Yoga Nuggets

Balance. In the dictionary, it is classified as a noun. But, Ganga White more accurately declared it as a verb in his book Yoga Beyond Belief . Balance is not a person, place or thing. It is perpetual action. No matter how basic a balance pose, you are constantly readjusting for stability. Nothing remains still. To the observer, it may appear static; however, the balancer knows different. Balance demands composure and strength. It is essential for the body and mind to unite. Going to the extreme can make you topple over. Being too passive keeps you stuck in the same place.  Balance practice reveals how to focus and fortify determination. You gain wisdom of tipping points and how to adjust to change. Very beneficial lesson of life when off the mat. In a yoga balance pose, the right and left hemispheres must work as a team. If the left side is trying to ascertain the next move, you'll probably wobble. If the right side is imagin...

For many, the desire to change something is felt throughout life. But, the fear of change wraps its arms around the mind's ego and rational side. What if's widen the gap between the desire and the courage to take the first step forward. Truth is, change happens...so why not recognize it as your partner in living. Unexpected changes are given the opportunity to present themselves to you. Living methodically and at the expectations of others weighs you down. Thinking, loving, and living with purpose that resonates from your heart transcends you to the beautiful unknown. A passion not pursued is an inner purpose unfulfilled. A pursued passion demands change. The practice of yoga has lifted the shackles off countless people. The energy changes that evolve from a mind, body, spirit based practice is like falling in love. When the student is ready, he or she can fall in love at first practice. The time to be fearless of vulnerability has come. For others, it is a process of get...

Practicing yoga alone teaches you to be in tune with yourself. No phone. No television. No interaction with others. Personal practice awakens your sense of creativity, inner strength and commitment to growth. The solitude surreptitiously expands your flexibility. Flexibility of choices. You give poses a try that you might not do with others to see. You discover how to "hear" what your body needs to move. You get to know yourself better without distractions . That in itself is a practice. Practicing yoga with a group of people is a beautiful interexchange of energies. You are aware of your moves, but peripheral vision can distract you. Sometimes you have to close your eyes to refrain from comparing yourself to others. It is just our nature. Maybe its that "survival of the fittest" gene looking for ideas. Despite this quiet ego-based distraction, the collective positive energy of a like minded group can make a practice dreamy. Like the waves of the ocean, a group...

If yoga is your passion, YogaTrail has the edge. One of the keys to learning yoga is a great teacher. YogaTrail gives you the ability to enter your city and find teachers or studios that offer what you seek. It helps take some the guesswork out of the search. But, this part of the site is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Want to learn how to do a pose better? YogaTrail  has a fabulous blog that offers 2-5 minute video demonstrations. Even if you have been practicing for awhile, you are destined to learn a slightly different approach. Keeping your practice flexible is key in discovering what works better for you(and your students if you teach).  Even us yogis like to get to the meat of the lesson without the fat and grissle, so these quick tutorials are perfect. As yogis, it becomes almost a need to share what makes your practice richer. It strengthens a desire to give. This site shares a wealth of experience in it's blog. Down to earth articles tha...

Type exercise websites in Google and the list of choices is endless. Some websites have a low monthly fee for unlimited guided practices. A lot are free.  Just like yoga styles, there's an ever-expanding base of connections to follow. Variety is a good thing. Choices expand your awareness . It is easy to click on the mainstream lines. Not that their sites aren't great; but, sometimes its the grass-root kind of folks that keep things fresh. Sorry corporate sites...you don't fall in this class. With that said, I feel moved to share two yoga/fitness websites that are outstanding. The first site that is outstanding is Efit30  . Whether you run, do pilates, practice yoga or love fitness bootcamps, this website covers it all. The videos have a variety of lengths to exercise to...so you don't have to feel guilty if you didn't do a "full length video". Simply pick the exercise you feel like trying. Got 7 minutes... you know you do ...there's v...

How many yoga moves does it take to get to the Center? The world may never know...but the yogi doesn't keep count. When you break realities down to a smaller, more comprehensible level...what seems unfathomable is realized to be true. The average heart beat ranges between 60-80 times a minute. In a day, that translates to 86,400 beats on the low side. In a year, that means the heart beats well over 3 million times. Mind boggling. Apply this calculation concept to your yoga practice. If you practice twice a week and average 50 moves a practice (3 sun salutations have 36 moves), you will do 5200 yoga moves a year. (I consider this a conservative estimate because every move with the breath counts.) Practice 5 years and you've got 26,000 moves under your belt! When you start calculating what you've done on the mat without keeping count, the subtle changes become more apparent. You start to discover muscles you did not know existed. You re-learn what it feels like to breath...

                    "Adopt the pace of Nature; her secret is patience." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson                                                    First of all, if you practice yoga, I highly recommend you read Yoga Beyond Belief by Ganga White . I read this book four years ago and the wisdom and perspective shared propelled me to meet and learn more from the yogi author. I actually felt the Cosmic pull to learn directly from this person who spoke to my heart via the written word. I have been to the White Lotus Foundation three times since I set this passionate intention. I can honestly say, this book...this foundation......