The Ray Man Shabad is a beautiful prayer that made it’s way into my life unexpectedly. I fell upon the following video accidentally on Youtube on the New Year. Upon giving it a shot, I was hooked and decided to do the 40 days. Without understanding why, I was so filled with smiles and joy […]
Yoga Teacher Responsibility: Cultivating Sovereignty
There was a powerful and somewhat heated discussion recently on one of the yoga forums about the responsibility of yoga teachers to their students in terms of politics, cults, media narratives and social issues. What is a yoga teacher’s ethical role when it comes to helping our students make meaning in today’s confusing world and […]
Some Basic Yoga Terms
Some Basic Yoga Terms If you are new to yoga, you might not be familiar with some of the commonly used words that describe practice. Here are a few important concepts to help make your practice more meaningful: Asana When most people think of yoga, they think of the poses. Asana is the practice of […]
Why I Left the Yoga Alliance
After completing my 200-hour yoga teacher training, I did what any new professional would do. I headed over to one of several organizations that sets standards for and certifies yoga teachers. For some perfectly legit — and some ridiculous reasons — this world is obsessed with little pieces of paper that often prove very little. […]
The Wounded Yogini Part III: Having Healed
This summer was a real challenge for me. I had a pinched nerve in my neck which created a constant radiating pain into my left finger. For over a month, I couldn’t even sit at my computer; I had to stand. And I couldn’t type with that finger at all. Sometimes, I would get an […]
Yoga Beyond the Fluff: The Power of Prayer Hands
Sometimes, the most simple things in yoga never get explained or are explained incompletely by those who poorly understand them. A familiar mudra or hand pose you’ve probably done a hundred times (especially if you grew up in a religious household) in yoga classes is “prayer pose”, or anjali mudra (prana mudra in kundalini yoga). […]
Some Changes Coming – INtuitive Yoga Lab
In my last two posts, I wrote about how a recent injury has made me more aware of my essential approach to yoga as well as how my own practice is having to change as a wounded yogini. In light of my ponderings, I’m going to be slowly introducing a new class style called INtuitive […]
The Wounded Yogini Part II: Yogic Essentials
In my last post, I wrote about how a recent injury and subsequent discovery of health issues has inspired me to develop a clearer picture of my approach of yoga and how I want to facilitate it for others Today, I’d like to attempt to clarify what are for me, the most important aspects of […]
The Wounded Yogini
You may be familiar with the term “wounded healer”. The idea is that one has to go through his or her own healing journey in order to be able to help someone else. For the last month, I’ve been a wounded yogini after a fairly innocuous warm-up left me with an odd feeling in my […]
The Path of Kriya Yoga
Since January of this year, I have been taking Raja Yoga courses with Ananda.org in preparation to receive the yogic practice of Kriya later this year. Kriya itself simply means “technique” and refers to the actions one takes on the path of Raja Yoga. Raja Yoga pertains to the highest goal of yoga…self-realization. It is […]
Stop the Pain Cycle
It happens. We’re active. We enjoy moving around and getting things done. We might even take pride in all the things we accomplish on a daily basis. Then one day, we get hurt or sick. Maybe we pull or strain something. Maybe we get a diagnosis. We might even break something. The human body is […]
Yoga Intentions
When I start teaching a yoga class, I usually guide my students to consider their intent for the class. Another way to put it is, “Why are you here?” I throw out a few suggestions… “Maybe you’re here to feel more relaxed in day to day life, or maybe you simply want to be more […]
Learning Yoga Online: Tips for a Great Class
Online yoga videos are a fabulous well-established yoga tool. They are a great way for students to learn new things, gain exposure to various styles, maintain a home practice and have the convenience of access. For teachers, videos are a fun way to share their unique approach, help reinforce learning for clients, and to reach […]
That Which Frees the Mind: The Power of Mantra
Mantra is a word that means “that which frees the mind”, and Japa (or mantra) yoga is the practice of projecting the mind into a repeated word or phrase imbued with spiritual significance. One of the most universally known is the OM, but there are thousands of mantras ranging from one syllable to complete spiritual […]
Movement for Life
All of life is movement. The moment we’re born we’re wriggling, pandiculating, breathing, and finding our way through space. We explore and thereby learn to master our movements. Or we struggle, and the body, miraculous organism that it is, finds a way to overcome our limitations. It’s those patterns that we then habituate. And then […]
Whooz Yer Guru? Getting Over “Guru” Baggage
The word “guru” gets a really bad rap these days, and for good reason. There are those who make claim to “my guru” like having one is some kind of spiritual goalpost. They quote their guru, usually in an attempt to convince themselves of the teaching, pretending as if they already embody it. It’s a […]
Seated Posture: Prop Yourself Up!
Yoga is often believed to be about some ideal end point. Many students will strive to assume a posture they have seen another body do without taking into consideration everything it may have taken to get there. But when we aren’t initiating movement from the proper starting point, we risk injuring ourselves. I always give […]
Listening to the Body: The Language of Sensation
An ever-increasing awareness of your body can be one of the many benefits of yoga. It helps us to bring balance to the body by working neglected muscle groups. It improves our overall strength and flexibility. It helps us develop a better lung capacity and focus of mind, among other things. It can. Yet, we […]
Yoga & Anger Management
Ever beaten up a pillow? Ever driven to an empty parking lot and screamed your head off? Ever swallowed a wad of anger only to feel sick to your stomach afterwards? Anger exists. It is a natural emotion and one from which we can run but never hide. Eventually, it will catch up to us. […]
Beginners: 3 Things You Need to Know About Yoga
If you are new to the world of yoga and are thinking about or have just started a new practice, here are three crucial things to keep in mind and on track. Breath is Key Many people approach yoga with the pose as their goal. This is not suprising given that the postures are the […]