Category: Yoga Articles

World peace is the ultimate expression of Ahimsa, or non-violence, which is the very first teaching of yoga. Will you participate in making it a realtiy?

In the next week there are two days that are dedicated to peace on a global level, September 21^st and September 26^th.

Monday, September 21^st is Peace One Day. It’s a global cease fire and celebration of peace recognized by the UN and countries around the world.  What will you do for peace? Post a comment below to announce your contribution.

Saturday, September 26^th, there are gatherings around the world called Earth Dance. People are coming together at festivals, small groups, and even on their own to join in a Prayer for Peace at 4pm Pacific Standard Time.

“It’s our moral responsibility” says the Dalai Lama in the Peace One Day film that explains about Peace One Day.

Read More “The Dalai Lama on Creating World Peace”

Wouldn’t it be nice if life had an “undo” button? A chance to re-do certain things, re-phrase certain words, or re-think certain thoughts?

Sometimes we can be so hard on ourselves that mistakes turn into bigger monsters than necessary. Often small inconveniences morph into huge frustrations because we dwell on them.

But here’s the thing: Every single moment in life is fresh.

There is an opportunity in each trip-up. Mistakes, annoyances, and even tragedies come into our lives offering gifts. You can turn even the most sour experience into growth and bloom. Transformation awaits your willingness.

Read More “Do Over”

Sometimes it’s hard to get into a routine. Sometimes that’s okay, and other times the body thrives off having a rhythm that it knows and loves.

For me, when I skip meditation or yoga practice in the morning I have a much higher chance of getting irritable. That’s because these practices keep me balanced. They help my body, mind, and spirit all play nice together and contribute equally to my experience of the day.

In an ideal world I would wake up early every morning, and this is what my day would look like:

• Rise with gratitude
• Drink water
• Meditate (also pranayama)
• Eat fruit
• Go for a walk or run
• Green Smoothie
• Shower/bath
• Yoga Practice

  Read More “What About Routine?”

You know the feeling when someone listens to you – when they recognize how truly special you are and how much they can learn from what you have to say?

Well that’s what I want to do right now. But first, a confession. I’ll come right out and say it… I don’t know everything. In fact there’s a lot I don’t know.

It’s funny how life teaches you how to be humble, isn’t it? 10 years ago I wouldn’t have wanted to openly fess up that there are things of which I am ignorant. Ugh. That word itself still brings a conditioned response of dislike.

I think, for me anyway, the idea of ignorance brings up the feeling of vulnerability, which is another area in which I’ve come far. I used to recoil at the idea of showing vulnerability, but I have come to realize that every single human being feels vulnerable sometimes. It’s one of the things that brings us together – we share this common link of tender spots that don’t always show but are there to keep us humble and willing to reach out to one another.

Read More “Confessions of a Yoga Teacher”

The Wisdom of Buddha

For the last year I’ve been traveling ~ body, mind and spirit ~ in many places and through multi-layered dimensions of life. This grand adventure to different continents and different ways of feeling consciousness has led me to really appreciate these words:

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

— The Buddha

“Live in the present moment”

This has changed everything. This practice of living in the present – appreciating what blessings and opportunities are held right now, on open palms of constant generosity – is the difference between peace of mind and emotional blindness. It is the secret to moving out of worry and into calm

Read More “Buddha’s Wisdom on the Yoga of Being Present”

Meditate On This:

Tantrikas dance with bliss

Living life fully,

Skillfully,

As profound play.

Even the low points

Of the WAVE of life

Are held by the ocean of grace.

Katrina Ariel

Pure Bliss

There are many paths to ecstasy, just as intimacy has many forms.

There are also limitless experiences of enlightenment.

Both ecstasy and enlightenment are experiences of divine bliss, and can be found and expressed uniquely by each individual. When your consciousness merges with the whole Om, the vast existence of energy that is all One, bliss happens.

Tantra is a form of yoga; an approach and perspective that weaves threads of truth together. Tantric philosophy takes things that work from other systems of belief and being, fits them together, then steps back and asks “How can we enhance this? How can we improve our approach and make life more beautiful?”

Read More “Tantra: The Art of Living Fully”

What is your ideal picture of happiness?

When you think about the ‘perfect’ you, part of that image is a healthy body and peaceful mind. It is pretty tough to be completely happy when you hurt.

We all experience pain. It is the body’s way of letting us know something isn’t quite right, and would we please do something about it, thank you very much?

Many of us turn to yoga in order to work through physical challenges, find some semblance of mental clarity, and balance waves of emotion. When you break it right down, just the basic act of moving and breathing mindfully can make huge improvements.

Yet there is more to the therapeutic aspect of yoga than simply moving. As healing as yoga can be, it can also be dangerous when done misaligned.

When the body is in pain something is out of alignment. If tight muscles are pulling bones and joints out of their rightful place, circulation is impaired and all sorts of disagreeable things can happen. However, when you learn how to come into optimal alignment, joints move easily, fluids flow freely and healing occurs.

Read More “Yoga Therapy: Aligning for Freedom”

Yoga asks us to be in the moment, to take each breath in awareness, and to live life as a practice of service and creative expression of the self.

But, really, how many people actually DO this on a full time basis?

How busy are you? How often do the “things to do” distract you from your practice?

And, seriously now, where does the time go?

Time is a mysterious and seemingly mischievious entity. It plays by shrinking and stretching, disappearing and then bestowing us with moments of suspended magic. What an interesting variable in the game of life it is.

I’ve written an article that addresses the importance of taking time for yourself. You can read it here: Benefits of Yoga and Meditation for Busy People

Can you feel it? The world is taking a deep breath. Hope, excitement, and a new awareness flows in the pulse of the planet.

Yoga challenges us to open to new perspectives. The philosophy offers methods of looking at the whole of existence in ways that can be mind altering in the best possible sense. The physical practice of asana guides your body into positions where you are literally seeing the world differently, often upside down! Mind, body, and heart are encouraged to constantly take a fresh view of reality.

Read More “A New Dawn of Hope”

Ah, the ever elusive crown jewel of yoga. Would you like to understand meditation in more depth? What do you want to know?