Sundarie

Happy Mother’s Day. My sweet mother, Amy Elizabeth Nesbit, died at 55 from complications of a back surgery. She would have been 67 in four days. She was the youngest of four; now there is only one remaining sister. These four beautiful children had a mentally ill mother with addiction issues. They raised themselves. My mother wanted nothing more than to have a family of her own, so she married my father young and had three children. We were her greatest joy until the end. Our parents divorced when I was 14.

Amy was kind, spiritual, a giver, hilarious, loved food, humans, and to laugh. I feel like she had peace in the end. She accepted her death. She had 13 days to live after they told her there was nothing they could do. I will never forget her writing on a piece of paper that she did not want to die. Then it took only a day, and she got over it. Like always, she made lemonade. She said, “Let’s have a party,” with her favorite cake… Baum’s half double chocolate and lemon. She wanted to watch Elf with her favorite, Will Ferrell. She couldn’t really enjoy either since she was dying. However, she was peaceful. She accepted it. I could not. I had begun numbing myself with pharmaceuticals and alcohol.

Before the doctors said she was going to die, I knew she was. I knew six months before, and I could not accept it. I was an atheist at the time. The idea of her becoming nothing—blackness—made me ill. I remember being in that hospital room and deciding I was going on a spiritual journey to India and immersing myself in yoga. I booked the first Ashtanga YTTC in Rishikesh I could find. I went six weeks after she died. I had only planned to be there six weeks; after six weeks I canceled my ticket home and began the most important journey of my life. I ended up living between Nepal and India for the next four incredible years.

From this suffering came everything beautiful I am and have now. I believe everything happens for a divine reason. Thank you, Mom, for teaching me to always be kind, be the bigger person, and make my lemons into lemonade.

I’m hosting a yoga retreat in Ecuador this summer.
July 25 – August 1!!!!!!!!

It’s in La Esperanza, a small Kichwa village in the Andes—quiet, spacious, and surrounded by mountains.

It’s also a place that’s drawn people in for a long time—artists and musicians included. Even Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd spent time here, which says something about the energy of the place.

We’ll move every day—yoga, breathwork, time outside.
We’ll hike to Cubliche Lagoon and spend time on Imbabura, including a horseback journey through the mountains.

Our retreat center has a Temezcal—an ancestral sweat lodge used release and reset your energy

We’ll be staying at a private eco-lodge, eating food grown on the land, and living simply for the week.
There’s space to slow down, to be on your own, and to connect—without forcing anything.

I spent years studying yoga in India and traveling, and this retreat reflects what’s stayed with me: being in nature, practicing consistently, and having the space to actually feel your life.

If that resonates, come on ya’ll!

Bakasana (Crow Pose) is one of the most foundational arm balances to master. So many other shapes and transitions build from this—think Bakasana B, Tittibasana, Eka Pada Bakasana, and beyond. When you understand crow, you unlock a whole new world of lift, control, and play.

A few key cues that change everything:

1️⃣ Tuck the pelvis + activate your bandhas.
Draw into Uddiyana and Moola Bandha to lift the hips high. Think of yourself as a compact, powerful little ball rather than collapsing into your arms.

2️⃣ Gaze forward, not down.
Your body follows your eyes. Look ahead to create length and prevent tipping.

3️⃣ Hug everything in.
Squeeze the feet together and draw them toward your seat. Keep the knees snug in the armpits or on the biceps to create stability and lightness.

4️⃣ Shift your weight with intention.
It’s not about jumping—it’s about leaning forward until the toes naturally float.