Anusara Yoga – Yoga with Katrina Ariel

Yoga Radio: Navigating the Cycles of Change with Sianna Sherman

April 26, 2012Katrina Ariel

In this episode of Yoga Radio with Katrina Ariel:

Do you see the cycles of life as they flow around you and within you? Do you find yourself in awe of the blossoming of Spring, glory of Summer, beautiful transition of Autumn, and quiet of Winter? Do you become fearful when you see things break down and die, or do you see how this gives way to new beginnings?

Recognizing and working with these ever flowing cycles are the key to understanding life and thriving! Yoga, as well as the archetypes of Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Kali, have much to teach us about the cyclical nature of life. Enjoy this magnificent show which is an exploration into these cycles with one of the world’s top yoga instructors, Sianna Sherman.

Click below to listen to the show. Feel free to share! 😉

Navigating the Cycles of Change with Sianna Sherman.
Recorded LIVE on April 26, 2012.

Guest Bio:

Sianna Sherman is an internationally recognized Anusara® yoga teacher who delights in sharing her teachings with poetry, stories and expressive insight. Sianna teaches at festivals and holds workshops and retreats around the world. She is a regular contributor to YogaGlo online yoga, Origin Magazine, Yoga Journal, the Poetry of Yoga Project and other multimedia expressions, and wishes to serve students with accessible information that helps them in the true transformation of their lives.

Be sure to check out Sianna’s remarkable new DVD, Pranam.

You can find out more about Sianna and her offerings at opentograce.com

Here is the meditation at the end of this Yoga Radio show:

The Yamas and Niyamas: Ethics And The Guiding Principles of Yoga

September 20, 2011Katrina Ariel

The yamas and niyamas are, in a nutshell, the ethical foundation of yoga.

Now, that might not sound very exciting, but let me tell you why it can rock your world in the best possible way.

First of all, I’ve never been a big fan of rules.

Growing up I pretty much rebelled against anyone telling me what to do if I didn’t want to do it. That didn’t make me a particularly respectful student or daughter sometimes, but that’s how I was.

These days, I’m still not a fan of arbitrary rules and laws. I understand why we have them, but if everyone simply lived lives of integrity and allowed themselves to be guided by ancient wisdom, such as the yamas and niyamas, we could effectively govern ourselves in many ways.

But this isn’t a discourse on politics and legal procedures. And that’s actually WHY I think you’ll find this an enlightening exploration into how you interpret the yamas and niyamas.

Classical Yoga vs. The Philosophy of Tantra

First of all, lets talk about perspective, since your relationship with the world is based on your point of view.

When I first started studying yoga, I found many

Becoming A Certified Anusara® Yoga Teacher: A Personal Journey

August 19, 2011Katrina Ariel16 Comments

LoveBalance — Contemplating the journey...

I have described getting certified as an Anusara yoga instructor being like doing a Doctorate in yoga. However, it’s probably more accurately akin to entering into a Mastery Program.

There are many honourable and rich paths to the heart of yoga; truly, there are limtless ways to practice, study and teach yoga, so long as intent is pure and skill is cultivated.

I chose Anusara yoga because it completely aligns with my own truth and has helped me inspire others to live authentically, be happy, and feel good.

It is with bubbling excitement and humble gratitude that I can now call myself a certified Anusara yoga instructor. It has been a journey of many years and incredible growth, and so I offer you this story…

My First Taste Of Anusara Yoga: Finding My Teacher

My first Anusara yoga class was a weekend workshop with the founder, John Friend. I had no idea what the Universal Principles of Alignment™ were, or what order the 3 A’s are arranged in, because I didn’t know the concepts existed. I had been teaching for all of 6 months and a friend told me, from obvious joy and heart, that I absolutely had to try it.

John-Friend-teaching — John Friend teaching. Courtesy of Anusara.

So I drove 5 hours down to Seattle to get my first hit of Anusara yoga from the source. I had no idea what to expect, but I went and put my mat front and center.

That weekend I found my way; that elusive focus of what I wanted to do with my life and how I wanted to live.

John Friend spoke to my heart, in that first class and in so many others I have had the privilege of attending. He used many of the same concepts and poetic threads that had already

Inner Body Bright, Outer World Resplendent

August 8, 2011Katrina Ariel

EkaPadaUrdhvaD — When your intention is to embody light, the world around you grows more beautiful and bright!

In Anusara® yoga there’s a term called “Inner Body Bright.” We’ll get into the specifics of that in a moment, but first I want to invite you to think of it in a way that has far reaching impact…

Consider this: The more you light up yourself, the more you light up the world.

You might be thinking, “Well, that’s obvious.” Or you may be thinking something along the lines of, “Huh?”

Either way, let me expand that a bit.

First of all, ‘light’ is sort of a vague term that’s used a lot when trying to describe things most of us can’t really see. However, if you consider that everything is made up of energy, and that high frequency energy is light, that helps to define it a bit more.

It’s also helpful, for me at least, to remember that there are plenty of people who actually see energetically. I have several friends who can tell you the colour of your aura, which I think is pretty cool, but haven’t yet figured out how to do myself.

At the same time, even if you aren’t able to ‘see’ these energetic plays of light, you can feel them.

Getting back to my main point…

Spicy and Sweet: Yoga Can Be Delicious!

July 13, 2011Katrina Ariel

Spicing Up Your Yoga Practice

hot-sauce — My all time favourite hot sauces made by my friend Ashif!

Yesterday morning in Yoga Boot Camp a friend of mine, Susy, taught us a blend of Latin Dance, Hip Hop, and fitness. It was a blast, with laughter and smiles all around, bodies moving to irresistible beats. I brought Susy in to spice up the camp, adding another dynamic element into an already outstanding program where every day is different.

Because it’s always fun to do something playful and different.

The same goes for your yoga practice. The variations and variety of possible poses and themes means you can taste a new flavour of yoga each time you come to your mat. Being willing to explore and expand helps you grow at whatever level your practice is at now.

This exploration, getting creative with your practice, brings immense enjoyment and wonder.

It doesn’t have to be through advanced poses either. There are playful and profound ways to

The Gems of Yoga Dancing in Indra’s Web (Indra’s Net)

March 18, 2011Katrina Ariel4 Comments

Yoga, to me, invites you to dance on infinite paths that are all going on the same pilgrimage through different routes.

It allows you to surrender your struggle and live skillfully in harmony with life.

Yoga reminds you that your essence is goodness, and that you are connected to everything else through the pulsating energy that creates, sustains, and dissolves all back into itself. And this practice helps you cultivate tolerance and understanding so that you can recognize the essence of goodness in others, as well as inviting a natural and joyful celebration of life!

The gems on Indra’s Web are a great example of the infinite expression of the One, and a lovely thing to meditate upon.

Indra’s Net (or World Wide Web)

Technically I believe it’s called Indra’s Net, though for some reason the term ‘Web’ works better for me. Maybe because the Internet, or World Wide Web, is such a fascinating phenomenon that so closely reflects the universal creativity of Indra’s Web.

Just as the Internet gives us a chance to express ourselves creatively, to connect across vast distance, and to learn from each other, Indra’s web offers us

Anusara Yoga’s Universal Principles Of Alignment: Mastery and Divine Play

March 14, 2010Katrina Ariel10 Comments

The Universal Principles of Alignment™ are an elegant and supremely effective system developed by Anusara® yoga’s founder, John Friend.

They have led to amazing innovation as far as what is possible on a yoga mat, as well as how you can more completely explore the inner realms.

The principles, like the philosophy with which they are so perfectly intertwined, have their roots deep in ancient wisdom, honoring the great teachers and systems of yoga which have come before.

They pulse between spaciousness and focus, so that each moment guides you to further refine and delight!

At their core is a constant commitment to the highest intentions of awakening and liberating the practitioner so you can live more joyfully in conscious connection to your truest, highest self.

Shift Into Beauty: Wisdom From John Friend

February 17, 2010Katrina Ariel

“All actions are directed by one’s viewpoint.” – John Friend

This quote is in my notes from a training with my teacher, John Friend; the founder of Anusara® yoga. There is such wisdom to this. The way you perceive what you experience creates your understanding of it, as well as your feelings and actions.

One of the things that can become challenging about deepening your ability to be sensitive and open is that you can get rocked out of your center by the apparent horrors of the world. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Who Dat! New Orleans Teaches Us About Community Of The Heart

February 10, 2010Katrina Ariel5 Comments

new-orleans-saints-super-bowl-parade — Yep. That's me in a tree above the vast crowd gathered to enjoy the Saints Super Bowl Parade

True togetherness brings a sense of belonging that still allows for self expression; something New Orleans, home of the Saints and joyful leaders of the Who Dat Nation, knows how to do very well. And I invite you to consider yourself a part of it.

All the excitement is not just about football, rest assured. The spirit of community here goes far beyond that.

We can all learn a lot from the culture of community in New Orleans.

In fact, I think part of the purpose of this city and its people is to teach us (the rest of the world) how to support each other, and at the same time allow each individual to express themselves as they choose.

A sense of being a part of something bigger and also free to be who you choose to be is what Mardi Gras is all about, and every other celebration that happens here.

“Let’s all get together and have a good time,” New Orleans says. “Be yourself, or try on a new identity as you don your costume – just remember it’s all in good fun!”

And that’s what’s so great about this place. Sure, natives are proud of their culture, but it isn’t exclusive or elitist. Instead it’s a sense of co-participation that says “The more the merrier!”

Purnatva: A Yogic View On Perfection

January 18, 2010Katrina Ariel2 Comments

In the minds of most people, perfection is an unachievable yet oft reached for thing, yet with this perspective that I learned from Anusara® yoga, stress and anxiety can melt as you shift your perspective.

You hear the term ‘perfectionist’ and it conjures images of someone who is constantly striving for every little detail to be ‘just right’, and quite possibly affecting innocent bystanders (family members, friends) with their slightly neurotic behavior.

Sound like someone you know? Maybe you?

This idea of inaccessible perfection tends to cause a lot of unneeded pressure and worry.

But there is a different way to think of perfection.