Posts In: Uncategorized

Willingness to Unite:

In the realm of yoga, Ishvara Pranidhana involves entrusting oneself to the divine essence. The term “Ishvara” signifies the divine, while “Pranidhana” translates to surrender. Contrary to the common misconception of surrender as weakness or failure, in yoga, it signifies the willingness to unite with the cosmic order. Yoga, fundamentally meaning union, requires the relinquishment of control—a willingness to trust that one is precisely where they need to be, even in discomfort. Unfortunately, societal teachings often equate surrendering control with weakness, instilling fear about the potential consequences of losing it. However, holding onto an illusion of control restricts the natural, creative flow of the universe, hindering personal growth and happiness. (more…)

In the realm of yoga and its ethical guidelines, there exists a concept known as Satya, the second of the five Yamas. At its core, Satya translates to Truthfulness, but its significance runs deeper than mere honesty. Let’s embark on a journey through this profound principle and discover how it can transform your life. (more…)

Take a deep breath of serenity in!  As the world is ever-changing, so are we.  Embracing simple breathing techniques as we age becomes increasingly important in order to find moments of peace, relaxation, and self-care. Breathing techniques and meditation offer powerful tools to support individuals on their journey of graceful aging. By incorporating deep breathing, mindful breathing, and various meditation practices into our daily lives, we can cultivate a sense of calm, improve emotional well-being, and enhance overall resilience. In this article, we will explore different breathing techniques and meditation practices that can serve as pillars of support as we navigate the challenges AND joys of aging. These practices have been shown to activate the body’s relaxation response, reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and foster a greater sense of well-being. Read on and begin this transformative journey of self-discovery and find solace in the healing power of breath and meditation.

Note: The remaining sections of the article will delve deeper into the different breathing techniques, meditation practices, and their benefits, providing practical guidance and insights to support individuals in incorporating these practices into their lives for optimal well-being. Are you ready to breath in serenity? (more…)

Transforming Your Yoga:

The pandemic has been a challenging and transformative experience for many of us. While our day-to-day lives may have returned to some sense of normalcy, we can all agree that living through a worldwide pandemic has taught us a great deal about ourselves and the world around us. For those of us who practice yoga, this experience has provided us with new ways of thinking and living that have changed the way we can approach our practice. (more…)

Ah February, the month of love.  While I know we tend to focus on the romantic type of love due to Valentines Day, this month I want to dedicate it to a special and more important type of love, Self-Love.  It is said that one can not fully embrace love or give love without first loving oneself.  Many of us would be quick to say that we love ourselves, however our actions don’t always reflect that.  We can be our own worst critic, beating ourselves up for a small mishap, a bump in the road, a slip of the tongue. Have you ever listened to what you say to yourself when you made a mistake, didn’t follow through with a goal, or forgot something?  Would you ever dream of saying these things to others?  Most likely not! On top of criticizing ourselves, we also demonstrate the lack of Self-Love by overworking, overextending our efforts to the point of exhaustion, and giving more than we have energy for.  In yoga, we strive for a balanced life, in body, mind, and spirit. While helping others helps us feel good, burning ourselves out puts our physical body at risk and can take its toll on our mental and emotional state as well. (more…)

It’s starting to look a lot like…Winter!
Here we are prepping and getting ready for a Winter wonderland.  A time to hunker down, stay warm, and move into a more inward state.  While many find the excitement of the holidays cheery and uplifting, not everyone shares this same joy.  For some, the holiday season brings up uncomfortable feelings and added challenges that can foster depression and loneliness.  Due to the pandemic, this winter will have an added degree of solitude that contribute to the heaviness and stress we are already carrying.   While solitude can be scary, it can also be a time of healing, creating, and transforming.

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A Guest Post by Lotus Kitty

Pratyahara is a sensory withdrawal. It is the process of freeing your senses from the outer world so you can focus on yourself. What we perceive with our sense can be overwhelming, which is why the Pratyahara effectively bridges the gap between the external disciplines in yoga to the focus of your inner growth. (more…)

Stress is one of those things that we can’t avoid nor should we eliminate it. A little bit of stress can be helpful in keeping us motivated and focused on what needs to be done. However, in the fast pace of today’s world combined with the many expectations on us from work, family, friends and the never ending info that is flowing towards us all the time from social media, TV, cell phones… etc. we can often get overloaded and burnt out. More and more people are suffering from anxiety, depression and other health concerns that are being linked back to too much stress. The good news is that we can do something about it for ourselves! Yoga and meditation offer many tools to help restore the parasympathetic nervous system (which is in charge of the relaxation response) and boost our energy. The following video is a small sample of what we can do in as little as 3 minutes to help make effective changes in our life.

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