthen trust in, our true nature. Nature connection, such as through forest-bathing, is an integral part of our retreats, to help us deepen a conscious relationship with Mother Earth, who in turn awakens the remembering that we are nature too and carry wisdom deep within, just like the trees do. Retreats have allowed us to strengthen our relationships with life, nature, each other and ourselves.  As lives inevitably change, our community continues to evolve dynamically. Today, we gather weekly on Zoom (since the onset of the 2020 pandemic) and at Woodbridge Park in Studio City for donation-based Yoga. Additionally, we meet for twice monthly nature connection, such as forest-bathing and meditation outdoors. We have other gatherings, like full moon or seasonal mini-retreats, to enjoy community and dive deeper into our practices together. Our annual anniversary party (this year on August 25) is a sweet opportunity to reunite or kindle new friendships with like-hearted beings.
AuthorMichelle Chua is founder of Root 2 Rise Yoga. Read her bio here. Click below to receive updates on our Root 2 Rise Yoga gatherings and offerings and join us in community: Connect with us:
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 Photo: Root 2 Rise Yoga hike and meditation 2019 Imagine each of us as a part of the same body. When one body part is thriving, it contributes to the strength and wellbeing of the whole body. When one part is suffering or injured, the whole body is out of balance and cannot function optimally. Undeniably, we are affected and connected to each other. We have a responsibility to care for our health, and consequently, the global community that we cause balance or imbalance in. Self-care is our personal and global responsibility. What is Self-Care? It’s been a zealously used buzzword, sometimes depicted in memes as indulging in spa treatments or “retail therapy.” Some confuse self-care as only a luxury for those who have time or money to spare. Others even deem it selfish. According to this article in Psychology Today, true self-care consists of actions that promote your physical, mental, emotional, and financial health both now and in the future. In addition, true self-care can help you reconnect with the authentic, genuine you. A sustainable conscious lifestyle that values wellness necessitates regular self-care practices. Examples of Self-Care Self-care practices vary per individual needs and can span from daily routines to spontaneous moments. Mental-emotional self-care can include meditation to befriend the mind and encounter difficult emotions with compassion, like this RAIN Mindfulness Meditation. Social self-care can look like meeting regularly with a supportive peer group or establishing healthy boundaries in relationships. Physical self-care might entail balancing the weekly workout regimen between rigor and deep relaxation and ensuring a good night’s sleep and wholesome nutrition. Financial self-care may comprise of long-term budgeting and investments. Spiritual self-care might entail allotting moments for personal reflection, prayer and rituals that deepen your connection to what you hold sacred. As people evolve, so may their self-care practices. As with any habit or regular activity, it’s important to honestly evaluate their effectiveness and impact and be open to changing what may no longer support wellbeing. Arguments Against Self-CareMyth 1: Self-care is selfish. People who often put others first might feel guilty about self-care and call it selfish. Intention and method are crucial to the energy that an action emits. Realizing that you can’t give from an empty cup, recharging your batteries or fortifying your wellbeing enables you to serve with strength in passion, energy and pure love. When you’re on empty, you’re coming from a less empowered state. At times, such an organism is in survival mode. Instinctively overcompensating for unmet needs, they may tend to take more than give in daily interactions. This causes imbalance to the nature of reciprocity, which is a key element to living harmoniously, according to the indigenous Andean culture of Peru. Furthermore, resentment can unexpectedly creep into your heart and mind for choosing to (even unconsciously) overextend yourself, when you’re already not taking care of yourself. The misnomer of self-care as selfishness can create a vicious cycle of disharmony with needs being met superficially or not at all.  Myth 2: There’s not enough time for self-care. We all have 24 hours in a day, and what we do with them is based on our personal priorities. The obligations we’ve assumed, no matter how long-term they’ve been a part of our lives, ultimately stem from a series of choices based on our values. We make time for what we find meaningful and important. When you perceive self-care as necessary and connect to the bigger picture (even beyond yourself) of what it serves, you can find creative ways to integrate it into your daily life, just like brushing your teeth, taking a shower or checking your emails. Myth 3: Self-care is expensive. Stepping outside for a walk among trees to connect with nature costs nothing and can reset your mind and cultivate appreciation for your surroundings. Regular exercise, healthy eating and reducing stress through mindfulness can prevent medical bills due to unhealthy aging and disease. Moreover, eating more plants and less meat costs less and contributes to a long life, according to Blue Zones’ worldwide research on longevity. Just like time, money is a resource that we choose to spend based on our priorities.  Imagine This... Self-care affects the quality, and perhaps longevity, of our lives and the energy and presence we contribute to this world. When any aspect of our being is out of balance, we inevitably bring that imbalance into our surroundings and interactions. As Spiritual Teacher Kumu Ramsey shared, “The world is a reflection of us.” When we see imbalance in the world, we need to create balance within. Imagine a place where we all take the responsibility of regularly caring for our many dimensions of wellbeing, naturally affecting each other. As a result, we each feel empowered with confidence, joy and vitality and are inspired and available to support and uplift each other. Our personal thriving in turn ripples into collective thriving.  Photo: Root 2 Rise Yoga retreat in Malibu 2014 AuthorMichelle Chua founded Root 2 Rise Yoga in 2010, dedicated to practicing and promoting personal and collective well-being. Read her bio here. To receive your monthly self-care resources... |
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REviews of Root 2 Rise Yoga with Michelle chua:
Michelle truly lives out what she teaches. She is so much more than a yoga teacher - I learned this when I went on her exquisitely curated trip that she organized to Costa Rica this past June 2018...Hopefully like me, you'll be delighted by her effervescent love of movement, nature, and all people! Michelle clearly stands out with her beautiful and bright energy. I love how her practice and teaching encompass body, mind and spirit. She not only teaches yoga but lives and exudes it. Michelle not only teaches 'yoga', she embodies it fully with her heart and soul... Michelle is by far one of the best instructors I've ever had, period. Patient, clear in her explanations and demos, and so encouraging... My first yoga class was with Michelle years ago. You can have the best (yoga pose) sequence and not teach from your heart. With Michelle, I also feel her passion when I'm in her class. I can see she loves what she does, and she inspired me to want to teach yoga, too. |
Let's connect:Now offering private reiki sessions for stress relief and to promote healing.
I'm so grateful to have met Michelle! Her kind energy opened up my interest in pursuing yoga and meditation. She is such an incredibly light and soul. She starts with grounding ourselves through mindfulness and breathing exercise. She brings the most authentic energy to the class by sharing the history and understanding behind poses, names, and techniques. I truly appreciate her work and impact on my well-being! I’ve had dozens of instructors over the years, but Michelle is far and away the best yoga mentor I’ve ever practiced with. She epitomizes grace during these difficult times. Michelle has saved my sanity and my back while working from home, keeping me grounded with her sharing of yogic teachings and meditation techniques. Her repertoire of physical asanas is encyclopedic, and I’ve loved learning new poses and stretching my boundaries. Jump in, all. You’ve got this! |
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