Mindful Sonder is the conscious awareness that we all have, and all are, living our own personal truths. Working the mind, body and spirit, I take a holistic approach to wellbeing, which manifests itself for me in three areas: Life Coaching, Nutrition and Yoga.

Mindful Sonder

Mariel Witmond-Bateman

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Even before the physical postures of our practice called asana, are the ethical principles that are intended to guide how we relate to other people and how we take care of ourselves. There are 5 yamas, moral guidelines, that help us to build the foundations for the real benefits of yoga.

The Yamas Series

This class is all about the first Yama, Ahimsa, which represents non-violence in our actions and thoughts towards ourselves and others. Non-violence is defined by honest compassion and true love, which is at the essence of this class as we embrace our body and move with intention.

Ahimsa - Non Violence

Moving through this theme in a creative 45 minute flow, in this practice we explore satya or truth -recognising that if we can’t be honest with ourselves first, we cannot really be honest in any other part of life. We view truths from our thoughts and perspectives, often reacting from a place of fear and conditioning. Satya helps us to know that we are not our thoughts and when we do so, a larger gap forms between the ego self and the Self.

Satya - Truthfulness

In this mobility focussed sequence, we explore the third Yama Asteya - in particular as it relates to our feelings of not enoughness. Asteya means more than just not taking what is not ours, but also refers to the stealing of time, thoughts, energy, emotions and ideas. Its fundamental implication is that we should refrain from looking outside ourselves to other people, things, and situations to make us happy and fulfilled.

Asteya - Non Stealing

Often related to celibacy, this fourth Yama is more about the maintenance of our vitality and the right use of our energy.  In a world or heightened senses that draw us away from our greater good, Brahmacharya turns the mind inward as we strive to balance the senses. This creative yoga sequence, while practicing Brahmacharya, helps us redirect our attention and energy to that which serves our greater good - our inner experience.

Brahmacharya - Moderation of the Sense

This class is all about TWISTS as we work to detox and let go through the teachings of the las Yama, Aparigraha. Move through this creative flow as we learn to free ourselves to be present in the now, acknowledging that everything in life is temporary.

Aparigraha - Non Attachment

Niyamas are "duties or “personal observances” intended as constructive tools for cultivating happiness. They are the second step in Patañjali‘s classical definition of the eight limbs of Yoga and help us create habits for wellbeing, on and off the mat. Exploring the philosophical foundations of our practice is an important part of the journey back to ourselves and the essence of yoga.

The Niyamas Series

Searching outside ourselves for happiness in any form, whether it be substances, people or possessions, just leads to yet more searching. Santosha, which means contentment, is about acceptance of what is. When we can accept our truths, we are better equipped to move forward. Explore this Niyama as we move through a creative sequence.

Santosha - Contentment

Saucha requires us to live with specific objectives as our feelings and thoughts are only pure or impure in relation to our intention. Not only through its literal meaning of cleanliness but it's deeper interpretations can we learn to clean out that which doesn't serve our greater good. Enjoy this creative flow as we practice legging go of our "impurities".

Saucha - Cleanliness

This series of classes covers one chakra per class (7 in total). Our chakras are energy centers of our body. The word chakra in Sanskrit means "wheel" so you can imagine each chakra as a spinning vortex of energy that is associated with functions of the body and with specific life issues - such as tension and limiting beliefs.

The Chakra System

Muladhara chakra is centered in the perineum and the base of the spine and tends to our survival needs. This first chakra is associated with the element of earth, representing both physical and emotional grounding as it aids in our ability to feel secure. This class focusses on our toes, feet, calves and legs in a creatively sequenced 45 minute flow.

Muladhara Chakra (Root Chakra)

Svadhisthana Chakra, our sacral chakra, is associated with the element of water - with flow, letting go, with our creative power. Low back pain and struggles with fertility, something so many of us struggle with, can be associated with a blocked second chakra. An over charged second chakra can often manifest itself in poor boundaries. Svadhisthana, translated as “dwelling in a place of the self”, ties in to the feminine quality of openness. In this class we work our hips with a them of tuning in to our feelings and going with the flow.

Svadisthana Chakra (Sacral Chakra)

This class is all about our third chakra, manipura chakra. Located in the navel (solar plexus), this chakra is associated with the element of fire and is all about how we are able to deal with things, with how we "digest" our life. It relates to self esteem and the power of transformation. The physical focus of this class is twists and core work (with a bit of breathwork to kick things off).

Manipura Chakra (Solar Plexus)

This class focusses on our heart chakra - the center of the chakra system, connecting the lower three chakras with the upper three (which deal more with the world of the spirit than matter). Anahata represents our wholeness and boundless love. We move creatively through heart openers as we work the theme of love and belonging.

Anahata Chakra (Heart Chakra)

Our throat chakra is all about the power of will and knowing that no one outside of ourselves has power over us and the choices we make. It relates to our ability to express ourselves in an authentic way, which when unable to can result in feelings of insecurity, disconnection, and loneliness. In this class we will move creatively focussing on the throat and neck.

Vishuddha Chakra (Throat Chakra)

This is the energy center within the physical body that indicates the development of awareness. When we awaken that inner knowing. we are able to access our truest teacher. When our intuition is blocked, we often limit ourselves and our abilities. This class focusses on forward folds and postures that create contact with our third eye in a creative fashion, at times closing our eyes to really foster that inward journey.

Ajna Chakra (Third Eye)

This last class in the Chakra Series is all about our 7th chakra - Sahasrara Chakra, the crown. It represents our most direct connection with the Divine, facilitating our spiritual development. In this class we build towards Sirsasana, headstand, working with movements that strengthen the core, open the shoulders and prepare us for going upside down. Though I break headstand down in this class, I ask that you please be careful without proper supervision when practicing inversions.

Sahasrara Chakra (Crown)

This series is of shorter yoga classes that include creative vinyasa flows with some elements of hiit and functional movement incorporated. Discover new ways to move around your mat as you build strength and mobility in your body.

45 Minute Yoga Flows

A very creative sequence that will leave you feeling stretched and strong as we work through a flow without any traditional vinyasas in it! Lots of side body and core strengthening and spine lengthening, this is a unique sequence inspired by teacher Jenni Rawlings.

Vinyasa with No Vinyasas

A happy hips creative sequence, we move through our practice focussing on finding the opportunity in the difficulty, learning to change the way we see things to serve our greater good. Plenty of side stretching and hip opening to leave you feeling like new!

Opportunity in Difficulty

This power flow is a strong practice focussed on building strength in the body, learning to hold our weight in the right way and move with control. We use the theme of putting ourselves first as we cannot pour from an empty cup.

Fill Your Cup

This 45 Minute class has the theme of challenging our limitations as we move creatively around our mat, building strength and mobility in the body through mindful movement.

Challenge Your Limitations

This creative class works and gets the entire body moving! Starting off with glute exercises, we move into some fun side plank variations and arm strength exercises before getting into our flow. We finish off the class with some stretches, core work, supine twists and a lovely savasana!

Full Body MOT

For this class we move through our practice in a fluid flow as we connect with our emotions - the physical embodiment of our thoughts. Creative transitions guide us through a sequence we repeat as we move one breath one movement, fully present in this embodied practice.

45 Minute Embodied Movement

This yummy class is all about working towards our Skandasana pose (Surfer's Lunge). A lot of us struggle with the strength and mobility to move comfortably into and out of Skandasana so this class is all about strengthening, lengthening, and moving the right body parts to help us with this pose. This is a very creative class with a great playlist to follow you on your journey!

Journey to Skandasana (Surfer's Lunge)

This shorter class is focussed on working our back - helping to strengthen our back chain, reduce lower back pain and increase thoracic mobility, ideal for the end of a long day sitting at your desk!

45 Minute Back MOT

In this class we work on building both core and arm strength to help support our journey to arm balances like crow and side crow as well as our lift up into tripod headstand.

45 Minute Journey to Arm Balances

This class is all about improving the mobility of our thoracic spine, something that gets locked up and rounded due to our sedentary lifestyles.

45 Minute Thoracic Flow

This creative 45 minute class introduces new ways to move around our mat as we focus on the theme of Purpose - moving with purpose, knowing our purpose, having a purpose.

45 Minute Creative Movement Sequence

This lovely fluid flow builds on a ladder flow as we move one breath one movement in this creative, dance like sequence with a theme of tuning into our emotions (energy in motion).

45 Minutes 1 Breath 1 Movement

This is a fun and energetic animal flow sequence where we learn new ways to move around our mat, focussed primarily on building shoulder and core strength with a theme of leaning into the unknown!

45 Minute Animal Flow

This energetic 45 minute class creatively moves you around your mat, lengthening and strengthening the body with a theme of Belonging.

45 Minutes - Movement is Medicine

I taught this fun class on my birthday - it's a shorter 45 minute fluid flow that takes us around our mat, building strength and mobility through mindful, controlled and creative movements.

45 Minute Birthday Fluid Flow

This shorter class kicks off a week of classes all around our inner thighs and hip flexors, helping us improve stability in postures and deepen our journey to splits and backbends!

45 Minute Flow - Inner Thighs & Hip Flexors

This shorter but dynamic class is all about warming up our wrists and strengthening our hips through creative and functional movements linked together into a fluid flow.

45 Minute Fluid Flow - Wrists & Hips

Enjoy this 45 minute class fully focussed on spinal mobility and building back support by strengthening our glutes, core and hip flexors.

45 Minute Spinal Mobility

Enjoy this shorter yet dynamic yoga flow that was done to raise fund for Black Lives Matter

45 Minute Dynamic Vinyasa for Black Lives Matter

Enjoy this creative sequence of fluid movements that feels like a dance as you move around your mat.

45 Minute Fluid Flow

Enjoy this creative combination of hiit with yoga to boost energy and build strength.

45 Minute Hiit Power Yoga Class

45 Minute Creative Flow

Enjoy this shorter power yoga flow as we work towards building strength and mobility in the body through dynamic postures and transitions.

45 Minute Power Yoga Class

This 45 minute creative vinyasa flow focusses primarily on the lower body, strengthening the legs and working on hip mobility.

45 Minute Vinyasa Flow - Lower Body

These creative sequences bring a balanced flow that utilises the yoga mat in a 360 way. Work with specific body parts, themes and peak postures as you make your way around your mat in fluid motion.

Mandala Vinyasa Flows

This class is all about strengthening our glutes as we play with balance - both standing and arm balances (eka pada koundinyasana in particular). Enjoy a creative flow around your mat that will have you moving in a fun and new way.

Booty & Balance Mandala Vinyasa Flow

This class continues our work on strengthening the right body parts to helps us open our heart, physically and emotionally. As we work toward backbends, we need to remember the body parts that support these movements in order to avoid injury - our hip flexors, core, glutes and shoulder mobility. Strong back, soft heart.

Strong Back, Soft Heart Mandala Flow

In this creative one hour class, we open our hearts as we focus on the theme of embodied movement - of seeing our body as our home and working on strong foundations from which to build upon. We open our hearts while protecting our backs as we move 360 degrees around our mat.

Air Mandala Vinyasa Flow

In this creative and challenging water-like mandala, we work the groin and hips in particular. Energetically activating Svadhisthana, the Sacral Chakra, our source of movement and connection. Representing "one's own place or base" we use this sequence to allow ourselves to learn to go with the flow.

Water Mandala Flow

This fun an creative flow will work and strengthen our hips as we give our wrists some TLC all with a class theme of understanding the reason behind the things we aspire to - our why.

Hips & Wrists Mandala Flow

This is one of my favourite mandala's in its creativity as we find new ways to move around our mat, working our entire body and playing with fun postures such as grasshopper!

Creative Mandala with Grasshopper

This fun mandala flow has some of my favourite tunes in celebration of my birthday! We focus on strengthening our hip flexors and inner thighs as we move creatively around our mat!

Birthday Mandala - Hip Flexors & Inner Thighs

This creative mandala flow works with a lot of functional movement, creating awareness for new ways to move around the mat and build strength and mobility in the body.

Functional Movement Mandala Flow

Get playful with this forearm focussed mandala flow as we practice moving from our forearms to our hands, building shoulder strength and mobility necessary for inversions like forearm stand.

Forearm Mandala Flow

This mandala flow sequence is all about identifying the difference between active and passive postures and when they benefit us most.

Active vs Passive Mandala

Similar to my Creative Sequence flow, this class takes us around our mat as we work on strengthening our side muscles, the obliques!

Oblique Focussed Mandala

This creative mandala flow uses humble warrior and its variations to take us around our mat.

Humble Mandala

Earth Mandalas tend to focus on grounding elements and muscles like the hamstrings, which is exactly what this fun and creative flow does as we work our way around our mat!

Grounding Earth Mandala

These high energy classes focus on drills and repetition to help build strength in our practice. Combined with yoga mindfulness and stretches, this is an all around great workout for body and mind! Get ready to have some fun!

Hiit Power Yoga

Hiit meets yoga, this creative class focusses on twists as we work our core and legs in a higher intensity yoga practice. Working with repetition, we build strength and mobility, finishing with yummy stretches to ease us out of our practice and into our day.

Deep Roots & Twists

This hiit meets yoga class focusses on our core and the theme of kindness. Working through drills and repetition, we move creatively around our mat building up strength and mobility with kindness and awareness.

Core and Kindness

This high energy class merges Hiit with Power Yoga and this class focusses on our hip flexors and inner thighs - our hip flexors in particular, being essential for splits, back bends and inversions!

Hiit Power Yoga - Inner Thighs & Hip Flexors

This creative and energetic class combines hiit, functional movement and yoga with a focus on the legs!

Hiit Power Yoga Legs

This fun, high energy class works the entire body with a particular focus on the arms and abs.

Hiit Power Yoga - Arms & Abs

This fun combo class is all about strengthening the muscles in our body that support our back.

Hiit Power Yoga - Strong Back

This fun and energetic class works the entire body but with a focus on strengthening our side muscles!

Hiit Power Yoga - Side Body

This great and energetic class combines hiit and power yoga with a strong focus on our lower half!

Hiit Power Yoga - Lower Half

These classes focus on creative sequencing of vinyasa flows, focusing on themes and/or peak poses. Find new ways to transition through postures and move on your mat, making your practice more enjoyable - like a dance!

Creative Vinyasa Flow

This dynamic, creative class takes us through a sequence we repeat twice working on both twists and open postures, the second round with opportunities to go deeper into our poses. Themed around the importance of showing up - in our truths, in our practice, in our lives - this sweaty class will leave you feeling ready to take on the day ahead!

Twist & Show Up

This creative, dynamic sequence is a strong flow building strength in the shoulders while opening the hips and working the legs. Navigating a theme of exploring our shadow, working towards wholeness rather than perfection as we assimilate our shadow into consciousness.

Shadow Work & Power Flow

This dynamic practice takes us through a creative sequence that works our hips and prepares our body for arm balances, strengthening the core and the arms. Using a them of light after darkness, this class is a work in as much as it's a work out!

Power Arm, Core & Hips

This creative sequence focusses on our side body - outer glutes and obliques in particular, as we challenge ourselves through balancing postures, using focus and intent in our movements. Connecting with our true essence, which is love, this flow is everything you need to work "in" as well as out.

Power Side Body

This class speaks to the emotional themes of loss and grief as well as the full cycle of our emotions. Set to a power flow that mixes strength with softness, challenge and play, we work a lot of our side body, hips and arms with opportunities available for arm balances and inversions for those that practice them safely.

Power & Flow - Side Body, Hips & Arms

This class was taught for lululemon's Sunday Sweats in partnership with Kuula. It is a fun ladder flow that creates a moving meditation of fluid motions that leave you feeling like you are dancing your way through class.

Flow Motion Community Class

This wonderful vinyasa flow focusses on working our inner thighs and hip flexors as we move creatively around our mat.

Creative Vinyasa - Inner Thighs & Hip Flexors

One of my favourite flows to play with spinal mobility and functional movements to help strengthen our hip flexors, glutes and core - all in support of our back!

Spinal Mobility

This creative sequence is one of my favourites, incorporating Eagle pose into different variations of the posture as we work with fun transitions.

Fly Like an Eagle

This is a great power yoga class I taught for Black Lives Matter. All music supporting POC artists and a very fun, and creative flow to practice to!

Power Yoga for Black Lives Matter

Enjoy this creative sequence where we work with and towards Baby Grasshopper Pose.

Creative Sequence with Baby Grasshopper Pose

This class takes all of the bird named postures into one creative sequence, using poses such as Crow, Eagle, Pigeon, Peacock - as well as their variations. 

Birds of a Feather

This class is all about working our side muscles through drills and transitions for our obliques

Tweak Your Obliques

This creative sequence focusses on bringing the right kind of effort and awareness into our postures and movements in between.

The Right Kind of Effort

This beautiful, creative flow is all about dancer's pose and several variations of it as we work on back bends and heart openers. 

Tiny Dancer

Join me for this class all about improving our ability to do the splits as we play with its variations and work on strengthening and lengthening our hip flexors and hamstrings!

Blitz the Splits

This is a power yoga class focussing on repetitive movements to build strength through creative sequencing.

Power Hour Flow

This fun and creative power flow focusses on movements for hip mobility.

Power Hip Mobility

This creative sequence takes you through movements and exercises all focussed on helping build strength, balance and alignment as we work towards Crow Pose.

Flow to Crow

This creative sequence takes us through open and closed postures as we work our way towards binds and then using opposing postures to open up the body.

Bind & Release

This recording for a class I taught is all about the journey towards handstand. Focussing more on creative flow than workshop style instruction, this class will help you strengthen the right body parts and gain a better understanding for practicing headstand in its many variations.

Journey Headstand

Here is a breakdown of all of the foundational poses in yoga and how I would cue for them in a class.

Posture Clinic

This hour and a half video takes you through all of the foundational poses in yoga and the ideal alignment and cues for them to help assist our physical practice. Filmed as part of a training, this video is a great posture clinic for new students or teachers learning to cue postures for their students.

Yoga Posture Breakdowns

This series offers a variety of classes breaking down the biomechanics of handstanding and flows that allow you to playfully practice going upside down, while building the necessary strength, awareness and balance in order to do so.

Handstand Series

In this short 30 minuet video, I break down the different body parts and their role in our journey to handstand. Together with suggested alignment cues, I offer exercises and stretches to strengthen and improve mobility, necessary to help your body get upside down.

Mindful Sonder

Handstand Series

About this class

Videos included in this series