How do anger, jealousy, and resentment feel in your body? For most of us, they feel uncomfortable. They demand resolution and action, even if there is no possible solution and no act that makes sense. They can cause us to … Continue reading
I think I found this quote by Marianne Williamson on the internet when I was fifteen, and I never get tired of it no matter how many times I read it. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. … Continue reading
One of my favorite teachers to practice with, Sean Haleen, shared the zen saying, “Nothing in nature is rushed, yet everything is accomplished,” which, as a vinyasa yoga teacher, is thought provoking. I don’t teach a ton of superfast flow and … Continue reading
I’m a sucker inspiration, and I think positive affirmations are incredibly powerful. However, in yoga we have the foundational principles of isvara pranydana, which means surrender of control, and santosa, which means contentment. The statements “You can be whoever you want to … Continue reading
So many of us succumb to procrastination in our day-to-day lives, which is essentially allowing that which matters most to give way to that which matters least. Even in yoga class, we mull over what we should’ve said in an … Continue reading
Q: How do I practice withdrawal of the senses? A: Pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses, is the fifth limb of yoga, as defined in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. In the sutras, it says, Pratyahara is when the senses withdraw themselves from … Continue reading
What are your New Years Resolutions? What will you manifest this year? What will you do this month to bring you a little closer to that manifestation? What will you do this week? What will you do today? What about … Continue reading
Om Mani Padme Hum is one of my favorite mantras. Translated directly, it means something like: the jewel is in the lotus flower. One of my teachers explained this metaphor to me: if we peel away the layers of our … Continue reading
You guys, I did something new in yoga last week! I was practicing in the lovely and inspiring Dana Damara‘s class, and her theme centered around the mantra, “I am enough.” When we suffer from feelings of inadequacy, we start … Continue reading
Q: What do the Yoga Sutras say about breathing? A: Putanjali outlines several obstacles that prevent us from calming the mind (disease, idleness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, sensuality, delusion, spiritual failure, and instability in the yogic state). He explains that irregular … Continue reading