It was 5:30 a.m. when my husband and I were walking through a dirt path next to a quiet creek in Chamonix, France. With our luggage rolling behind us and the sky beginning to soften with the morning light, we made our way beneath the bridge and across the only two-way road that cut through town. Our bus to Lyon was leaving soon, and we had a mile to go.

We decided to host our baby shower at the home of my husband’s grandmother, or Halmuny, in Korean. She has a beautiful, spacious backyard, and it felt like the perfect place to gather with friends and family. A few weeks ago, I visited Halmuny's garden, along with a friend and my mother-in-law, to measure the space and test out the patio furniture. We wanted to get a feel for the layout and see if there was anything else we might need...

Dear friend,
This special edition newsletter provides an inside look at the recent Spring Full-Day Yoga Retreat: Rise & Bloom. I'll be sharing highlights, insights, and meaningful moments from this beautiful day.

Pregnancy has been the most humbling experience ... When I first started thinking about becoming a mom, I was overjoyed by all the possibilities. My Type A personality—combined with pregnancy hormones—went into overdrive. And by the end of my first trimester, I had put together multiple mood boards—for nursery ideas, baby shower themes, the works...

Should I let go of my emotions or witness them? For years, I approached my yoga practice with an either-or mindset, especially when it came to emotions or tension. I saw emotions—like pain, grief, sadness, and anger—as negative things that I needed quickly let go of or push away. This behavior was reinforced at classes where I was repeatedly told to "release all the negative emotions..."

"Am I being greedy and fearful?" During Sosiego's first year, I visited many yoga studios, learned from teachers around the world, and encountered not only different approaches to teaching yoga and working with the community, but also the realities of running a business...

Hi friend,
This month’s newsletter is a special edition—providing an inside look at the recent Winter Full-Day Yoga Retreat: Embracing New Beginnings. I'll be sharing highlights, insights, and meaningful moments from this beautiful day.

“Where is your querencia?” I found myself sitting on a crowded beach, tired and overwhelmed, reading these words from Haemin Sunim’s "When Things Don’t Go Your Way." After having spent nearly two hours on a bus to get to the beach, I was already dreading the trip back. I couldn’t help but wonder: Where is my querencia? This year, my husband and I decided to spend a few months living in Europe before settling in Chicago...

Finding balance in our lives often begins with practicing ahimsa—a concept deeply rooted in the practice of yoga and the ethical framework known as the yamas. Meaning “non-violence” or “non-harming,” ahimsa calls for the avoidance of harm toward oneself and others whether through thoughts, words, or actions...

Every Saturday morning when I was growing up, I would wake up to the soft sounds of music and the scent of fresh air. There was a peaceful energy. As soon as I stepped out of my bedroom, I would find the windows open and the home clean, filling me with joy. I remember feeling like my home was a blank canvas, an opportunity to start again...

I find it intriguing how easily I deflect responsibility whenever my habits go off track! My mind starts spinning with reasons why I haven’t maintained my regular yoga asana (postures) practice: the house feels cluttered; I’m tired; it’s too hot or too cold; or I simply don’t feel like it today. The excuses pile up, making it easy to avoid practice...

In yoga, there’s an observance called “santosha” that invites people to find contentment in the present moment, regardless of external circumstances. Embracing santosha can help us develop a sense of inner balance. My family, having recently settled in Chicago, decided to take on the challenge of renovating our place. While we outsourced some tasks, we decided to DIY many others. Throughout this process, I’ve been intentionally trying to practice santosha, and this renovation project has truly put it to the test...

This is a topic I’ve been avoiding, but it’s time we get into it: attachment. One of the key lessons in yoga is that everything changes; nothing is permanent. And this can be quite relieving when we are having a hard time, when we are in pain, or when days are dark — but incredibly terrifying when we feel connected, secure, and joyful...

This month, I want to discuss imbalance and why accepting disequilibrium and disorder can be beneficial. I sometimes set very high standards for myself, and when it comes to being balanced, I often think, "This is my company's motto, so I better be balanced." And though I do enjoy the benefits of routine and maintaining a balanced lifestyle, I also recognize there's a fine line between balanced and pushing beyond what I need or being overly attached to expecting "more..."

This month, I became a student of Ashtanga yoga under the guidance of various masters in this field. I also started attending Mysore-style* classes about six times a week. Progress in Ashtanga is very slow; it can take up to eight years to be considered advanced. On my first day, I told the teacher that, while I have practiced other forms of yoga, I'd like them to treat me as a complete beginner, and they did so...

This month has been one full of changes. As some of you may know, my husband and I recently moved states to be closer to family and friends. I am incredibly thankful that we have found a place to settle. And yet, amid all the changes, I realized that I was more tired than I thought. The first several days in Chicago I found myself eager to dive into everything: daily walks, meeting new people, and working on Sosiego, among other things. However, I failed to recognize the need to slow down and acclimate myself to my new surroundings, to give myself space to grieve the transition, and to nurture my creative spirit...