Yoga Nuggets

Wow. Another year in the history book. Time for the traditional annual resolution to change something. Being creatures of habit, we resolve to do better at something and the cycle continues. Time to de-construct our approach to time. Resolution's results are the same year after year. You can tell by the attendance at the gym in January. We start with good intentions but relentless habits keep pulling us back. Routine/habit embed their feet as we remain oblivious to it until the consequences are seen or felt. Then, we resolve to change. It is an energetic tug of war. I say, forget resolutions. Start re-construction. We tear down old houses to build new, improved ones. Individually and collectively, we are in desperate need of re-construction. Will-power. Desire. Focus. Flexibility to change. These are the hands on your side of the mental rope. The opposition is one hand on the proverbial rope with its other hand holding a sign..."take the path of least resistance....

A regular yoga practice (3-4 times per week) has a significant impact on how you feel, think, and build strength. It is not unusual for one to find something they really enjoy and delve themselves into it for awhile. As time wears on, the novelty wears off and so does the drive. Yoga is no different if you let it fall in the same routine. Practice long enough and a time will emerge when your body let's you feel the neglect of not doing the physical moves as much as desired. Life seems to get in the way and the classic excuse of not having the time to practice emerges from the left hemisphere. (The rationalizing side) If you take a moment of observing what you feel after that justification, you will "hear" the right hemisphere (the creative side) beg to differ. Then, when you actually hit the mat and immerse yourself in a practice, the realization emerges that the gap of time between practices was a bit too long. You will feel the gratitude of the cells as they seem to f...

Sometimes it is good to take a refresher course on what you do. It is easy to get in a monotonous routine of habitual moves or thoughts. This truth applies to more than just your yoga practice. Being a teacher of yoga, I introduce new ways to pursue a move or get to a new edge. After having the same students for over three years, I assumed they understood the most fundamental part of yoga...breathing. A brand new student to yoga ignited me to ask the class: "Does everyone know how to practice ujjayi (ocean) breath?" To my surprise (and disappointment in myself), most of the class admitted they did not. It was a humbling reminder that it is imperative to re-visit the foundation of what you build yourself on...whatever it is. One can add various structures on this base; however, it is wise to check on the foundation to make sure you're on solid ground. This realization about the folks I have been teaching was a divine reminder that they did not necessarily make it to t...

Yoga is whatever you need it to be each moment of your practice. If you need a boost in your energy, an active flow of moves and breathing can ignite that spark within you. If your body needs to let go of tension, a more passive practice of stillness in poses can guide the body and mind to release. Physically, yoga will help you learn the power of persistence and the strength of surrender. Awareness is the key that unlocks the body and mind. Once you are truly aware of where you are now, the yoga practice will link the parts together. This link of movement, breath and awareness will take you where you need to be. The magic of a yoga lifestyle is that it opens up so much space far beyond the physical realm. It opens cracks that allow your Light to become more visible to you and others. To better understand the concept of "cracks", listen to the words of Leonard Cohen's heartfelt song, Anthem. The initially unseen Light that becomes apparent will ignite revelations of chang...

Breathing is the most vital function of the body. You can either breathe with conscious awareness or unconsciously. Most of the time, we breathe without thinking about it. It is important to recognize that breath is what gives us life. If you breathe shallow breaths, you do not give your body all the oxygen it needs to fully function at its peak. When you hyperventilate from stress, you release chemicals in your body that ignite the fight or flight mindset. With yoga, all moves are linked with your breath. As you become consciously aware of your breath and inhale fully, you calm your nervous system, quiet your mind, and feed your entire body with the life giving oxygen that it needs to truly work to its fullest potential.