Almost to the end of the 8 limbs! Today we will discuss Limb 7 – dhyana, or meditation. This limb may be a little more familiar to those interested in yoga. You almost can’t go a day anymore without hearing about the benefits of meditation! Dhyana occurs when we have focused our concentration on something […]
Today we will talk about Limb 6 – dharana, or concentration. Recall that the last limb discussed (Limb 5) was pratyahara, or withdrawing the senses from the outside world and bringing them toward the internal world. In a way, Limb 5 marks the transition from the physical world to the inner spiritual world. Limb 6 […]
My apologies for the absence our world has been chaotic as of late! Middle school football, preschool field trips, hubby working insane amounts of overtime, and I have been prepping to finish out the year for the studio! Onward to Limb 5 – pratyahara! Pratyahara is the practice of withdrawing the senses from the outside […]
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 […]
Ahhhhh, we’ve finally come to Limb 3: Asana. AHHHHH-sana. (Did you see what I did there?) Asana is the part of a yoga practice that we typically think of when we tell a friend, “OMG come to yoga with me!” We are usually talking about the physical practice of getting into poses and breathing as […]
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 […]
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 […]
Before my teacher training, yoga poses were so important to me. Power flows, and Bikram poses were what I focused on the most. All I cared about what “mastering” different arm balances. But I wasn’t carrying yoga off the mat. I wasn’t pushing myself past the four restricted corners of the mat. I still became upset […]
How can I learn to meditate? It’s a question that I get asked over and over. I’ve learned that replying with, “ It’s easy!”, is not the answer anyone is looking for. Many of people find meditation incredibly difficult. Sitting, breathing… waiting? What is it all for, anyway? We read articles and watch documentaries on […]
Alright, Alright, Alright I listen to bunches of different Ted Talks, Podcasts and motivational speakers throughout the week. I’m constantly absorbing information. Usually, even when I’m not specifically seeking out yoga related material, in some way shape or form it comes full circle on some level. This week I was working on an future workshop […]
