Balance

by Stephanie Fassett

Balance poses can teach us so much about ourselves. Some of the best tips for improving balance include awareness of your body. Ensuring you have a steady foundation, keeping the core engaged and finding a focus point, or drishti are three great strategies for improving balance. I have also found that slowing down the breath and focusing on each single inhale and exhale during the pose can provide a useful anchor.  Using support such as a block or a wall can help to find that sense of balance while still receiving all the benefits of the pose.

My personal journey with balance has been mirrored in my career. I have been a nurse for over 24 years, and up until two years ago, I have always worked in a hospital system. I loved the work, but I also had a hard time leaving it behind. I consistently worked long hours and worked overtime, sometimes without compensation. My work not only consumed me, but it defined me as a person. If I wasn't putting in a lot of hours and tons of effort at work, I felt like I wasn't working hard enough. This pattern continued, and I felt stressed out at work and exhausted at home.

About two years ago, I got a new job, and that is when I realized just how out of balance my life had become. I was still working as a nurse, but I worked from home and the pressure and expectations completely shifted. Most weeks there was no need to work overtime, but if I did, I was compensated with additional days off. I have started to find balance again. I have renewed my steady foundation and prioritized the things that are important to me like spending time with my family and the people I love and practicing yoga. I use meditation as my drishti to help me refocus and find my awareness of breath. I am more self aware when I notice myself falling back into overwork mode. Remembering those key tips - starting with a steady foundation, engaging the core and finding a focus point - has helped my physical balance practice but has also helped me find my foundation, my center and focus in life. It’s a continual practice, but when I feel myself out of balance, I am more aware and can find my equilibrium.

Namaste,

Stephanie

The Embodied Middle: Truth Before Transcendence and the Art of Sustainable Living and Teaching
with Nikki Myers

The Embodied Middle is a four-part immersion exploring balance as a lived capacity — biological, relational, and collective.

In uncertain times, it's tempting to reach for transcendence. This work begins somewhere else: with truth about our nervous systems, our patterns, and the conditioning that shapes how we lead and show up.

Four sessions. Discourse, embodied practice, and experiential exploration woven throughout.

When the middle is embodied, it becomes more than personal balance. It becomes relational steadiness and communal resilience.

Date: November 6-8

Times: Fri 6:30-9:00pm, Sat 10:30am-12:30pm & 2:00-5:00pm, Sun 11:00am-3:00pm

Investment: $495. Mat Members save 15%.

No refunds. Space is limited, so register early to save your spot.

Saturday Yoga Teacher Intensive
with Iris Haftlang

What makes a yoga class unforgettable?

Some classes leave us feeling like we exercised. Others stay with us long after we've rolled up our mat. The difference isn't luck. It's intention.

Exceptional teaching begins by understanding the story within each pose. From there, those individual stories are thoughtfully woven together into a meaningful journey, one that carries students from the first breath to the final savasana.

This September, join Iris for a full afternoon exploring the craft of exceptional yoga teaching, through two complementary workshops. Attend one session or experience the complete journey.

📅 Saturday, September 26

Session I: Creative Sequencing Part II, Beyond the Expected
12:30–2:30 PM

Session II: Inside the Pose, A Framework for Confident Teaching
3:00–5:00 PM

💵 $55 per session; Mat Members save 15%

Attending both? Save 25% on Session II.

1. Register for Session I first.
2. You'll receive a promo code in your confirmation email.
3. Use that code when registering for Session II to unlock the discount.

Questions or trouble registering? Email Samantha.

Space is limited and there are no refunds, so register early to save your spot.

The Mat's 2027 Canada Retreat - Week 2
with Samantha, Melanie, and Alex

Week Two registeration is now open! Join us July 19–25, 2027 at Bloom Holistic Retreat Centre in Eastern Ontario.

Investment: From $3,055 per person
Early Bird Discount: Save $150 when you register by August 31.

A $500 deposit holds your spot (non-refundable, applied to your total balance).

Space is limited. Single rooms are sold out but we have both Lake or Garden and Standard Double rooms available. Register early to get your preferred room type.

Visit our website to read all the details and to register.

Strength + Balance: Baby Grasshopper & Eight-Angle Pose
with Iris & the Strength + Balance Divas

This month, we'll explore the pathway into Baby Grasshopper and Eight-Angle Pose through creative progressions, hip-opening transitions, and playful movement.

Rather than focusing on the final pose, we'll build the strength, mobility, balance, and confidence that make these arm balances more accessible. Along the way, you'll discover complementary poses and transitions that support your practice, no matter where you're starting.

All levels are welcome. No previous experience is necessary.

Date: Sunday, September 27

Time: 1:00–2:30 PM 

Investment: $30; Mat Members pay $20.

No refunds. Space is limited, so register early to save your spot.

The Space Within: Therapeutic Yoga & Sound Bath Meditation Workshop
with Lauren Margolies

We spend so much time focused on the world around us. This experience is a chance to turn inward.

We'll begin with gentle therapeutic yoga — breath, mindful movement, and somatic awareness to slow down and notice the body with curiosity, not judgment. Then we'll settle into a deeply restful sound bath, letting the sound and vibration support relaxation and reflection.

A space to pause, listen inward, and reconnect with what feels true to you.

Come as you are. Leave with a little more space to simply be.

Date: Sunday, October 4
Time: 12:30 to 2:30pm
Investment: $55; Mat Members save 15%

No refunds. Register in advance to reserve your spot.