One of the most beautiful teachings within the Yogic texts is the reminder to engage fully with the world around us.It’s easy to become stagnant in our practices/routines and remain within our comforts. And it’s even easier to feel overwhelmed with daily responsibilities/roles in our fast paces lives, forgetting the nature of our essence. Both […]
Happiness…it’s an inside job!
There is a difference between transitory (temporary) happiness and genuine (sustained) happiness. Temporary happiness satisfies our cravings momentarily and often leave us desiring more, while genuine happiness fuels our Soul and leave us feeling rejuvenated, more at peace and tapped into sensations that go beyond the physical experience. And the truth is, we all have […]
Dhyana- Limb 7
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 […]
Dharana- Limb 6
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 […]
Pratyahara- Limb 5
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 […]
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 […]
Asana, the 3rd Limb
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 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 […]
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 […]