Grounding Together in Tumultuous Times with Francine Ang

In this episode of the podcast, I'm talking with Francine Ang about the joys and challenges of teaching yoga and mindful movement during tumultuous times. Francine shares what it's been like leading classes in her community since they were impacted by the recent LA Fires, and we reflect on what it means to find ground through practice. You'll hear about Francine's background growing up in a Chinese Buddhist family in California, and how she ended up spending a year at a monastery in Tibet. We talk about her path to becoming a yoga teacher and how she's now integrating Qigong alongside Yin Yoga and Restorative Yoga. Since many yoga, movement, and meditation teachers these days are grappling with how to hold space in the midst of the current political intensity, divisiveness, exhaustion, and constant uncertainty, we thought it would be useful to discuss our experiences of teaching through other times of change and chaos. We share some guidance and stories, including: The importance of meeting people where they are and giving them space to step back from the noise Acknowledging loss and uncertainty, but also staying open to goodness and beauty How Francine found being in class together following the Eaton Fire was a way to bring back some normalcy Examples like Addie's story of how the Spiral Path Yoga community handled the sudden passing of a teacher/co-owner right after we opened the studio. We also talked about going on retreat, and why we both value the opportunity for more dedicated practice times. Francine makes a useful distinction between retreat as an escape vs. retreat as an experience of arriving, and she shares how being in silent presence with others can be incredibly grounding. This is a conversation with lots of heart, and plenty of laughs! We hope you'll find some steadiness, inspiration, and connection by hanging out with us in this episode. ------------ For more links and resources mentioned in this episode, find the show notes at movedtomeditate.yoga/podcast. To learn more about Francine Ang, visit her website at francineang.com or find her on Instagram at @soulful_om_om.  Get the details on the in-person RETREAT that Francine and I are offering in Los Angeles, September 3-7, 2025! There will be meditation, yoga, Qigong, soundbath, delicious food, good company, and ample time to rest or enjoy the natural surroundings. Info here: https://www.francineang.com/2025retreat Feel free to reach out through my website with any episode requests, topics you'd like to hear about, or guest interview suggestions. You can also connect with me on Instagram @addie_movedtomeditate (for mindfulness, movement, pictures of Pacific Northwest nature, crocheting projects, and my adorable kitty, Mustache).