Repetition has a split personality. Done well, it's one of the best tools we have for learning — repeat something enough times and it starts to live in the body, not just the mind. Done poorly, it becomes a mindless habit, and in the background, is still cementing those actions -  inaccuracies, unhealthy choices and all. There's a real difference between going through the motions over and over, and bringing conscious awareness to each repetition.

The balance is this: repeat with an openness to learning or seeing something new. That small shift changes everything. You can see it in almost anything you're trying to get better at — a new skill, a game, a workout. The people who improve aren't necessarily the ones who repeat the most; they're the ones who stay curious each time they do.

Personal Anecdote: 
I used to hike the same trail in Asheville almost every day after work with my dog — a cruise through the woods, good exercise for both of us. Then I had kids. Hiking with a 3 & 5 year old is a different experience entirely (I wouldn't even call it a "hike"). I was forced to slow way down. Being open to slowing down opened my eyes to see new or "hidden" things — a pretty rock, a funky root, a beautiful leaf..... If I would have been closed off and frustrated about not getting in my "exercise" I'd been used to, I would have missed experiencing the beauties of that trail. 

Healthy Habits
Repetition on the Mat
This is so true in yoga practice. When you come to class multiple times a week, you're moving through the same postures again and again — child's pose, downdog, warrior, the same familiar shapes. For someone who is going through the motions just to get the work out in, they too are missing the beauties of the practice. (It also could get quite boring, but truly it's everything but boring.)
Slowing down, even mentally, in a yoga class allows us to see this practice is in fact it is quite fascinating! The body is a remarkable, endlessly interesting place, and there is always more to discover in it.

As I'm sure you've come to realize, your body isn't the same body it was 5 years ago. But also every season, every day, every hour, it's shifting and changing.
It's a bit like raising a child, or a puppy. Just when you think you've got them figured out, they change the game on you — suddenly nap time isn't happening, or your favorite pillow has become a new chew toy.

The ability to stay open to experiencing our bodies with adaptability can help soften frustrations and even bring a sense of joy and wonder in the repetition of the practice.

Three Principles Behind the Power of Repetition
1. Show up. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. And on the days when showing up is genuinely difficult, it's okay to lean into something familiar — a class or teacher you already know well. Familiarity isn't a failure to push yourself; it's often exactly what lets you stay consistent enough for the repetition to work.

2. Start with the foundation, and let the layers unfold. Every posture, every practice, has depth to it. Sometimes it's that foundational layer, the one you think you've already mastered, that reveals something new. But with repetition, we can uncover the layers and experience something deeper, something beautiful, hidden inside — like the shiny rock stuck in the mud waiting to be found. 

3. Make space. Physically, energetically, and mentally. Space is what allows new awareness in and lets tension or old patterns release. Without space, repetition just reinforces what's already there. With it, there's room to grow.

Making It Tangible: Downdog
Take downward-facing dog — a pose most of us land in dozens of times a week.

Show up: even on a stiff, low-energy day, come to it fully and completely, not just going through the motions or half-assing it. 
Start with the foundation - feel the layers: press evenly through both hands; root down through the base of the index finger and thumb (a foundation). From there, notice something new — how your shoulders and neck are feeling today; whether your hips are reaching up and back a little differently.
Make space: lengthen through the spine, let the neck soften, take the feet a little wider or even bend your knees. Notice what softens. Notice where the breath travels. 
Same pose, hundreds of times — and still, if you're open to it, something new every time.

Class Highlight: GENTLE FLOW & YIN with Crystal Bowls
Settle in with a soft, accessible vinyasa flow suitable for all levels—even beginners. You’ll move slowly and mindfully, creating ease in the body and steadiness in the breath.
Then, transition into nourishing Yin postures where you can soften, slow down, and sink into deeper layers of relaxation and peace.
Alexandra will incorporate crystal signing bowls to re-harmonize energy and promote profound rest.
Every Monday at 7:30pm