community, health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

Yoga And Meditation

Over my years as a yoga instructor and yoga practitioner, a vital core of my practice has been meditation.  Long before I started a yoga practice I had studied eastern philosophies and was interested in meditation.  Always eager to learn I would sign up for classes and workshops on all sorts of meditations: guided, silent,… Continue reading Yoga And Meditation

community, family, health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

Welcome 2013!

Well I have to say I am pretty excited to put 2012 behind me and jump into 2013 with an open heart and positive attitude about growth, prosperity and true abundance. My resolution or intention for the year ahead is to hold peace in my heart, in my home, in my work and in my… Continue reading Welcome 2013!

community, family, health, spirituality, wellness

Teach Love

It seems a mini-avalanche of blogs have begun... it started with Becca's "Let's Get Physical", which was responded with La La's "Take It Personally", which led to Meizac's "Piece Of Meat". My heart cries for these women.  For all women.  But it cries for men too.  What kind of society have we created?  What kind… Continue reading Teach Love

health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

The Final Step: Ultimate Bliss

Our final step on the eight fold path of yoga is called Samadhi.  This has been referred to as ultimate peace, bliss or oneness with the universe.  It is like meditation, but exists in every moment.  A place of enlightment, liberation and the place we come to after devoting our life to the other seven… Continue reading The Final Step: Ultimate Bliss

health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

The Seventh Step: Meditate

As we come to the seventh step, I realize we have almost completed this journey through the eight-fold-path of yoga! The sixth step was concentration and focus, so our next step is when those efforts are no longer efforts, and you are just present in the ceaseless waves of pure experience and presence.  This is Dhyana, or… Continue reading The Seventh Step: Meditate

health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

Step Six | Concentration

The sixth step on our yogic path is called dharana.  This is translated as concentration. In our fifth step, we withdrew the senses, and now we are able to focus inward fully.  This concentration sets up for our seventh step Dhyana, which is meditation. Although all the steps overlap and integrate, these three are so… Continue reading Step Six | Concentration

health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

Step Five: Define Control

The fifth step on our yoga path is pratyahara, meaning control of our senses. In order to have control over anything we must be aware of what it is.  So with pratyahara, we begin to study the five senses and see how they control us.  Seeing, hearing, touching, tasting and smelling are all apart of… Continue reading Step Five: Define Control

health, spirituality, Uncategorized, wellness, Yoga

The Fourth Step | Just Breathe

Pranayama.  Bliss.  In my humble opinion this is where the magic happens in yoga.  So what is pranayama?  Simply put, it is breathing. Pranayama is our Life Force.  We cannot live without breathing.  When our breathing stops, our life ends.  Yet we take for granted this powerful force in our lives. There are many emotional… Continue reading The Fourth Step | Just Breathe

health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

Step Three: The Yoga Fad

The third step on our eight-fold path of yoga is asana.  I consider this the 'yoga fad' of the west.  Even though there are eight steps on this yogic path, as a culture we have got lost in this one step: the stretches. Now don't get me wrong- I am VERY glad we have this… Continue reading Step Three: The Yoga Fad

community, health, spirituality, wellness, Yoga

The Second Step

This is confusing 'step' number two, or the second limb of yoga, which is really another five steps.  Our last post on the yamas had the first five moral principles  and now the niyamas will be shared, and these are five living principles. Saucha is purity.  This is all about taking care of yourself on the… Continue reading The Second Step