Since the mind and body make decisions together about how we respond to our internal and external environments, intellectually understanding the science behind why yoga works can help it be even more effectively in increasing the health of our whole being
Read MoreAhimsa is a practice of not harming yourself or others. Others includes humans, animals and the planet. It is the fundamental philosophical work of a yoga practitioner and my favorite piece of yoga philosophy to talk about.
Read MoreSo, what is truth? Everyone has their own truth. Your truth may not be someone else's truth. Part of the yoga practice is to see this. One of the reasons to practice yoga is because it is one of those activities in life where we can cultivate observing what is happening in the present moment rather than being unconsciously caught up in negative judgments or wishing for something else to be true than what is true right now. As a Yoga Therapist it is my job to encourage this practice in my students.
Read MoreThe sanskrit word prana is often simply translated as breath, as in giving of life. It is that universal energy that animates all things, including ourselves. This powerful energy has the capacity to heal and support us on all levels; mentally, emotionally, physically and even spiritually.
Spring is a time of transformation, renewed energy, starting new endeavors and sewing seeds for future harvest. Here is a little bit of insight from The Bhagavad Gita, an ancient yogic text, about being wise in our response to change.
Read MoreIn chapter 18 of the Bhagavad Gita it says, “All Mankind is born for perfection and each shall attain it will he but follow his nature's duty. Now we shall hear how a man may become perfect, if he devotes himself to the work which is natural to him...A man's own natural duty, even if it seems imperfectly done, is better than work not naturally his own even if this is well performed. For all action is involved in imperfection, like fire in smoke.” I take this to mean that one should always be authentic even if it is not what society considers perfect. We are perfect in our imperfection.
Read MoreAyurveda, the sister science to yoga and the oldest known medical system in the world, offers some great tools for increasing your general well-being this time of year. It isn't a magic pill; It is a framework that helps you create gradual changes in your habits for the better. That is why it is important to start simple with things that you enjoy. So, here in the season of transformation, with the leaves falling, the weather cooling and the harvest, what are you most willing to change from your list of unhealthy habits?
Read MoreThe Koshas are distinct layers of our being. They can also be thought of an dimensions of ourselves that overlap and interrelate to one another. I apply them to my yoga therapy session to address and heal the whole being, not just our physical or psychological components.
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