Why are rest days so hard? Anyone who is passionate about some sort of physical endeavor knows that proper rest is key. Especially when working towards building strength or stamina. We know this intellectually, but then our drive/desire/ego gets in the way and we push. And then we push harder. And before we know it, …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 8 — Recap)
As promised I want to do a quick recap of all the posts in this series, and show how the 8 limbs of yoga can be incorporated not only into every yoga class, but into almost any activity that you do. Yoga isn’t just a pretzelly arm balance on instragram, it can be a way …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 7 — Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi)
In yoga teacher training, one of our very first homework assignments was to find 5 minutes per day to just sit in silence and afterwards write a brief journal entry about whatever you experienced in those 5 minutes. As we progressed through the training, we were encouraged to slowly increase the amount of time. Let …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 6 — Pratyahara)
Have you ever been guided out of Savasana (corpse pose, the final resting posture at the end of a yoga class) and been a little startled by the teacher’s voice? Like, you kind of forgot they were there? You forgot you were in a space with 20 other people taking their rest too? That is …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 5 — Pranayama)
In case you couldn’t tell by the name of my business (Power in Breath Yoga) I’m a little obsessed with the breath — which is why I am SO excited about today’s topic. Pranayama is the 4th of the eight limbs and includes all of the breath control practices of yoga. If you want to …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 4 — Asana)
My husband, for his business, uses software called Asana. The software is designed to help companies organize work flow and project management. He, and MANY other people I know pronounce it “ah-SAH-na,” with the inflection on the second syllable. In yoga, the word asana is pronounced “AH-sa-na” with the inflection on the first syllable (How …
Two Years In — Anniversary Reflections on Teaching Yoga AND Starting a Business
I cannot believe that I have been teaching yoga for two years. I also cannot believe that I (unintentionally) started a business two years ago. The whole thing actually baffles me to be honest. As I look back on the last two years, for as much as I have personally learned and grown, I also …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 3 — Niyamas)
We talked about the general overview of the 8 limbed path (HERE) and covered the first limb last week – the Yamas (HERE). Today we will look at the second limb, the Niyamas, or the guidelines for how to treat yourself according to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. As with the Yamas, there are also 5 guidelines …
Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (Part 2 — The Yamas)
If you didn’t already read part 1 of this series, go back and check it out (Taking Yoga OFF the Mat: Part 1 — The 8 Limbed Path). It gives you a basic background on the 8 limbed path of yoga and will help you understand where we are headed for the next few weeks.* …
More Than Exercise: Taking Yoga OFF the Mat (part 1)
I TRY to incorporate yoga philosophy into the classes I teach. I have good intentions as I am creating themes and sequencing the asana portion. However, when it comes to the actual delivery, I tend to forget the important things I wanted to say. I get so wrapped up in making sure that people are …