From Yoga Procrastination to

Calm + Connected Motivation.

It’s time for a strong, focused home-based yoga + movement practice that supports your mind, body, and soul in a new way, propelled by the power of a collective buddy system.

Join the Collective

You know the feeling:

Back in 2020, you had a regular yoga + movement practice at your local studio, and your body was feeling pretty good! When COVID hit, you practiced online for a little while. It was a big pivot, but you did it! Something about that mind-body connection really helped you stay sane in a crazy time.

A few months later, however, your motivation dropped off. Classes were dwindling, your favorite teacher was no longer teaching online, and the times didn’t work well for you. You were getting Zoomed out. You tried doing pre-recorded classes, but you just couldn’t get yourself to hit Play. Even when you did manage to get on your mat, there are just so many distractions at home (laundry, anyone??). Not quite the zen experience that you were craving.

Plus, your body is starting to talk to you in new ways. Mystery aches and pains crop up, your hips feel tight (no matter how much you stretch them out in quick stretch breaks you might take), and even though you’ve been a strong mover all your life, you don’t quite TRUST your body the way you used to. And the rollercoaster rides of life haven’t helped. Your mental state has gone on quite a journey, and you know you need to find a new state of emotional being.

What you need isn’t to chill on the couch and numb out with more Netflix, to book another chiropractic appointment or to try (once again) to start a yoga practice all on your own.

**What you need is a framework for connecting to your body and mind consistently so you can recapture the strength your body needs. And not to do it in isolation.**

That’s where a strength-based yoga + movement practice using the power of yoga accountability groups comes in.

Strength-based yoga + movement is the perfect next step in your practice. With a consistent strength-based practice (which is more than just the stretching focus of many yoga classes), you can:

Feel confident that you can continue to care for yourself and for your family, even as you accumulate more age on the body.
Keep doing the things you love (gardening, hiking, adventuring, activism, etc.). Your body WANTS to support you and to be strong, and will respond to the input you give it. Consistent core and spinal intelligence work are key to getting and keeping you feeling strong and capable.
Enjoy the feeling of flow you get from a vinyasa practice. There’s nothing like getting in the zone through flow, and you can incorporate strength within a breath-based practice. Flow yoga gets even more fun and fulfilling when you feel strong!
Help you show up with yoga accountability groups. Feeling connected you to a community of BFFs will not only give you that buddy system push, but is also so nurturing in times of isolation and distancing
Realize all the conveniences and delight of an at-home yoga practice. Once you unlock the doors to a doable home yoga practice, you’ll enjoy not having to drive anywhere for class or lug your stuff around. Your home practice will eventually call to you, and it will become more and more a part of your life, even as a supplement to in-person classes you might do.

I can help you get there.

How would you feel today, if you had the support you needed to make your practice happen?

Join the Collective

But, if you just can’t find the space or time for home practice, you might be worried.

Worried that:

Your space isn’t “perfect” or ideal. It’s squeezed, it’s tight, it’s messy.
The kids / pets will be around and needing something. You always get interrupted!
You’ll put your practice off or just forget about it. If it’s not in the calendar, it won’t happen.
You don’t do well without a teacher there live to keep you accountable.

To you, a consistent, zen-like home practice is a far-off dream.

Well, not any longer.

Introducing…

The Calm + Connected Collective

A Seasonally-Based and Progressive Strength-Building Yoga + Movement Online Membership Where Community is Key

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Tuition = $88/month

The Calm + Connected Collective is your support system for starting and sticking to an online yoga + movement practice that strengthens your body for LIFE, using the power of accountability BFFs and small groups.

It works with breath-based and nervous-system regulation tools to move you into a state of calm resilience. It takes the traditional yoga practice and slants it towards exploration, inquiry, and challenging you at the right level so you build capacity. It gives you ALL the tools for setting up your space and time well so you can finally make a home-based practice work for YOU.

Combining your unique body with a fun, breathe-based flow that incorporates core and spinal intelligence and mobility principles at its foundation will allow you to enjoy the body you have and do all the other important and fun things you love and believe in.

I’ve mentioned this a couple of times, and I want to draw your attention to this, because this program has something a little bit different, and that is…

the Yoga Accountability Group.

This is a built-in buddy system. We’ll use it to support each other in actually DOING the work and in showing up to move and breathe. Your real live BFF could fill this role by joining you in the program, of course (I’d love to have them!), but I’ll actually facilitate this FOR you, just by the way we structure the group online work. It’ll be fun!

If whether you’re a busy mom to kids or pets, a remote worker, or retired with more time on your hands, here’s exactly how the Calm + Connected Collective will help you:

You’ll get Monthly Yoga Playlists of a manageable handful (5 or 6) of seasonally-based yoga + movement practices. These are bite-sized and will keep us focused and connected to a theme based on the month that we’re in.
No more long practices that just don’t keep your attention or move the needle on your body. We’ll keep most practices short (under 30 minutes), while they’ll also pack a punch while also helping you to relax and chill.
You’ll figure out your space and time home practice set up using what you already have, and we’ll nail down how to handle the inevitable barriers and distractions that come with the territory.
You’ll receive access to a weekly Yoga Accountability Group practice to help you actually DO the classes that I’m giving to you in the Monthly Playlists.
You’ll also be able to take part in a weekly Core Accountability Group practice and a weekly Full Body Mobility practice to keep your body humming.
All classes will also be available as recorded sessions so you can practice on your own as needed.

And more!

It’s time for you to feel calm in your mind, and connected to your body and to a group of BFFs. We can do more together.

Join the Collective

Robin’s thoughtfully-prepared practice videos are a gift.

“I am learning so much from my regular practice with your videos! I really appreciate the continuation of themes and the introduction of new themes. I have been trying to practice daily, which is a gift of this challenging time. Thank you for your very thoughtfully prepared practice videos!”

Jean Gallager-Heil, Scotts Valley, CA

Teacher

This isn’t my first rodeo.

I’ve been teaching yoga + movement since 2011 and have practiced at home for nearly 20 years.

So I get it. I have set up home-practice spaces for many reasons over the years and have dealt with all the barriers (or most of them, anyway!). I do love a good in-person class, and I love teaching this way too…it’s really quite a different experience for both student and teacher. However, the convenience of a honed-in home practice is hard to beat when you want to increase your practice beyond just a weekly class.

Also, I’m familiar with shifting the practice with age. I practiced what I’ll call “feel-good yoga” nearly every day for a couple of decades, and felt like I was doing all the right things to care for my body. I could do a lot of fancy poses and had fun doing it. But still, even though I’d been a yoga teacher for several years, I had nagging hip discomfort, shoulder issues that would come and go, and my fair share of incidents of throwing my back out completely. After my back went out for about the 5th time, I decided that what I was doing wasn’t working, and I resolved to figure out a way to move my body differently: to work smarter, not harder, and to do it consistently.

But I didn’t want to give up the yoga practice that I loved (and that my students loved). That helped me feel calm, connected, grounded, and balanced. I didn’t want to just do PT or lift weights in a gym (though I’ve done both). I wanted something that I could fold into my nurturing yoga practice in a new way…and do it anywhere with students from around the world and with lots of flexibility for everyone’s crazy schedules. I wanted something that I looked forward to doing most days and really enjoy it.

Over the last 5 years, I shifted my yoga teaching into a blend of extremely supportive strength-based movement and the breath-based vinyasa flow that I’ve always loved, and that tends to put us into that present-moment awareness.

I’m increasingly aware of our need to be in community together after our pandemic experience of becoming more and more isolated. We’ve always done yoga with friends…now is the time to double-down on that.

In Calm + Connected, you’ll access the support, the practices, the pathway, and the magic of your own body-mind so you can enjoy your body in new way and for years to come.

Your journey to a consistent movement practice that fuels a resilient body and mind begins here. Are you ready to take the first step?

Join the Collective

Before we go any further, let’s do an experiment.

Stand up if you can, kick off shoes (especially heels, if you happen to be wearing those), and then try sitting down on the floor WITHOUT USING YOUR HANDS.

You can do it any way you’d like.

If you HAVE to use hands, of course you can do that…push into whatever you need to, hang on to what’s nearby. But try not to if you can.

Then try standing back up, same rules! See what your body can (and can’t quite) figure out.

How did it go? Were you surprised at what happened?

Congratulations! You just (1) did your first at-home practice, (2) learned a lot!, and (3) started teaching your body about different ways to move.

This little exercise is meant to just reveal to you a little about where your body and mind are at, and how important it is to start moving differently NOW so you can continue to move well throughout your life. And it’s a little sampling of some of the things we’ll work with in the Calm + Connected Collective.

The Calm + Connected Collective will set you up for an at-home yoga + movement practice that keeps you moving, at all stages of life.

But how exactly will you get there?

Let’s look under the hood:

You’ll get:

Access to the Monthly Yoga Playlists. Each playlist will include 5 or 6 seasonally-based practices and will feature:
- At least two 30-min practices (think short and sweet, but that pack a punch)
- A longer (50-60 min) practice that is seasonally-based to hook into the time of the year that we’re in
- One restorative/yin practice to help you destress and stretch
- One mini breathwork/meditation practice (5-15 minutes) focused on nervous system regulation and mindfulness
A short Making Space for Yoga course + workbook to ensure you get your time and space set up “well enough” and tackle common barriers so that you show up and don’t miss your practice.
Access to a weekly Yoga Accountability Group. In the event that you have trouble getting on your mat on your own and want to practice with the support of a group, you’ll just join this online group and I’ll hit Play for you on one of the classes for that month.
A weekly CARs and Coffee online mobility practice (20 min) where you will learn a way to consistently move all the joints in your body through their full, pain-free range of motion. (Note: CARs stands for Controlled Articular Rotations)
Access to a weekly Core Accountability Group practice (20-30 min class)
(Starts in August) A bi-weekly Timed Holds online group practice (20 min) where you can really measure your progress! Think progressions to planks and handstands (and variations of those things for all levels, including the foundational wrist prep and core work that make it all possible)!! And a bi-weekly Restorative/Yin practice to help you relax, chill, and rejuvenate.
Recordings of many classes (just the ones that make sense…I’m not going to overwhelm you with tons of practices), just in case you can’t make it live and you want to practice on your own.
Access to our private, STRONG, connected, (and calm) community! Lots of opportunities to get to know new friends (or to bring your friends into the fold). We’re not doing this in isolation.
Calendar of the program so you know what’s coming up.
Accountability partner to keep you on track.

I am looking for students who want to stop feeling creaky and fearful in their bodies, and are looking for a solid path forward to powerful strength to support them in all the amazing things they do.

As a Collective member, you also get a few extras:

INFLUENCE! This is your opportunity to help influence and shape this program.
IN-PERSON PRACTICES! For those of you that are local to Santa Cruz, we’ll have periodic little outdoor get-togethers on my deck, where I teach my Yoga on the Deck classes. We’ll do a little bit of movement, share some yummy snacks, and get to know each other! (We’ll be flexible on this and schedule it at a time when it’s safe to gather. Hybrid and shifting with the times is quite necessary these days, and we’ll try to make this happen!)
VIRTUAL CELEBRATION PARTIES! Here and there, we’ll meet via live-stream and congratulate each other on wins, swap stories, and generally enjoy a champagne moment of celebration.

Seasonally-based practices give us focus and connect us further to cycles of Earth and nature. Here’s what we’ll be exploring, month by month:

JANUARY

Just Show Up

As easy as it sounds. We’ll tap into that new year’s energy, but do it with ease.

FEBRUARY

Consistent Weekly Practice

Getting into a regular practice starts with committing to a regular weekly routine. We’ll really focus on setting up space and time this month.

MARCH

Move Your Joints “Most Days”

I’ll introduce you to a basic but critical mobility routine that you can do with your coffee or tea! “Most days” is a path toward creating more regularity with practice, without the pressure to do something every single day. This is a great way to build new habits.

APRIL

Core Phase 1 – Energy

Build foundational core strength + spinal intelligence to generate energy and mobilize it for use with Phase 1 of the Calm + Connected Core Series. A wonderful way to align with the rejuvenation of Spring!

MAY

Resilient Self-Care

We’ll do some more core + spinal intelligence work to become more resilient, focus on releasing stagnant energy to detox and cleanse our systems, and also just generally take care of ourselves.

JUNE

Breath Initiated Flow

Enjoy the strength that you’ve built while tapping into the energy of Summer through getting deep into breath-based flow vinyasa flow work.

JULY

Exploration + Play

A big part of learning and changing is being open to inquiry-based movement. So we’ll have fun this month with exploration and play!

AUGUST

Balance + Timed Holds

Toward the end of the Summer, we’ll practice balance, both physically and emotionally/mentally. In this month, we’ll add in a Timed Holds practice to expand our capacity, and we’ll also balance that out with restorative/yin work to relax and chill.

SEPTEMBER

Refined Routines

It’s back to school time, and thus the perfect time to tweak, refine, and uplevel routines for our yoga + movement space and time.

OCTOBER

Gather + Release

As we enter Fall, our core + spinal intelligence practices will focus on integrating what we’ve gathered and releasing what we no longer need.

NOVEMBER

Gratitude Within Obstacles

What is our way is often the greatest teacher for where we need to go and how we will get there. Therefore, we’ll cultivate radical gratitude for the obstacles in our practice and our lives.

DECEMBER

Deep Rest

Hibernation and restoration is our focus this month, as we let ourselves fully rest with lots of nourishment in our practices.

The Calm + Connected Collective is for you if:

You already have a yoga practice and you want to make it work better for you and go deeper. You want to stop striving for the “perfect pose” and instead start truly strengthening your body and exploring the potential of YOUR range of motion based on YOU.
You crave consistency in your practice. You’d like to get on the mat more than once a week so you can build more capacity in your bodymind.
You’re dealing with aches and pains, and would like to explore a whole new approach to the yoga practice using strength and smart mobility as a guide.
You’re open to exploring new ways of moving so that your brain can learn, play and grow.
You enjoy the slow flow of breath-based practices that are not too fast.
You’re missing the energy of community and need the accountability of a group to show up. You’ve tried going it alone with online yoga at home, and it hasn’t been cutting it.

FAQs

Can I start anytime, or do I have to start with the January practices?

You can start anytime enrollment for the Collective is open! Jump in where you are, and don’t worry about “catching up.” The practices change each month and are designed to be accessible for all, as much as possible. I try to offer lots of options for making things more challenging and also for taking things down a notch. That said, the Core practices ARE programmed in such a way that you may choose to do them in order, and I’ll teach you how to do that.

How much time do I need to commit?

You’ll need to commit to 1-2 hours each week. Most practices will be around 30 minutes, and we’ll have the odd hour-long-ish practice a couple of times per month. In the beginning, you’ll be focused on setting up your space and routines, so you’ll want to allocate a few hours for that process. And then it’s just the practices! There will be 4 weekly classes available for you to attend if you wish. It’s really up to you how often you come to your mat, but we will slowly be building up to a goal of 3-5x/week, 30 minute practices each.

Do I need to attend the classes live?

No (though many people get a lot of support and motivation by being in the live environment with others!). If your schedule doesn’t allow you to join live or you just prefer to do it on your own privately, you can practice with the recording, which will be made available within 24 hours of the live class.

What is a Yoga Accountability Group?

Wanna practice with a group but can’t make the time of the live class? This is where the Yoga Accountability Group Practices come in. Stay with me here, because it’s sort of a new concept I’m trying out. Here’s how it works: A few times a week, I will host a chance to do one of the Monthly Yoga Playlist classes over a Zoom-like class with a group. The group will get on Zoom, and I will share the recording from my screen. (I may even do the practice with you!! Why not??) We’ll chit chat before and after the class if you’d like. It’ll be fun! Think Netflix Watch Party, and you’ve got the concept.

Where do I access the courses and live-streams?

I have an online studio that you will gain access to after you enroll. You can bookmark that page in your browser and return to it when you need. All video lessons and live-streams will happen within my online studio. Supporting materials will also be in the same place. Even our Community will be here (though I do host a Facebook group for some announcements, for those who like that platform).

How hard will this program be?

I love to teach a progressive technique to strength building, so I will be offering you a way to build foundational strength from the ground up. We will focus on the core of the body and how our core is connected into everything else. You’ll be able to start where you are. I will encourage you to choose the intensity that challenges you just enough and you will ramp up through the progressions I offer as the weeks go by. So you’ll be able to make the work more challenging as your body and nervous system is ready, knowing that you can always follow previous versions of movements I’ve taught you in earlier classes. I’ll be with you every step of the way.

Can I bring a friend?

Absolutely! That’s what it’s all about! As a Collective student, you will get a LOT out of the program by inviting a friend to join you and they will get all the same perks. So awesome. Your accountability partner will be built in!

What if I’m already attending Yoga on the Deck classes? Should I still do this program?

Well, I think so! The in-person Yoga on the Deck classes are about the experience of that class with the people who show up that day. The Calm + Connected Membership is more of a progressively-building program that will supplement your deck classes so that they become even more enjoyable!

What if I’m already a Monthly Yoga Playlist Member? Is there a way to upgrade to this fuller experience?

Of course! Please reach out to me so I can help you to easily upgrade!

Do I need special equipment?

You will need a yoga mat, minimum. The other props I do recommend you get are 2 yoga blocks. Please make sure they are either firm foam blocks or cork blocks so they are sturdy enough, but not the super heavy wooden ones. Other than that, you can use things from around your house like blankets, beach towels, pillows, robe ties, etc. No need to go out and buy anything else. As far as tech equipment, you just need your phone or a laptop with a webcam and a mic. That’s it!

I find presence and breathe.

“Thank you for this library! When I can’t make a live-stream, which I so appreciate, I can still make time and enjoy your strong, gentle guiding hand and voice as I find presence and breathe. Yay.”

Emily Dubois, Santa Cruz, CA

Lawyer

The tuition to join is $88/month, and will most likely be more the next time I open up enrollment.

Enrollment will open up again in July 2022, so stay tuned! Please add your name to the waitlist (click the button to “Join the Collective, and then follow the steps from there).

See you inside!

I’m ready to start my Calm + Connected Journey now!

Join the Collective

Calm + connected collective