Yoga Articles – Page 8 – Yoga with Katrina Ariel

Show Up & Let Go

November 18, 2009Katrina Ariel1 Comment

One of my first teachers, Shane Perkins, is beloved in my heart for his clear embodiment of unconditional love. He taught me much simply by the way he conducts himself with kindness and integrity at all times.

When speaking on the topic of meditation, Shane summed it all up in these words:

“Show up and let go.”

Show up, as in be present, be aware, be in the here and now. Then let go, meaning release the struggle, let the thoughts float by without attachment, allow the moment to simply be.

Applying this approach to meditation and life can be an ongoing practice, to be sure, but one that is infinitely rewarding. Let’s try it now, shall we?

Mini-Meditation: Show Up and Let Go

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For The Fun Of Yoga

November 15, 2009Katrina Ariel2 Comments

One of the reasons Anusara® yoga is so wildly popular is because we have fun!

Sure, we go deep, we meditate, we ponder things like the meaning of life and how to save the world. We have compassion for tragedy and suffering, and we serve from our hearts to bring more light into the world.

Yet through it all we also laugh, play, interact with each other, applaud people’s new discoveries and make beauty through creative expression in beautiful, empowering poses.

Think about it; you’re much more likely to do something if you’re having fun, right?

Here’s proof that making things fun, even things that require effort, really works! Have you seen this video yet?

How To Get On Your Yoga Mat… Even When You Don’t Want To

November 13, 2009Katrina Ariel10 Comments

Sometimes the hardest part of a yoga practice is rolling out the mat and actually starting in the first place.

This video gives you 3 easy ways to get past that lack of motivation into the infinite rewards of practicing yoga.

You’ll like it. Really. There’s chocolate involved. 🙂

Just start doing yoga, wherever you are, however you can.
Bribe yourself, knowingly and kindly, with a treat.
Make your practice a dance of devotion

What motivates you to get on your mat? Please post a comment below and let me know.

11/11/11 (November 11, 2009)

November 11, 2009Katrina Ariel

Even if you’re reading this on another day, the teachings offered here can be integrated into every moment and time.

November 11, 2009. This is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran’s Day in the US (and very possibly holds significance in other places I’m not aware of – do tell me if you know of any).

Yet beyond these worthy calls to honor those who have served their countries, this day has been given special spiritual significance by those who look at the science of numbers.

According to numerology, 11 is a master number, also known as the psychic’s master number. Here we have three of them in an alignment that has likely never occurred in our lifetimes.

Okay, so what does that mean? Well, after poking around on the web, here’s my simplification of it and suggestion on how to channel the power available here:

Illuminating Tony Robbins

November 10, 2009Katrina Ariel

Can you think of someone who has changed your life with their presence or teachings?

Honor them today.

Personally, I find that my own depth of gratitude and understanding grows every time I take the time to honor the people who have inspired me.

Today I offer you insight from my notes taken while listening to an interview with a man I greatly admire and respect; someone who has changed the lives of millions: Tony Robbins. <= click the link to read the article.

I laugh when I hear Tony speak because so much of what he teaches is in alignment with the philosophy of Anusara® yoga and other schools of living with integrity and joy.

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The Yoga Of Business

November 4, 2009Katrina Ariel2 Comments

“If everyone did business with this kind of integrity, the world would be a much better place!”

These were my thoughts after coming off a training call with some of the best master marketers in the business. Guys who get paid thousands per day for consulting. (If you want to check it out click this link for A League Of Extraordinary Minds.)

Even if you don’t have a ‘yoga business’ per se, any kind of enterprise can learn and grow from this attitude toward business.

To me, as someone who lives the path of yoga, compromising integrity is not an option. Yet too often it’s how you see people doing business. Perhaps it’s because people think that is how it has to be done; that you have to persuade or manipulate people into buying something.

But here’s the thing: products and services of excellence are of great benefit to those who seek them out.

Ahimsa: Meditate For World Peace

November 3, 2009Katrina Ariel2 Comments

With all the struggle and war in the world, yoga gives us a method to live well and contribute to the upliftment of the world.

It helps us be courageous when faced with fear, find equanimity in times of struggle, and be empowered when things feel overwhelming.

I’ve posted an article which expands on Ahimsa, the first ethical guideline of yoga. This article on How To Create Peace With Yoga And Meditation and offers an educated view of war and what we can do about it.

You will also find a video of a guided meditation for peace toward the end of the article, which means you can close your eyes and listen rather than reading the words of your meditation today.

Yoga in Metairie and New Orleans LA

October 30, 2009Katrina Ariel

Metairie LA and the New Orleans area is such a great place for yoga. Why? Because it’s so rich and full of life, culture, and soul already – doing yoga here is like bathing in multicolored vibrancy!

I spend half of my year in New Orleans and the other half in BC, Canada. I love both places deeply. My family lives in Metairie, just north of New Orleans, so I have a great reason to come here to teach, play, practice, and discover new adventures of yoga off the mat.

When I’m teaching in New Orleans I generally sub for local instructors at Swan River Yoga. I also enjoy teaching at the local gym, because the ladies there are so great. Of course, gym yoga is a totally different environment, but don’t think that the right teacher can’t still take you deep into your center while you push the edge and break a sweat.

What Is Your Path To God?

October 30, 2009Katrina Ariel8 Comments

“God is in glue?”

Me: “What’s God?”
Mom: “God is everything.”
Me: “You mean God is the table? The bed? The cat?”
Mom: “Yes.”
Me: “God’s in glue?”

I remember this conversation with my mom. I was very young, maybe 4 or 5. We were sitting at a miniature table doing crafts or something, and the topic of God came up. Now this is my fuzzy and probably oversimplified recollection of it, but the basic idea still holds.

That was basically the foundation of my own personal belief system. God is in the glue. God IS the glue, that which holds it all together and lets it all fall apart to be renewed.

Infinite Paths

Is even possible to count the vast number of philosophies and methods of finding God (or Supreme Consciousness, or whatever word you prefer to use for that indescribable source energy)? Really, it must be expanding every day.

Each heart feels its own connection, each mind interprets differently; your own experience of what you believe is unique to you.

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Consciousness Altering Substances And Yoga

October 28, 2009Katrina Ariel1 Comment

buddhaBoy From the beginning of time, humans have been experimenting with different ways to shift and expand the way we see and experience life.

A couple of weeks ago I was in Santa Fe at a training with John Friend, and I found a new method of altering consciousness that left me high and happy without side effects or legal considerations.

Here’s the blog post describing that experience. Forget the bong, try a Gong Bath.

Now, aboriginal people around the world have used sacred medicines, such as peyote and ayahuasca, to attune with a bigger energy, heal and change themselves. Cannabis, that controversial plant, has been widely proven again and again to have more uses from hemp to healing than any other plant we know of.