Pranayama- 4th Limb

The fourth limb of yoga is pranayama, or control of breath. Why is breath control important to mind-body balance? We all know the feeling – when we feel anxious or panicked, all we can think about is the stressful situation.  Our heart rate goes up, our muscles become tense, and in most cases, our breathing […]

The Niyamas- 2nd Limb

The second of the eight limbs is the niyamas, or spiritual observances.  The niyamas are recommended practices for day-to-day living that contribute to balance within mind, body, and spirit. There are 5 niyamas, which are as follows: 1. Saucha, or cleanliness/purification.  Based on saucha, we are encouraged to remove impurities from both our external and […]

Limb One- The Yamas

The first of the eight limbs of yoga is the yamas. The yamas are the physical restraints or ethical guidelines for embarking upon the yogic path.  I want to make something clear. The yamas (really, all 8 limbs for that matter) are to be taken as guiding principles. The truth is, it is very difficult […]