Yoga is a complex practice that has touched the lives of a countless number of people. The definition of the term and its traditional meaning is to completely know yourself, or the union of becoming One. Though yoga is practiced by millions of people today, many yogis don’t know the origins of their favorite postures or even the practice itself.
Category: yoga
Why I don’t take my yoga hot and sweaty
Here is a simple graphic I’ve been using in my training programs (and in yoga classes) to explain why the yoga I teach is different from other kinds of yoga out there. When I moved to Asheville in 2001, I realized I had a problem. I couldn’t figure out why people weren’t coming to my… Continue reading Why I don’t take my yoga hot and sweaty
A Deeper Look at the 8 Limbs of Yoga
More than just postures, set into a sequence, followed by savasana (corpse pose), Yoga is complex. It weaves together inner and outer disciplines, physical practice, and breath work while guiding us through the ups and downs of emotions, thoughts, and interactions with others. Yoga is also a guide for how to live free from suffering and… Continue reading A Deeper Look at the 8 Limbs of Yoga
Spring Detox: Daily Routines to Optimize Health
Spring is here! Birds are chirping, snow is melting, and the sun is shining. Time to start Spring Cleaning of You! This is a great time to clear out stagnation, reset the body and mind, and create fertile ground for new growth and abundance.
Your Future Self: Setting Intentions
Yoga teacher Caitlin Renz provides two practices for you to start your new year off in the right direction. By applying these simple daily practices, you can make this the best year yet!
The Guru Within: The Turtle Power of Self-Trust
“To have faith is to trust yourself to the water. When you swim you don’t grab hold of the water, because if you do, you will sink and drown. Instead, You relax, and float.” ~ Alan Watts Most of us on the path of self-study encounter signposts along the way directing us to “Trust the… Continue reading The Guru Within: The Turtle Power of Self-Trust
Yoga, An Inner Guru and You
I may never make it to a high mountain in Tibet to sit in the presence of a cross-legged spiritual master. Yet, with this one phrase during yoga class and a different perception of an underused vocabulary word, I was offered my own mountain top to become the student of a wild haired, brilliant and sacred teacher.
Get Your Hands Dirty! – A Yogi’s Take on Selfless Service
Recently, I was faced with a challenge. I am passionate about gardening and local organic food, as well as educating young people about the world around them so they can become stewards of the earth. After listening to a recent episode of The Urban Farm Podcast which focused on Tonyehn Verkitis, owner of Eco-Arts Living and… Continue reading Get Your Hands Dirty! – A Yogi’s Take on Selfless Service
Why You’re Not Practicing Yoga Consistently (And What You Can Do About It)
When making a behavior change, it’s important to have confidence and hope, but not overconfidence. “People who believe that they can succeed are more likely to succeed than are people who do not.”
How a Yoga Practice Can Take Your Health Up a Notch
Taking things up a notch seems to imply working harder, self-deprivation and increased effort. What if, instead, it could mean finding ease in the work, indulgence and trusting your body’s resources? Can you imagine a physical workout with a clear mind and a happy heart? Can you imagine delicious, satisfying meals that fuel instead of… Continue reading How a Yoga Practice Can Take Your Health Up a Notch
Samskaras, emotional eating & choosing your destiny
Sequentially, day eleven follows day ten. No big deal, unless it is the first day after the last day of a ten day cleanse. Day eleven then becomes ripe with choices and truths. Ten days ago I committed to omit coffee, alcohol, sugar, dairy and processed foods from my diet. Today, I get to decide… Continue reading Samskaras, emotional eating & choosing your destiny
On the Daily: Creating Space for your Yoga and Meditation Everyday
“I never have enough time to meditate, I can only fit in yoga once or twice a week or there is no way to find peace and harmony at home, my house is complete chaos!” These are a few of the many justifications for procrastinating or altogether skipping our meditation and yoga practice. For some… Continue reading On the Daily: Creating Space for your Yoga and Meditation Everyday
The Dark Side of the Yoga Mat
On occasion my yoga practice turns into a messy throw down with an evil, two headed, mutant monster. I am surprised by the practices that go from a simple intention to ones that instead feel like wrestling with the beast, staring ugly in the face, or standing up to a relentless bully. I used to… Continue reading The Dark Side of the Yoga Mat
Yoga for back and joint pain, and a few food quips
Chiropractor and yogi Erika Putnam shares why a yoga practice is essential to healthy joints and mobility. “All joints must move through a particular plane with relative ease. The more restricted the motion of a joint, the less motion is allowed, thus decreasing the health of that joint. Think of joints like…”
Finding your way hOMe
One very cold, very dark, and very early morning in January, I crawled out of my bed and slipped on the clothes I had laid out the night before. I bundled up and walked a hundred feet to a temple. The temple was crafted of logs and looked perfectly at home in the Rockies of… Continue reading Finding your way hOMe