As we move through our Year of Skillful Living, August brings us into intimate conversation with Satya. Building upon our recent practice of Santosha—learning to find contentment with what is—truthfulness asks us to take the next step: to see reality clearly, speak it courageously, and hold space for complexity. But let me go deeper and beyond by-the-book yoga philosophy in this post. Personally, I think Satya should come next to Ahimsa (sorry, Patanjali, but hear me out), be

I started writing this piece thinking about how santosha, as a concept, translated in modern living as this practice of being content with what we have or who we are at the moment and not falling prey to envy, jealousy, or greed. To not desire endlessly. After all, santosha translates to "absolute contentment". And as one of the niyamas or inner disciplines, this is how santosha is usually presented in modern yogic discussions. And yet that version of santosha seemed a little

Happy June to everyone! How time has flown by — we're already in the middle of the year! We introduced this year as our year of skillful living. Our themes have been revolving around concepts from Yoga Philosophy, in no particular formal order, but there is a reason we laid it out like that, and maybe this month is the perfect time to share with you how they all connect to each other. We began the year with Svadharma, with a question, "What is appropriate for me right now?" I

Do you remember that first time you asked what yoga was? Maybe you came across it in social media, maybe you decided to book that class through Classpass or Kfit (if you know, you know), or maybe someone said to you in a conversation a long time ago that maybe you should try doing yoga. I still remember my first time asking this question. I remember Googling "yoga for beginners," coming across Yoga with Adriene in Youtube and trying to finish a 20-minute class with my usual

How has your week been? I am writing this at the airport, heading back home after an eventful first 3 months and a half of 2026. Finally feeling my guard relaxing a bit, my nervous system resetting. There's this particular kind of quiet that gradually happened this month as we ended something meaningful: the Yoga Teacher Training. Most of you know how busy it has been for me and the rest of the teachers involved in the YTT. Not just for the faculty, but also for the rest of t

The more I studied, the more I realized that the path was not leading toward having all the answers, but toward becoming less attached to needing them. This is where the teaching of Vairagya started to make sense to me, not as a philosophical concept, but as a lived experience.

Happy hearts month, Treehouse! It's our 10th Valentine's Day with you all, and one that I sadly missed out on celebrating with the community-- but maybe we can come up with something end of the month, suggestions are welcome! Buti na lang nandiyan ang ating Valentinas -- Teachers Kim, Jinky, and Noki -- who were present with you all last Saturday! One Valentine's Day with T. Jinky 2026 Valentine's Day, still with T. Jinky! The consistent Valentina of Treehouse! In the meantim

Happy new year, Treehouse! As with every year, I sit with the energy of Treehouse and try to listen to what its spirit needs. Usually, and I kid you not, the themes come to me in dreams (just like the name "Treehouse"), and never has it failed me. This year, our umbrella theme is "Skillful Living" — a year of applying yoga as a way of responding to life, not escaping it. This is such a helpful reminder that the everyday work of yoga is expressed through wise choices, appropri

It's been quite a year, Yogis! In fact, for us, it's been quite a DECADE! We're closing this month (and year) with our theme #Rekindle -- a quick look-back in our humble wins, the quiet yet meaningful things that brought us to where we all are right now. Whether you have been with us since our first ever demo classes in December 2015 or have just joined recently, here's a little trip down memory lane for you all. 2015 October - The construction of Treehouse Yoga. This was an

I decided to write a poem because this is how I can best express my thoughts and feelings about reaffirmation. It is a process of trusting who you are and remembering how far you’ve come to be here. I am actively pursuing a career goal and sometimes I feel deflated when I see that progress is slow, especially on days where I choose to rest or do nothing. There are moments where I find myself beating myself down with negative self-talk and unnecessary comparisons. But I am re

Well, what do you know, it's almost the end of the year! I still remember the start of this year (and every year) so vividly and how every January signals a new set of opportunities (and also insecurities and fears) for myself and for the studio. I love November. Aside from it having a personal significance in my life, it also is that natural pause for everyone — a time to take stock of what we’ve cultivated, what we’ve released, and what still calls for our attention. Our th

A happy welcome to the -ber season! It took me a while to write this month's post because I contemplated on the many times this month's theme has been relevant to the studio, our team, and the brand. 10 years means I've reframed situations and circumstances many times, and so I've picked the ones that have a major impact to how we are today. Featuring Keii, my lovely admin partner since 2016, who at times I see as my boss! This reframing has helped me a gabajillion times, esp

In our already-busy lives, it’s easy to get pulled in many directions—work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the constant buzz of the digital world. But recently, here in the Philippines, many of us also carry the weight of a turbulent political landscape. The news cycle can stir up feelings of frustration, anger, fatigue, and even helplessness. Even I myself am having an extra difficult time returning to my inner balance, and rightfully so, like every citizen navigatin

This August, our theme at Treehouse Yoga is #Reclaim—and it couldn’t be more timely. We often associate the word “reclaim” with taking something back that was lost or stolen. But in yoga, we learn that the most essential parts of ourselves—our peace, clarity, and connection—were never truly lost. They’ve simply been buried under the noise of the world, our roles, expectations, and experiences. Our work is to return. To remember. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali describes yoga as

Here's my realignment story and a little bit of how Treehouse came about.

Detachment, Rediscovery, and the Adventure of Finding Me. I’ve moved houses at least 6 times in my adult life. Half of that time, I did not have any plans to move houses. But I did. Very soon, I will be moving again. Just the thought of packing, unpacking, and repositioning my furniture and personal belongings is daunting, the actual work even more so. It’s tiring to keep organized, so I make sure to sift through all of our stuff prior to moving, discarding what can no longer

Summer has really raised the heat index in Manila this year (together with our Meralco bill)! As a tropical girlie, I like the heat, but I also sometimes cannot take too much of it. Recently, I've been reaching for food that can help cool the body: cold water, fruit juices, vegetables and seafood -- raw or otherwise. I noticed I have less preference for coffee and oatmilk intake (would you believe?), rice, and red meat. In terms of activities, I've been doing less explosive g

As a mental health professional, one of the most common issues faced by my clients stems from boredom. "Feeling bored" is something we all experience: sometimes, its the state of purposelessness or failing to find meaning (whether doing something or not), and maybe a lack of interest in something. Feeling this from time to time is normal, but when it becomes chronic, it can lead to more serious mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, frustration, and the tendency to

A couple of weeks ago, a yoga teacher friend of mine asked me, with a tone laced with guilt, "T. Rach, do you think I am a bad yogi for not practicing yoga asana? It's just not connecting with me right now." I remember asking the same question to my own yoga teacher 7 years ago. I was so burnt out teaching 8 classes a week AND running the business. (It wasn't this efficient then. Thanks, technology.) I had come to a point where closing the studio was already an option. My tea

Ahh, the month of love. The world makes such a big fuss over Valentine's Day (maybe because it makes a lot of money!) but in Treehouse this year, we will change it up a bit and offer some depth and other meanings to it. Meeting Yourself on the Mat In a world that constantly pulls us in different directions and dictates what we should and should not be, the gift of reconnection invites us to pause and return to ourselves. Through consistent yoga practice, along with the other