jessica, Author at One Down Dog

Why we love MAT PILATES

jessica — Mon, 18 May 2026 02:57:21 +0000

What is Mat Pilates – and why is everyone so obsessed with it?

If you’ve been searching for MAT PILATES on the eastside of Los Angeles (Echo Park, DTLA, Eagle Rock, Glendale, Pasadena, Highland Park, East Hollywood, Silverlake, Los Feliz) – hi, you found us!

MAT PILATES is having a moment.

If you’re in the world of yoga and fitness, you’ve probably been seeing a surge of mat pilates popping up in your feed, in your conversations, and at your local studios. Maybe you’ve even googled “mat Pilates near me" at 11pm and somehow ended up here.

Mat Pilates is a method of movement developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century – originally called “Contrology," which tells you everything you need to know about it. It’s about deliberate, intelligent control of the body. And despite what the reformer’s omnipresence in modern studios might suggest, the mat work came first. Pilates developed the foundational exercises while interning in England during World War I, reportedly helping rehabilitate fellow internees using floor-based movement and whatever was on hand – including springs rigged to hospital beds, which is actually how the reformer concept eventually emerged.

Mat Pilates focuses on stabilization of the deep postural muscles that most of us completely ignore until something starts to hurt – think transverse abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor. These are the muscles that hold everything together when you’re doing literally anything.

What to expect in a MAT PILATES class:

A typical MAT PILATES class moves through a sequence of exercises performed on the floor, usually in a controlled, flowing rhythm. The work is low-impact but incredibly challenging. Beginners can find their footing without feeling lost and regular practitioners can go deep into precision and endurance.

You’ll work on:

Core strength and stability – not just the “six-pack" abs, but all 360 degrees of your trunk
Spinal mobility and articulation – your spine is meant to move in more ways than forward and backward
Hip and shoulder stability – essential for both athletic performance and long-term joint health

The mind-body connection is real here. This is not a “zone out and move" class. You’ll learn to notice how you’re moving, which changes how you move everywhere else.

Why practice MAT PILATES?

If you’re an athlete or regular mover, MAT PILATES fills in the gaps. Runners, cyclists, lifters – they all tend to develop muscular imbalances over time because repetitive movement patterns build strength in the muscles you use most, while quietly neglecting others. Your dominant side gets more dominant, your hip flexors tighten while your glutes disengage, and your shoulders round forward from years of the same movement patterns. Pilates emphasizes unilateral stability, spinal articulation, and deep core activation that most conventional workouts never address. The result isn’t just injury prevention, though that’s worth mentioning; it’s that your existing training starts to feel better and more controlled – more efficient, more intentional, with less of the compensation and grinding that comes from working around weak links you didn’t know you had.

If you’re recovering from injury or dealing with chronic pain, the emphasis on alignment and core support makes this one of the most commonly recommended movement modalities by physical therapists. Always check in with your care team, but Pilates has a long history of being rehabilitation-friendly.

If you sit at a desk all day, the postural work alone is worth it. Most of us are chronically tight in the hip flexors, weak through the glutes and deep core, and rounded forward at the shoulders. MAT PILATES addresses all of it.

If you already do yoga, you’ll find a complementary challenge. Both practices emphasize body awareness, intentional movement, and working from the inside out, but Pilates places particular emphasis on core stability and precise muscular control. The two practices support each other well, which is exactly why we offer both under the same roof.

MAT PILATES at One Down Dog

At ODD, our MAT PILATES classes are taught by instructors who have trained extensively in this method. They know the work deeply, they cue with precision, and they pay attention to you in class. Every class is built around the same core commitments: starting with breath and a theme, moving the body in all planes, creating an inspired experience through music and sequence, and personalized instruction. It is a full-body workout that targets core strength, glute engagement, and the deep stabilizing muscles that many training programs skip entirely. This class is a slow-burn by design – not because it’s easy, but because moving slowly with control is what builds real strength, improves posture, and supports spinal mobility through a range of motion that’s safe and sustainable over time.

Classes are all levels – whether you’re brand new to Pilates or have been practicing for years, you’ll be challenged at the level you’re at. The goal is to leave feeling like you crushed some things, got humbled by others, and are already looking forward to coming back. Hands-on adjustments are part of how we teach, because in a form-based practice, that kind of individual attention makes a difference. MAT PILATES is an excellent complement to yoga, strength training, and cardio, and is ideal for anyone looking to build functional strength, stability, and lasting body awareness.

Our classes are taught across all three of our Los Angeles locations: Echo Park, Eagle Rock, and East Hollywood. So whether you’re walking over from Silver Lake or Los Feliz, heading over from DTLA, or venturing from Glendale, Pasadena, Highland Park or Montrose, there’s a class close to you!

New to ODD? Here’s your easy in:

If you’ve been thinking about trying MAT PILATES in Los Angeles, our New Student Intro Offer – 21 days of unlimited yoga + fitness for $79 is a great place to start!

That means you can explore MAT PILATES, find the teachers you click with, and layer it in alongside any of our other class formats (FLOW, FLOW+, FIT, RESTORE, YIN, SLOW FLOW, PRENATAL, and more) all in one place.

Check out the intro offer →

Find MAT PILATES near you in Los Angeles

Echo Park — 319 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026 · 213-318-5071

Eagle Rock — 2150 Colorado Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90041 · 323-344-3696

East Hollywood — 5531 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 · 323-989-3696

Online — Live classes 7 days a week. More info →

View the full schedule →

One Down Dog is a yoga and fitness studio with three eastside LA locations in Echo Park, Eagle Rock, and East Hollywood. We offer multiple class formats including MAT PILATES, FLOW, FLOW+, SLOW FLOW, FIT, YIN, and more!

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ODDlight Teacher Feature: Rachel Cohen

jessica — Thu, 07 May 2026 18:00:40 +0000

After a decade of teaching Pilates throughout New York City, Rachel arrived in LA in 2023. Rachel holds a 500-hour comprehensive Balanced Body certification and is also certified in pre/postnatal Pilates, myofascial release, and nutrition. She was diagnosed with EDS, a hypermobility disorder, in high school, and through Pilates, she found that movement and pain didn’t have to go hand in hand. It was this realization that led her to share Pilates with others. Rachel co-writes and co-runs Pilates teacher training programs… stay tuned for one coming to ODD in 2027! Rachel is the teacher who knows your name, remembers your weird knee thing, gives you options, and helps you hit your goals. She makes a challenging class feel like a fun party, with incredible playlists and lots of laughter. You’ll leave her class with more body awareness, strength, and confidence than when you walked in – and you’ll probably be surprised by what you’re capable of. All bodies, all backgrounds, and all weird knee things are welcome – find Rachel’s schedule here.

Get to know Rachel:

Hometown: Franklin, MA

Favorite place: California… but Japan is a close second.

What’s your sign? Sagittarius

Five words that describe your teaching style: Mindful. Precise. Empowering. Playful. Attentive.

What’s an ODD fact about you? I have two cats, Pigeon and Fig, and a dog named Sunny.

Where are you when you’re not at the studio? Outside – reading, swimming, hiking, seeing friends. Also, deep in a vintage shop, looking for something good for my apartment or my wardrobe.

What led you to Pilates? I got diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder called EDS in high school, and aside from physical therapy, Pilates was the only thing that made me feel better. It was the first time I started to see exercise as medicine rather than punishment. Now I’ve been teaching for over a decade!

Why do you teach? I love helping people connect to their bodies and start to feel more capable in day-to-day life. When I started teaching, there were a lot of classes I felt I could not take because of my injuries. I was often left feeling like I was just trying to figure it out on my own, and I never wanted any of my clients to feel that way. Bodies are forever changing, and I want you to feel empowered in each season.

My class is for you if… You are a person! I love teaching all ages, injuries, bodies, and backgrounds. All are welcome.

How do you hope people feel after they leave your class? Better than they came in. I always want people to feel seen, in touch with their bodies, and like they had a good time.

How would a regular describe your class to a friend who’s never been? “It’s not one of those intimidating and silent classes. The instructor is funny and can make you forget you’re working hard until you can’t walk the next day. She comes around and fixes your form the whole time, so you actually know what you’re doing, and if you have a weird knee thing, she’ll help you. You leave feeling like you did something really good for your body but also like you just hung out with someone who cares."

What do you geek out on as a teacher? All of it. I have ADHD, so the ability to learn and work on so many things really works to my advantage. I think all of it together provides an amazing class.

What are you working on in your own practice right now? I’m in physical therapy for my neck, so that’s a semi-boring but honest part of my practice right now. Other than that, I’m focusing on moving with confidence and grace, which isn’t always easy when coming back from injury!

What’s on repeat lately? Very disco vibes. This playlist has been on heavy rotation.

One affirmation you keep coming back to: “The amount of good things in your life depends on your ability to notice them." – source unknown

Anything else? I feel so grateful for the ODD community. The clients and instructors I have met here are truly special. I often just look around the room while I’m teaching and feel so lucky to be a part of something so beautiful.

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ODDlight Teacher Feature: Nate Apuna

jessica — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:58:21 +0000

If you haven’t tried Nate’s class yet, it’s time to change that! Nate came to yoga out of pure necessity (tight runner’s legs will do that), and somewhere between loosening up and deepening his mental focus, he got so hooked he had to share it. His FLOW+ and FLOW classes offer challenging sequences that will leave you feeling stronger and more capable. When Nate’s not guiding you through something intentional and restorative, he’s chasing sunlight, dreaming of the seaside, and geeking out on anatomy. Catch Nate teaching FLOW+, FLOW, and YIN at Echo Park and East Hollywood — Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday — and find out what it feels like to be at home in your body. Check his schedule out here.

Get to know Nate:

What are your “Big 3?" Aries sun Libra moon Sagittarius rising

Five words to describe your teaching style? Fun, grounded, expansive, intentional, restorative

What’s an ODD fact about you? I was a missionary and almost became a pastor!

What led you to yoga/fitness? I found yoga out of necessity. My body was tight from running!

Why do you teach? I felt so good from moving in my body and deepening my mental focus, I couldn’t not share.

My class is for you if… You’re willing to explore and challenge yourself.

How do you hope people feel after they leave your class? After class, I hope you feel at home in your body.

How would a regular describe your class to a friend who’s never been? “Oh it’s fun, it’ll be challenging obviously, but like, stay with it and I think you’ll be glad you did."

What do you geek out on as a teacher? Anatomy always perks my ears — and I realize that is not an anatomically correct phrase because I’m not a dog.

What are you working on in your own movement practice right now? Right now, movement for me is about getting stronger. How can I improve a strong foundation to set up for future unfolding?

What song/playlist is on repeat for you lately? Superestrella by Aitana

One affirmation you always come back to? “I am held by a universe that loves me."

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The Benefits of Yoga for Stress Relief (According to Science)

jessica — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:40:34 +0000

Your Body Already Knows How to Handle Stress.

It just needs a little help. That’s where yoga comes in. April is Stress Awareness Month, which, if you’re a person living in the world right now, probably feels less like a calendar event and more like a personal attack. We’re not going to tell you to breathe more or download a meditation app. We’re going to tell you what the research actually says: yoga and movement are among the most effective, accessible, and underused tools for stress relief we have. And not just one kind of movement, all of it.

What Stress Is Actually Doing to Your Body

When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, which is your primary stress hormone. It’s not the villain it’s been made out to be. Cortisol evolved to keep you alive: it sharpens focus, mobilizes energy, and gets you through hard moments. The problem only starts when levels stay elevated long after the stressor is gone. Chronically elevated, it’s linked to poor sleep, inflammation, anxiety, weight changes, and burnout. The goal isn’t to never feel stress. The goal is to keep your system from getting stuck in it, building resilience, and finding more ease. That’s where the benefits of yoga for stress relief come in.

Why Yoga Is One of the Best Tools for Stress Relief

A 2024 systematic review published in Stress & Health found that 71% of studies measuring physiological stress markers showed significant reductions after a single yoga session. A 2025 network meta-analysis comparing exercise modalities confirmed what practitioners have long suspected: yoga produces some of the largest measurable reductions in cortisol of any form of movement studied – and it works even after just one class. The mechanisms differ depending on what you’re doing: Slow yoga practices like RESTORE, YIN, and SLOW FLOW activate the parasympathetic nervous system, your body’s rest-and-digest state, through breathwork, stillness, and sustained holds. YIN yoga in particular targets the fascia, the connective tissue that physically tightens in response to emotional stress – ever heard the saying we hold our issues in our tissues? That’s what this is about. A 2024 clinical study found that a 10-week YIN yoga intervention reduced anxiety after every single session and lowered baseline anxiety levels over time. More vigorous yoga and fitness classes like FLOW+, FIT, and MAT PILATES work differently, but just as effectively. High-effort movement triggers endorphins and endocannabinoids, your brain’s natural mood regulators, with mood-lifting effects lasting up to 24 hours post-workout. Regular intense training also retrains your HPA axis to respond to everyday stress more efficiently over time. You’re not just burning it off. You’re building long-term resilience to it.

The Benefits of a Consistent Yoga Practice for Stress

There’s no one right class for stress relief. Some days you need stillness. Some days you need sweat. Sometimes it’s important to treat with opposites, sometimes you need to meet yourself where you are. What matters is showing up consistently, because the biggest benefits of yoga on stress aren’t acute. They’re cumulative. Your nervous system changes over time. Your baseline shifts. Things that used to knock you flat start to feel more manageable. Research backs this up: studies show that regular yoga practice increases heart rate variability (HRV), the gold-standard marker of stress resilience, and raises levels of BDNF – a brain-growth factor inversely linked to anxiety. All this to say (as my yoga teacher used to always tell me), yoga – this sh*t works!

Yoga for Stress Relief in Los Angeles

At One Down Dog, we offer eight class formats across our three eastside LA locations – Echo Park, Eagle Rock, and East Hollywood, plus online and on-demand. RESTORE, SOMATIC, YIN, SLOW FLOW, FLOW, FLOW+, FIT, MAT PILATES. Slow or sweaty, still or strong, there’s a class for every version of overwhelmed. Making yoga a consistent part of how you manage stress is easier with our UNLIMITED+ membership – unlimited classes across all three locations, online, and on-demand, plus perks like 20% off workshops and retail, free mat rentals, and more, for one monthly rate. $209/month. Use code $15offUL+ for $15 off per month!

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Sustainable Serenity: reclaim time and using yoga philosophy

jessica — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 21:56:41 +0000

Part 1: time

“I don’t have enough time” – me 200 times a day. “You have time for what you make time for.” – me trying to finish writing this post. Other fun things I tell myself on the regular: “I’m so behind.” “I have so much to do.” “I want to do X (something fulfilling), but I have to do Y (some kind of obligation).” Maybe like me, you wonder whether you’re living to work or working to live? So, let’s talk about time. Time is weird. It flies, it drags, it slips through your fingers, and somehow there’s never enough of it. That feeling, that low-key panic of “there’s so much to do and I’ll never catch up” has become so normal, we forget to question it anymore… but maybe we should.

The Gunas and the nature of time

In my last blog, I discussed Samkhya philosophy, specifically prakriti and purusha. As a reminder, Prakriti = matter/nature, Purusa = the (S)elf. Prakriti, the material world, is ever changing and is made up of the three gunas:

Tamas: heavy, slow to change
Rajas: hot, active, fast-moving
Sattva: balanced, stable, sustainable

The nature of nature is change. We’re constantly cycling through these energies. Some days we feel bored, lazy, stuck (tamas). Others are full of action, overstimulation, and chaos (rajas). And then there are moments when we experience sattva, those rare, calm spaces where we feel present and in flow. The way our culture interacts with time tends to overemphasize rajas. Go. Achieve. Hustle. Optimize. Be productive. But here’s the thing about rajas:

It’s addictive
It is not sustainable
It always leads to tamas

Too much rajas without sattva leads to burnout. Too much tamas without sattva leads to stagnation. Yoga gives us tools to navigate all three so we can start living with intention rather than getting caught up in the rat race.

Time Famine: why doing nothing is so hard and SO necessary

From the moment we’re born, we’re trained to race time. We learn to measure it, track it, and maximize it. Time becomes currency. Productivity becomes identity. We’re living through what some call a “time famine” – a deep, collective feeling that there’s never enough time. We run on alarms, meetings, time sheets, and calendar pings. We measure our worth in productivity. We pack our days, rush through meals, scroll through breaks, and optimize our downtime. This hyper-focus on productivity can lead to burnout, anxiety, and even physical health problems – super rajasic! We’re so conditioned to do that sitting still for even 30 minutes doing absolutely nothing can feel impossible and tremendously uncomfortable. But doing nothing is deeply healing. I always tell my kid that boredom leads to creativity, and being bored can change the world! A bit dramatic, sure, but it is also true. In stillness, we integrate, imagine, and restore. We desperately need that space!

Bending Time: creating space for what matters

We say we’ll take that trip “someday.” We’ll rest “after this deadline.” We’ll play, sleep, breathe… later. But what if later never comes? What if time itself is just a construct we’ve agreed to without realizing it? What if we can reshape it to serve our well-being, not just our schedules? What if we make joy a non-negotiable? What if we could bend time? Here’s how I’m learning to bend time back into something that feels like mine:

get present: constantly thinking about the future = anxiety. Constantly ruminating on the past = depression. The only place peace exists is in the present.

In Sutra 1.2 (Yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ), Patanjali says that Yoga is the stilling of the fluctuations of the mind. Tools to still the mind:

Breath Awareness: lengthen your exhale – it signals to your nervous system that you are safe. Check out our blog on pranayama for more breath tips.
Movement: yoga, dancing in your kitchen, long walks – when you move with intention time slows down.
Journal: brain dump all of the things – writing creates separation between you and your thoughts.

When you’re in the present, time expands.

add novelty: have you ever noticed how, when you travel, it feels like every day is 10 days long? I was just in Italy and I ended every day feeling this way. That’s because new experiences snap us out of autopilot and make time feel longer.

1. - Take a different route home
  - Add a random activity into your day that you rarely do: paint a picture, jump rope, walk a route you’ve never walked
  - Work from a new space – a coffee shop, a park, the floor

set boundaries: say yes to what fills you. Say no to what drains you. We forget how much choice we actually have. Boundaries = freedom!

1. - Add things fill your cup to your calendar and treat them with the same respect you do your work/family responsibilities
  - Say “not right now” or “I’ll get back to you” instead of defaulting to “yes” pause before you commit, and check in with your energy first.

find your flow: what makes you lose track of time in the best way? Cooking? Painting? Writing? Movement? Flow States are time-benders – add more of them into your week.

Live fluid: In our culture, time often feels rigid, linear, and scheduled. But not everyone lives that way, in many cultures (Latin America, Africa, South Asian, Indigenous), time is seen as fluid, relational, and intuitive. Instead of living by the clock, let yourself:

Be spontaneous
Pause to talk to the person next to you instead of rushing past them
Make spending time with your people just for funsies a priority

reclaim Your Relationship with Rest: Rest isn’t something you earn – it’s something you deserve and it’s essential! Rest isn’t wasted time. It’s what makes your life livable. True rest (not just zoning out) resets your nervous system and shifts how you experience time. Sleep, nap, daydream… slow down before your body forces you to.
define “enough” for yourself: productivity culture teaches us that we’re not doing enough, or worse, that we’re not enough. When “more” is the only measure, we’ll always feel behind.

Ask yourself: “what does enough look like today?” When you define enough, you give yourself permission to stop.
Remember: done is better than perfect
You are a human being not a human doing

Time isn’t just hours on a clock, it’s how we live our lives. And maybe the first step to reclaiming it is remembering that we can. We can choose presence over pressure. We can define “enough” for ourselves. We can move through our day with intention instead of exhaustion. In a world that’s constantly pulling us toward doing more, faster, sooner, it’s an act of resistance to pause, to soften, and to ask: What truly matters? This is just Part 1 of Sustainable Serenity. There’s more to explore – more ways to reclaim your joy, your energy, your space. But for now, take a breath. You have time. And you’re allowed to use it differently.
Jessica Rosen

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Bugs on the Windshield: An Exploration of Samkhya Philosophy

jessica — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 01:09:24 +0000

A few weeks ago, my therapist asked, “How have things been lately?” The same question that kicks off pretty much every session. I started sharing how hard life’s been – personally, yes, but also collectively (because… the world). She asked what I was doing to navigate the ups, the downs, and all the stress in between. As a small business owner and mom to a 9-year-old, there’s a lot to hold. And then I remembered something I teach in every round of teacher training: Bugs on the windshield. Sounds gross, I know, but stick with me.

Here’s the gist…

The philosophy of yoga includes many darshanas (lenses) – or ways of seeing. One of the foundational darshanas we explore in our 200-hour teacher training is Samkhya philosophy. Samkhya philosophy views reality as made up of two independent principles (it’s a dualistic philosophy) Prakriti = matter. The stuff of the world – thoughts, emotions, bodies, circumstances. Always changing. Purusha = Self with a capital S. Not your mood, your resume, or even your “best self.” This is your pure consciousness. Steady, unchanging, always witnessing. So What Do Bugs Have to Do With It? My yoga teacher explained samkhya philosophy like this: Imagine you’re moving through the world (prakriti) in your car; you’re on a long road trip, and the destination is the Self (purusha). Just like any road trip, your windshield starts to get covered in bugs… Bugs = Life As humans in this wild, ever-changing world, we deal with a lot: Insomnia? bugs Money stress? bugs Career stress, family tension, getting cut off on the way to class? Yep – bugs! They cloud your vision. They distort what’s real. They pile up so fast, you can’t even see where you’re headed anymore.

But You’ve Got Wipers!

But here’s the thing: you’ve got a strong set of windshield wipers. And top-tier wiper fluid. That’s yoga. The practice of Yoga doesn’t stop the bugs… you’re still a human living in a bug filled world. But it does help you see through the mess. It clears your vision and it reminds you: You are not the bug. You are not the windshield. You are not the chaos of the road. You’re the one inside the car: calm, witnessing, present. That’s Purusha.

The Practice = The Clarity

Every time you roll out your mat – every breath, every (one) down dog, every pause… you’re flipping on those wipers. You’re remembering who you are underneath the mess. You’re letting the bugs be bugs, without letting them take over your identity like in some sort of horror movie. And it’s not just during your asana practice, it’s the lengthening of your exhale when someone walks too slow in front of you at Costco, it’s turning off your phone for a few hours of peace, it’s filling your gas tank before the light comes on, it’s connecting with friends – it’s all of the little things that reconnect you to yourself and allow for moments of ease in the effort of being a human in this world. So, what did I commit to doing after my therapy session? Here’s my list:

Move my body every day in some way – whether that’s a long walk with my dog, a class at ODD, lifting weights, or a solo dance party in my room
Spend more time outside
No more doom scrolling; in fact, maybe no scrolling at all!
Set myself up for restful sleep (and no, I’m definitely not writing this at 1am… more on this in another post)

There are more tools that I know help clear the bugs, but I have to start somewhere – and this list feels doable! What About You? What works for you? Make a list. Take action. Form a new habit that fills your cup. We’re in this together! So the next time life splats a bug on your windshield (because it will), remember: You’ve got the tools. You’ve got the clarity. And you’ve always, always been the driver. I love you, keep going. Jessica Rosen

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4 Foundations of Mindfulness

jessica — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 06:47:07 +0000

The Buddha’s Four Foundations of Mindfulness

“I wish I was more present in my life." How many times have you wished this? Life is exhausting and chaotic (especially in 2020’s!), and it’s so easy to become disconnected from our inner selves and the present moment. Mindfulness is the path back to ourselves. It provides us with the tools to cultivate awareness and presence in our lives. At the heart of any mindfulness practice are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, or Satipatthana. Satipatthana is a compound of sati, mindfulness, and paṭṭhāna, “foundation" (or upaṭṭhāna, “presence"). These foundations are laid out for us in the Buddha’s teachings as the “one-way path” to overcoming suffering and achieving nirvana. Let’s dive into these four foundations and explore how they can transform our relationship with ourselves and the world around us! Foundation 1: Mindfulness of the Body The first foundation, Mindfulness of the Body, invites us to ground ourselves in the physical sensations of the body – the feeling of the breath, the weight of our body on the ground, the sensations of touch, etc. When we practice mindfulness of the body, we observe these sensations without judgment or analysis. By doing so, we learn to be present with our bodies, fostering a deeper connection to ourselves. THE HOW Here’s a couple mindfulness practices we can use on and off the mat:

Yoga: Yes, we do this every time we come to our mats. It’s kinda the whole point.
Body Scans and/or Guided Meditation: Isolating our attention to each individual part of our bodies helps us recognize the body as exactly what it is, a collection of parts working in unison.
Breathwork: Breathwork heightens our body awareness by helping us notice our body’s response to our breath. During breathwork, we can notice areas of tension or discomfort in our bodies, or even areas of pleasure!

THE WHY Practicing Mindfulness of the Body allows us to become better listeners to the signals our bodies communicate to us, helping us manage stress, alleviate tension, and enhance our overall well-being! Foundation 2: Mindfulness of Feelings Next is Mindfulness of Feelings. This second foundation asks us to observe our emotional landscape, again with non-judgemental awareness. Mindfulness of Feelings involves acknowledging our feelings – whether they’re pleasant or not – without clinging to them or pushing them away, but simply, recognizing them. THE HOW Here’s a couple mindfulness practices we can use on and off the mat:

Yoga: On the mat, we learn to acknowledge and continue to move through feelings that come up rather than judging them or being overwhelmed by them.
Mindful Breathing: Feeling a strong emotion? Pause, take a few mindful breaths, and focus your attention on the sensation of your breath as it enters and leaves your body to help you stay grounded.
Labeling Emotions: When you notice an emotion arising, label it. “I am feeling anxious," “I am feeling joyful," or “I am feeling scared." The simple act of naming your emotions can make it easier to observe without getting swept away.

THE WHY With mindfulness practice, we can learn that emotions are transient, they will inevitably come and go, and we can get better at choosing how to respond to them rather than being controlled by them. When we cultivate this emotional intelligence, we can enhance our relationships and better equip ourselves to handle life’s challenges! Foundation 3: Mindfulness of the Mind The third foundation focuses our attention on the nature of our thoughts. So often we allow our thoughts to become our identity, and, in doing so, limit ourselves. We take that annoying voice in the back of our head that says, “I’m not strong enough" as truth, and we don’t even attempt an arm balance, for example, because we believe that it’s just not possible for us to achieve. Mindfulness of Mind encourages us to observe our thoughts while recognizing that we are not defined by them. THE HOW Here’s a couple mindfulness practices we can use on and off the mat:

Yoga: Yup, you guessed it! Yoga is rooted in an attitude of non-judgment and self-acceptance. Instead of striving for “perfection" in poses, yoga encourages us to meet ourselves where we’re at in each moment. In your yoga practice, it’s not about what it looks like; it’s about what it FEELS like in YOUR body!
Meditation: When we meditate, we focus our attention on our breath, allowing thoughts to come and go as they please without becoming overwhelmed by them.
Journaling: When we journal, we give our brains a break, allowing them to dump all their thoughts onto the page rather than storing them in our heads. It can also be helpful to see your negative thoughts written out to give yourself the perspective to be able to realize how silly or wrong they may be!

THE WHY By becoming aware of our thought patterns, we can learn the difference between helpful and unhelpful ones. In doing so, we can take away the power of negative self-talk, and open ourselves up to more possibilities and opportunities for growth! Foundation 4: Mindfulness of Phenomena Last, but absolutely not least, is the Mindfulness of Phenomena. In the Buddha’s writings, this is written in Pali as dhamma (the Sanskrit equivalent is dharma), and is often translated to “phenomena." This fourth foundation focuses on the broader “phenomena" of life and invites us to contemplate the impermanent nature of all things and recognize that attachment and clinging lead to suffering. THE HOW Here’s a couple mindfulness practices we can use on and off the mat:

Yoga: You already knew we were gonna start here! In our asana practice, we learn the truth that nothing lasts forever. A particular pose may put you into a state of being uncomfortable, and the practice teaches us that this is not only inevitable but okay! And it will not last forever. The same is true for life!
Walks & Hikes: Spend time in nature and immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural and ever-changing world! The changing seasons (although we don’t get much here in LA, they do still change!), the growth and decay of plants, the flow of water in a river, etc. are all ways that the impermanence and interconnectedness of all living things show up in nature.
A Gratitude Practice: Writing or naming the simple yet profound everyday things we’re grateful for helps us develop a sense of gratitude for the phenomena of life!

THE WHY By embracing impermanence, we learn to appreciate the present moment and let go of the need for things to be permanent or unchanging. This profound shift in perspective can lead to a deep sense of liberation and contentment. These Four Foundations of Mindfulness are the comprehensive framework for cultivating presence, self-awareness, and inner peace in our lives. When we mindfully observe our body, feelings, mind, and the phenomena around us, we transform our relationship with ourselves and the world around us. If you’re looking to cultivate a deeper mindfulness practice on and off the mat, join Sam Akers (C-IATY, E-RYT500, MFRT, Certified Mindfulness Teacher/Trainer) for our upcoming 18hr Mindfulness Weekend training that combines these four foundations of mindfulness with a deeper look into their connection to Compassion! Advanced Training: Mindfulness Weekend September 29th – October 1st One Down Dog Silverlake The heart of the training is learning to practice and teach an Introduction to Mindfulness class as well as weave mindfulness into different professional settings. This training is only for those who have completed a 200-hr yoga teacher training! SIGN UP NOW >>>

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2022 Impact Report

jessica — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 06:14:20 +0000

One Down Dog is more than a yoga studio.

We’re a community, a place to deepen your practice, connect with others, and give back to the larger community. Here are all the ways you helped us do that in 2022!

ODDgives Classes:

ODDgives is a program created to elevate diverse voices and give back to underserved communities. These classes are donation-based classes for a non-profit of the teacher’s choosing, either open to all or affinity-style classes exclusively for students from historically marginalized communities.

Total donations: $3793

For 6 different orgs:

National Network of Abortion Funds – The National Network of Abortion Funds builds power with members to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access by centering people who have abortions and organizing at the intersections of racial, economic, and reproductive justice.
Somos Familia – Somos Familia builds leadership in our Latinx families and communities to create a culture where people of diverse genders and sexual orientations can thrive.
Cooperation Jackson‘s Fund to bring clean water to Jackson, MS – Cooperation Jackson is an emerging vehicle for sustainable community development, economic democracy, and community ownership.
Miry’s List – Miry’s List is a nonprofit organization providing a mechanism for people to directly help new arrival refugee families with the incredible challenge of resettlement in the United States.
Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center (SIJCC) – The Silverlake Independent Jewish Community Center (SIJCC) is a model for modern Jewish communal life in Los Angeles, redefining what Jewish engagement and expression look like on a personal, interpersonal, and communal level.
Everytown – Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in America, and their vast work ranges from registering voters to representing survivors of gun violence in court and more.
Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Community Fund – The AAPI Community Fund issues grants to trusted AAPI organizations working to rectify the racial inequalities in our society.

Holiday Donations:

Over the holiday season, you all helped us donate over 50 toys to A Place Called Home‘s holiday toy drive! A Place Called Home’s mission is to inspire, encourage, and support the young people in South Los Angeles to achieve social, emotional, and economic success.

You also helped us donate $850 to Miry’s List! Miry is an ODD student who “accidentally founded" a nonprofit providing a mechanism for people to directly help new arrival refugee families with the incredible challenge of resettlement in the United States.

From ODD’s Community to ODD’s Community:

We never want finances to get in the way of a student’s ability to practice with us! The ODD Fund provides financial assistance in paying for classes and/or memberships to students who need it. Mutual aid is our biggest tool for support. Here’s how you helped your fellow ODD Fam in 2022:

Through your donations to the ODD Fund, we were able to give 8 BIPOC students scholarships to our YTT programs in the amount of $9,875 in 2022!
The ODD Fund also helped support 56 students in paying for their membership costs!
Lastly, we donated over $1000 in yoga gift certificates to local schools and nonprofits for fundraising events in 2022!

We are SO proud of this community! Thank you, ODD Fam for continuing to make One Down Dog more than a yoga studio.

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One Down Dog is Celebrating 10 Years!

jessica — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 19:07:47 +0000

One Down Dog opened in a shared space on January 26th, 2013. A year later we held our first class in the current Silverlake studio, followed by the opening of ODD Eagle Rock in 2015, and ODD Echo Park in 2018!

It is truly miraculous to me that we are turning 10!

10 years ago I had just turned 30, was working as a yoga teacher/substance abuse counselor at a high school and felt a bit directionless. I was seeking a yoga studio to call home and wasn’t finding what I was looking for on the east side. In a strange turn of events, and with the help of my LA bestie turned sister in-law, I ended up finding an ashtanga studio that was looking for someone to rent their space when they weren’t using it. We shared that space for a year before moving to our current Silverlake studio. Every day we transformed that space into our own – we lugged speakers and signs and retail in and out of a back closet every day. We cultivated relationships that have lasted a decade. It was in that space that the roots of ODD began to grow into this far reaching web of awesomeness. I took some time to scroll through and reminisce on all that has transpired over these years and was reminded of all of the love, friendships, business connections, partnerships, and engagements this community has cultivated. The web of One Down Dog connections stretches across the world. I am humbled by the strength of this community and the relationships that have flourished within and outside of these walls.

The last decade in numbers:

50,000

classes held online and in studio

41,226

students served

18

rounds of teacher training

1000’s

of workshops, events, and fundraiser classes

I started this business with a big dream, a very small amount of cash, and no business background. With the support of family, friends, and the most amazing team, this business has bootstrapped its way to 3 studios and made it through a global pandemic! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for the next 10 years (and beyond). THANK YOU for being part of this community. This month we’re celebrating you. See you soon! <3 Jessica Founder & Teacher at One Down Dog Psst, we get our custom stickers from Sticker Mule Attend our Anniversary event to snag one!

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Putting the 5 Niyamas into Practice

jessica — Sat, 17 Oct 2020 22:10:31 +0000

The 8 limbs wake us up to our highest potential and truest self! The Yamas and Niyamas are the first 2 of these 8 limbs and provide tools to reduce suffering as we interact with ourselves and the world.

YAMAS – relationship with the world (RELATIONSHIP)

NIYAMAS – personal observances (LIFESTYLE)

The niyamas offer a set of ways in which we can cultivate discipline and overcome our innate resistance to change, encouraging us to develop healthier habits in our daily lives.

Practicing the 5 Niyamas

1. SAUCHA – cleanliness

Saucha invites us to look at what we read, watch, discuss, eat and what/who we surround ourselves with as we identify what we do and don’t want in our lives. It is about maintaining cleanliness in body, mind and our environment. Just like our car requires regular maintenance and cleaning, so to do we as humans.

Ask yourself: What am I associating with and how is it impacting me?

Practice: Personal hygiene, food that feels good, seek support for mental and emotional health, take care of your body in ways that feel right for you, maintain cleanliness in your environment

2. SANTOSHA – contentment

The practice of contentment is the ability to feel satisfied within our life experience – to want what we already have. In a society centered around consumerism, this can be difficult. Contentment does not equal happiness, it is seeing things as they are without expectation. Contentment does not equal complacency, it is practicing peace and patience as we intentionally work to live our best lives.

Ask yourself: Am I satisfied within the container of my experience? What is getting in my way?

Practice: An attitude of gratitude, refraining from comparison, and cultivate a feeling of enoughness.

3. TAPAS – burning enthusiasm/self-discipline

Tapas translates to “fire” or “heat” and is the burning enthusiasm that fuels us to change that which no longer serves us. Think of tapas like a fire: once it’s completely died out it takes great effort to get it back, but once it is lit, you need to continue to feed it to keep it going. So too, we have to fuel ourselves to keep the momentum going.

Tapas is a way of directing our energy towards our quest to reduce suffering and experience more joy. Discipline is having enough respect for yourself to make choices that nourish and provide opportunities for growth.

Ask yourself: Where are you avoiding action? What do you need to stoke the flames?

Practice: Trying something new, eliminating things that no longer work for you

4. SVADHYAYA – self-study/reflection

Any activity that brings you closer to seeing yourself is Svadhyaya – be that journaling, music, yoga, meditation, working with a therapist, coach or teacher. The form this takes doesn’t matter. Svadhyaya is about gaining a deeper understanding of yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, addictions, samskaras (habits) and self-talk.

This is not an opportunity to beat ourselves up, but rather to uncover and observe the truths of who we are with compassion and ease as we discover who we truly are.

Ask yourself: What are your tools for self-study? What are you not willing to look at?

Practice: Examining self-limiting beliefs and attitudes, working with a trusted teacher, mentor or therapist

5. ISVARA PRANIDHANA – surrender

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Isvara Pranidhana asks us to go quietly, even when it’s not possible to know where we’re headed – to do the work, focus on the quality of our actions and surrender to the results. Some interpret as surrender to God, or to the universe.

Another interpretation is teachability – the ability to be taught and remain open to possibility. Isvara Pranidhana says “I’ve done everything that I know how to do and I surrender/can learn from whatever comes next.” Surrender is not “giving up,” but rather letting go. Connect with your highest Self and surrender to your own divinity.

Ask yourself: What do I need to surrender?

Practice: Cultivating faith

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