Full Moon in Taurus: Stepping Into Abundant Flow
The full moon in Taurus on November 4, 2017 encourages us to do the work necessary to step into the flow of abundance. For Taurus, abundance comes not just with monetary gain, but with sensual pleasures, and physical sensation, as well. Whether we revel in the gifts of family, the earth, life itself, or the ability to purchase fine goods, Taurus energy excels when we are enjoying all that life has to offer. This lunation is no exception, and powerful influences by Pluto, Neptune, and Jupiter, give us a magical, expansive energy to work with at this time.
For those of us who do yoga or other spiritual practices, the best use of this moon’s influence (with spiritual Neptune in the mix) is to do the spiritual and psychological work necessary to overcome our money blocks and old beliefs around our value. If you’ve had a difficult time asking for what you are worth, placing value on your time or services, or if you suffer from unworthiness, use this time to dig more deeply into the shadow and transmute the source of these core complexes. Thoughts around deficiency and lack putrefy every element of our life, and believing we are not worthy of grace prevents us from stepping into the flow of abundance in any regard.
We are all worthy of grace.
Grace is the moment we know that source is working through us. Getting out of our own way, and dropping our old stories around unworthiness, lack, and poverty are key to letting abundance prevail. We all seek abundance. We all desire grace. We are all capable of it when we open ourselves up to it. It really is that simple, but the old patterns die hard.
Luckily, Pluto is here to help. As the planet of death and resurrection, Pluto either mires us deeper in the suffering, or if we work with it, will allow the old patterns to die to give us new life. Pluto’s complimentary influence on our collective finances also supports the abundance surrounding this full moon….but, remember, full moon energy is about dropping what we no longer need so that we can start afresh. Let Pluto assist with this, and Jupiter’s expansive energy will catapult you into the flow of abundance and grace you deserve. Alchemical Ritual for the Taurus Full Moon As an earth sign, Taurus loves to feel the sensual beauty all around and manifest earthly abundance and pleasures whenever possible. On the low side, however, this grounded energy makes us stuck and stagnant, disallowing growth and flow states. This full moon ritual for Taurus helps to accentuate the high side of this energy which uses the power of the earth to create beauty and abundance inside and out.
Taurus’ ruler is Venus, the great goddess of love and beauty. In her we see the energy of attraction, sensuality and connectedness. To enhance this energy in your ritual, gather green stones such as jade, tourmaline or peridot and place them in the center of your ritual space. Bring in the earth element in some way, either with a small bowl of dirt, a plant, or do the ritual outside. Rose and Sandalwood essential oil can be used to anoint your heart chakra before and after your ceremony. Use sage, sweet grass or palo santo to cleanse yourself and the space by casting the smoke over yourself and encircling your own body three times. Light a few candles and dim the lights. Sit in the center of your space and place the hands on the ground. Connect deeply to earth energy and call forth the sensual wisdom it offers. Feel the energy moving into your seat, your legs, your hands and up through your body into your heart. Coordinate the breath with the flow of energy. When you establish a consistent current, meditate on the question: What does abundance mean to me? Your answer is not trivial, and it will likely come quietly and simply. Any running dialogue is not from the heart, but from the ego, so listen closely to the answer from the heart. Once you receive your answer, choose one stone, hold it firmly in your right hand and say the following invocation out loud:
Venus, please show me the path to grace and abundance.
Spend a few moments in quiet contemplation. Clear the mind of thoughts completely. Feel the sensation within the heart, and allow for the invocation to sink in and begin to show you your path to grace. Allow any symbols, sensations, emotions or energy to arise and continue to quietly witness all that happens without judgement or thought.
When complete, place your hand on your heart and chant Om three times. Place your hands in prayer at the heart with the stone inside and recognize this talisman that you have now charged with the energy of abundance. Snuff the candles and place the talisman somewhere prominently enough that you are reminded daily of the path to your heart’s fullest expression. This ritual creates a connection between you and your heart, and allows you to walk forward on a clear path of manifesting abundance for yourself and all around you.
21-Day Pre-Holiday Feel Good Challenge. Week 3: Finish Strong!
You’re almost to the finish line! We hope you’re feeling stronger, lighter, and more radiant. We know it isn’t easy to create a new habit, especially when it means committing to practice every single day. Whether you are fired up and roaring to the finish line or if you’re stumbling a bit in your resolve, we’re here to help you finish strong.
YogaDownload offers these four tips to accomplish your Pre-Holiday Challenge (and life) goals.
1. Day by Day: One of the biggest lessons in yoga is to live in the present moment- the here and now. Focus on today’s practice today. Don’t worry about tomorrow’s class or the next day’s. Look at the challenge as 21 separate achievements that add up to one beautiful new habit. Before you know it, you’ll cross the finish line.
2. Keep your eye on the finish line and revisit your initial intention for starting this challenge. Remind yourself WHY you initially embarked upon this challenge. What were you seeking? Acknowledge some days are tougher than others, know you might encounter obstacles that could sideline you…and remember why you are doing it in the first place. Choose a special reward for yourself to celebrate the accomplishment on Day 21.
3. Stay flexible. Adapt. If for example you did several intense classes with a huge focus on strength and you feel depleted, try a relaxing yin or Nidra or restorative class to balance it all out. Variety is good! Know you might need to be creative and reaching the finish line might not look like what you initially envisioned, but you’ll get there if you are willing to adjust to adversity and keep going!
4. It’s called a challenge because it isn’t easy. Like everything in yoga and in life, even if it sounds simple, it doesn’t mean it won’t require you to dig deep and renew your resilience. It’s in the tougher times when you have to tap into your inner strength and fight for what you want. Often, our biggest periods of growth develop out of adversity.
Part of committing to anything is seeing it through to conclusion. Mastery has been described as doing something you've committed to, even on days you don't feel like it. Finish strong with this challenge and let this be the beginning of a new dedicated personal practice. Then, take this experience off of your yoga mat and into your daily life. The sky’s the limit!
Finish off strong with four new classes we know you’ll love, from some of your favorite YogaDownload.com instructors.
1. Claire Petretti Marti - Yummy Yoga Flow 3
2. Jackie Casal Mahrou - Ready, Set, Flow!
3. Erin Wimert - Meet me at the Barre
4. Christen Bakken - Work the Magic on the Inside
But first, why pumpkin? Well aside from the fact that pumpkins are fun to carve and make scary faces out of, pumpkins signal the start of the holiday season! Fall sweaters, warm soups, new boots, pumpkin spice – these things just go together. But perhaps more importantly, pumpkin is a health foodies dream. Filled with fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins, the flesh of the pumpkin is a delicious sweet treat that has transformed many of our favorite food groups. Be sure to try our Pumpkin Spiced Waffles and leave us a comment below. Are you pumped for pumpkin season like we are? Any pumpkin recipe requests? And for more great pumpkin recipes, check out our: Pumpkin Fudge Pumpkin Turkey Crockpot Chili Creamy Pumpkin Sage Soup Coco Nutty Pumpkin Pie With pumpkin spice and everything nice,
P.S. – While pumpkin is not cleanse friendly, it’s still a ridiculously healthy food and one of our 80:20 favorites – especially this time of year! Pumpkin Spice Waffles Yield: 8-10 waffles Ingredients: ¾ cup pumpkin puree 2 ripe bananas, mashed 5 large eggs ¼ cup coconut oil, melted, plus 2 TB for waffle iron 1 tsp. vanilla extract ¼ cup almond flour ½ cup coconut flour 1 ½ TB. cinnamon 1 tsp. ground ginger ½ tsp. nutmeg Pinch of cloves 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. sea salt Instructions: Preheat your waffle iron. In a high speed blender or food processor fitted with the s-blade, combine pumpkin puree, bananas, eggs, ¼ cup coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add in almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt and blend until smooth. Mixture will be thick (use your blender’s damper if necessary). Brush the waffle iron with the remaining 2 TB. melted coconut oil and place approximately ¼ cup of the mixture onto the waffle iron. Let cook until browned. Keep the waffles warm in the oven while you finish cooking all of the batter. *Optional: You can make a great topping out of almond butter and maple syrup to pack in some more protein! Place ¼ cup almond butter and 2 TB. maple syrup in a small bowl and stir together. Add water to thin to your desired consistency. Drizzle over waffles when serving!
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-founders and authors of the program The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show. To learn more about “Jo and Jules”, the Conscious Cleanse and their new 80:20 Lifestyle Plan please visit consciouscleanse.com.
Register here for the cleanse starting November 1st!
Check out some Yoga Download classes from Jo & Jules!
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow with Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga with Julie Pelaez
With the advent of different forms of yoga, different Sun Salutations have also been born that resonate with the essence of each particular type of yoga. For example, Hatha Yoga, the oldest form of practice, has a simple Sun Salutation, while Ashtanga Yoga adds a few more advanced steps, keeping the tradition and making it slightly more challenging. These are just two examples. Emerging from a long history, Sun Salutations or Surya Namaskars (Sanskrit word) involve the whole body from head to toe and work on almost all parts of the body. Sun Salutations are about worshipping the sun and activating the solar energy in the body. Consisting of 12 yoga poses (Hatha Yoga) requiring the practitioner to move from one pose to another in a rhythmic fashion in order to reap the benefits. Although this series can be practiced at any time of the day, the benefits of Sun Salutations increase when practiced in the morning in front of the sun. Mentioned below are some strong benefits of Sun Salutations: Weight loss This sequence of poses is designed with great precision by the sages to allow the practitioner to reap maximum benefit. With the dynamic movement, one of the outright benefits of Sun Salutations is weight loss. This is one reason for it becoming popular among the masses. Irrespective of age or gender, people indulge in this practice because of the heating factor, which ultimately leads to melting fat. Strength and Stability Bending, lunging, and stretching poses, elongate the spine and alleviate the detriments from sitting long hours at work. This helps in strengthening the body, relieving in stress, improving flexibility and ultimately benefits the skeletal system by providing it with much needed robustness. Surya Namaskar benefits the body in more than one way as it corrects overall postures also. A Beautiful Exterior The heat generating tendency paves way for glowing skin and women have accepted this benefit of Sun Salutation with open arms. Toxins of body are refluxed out and the skin becomes clear by banishing pimples and boils. All the clogged pores open up with sweat and one can even achieve fairer complexion. Peaceful Sleep Many of us are taking drugs for sleeping to overcome the difficulties of everyday life. Yet another benefit of Sun Salutation is saying no to drugs. Teachers practice 20 to 108 Surya namaskars in a go, which tires the body and exhausts us to keep the unwanted thoughts and worries away. This results in restful sleep, which allows us to wake up fresh in the morning. Menstrual Cycle Ease Surya Namsakars benefits those battling with problems related to the uterus or ovaries. It simulates glands and leads to restoration, which ultimately works perfectly in the long run. Tones the Nervous system From stretching to elongation, the practice of Surya Namaskars benefits the nervous system as well. It helps to gently massage the nerves and increases the flow of blood in the body. This undoubtedly helps in proper functioning and movement of the body. With all these exercises possible, the Surya Namaskar benefits are innumerable. While some of them might be outrightly oblivious to our eyes, there are so many internal changes that are taking place without our awareness, which help the body to stay healthy and whole. Start practicing Sun Salutations immediately to reap the aforementioned positive outcomes and much more, which are unique to everybody.
By Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is a passionate Yogi, Yoga Teacher and a Traveler in India. He provides yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India. He loves writing and reading the books related to yoga, health, nature and the Himalayas. His strong connection with Yoga and the Himalayas has made him organize yoga, meditation and Ayurveda tours, and retreats in the Himalayas. To connect with him visit here.
Here is a YogaDownload.com class to practice Sun Salutations and enjoy their benefits right now!
Anytime Sun Salutations with Jackie Casal Mahrou
Long gone are the days when yoga was considered more as a hobby. Now, it is a wonder drug that helps millions to relieve the symptoms of daily stress. The advantages of yoga – low cost, great calming ability, and improvement of mental health – make it a natural anti-depressant that can help men and women, young and old, regardless of the fitness level. While for the past decade the science has explored many of both physical and mental benefits of doing yoga, today we focus our attention on one fresh study that has a lot of recommendations for yoga devotees and those struggling with depression.
The Study To identify the poses recommended by science, we are going to use a study titled Treating Major Depression With Yoga: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Pilot Trial published in PLOS ONE Journal earlier this year. It was completed by a group of scientists from the University of California, Johns Hopkins University, and Cornell University. The main purpose of the study was to examine how an 8-week hatha yoga intervention impacted people with mild to major depression. To achieve this purpose, the researchers recruited 38 adults who were diagnosed with depression.
According to the results, the group who practiced yoga during the study period exhibited a considerable decline in depression scores than the group who did not. The decline was statistically and clinically significant, so the study concluded that the yoga intervention can serve as a tool for reducing depression severity.
Recommendations on Yoga Poses: Below is the specific hatha yoga sequence used by the researchers in the study.
Breath Regulation
Mindful Poses & Movement
Final Deep Relaxation
Now that we know what poses were effective for battling depression, we can turn our attention to them and learn how they help. The following section reviews some of the poses used in the study.
Breath Regulation Poses “These poses improve your ability to focus, settle stress, rejuvenate the nervous system, restore the balance in the left and right hemispheres of the brain, and support respiratory functions,” says Matt Curry, an in-house yoga teacher from Assignmenthelper.com.au. “They are a perfect tool to calm a worrying or overactive mind.”
Ujjayi (Victorious Breath)
Bhastrika (Bellows Breath)
Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Mindful poses teach to focus on present, dissolve tensions, build strength, and increase mobility.
Bhujungasana (Cobra Pose)
Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)
Final Deep Relaxation Pose Shavasana (Corpse Pose)
Time for Yoga! If you are experiencing depression or just want some relaxation, hatha yoga is the easy and proven tool that offers a wide range of benefits.
By Lucy Benton Lucy Benton is a writing coach, an editor who finds her passion in expressing own thoughts as a blogger. She is constantly looking for the ways to improve her skills and expertise. Also Lucy has her own blog ProWritingPartner where you can check her last publications. If you’re interested in working with Lucy , you can find her on FaceBook and Twitter.
Try these YogaDownload.com classes to combat depression:
Yoga for Depression: Flow into Happiness with Maria Garre
Yoga for Depression & Anxiety with Ira Israel
“As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself… Great peacemakers are all people of integrity, of honesty, but humility.” ― Nelson Mandela I’ll admit to you that the journey into producing online courses, and the resulting crazy learning curve of internet marketing, has not been easy for me. It’s taken much grit and tenacity, and the risk involved has caused me some anxiety and worry over the past few months. Until this past weekend, I had let the stress build up so much that I hardly remembered my fun-loving and joyful self. (And, yep, the irony of becoming stressed while building a course on stress-relief is not lost on me.) I managed the stress fairly well through my meditation practice and my morning and evening rituals. However, it was the workshop I took this past weekend that truly disappeared my suffering. If you had met me on Friday evening, you would have seen a woman trying manically to manage a hectic schedule – fretting, worrying and complaining. It’s Monday morning as I write this and I feel like a new person, or at least returned to my original self, no longer masked by stress, fear and worry. Because the teachings of this weekend were so invaluable for me, I’m inspired to share some of the core “ah-ha” moments with you here. This brief piece just barely scratches the surface of the vast topic, though, so I’ll include a reference list of supplementary materials, too. The concepts I’ll present below are very simple, and you’ve probably heard them before. They are not at all easy in practice, though, so please remember to reach out for help from an accountability buddy or coach when starting to play with them. (As a side note, I’ll be starting a coaching practice this Fall. Stay tuned!) So, I bet you have some person in your life who has a blessed, abundant life but still runs around like a worry-wort victim, right? You also have inspiring examples of people in the worst situations who maintain grace and love and gratitude despite their circumstances. What’s the difference between the two types of people? The second type of person – let’s use Nelson Mandela as an example – gets that our stress and suffering levels correspond to our attitudes around our external circumstances, rather than the circumstances themselves. They take responsibility for their peace of mind, knowing that it can never be controlled by other people or external situations. Stress and suffering come from the stories we create from our circumstances. We dwell on the past with regret and shame. We project into the future with anxiety and worry. We are disconnected from the present moment, which, in reality, most likely holds much to be grateful and joyful about. When we are triggered by something that brings up fear or disappointment or hurt – even something tiny – our minds make up a “truth” about it. This truth becomes the story we continue to run in our minds of what the world means; after all, we are meaning-making machines. For example: Your neighbor doesn’t say hello when passing in the hall – you make it mean that she is angry with you. Your car blows a tire on the freeway – you make it mean that you’re inept at everything. Your husband groans when looking at that balance of your joint checking account – you make it mean he disapproves you. It’s critical that we can identify the stories in our minds and then start to unlearn them. We remember that the stories are not the universal truth, that the past is finished and through and we cannot predict the future. When our awareness is no longer blocked by these stories we are more able to experience what truly is in the present moment, and open to gratitude and joy. In the practice of Buddhism, the word dukkha means suffering (anxiety, stress, frustration). Buddhist teachers say that dukkha happens because there is a gap between the reality what is (everything being impermanent) and the way we humans tend to operate in the world (with clinging and attachment). Dukkha could also be said to happen when we believe our stories as Truth. I am so clear that when I believe my thoughts and stories, I suffer. When I don’t believe, attach or cling to them, I don’t suffer. I’d like you to try on this concept for yourself. Play with it. Experiment. Discuss. The first step is getting some perspective into your own mind to that you can identify when you are fabricating a story. Meditation is key. Meditation helps us get enough perspective on ourselves so that we can recognize our stories. It can allows to label our stories as stories, and even recognize them with a sense of humor (“here I go again with that oldie but goodie”). In this way we can recognize the story without buying into it and allowing it to run our lives. Here are your practices to liberate yourself from stressful thinking when you find yourself stressed or triggered: Start to identify the story that you’re telling yourself. Dig deeper into the story. What is fueling the story? In what way has this story served you? Has it protected you from taking responsibility, or being vulnerable? What would happen if you dropped this story? What would you need to give up to cut the ties to this story? What possibilities could be open to you without this story? This inquiry creates freedom of mind. Suffering is now optional. I’ll leave you here with one more quote by Nelson Mandela, who, to me, exemplifies the ability for us as humans to find freedom of mind even when the body is imprisoned. “There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
Here are supoprting materials to relieving your life of worry:
Loving What Is by Byron Katie Joy No Matter What by Carolyn Hobbs No Time Like The Present by Jack Kornfield
By Elise Fabricant
Elise Fabricant is passionate about helping and healing the body, mind and spirit through yoga and massage. She is also a top teacher on YogaDownload.com.
These practices with Elise will supoprt you in living stress free!
Stress Less, Shine More
Yin Yoga for Flexibility & Relaxation
Transitions are part of life and the change of seasons is a perfect time to focus on transitions and transform your life. When we tap into the essence of the season and align ourselves with nature, we can create lasting change. Now that you’re in week two of the YogaDownload.com Pre-Holiday Challenge, we hope you’re feeling stronger and determined to stay the course.
Accessing the wisdom of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and applying it to your own patterns is a powerful way to intensify your commitment. One way we tend to get stuck is through settling into negative thought patterns and daily habits. Recognizing your tendency to become mired in the “I can’t” or “if only I didn’t” type mentality is the first step to rewire your brain for the positive and create space to manifest the life you desire.
Yoga Sutra II: 33 states: vitarka badhane pratipaksha bhavanam
If you don’t know Sanskrit, here is a popular translation: “When negative thoughts present themselves, cultivate and think the opposite thoughts with feeling.” Pratipaksha means “opposite” and bhavana means “cultivation.” Implementing this philosophy into your yoga practice and your daily life will alter your outlook and help turn a pessimistic viewpoint into a more optimistic one.
It sounds simple, right? Just replace those negative thoughts with positive ones and boom—transformation. Well…not exactly. Like all worthy pursuits, this practice takes time and effort. We discussed tapas or discipline last week and you’ll need to tap into your inner fire here too. The first step to change is recognizing when these unkind or negative thoughts arise. Pause, acknowledge where your mind went and then purposefully replace or reframe.
Here’s an example: You’re taking a yoga class and the teacher introduces the one yoga pose you despise. You know the one, where you sit back on your heels and take a drink of water and avoid trying? Thought number one: I’ll never be able to do this pose, my body just can’t because my hamstrings are too tight or my arms are too short. Can you reframe that negative concept into something more positive? Perhaps if I use a block or a strap, I can perform the modified pose and if I’m persistent, I’ll create the right amount of change for me. Or, maybe this pose isn’t inherently evil because I dislike it; maybe it’s exactly what I need today. I’m doing the best I can.
Pratipaksha bhavana also works especially well in a meditation practice to help you retrain your thought patterns. If you automatically assume you can’t meditate because you feel distracted, give yourself a break and try again. Just like the 21-day challenge, experts claim it takes three weeks to cement a new habit. Try replacing the negative with the positive, starting now. Use the power of the changing seasons to boost your efforts: change is good!
To help you in your road to transformation, we’ve got four inspiring new classes this week.
1. Christen Bakken - Slower & Deeper : A Gentle Vinyasa Flow
2. Maria Garre - Balancing the Winds : Grounding Vata Dosha
3. Denelle Numis - Lunar Flow : Easing into Evening
4. Pradeep Teotia - Practice with Grace
I'm intrigued by people who've been able to reduce their yearly waste to just a bag or two of trash. Even though our circumstances have had us without a garden for a couple of years, I've composted for more than two decades. But the idea of being so completely aware of every single thing I touch in a day and determining how much to reduce, reuse, recycle is astounding to me. The three Rs of environmentalism have become a mantra of sorts for me. I figure if I can keep it on repeat in my brain, the actions will become second nature. Where to start? Let's take them in reverse order... Recycle Easily This one is a no-brainer. Most communities with curbside trash pickup provide recycling bins. Those without usually have a place at their transfer stations to sort plastic, glass, paper, metals, and more for recycling. When I'm away from home I've taken to toting these items with me until I find a proper place to drop them. Even so, my issue with recycling is that it's become so easy for us to not realize all the items we go through in a day: plastic drink cups, beverage bottles or cans, unnecessary print outs, etc. We can feel a bit better knowing these items are finding a second use after processing, but I must admit feeling a little sad when our recycle bin fills up faster than our trash and with items that are just so disposable. With a little bit of forethought we can avoid using some of these things in the first place. Reuse Creatively Using the backs of one-sided printouts, saving unavoidable plastic containers for leftovers, that's just the beginning. My family has made fun of me for years for inheriting my mom's passion for saving wrapping paper for future use. But this is the one I have fun with! I somehow acquire the plastic food storage bags and wash and reuse them until I can't anymore. I save large envelopes and food packaging (like the bags cereal and other food items come in), for litter box cleanup. I also run beautiful glass containers through the dishwasher to prepare them for a second life as packaging for homemade gifts.
Reduce Thoughtfully If reuse is the quirky fun girl, reduce is her high-maintenance sister. You know the one, she's annoyingly intelligent and somehow always right. That's because this one often requires advance planning. I trained my brain long ago to remember to bring my own bags while shopping, whether it be for groceries or building supplies. There are some great ones out there that will squish right down to fit in your pocket, and having them on your person (or in your purse) is best. Similarly, could you keep a travel mug in your vehicle to hand to your morning coffee angel? Usually he or she will want you to hold onto the lid while he or she prepares your beverage. After that, the sky's the limit. You can fill your dance card with "no straw" organizations, and attractive, down-home food storage solutions are now widely available. I feel good about where I've been, but I know I have further to go. I need to be better about bringing my own containers to buy bulk groceries (I've already made the decision to purchase loose produce instead of packaged when I can), and I need to come up with a way to remember to tell our Chinese take-out order taker that we don't need the hot mustard or soy sauce, or fortune cookies. Next up? I'm looking at you, Amazon Prime! It's far too easy to buy new things these days. But we do the best we can, working to improve ourselves and our actions every day. What about you? Please share your little reduce, reuse, and recycle victories. I want to do more, and there's so much we can learn from one another.
Detox tea. It sounds so scary! Like the tea is going to taste terrible and leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth. And do a number on your digestive system. But this one won't. It's a gentle detoxifier - great for counteracting a late night out and food splurges, detox cleanses, or upset tummies. Or even just drink it because it's tasty and good for you!
Hot warm water is a digestive stimulant, plus it hydrates you. Lemons and cayenne are both great for stimulating detox and digestion. Turmeric is used in most Ayurvedic healing remedies and teas. Honey is tasty, medicinal, and can help with allergies if you use it regularly. And if you don't do honey, agave works well or it tastes great plain!
Simple Detox Tea Recipe: 1/2 tsp Turmeric 1/2 Lemon, squeezed 1/2 tsp Cayenne 1 tsp Honey (optional)
Boil water. Place ingredients in mug. Add hot/warm water. Stir. If it's not too hot, sip, smile, and enjoy!
Don't let the color scare you! Turmeric turns things a deep yellow color. This recipe is adapted from the Whole Living Magazine detox plan.
By Jessi Andricks
Jessi Andricks is a Charleston, SC area yoga teacher and health coach. She specializes in a mind-body approach to fitness, to help people regain their energy and learn to fuel their lives through exercise, whole foods, and holisitic habits. Read more about Jessi at thehouseofhealthy.com..
Do you love the holidays? The extra time to spend with family and friends? The opportunity to relax and spend a little extra time on the couch in your pajamas? Or, the time when you travel the world and explore? If you know you won’t be following your usual routine, we’ve got the perfect no-guilt solution.
Welcome to our Pre-Holiday 21-Day Feel Good Challenge.
Just before the holidays is the perfect time to implement changes, to align with nature and adjust to different schedules. Beginning a new program requires discipline, commitment and willpower, all key elements to a strong personal practice. Cultivate the principle of Tapas and jump in with us.
Tapas derives from the Sanskrit verb "tap" which means, "to burn." Traditionally, tapas is interpreted to mean "fiery discipline" or the fiercely focused, constant, intense commitment necessary to burn off the impediments that keep us from being in the true state of yoga. We’re here to help you ignite your inner radiance.
Here’s how it works: Twenty classes in Twenty-one days. According to researchers, it takes three weeks for a new habit to take root. This program will kick start your transition into autumn. Why not twenty-one days you ask? Because incorporating a rest day into the program enables you to recharge and not burn out. You’ll be challenged, but also be empowered to take a break if you need one—guilt-free.
Now you are free to create your 20/21 Challenge, dig deep and find your willpower. Each day we'll provide one or two practices to choose from. Different styles from our diverse collection of teachers will allow you to choose the class that suits your mood, keep you on track, and stay true to your personal goals.
Set an intention and commit to creating a personal practice you can stick with through the upcoming season and beyond. Let’s do this together.
Here is main challenge page with new class options added daily! It's okay to start a few days late.
To get you started right, here are four new classes to get you fired up.
1. Mark Morford - The Fluffy Bunny
2. Erin Wimert - Action & Rest
3. Erin Wimert - Bedtime Yin with Body Scan
4. Cicily Carter - Dance for Joy!
Whether it’s from concern for the environment, their health, or both, shoppers are choosing organic foods and foods made without using genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The upsurge in popularity of these two categories has helped organic foods become one of the quickest-growing sectors of food production in the United States. For anyone who has an interest in what goes into the food they eat, walking up and down the aisles of the grocery store today reveals a rising number of options. Not only do foods carry the familiar nutritional facts labels mandated by the FDA, but they also bear the symbols of organizations that certify organic food products as well as non-GMO food products. Even if these foods are distinctively labeled, there still may be some misconception about what those labels mean. Some people may be trying to eat an organic or all-natural diet, while others may be concerned only about supporting companies that don’t use GMOs. This, along with the fact that there is some overlap between organic and non-GMO foods, can lead to misunderstanding. Although there is some harmony between the two groups, organic and non-GMO labels have specific meanings. For example, foods with the USDA Organic label have been made without the use of GMOs, as well as other standards certifying that the food has been produced with at least 95% organic ingredients. Foods labeled as Non-GMO, however, only need to meet the criteria of containing less than 1% of GMO content. Foods certified as Non-GMO, for example, may have been exposed to chemical pesticides or fertilizers, animals may have been exposed to antibiotics or hormones, and livestock may not have been raised on 100% organic feed. Overall, all USDA Organic certified foods are non-GMO, but not all Non-GMO certified foods are organic. Making sense of the differences between USDA Organic certification and Non-GMO certification is very significant to anyone who pays close attention to what he or she is putting in the grocery cart. The accompanying infographic from PacMoore helps to classify these types of certification, and could come in handy next time you’re in the grocery store.
By Chris Bekermeier
Chris Bekermeier is the VP of Marketing at PacMoore, a food contract manufacturer that offers food processing and packaging services. Chris received his B.S. in business management from Eastern Illinois University and his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago.
Try these delicious recipes with organic ingredients to optimize their health benefits!
Raw Blueberry Pie
Tomato & Chili Chutney
The mechanics of the knee is imposing! Its hinge structure and the performance it delivers will forever be difficult replicating. The knee joint is a typical synovial joint with the accompanying fluid for improved lubrication and protection of the adjoining parts. The versatility of the synovial fluid is unmatched. It not only provides protection but also allows smooth movement. However, even though the knee joint might be strong, it is still susceptible to injury. An unplanned fall could be the undoing of even the healthiest of knees. Athletes can attest to that. A lot has been said about the benefits of yoga on your well-being, yet very little has been considered on how it could help our knees. We will get to that in this article, so stay tuned. Injured your knee? A medical expert will often have you confined to a sedentary position. And, although listening to your doctor isn’t a bad idea, the issue with this is that this type of approach could have you sedentary for months. Meaning that it could also take months before your knee is fully healed and you can go back to being active. But yoga attempts to take a different approach to the injury-healing process. Many see yoga as an activity for the mind. And, while this isn’t wrong, yoga is much broader than that. It allows you to not only practice mindfulness but also practice different poses, which will let you improve the mobility and the range of motion for your knees without injuring the joint again. However, taking up yoga might not be a great idea if you have just injured your knee or the injury is a serious one. Taking things easy with an injured knee is the best way going forward. And once your injury has healed some, you can start trying simple movements. Avoid any postures which amplify the pain. For instance, something as simple as just relaxing with your back well-supported, lifting the injured knee of the ground and moving your lower leg around could do wonders for your injury. Just remember to stop the movement if you feel any sort of pain. Think about it this way: your body is a well-organized unit with different sub-units, one of which is your knees. When it feels threatened, usually indicated by a painful sensation, it turns protective just like the mother hen and her chicks. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it does halt the healing process, which you don’t want for your knee injury. Rather you should focus on keeping your body calm and serene, yet also keep it moving. And that’s why yoga is great. It tries to restore parity to your body and keeps you somewhat active so your body doesn’t become stiff. But yoga poses have proved quite effective also if you have healthy knees, and you would like to strengthen them.
Here are 4 postures to strengthen your knees, and keep them healthy.
1. Badha Konasana : The bound angle pose is a favorite among several yoga enthusiasts for knee strengthening. It is simple, effective, and accessible for all levels. 2. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana: The Extended Hand To Big Toe Pose, has knee strengthening benefits for both the knee of the standing leg and the extended leg. This is a bigger posture, so be sure to use a strap and modify as needed.
3. Sukhasana : Easy Pose. Sitting in this position bring restorative benefits to the knee joint through light compression.
4. Mālāsana : Garland Pose. This provides strength and compression to the knees. Be sure your heels stay rooted on the ground and use a block under your seat for added support. Just don’t practice these poses if you have injured your knees since they exert a certain strain on your knees. Instead, consider getting into poses which are not painful, yet which will still stretch your knees and help them heal faster.
By Mathew Foster
Mathew Foster is a health and fitness enthusiast who advocates for knee health. Which is why he created his blog KneeSafe, to help people live knee pain-free and keep their knees healthy for as long as possible. Practice this Yoga Download class for strong, healthy knees! Community & Connection: Knees & Hips w/ Desiree Rumbaugh & Michelle Marchildon
When someone completely new to yoga looks at Instagram photos, they might get confused. Is yoga all about handstands and backbends? There should be something more to it. There are too many types of yoga, and all of them are quite different from one another. According to the Eastern approach to understanding human nature, each one of us has a unique personality and temperament. It’s no wonder why yoga has taken so many forms. It constantly evolves, and that’s a good thing. Since there are so many types of yoga, everyone can find a method that suits them. We’ll list few important types of yoga, so you’ll distinguish them and decide: which one suits you best? 1. Hatha Yoga Hatha yoga is a combination of asana and pranayama, two of the eight limbs of yoga, described by Patanjali. In the Yoga Sutras, he described the term asana as a steady and comfortable posture. That’s exactly what this type of yoga is all about – achieving a steady, comfortable posture.
There’s no dynamic movement between the postures. Before getting into an asana, you’ll visualize the technique. When you get into the final position, you’ll stay there, feeling how it affects you. You’ll slowly return, and you’ll take a moment to rest and prepare for the next asana. Each movement is combined with proper breathing. Hatha yoga is slow, gentle, and excellent for beginners. 2. Acro Yoga This is not the most traditional type of yoga. But, it’s certainly the most fun. Before you can start Acro yoga, you’ll probably need to work on your strength and flexibility through Hatha or another type of yoga. Convince your partner to do the same, since this is the type of yoga done in couples. One of you will be the base, and the other one will be the flyer (you can change roles, too). If you’re in for an adrenalin rush and you’re looking for a couple’s activity, this is the right type of yoga for you. 3. Bikram Yoga Bikram yoga is one of the more challenging types of yoga. Bikram Choudhury, the creator of this method, derived the techniques from the traditional Hatha yoga, but added an interesting element to it: heat. Bikram yoga is practiced in a room heated to 95-108 ℉. Heat relaxes your muscles. That’s why the practitioners are able to get a bit deeper in the poses. There’s a lot of sweating involved, and sweating means only one thing: detox. If you want to lose weight, this type of yoga may do wonders for you. 4. Kundalini Yoga This is a blend of spiritual and physical practices that have one goal: to awaken your energy. This kind of awakening is safe only if you choose a good teacher to guide you through it. Kundalini yoga is attractive to beginners, but it might not be the right choice for them. The nature of energy is neutral. It’s our thoughts, emotions and actions that make it positive or negative. We’re talking about spiritual awakening here. 5. Yin Yoga Yin yoga was founded by a Taoist yoga teacher and martial arts champion, Paulie Zink. It is even slower than Hatha Yoga. Beginners stay in the asanas for 25 seconds to 2 minutes, and advanced practitioners may stay longer than 5 minutes. If you’re looking for a style of yoga that will really turn your senses inwards, this is the right one for you. 6. Yoga Nidra Yoga Nidra means yogic sleep. You’ll be achieving a state of consciousness between sleeping and being awake. You’ll still listen to the instructions of the teacher, but your senses will be withdrawn to some extent. If you’re not attracted by challenging physical practice, but you want to enjoy the spiritual benefits of yoga, then this is the method you should try. It’s based on relaxation techniques and it can really help you reduce stress and anxiety.
These 6 types of yoga are not the only ones you can choose from. For the sake of brevity and clarity, however, we decided to limit our list. Each one of us has different expectations and preferences. Fortunately, there are enough methods of yoga to meet everyone’s needs. Did you decide which style of yoga you’ll try?
By Olivia Ryan
Olivia is a journalist who always tries to see the bright side of things. She likes to inspire people in her writings on AussieWritings.com and enjoy a mysterious beauty of twilight. Connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.
Find your style by exploring our different class styles available on YogaDownload, or with some of the suggested classes below!
Yin Yoga for Flexibility and Relaxation w/ Elise Fabricant
Kundalini Yoga Therapeutics w/ Shapadpreet
Hatha Yoga: Strength & Freedom w/ Jackie Casal Mahrou
Every time we step on our mats it is with a purpose. The purpose or reason may differ from one person to the other but practicing safely is a must. In Yoga, alignment serves the purpose of keeping us safe, now and in the years to come. Alignment is not just about the body, it trains the mind to set goals, eliminate distractions and achieve results through thoughtful work. Put your mind and body to work; starting now, starting here. We are excited to bring alignment into focus this week with our four classes.
5-minutes to the perfect dog
Whether you are a beginner or a practicing yogi, more often than not you will find yourself in Downward-Facing Dog. For many, this pose tends to be a nemesis, especially when the heels don’t make the much-anticipated touchdown. Do you roll your eyes when the instructor asks you to “rest” in a down dog? Your aversions are understandable and curable. Our Alignment guru Kristin Boyle, in a quick 5-minute session addresses the alignment cues related to one of the most recognizable poses – Downward-Facing Dog.
Sacrum, scapula, upper trapezius muscles are words that float around during a Vinyasa, making you wonder whether you signed up for an anatomy class instead of yoga? Understanding anatomy helps turn instructions into action but getting lost in technical translation does not. Jack Cuneo’s session, inspired by Ashtanga, uses digestible alignment cues to prepare the body for Turtle pose. He creates awareness through standing poses, twists, arm balances, hip openers, hamstring stretches and more to create a perfectly aligned flow.
Refine Your Plank
Plank pose, aka the core buster, is another pose where alignment instructions such as engage your core or align your wrists are often heard. Yogis tend to experience wrist pain at some point in their practice. The mat isn’t a battleground and we do not have to fight through pain. That is exactly what Shy Sayar promotes in his Therapeutic Alignment Plank Pose session. The most important lesson to be learnt is to get through your practice safely.
Improve and don’t forget to OM
What are you doing incorrectly? What areas you can improve on? Is there a voice within you that nudges you to build a deeper understanding with your asanas? The beauty of Yoga is to learn and understand the practice in new and deeper ways. And exercising the mind through learning is the ultimate gift. What are you doing incorrectly? What areas you can improve on? Is there a voice within you that nudges you to build a deeper understanding with your asanas? Take a moment to pause and reflect on the authenticity of every pose. It all begins with alignment and alignment begins with awareness. Awareness can be developed when you sign up to perpetually stay a student of Yoga. Celest Pereira in her ‘Going out of Alignment’ session demonstrates how to relate to each pose and shift alignments to progress faster.
Yoga is not about being able to touch your toes or bending over backwards it is about what you learn in the process of doing so. As B. K. S. Iyengar, one of the foremost yoga gurus in the world, rightly expressed, “It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self and intelligence.” With that in mind OM on and remember to breathe. ALWAYS!
The subtle body is a blueprint containing seven major chakras which exist from the base of the spine through the crown of your head. These energy centers are vital to your total well-being. When you progress deeper into your asana, pranayama, and meditation practice, you begin to recognize the incredible power of these modalities to your overall well-being.
This week, we'll share how focusing on Svadhistana Chakra, or your sacral chakra, can liberate you from emotional restriction. The sacral chakra is located in the lower abdomen and is the center of our feelings and sensations. It translates to the dwelling place of self. A balanced sacral chakra imparts feelings of well-being, pleasure, joy, and abundance. Svadhistana is the color orange, the element of water, and is considered the seat of emotions and creativity. Because it is located in the pelvic region, it is often associated with sensual and sexual experiences. When properly balanced, intuition is heightened, soaring creativity, and you feel free to enjoy honest and authentic desires.
If blocked in the second chakra, a person can feel both emotional and physical distress. An overactive second chakra leads to an excess of attachment, a lack of boundaries, and possible self-destructive behavior. A lack of strength in this chakra can lead to diminished libido, lack of creativity, and depression. So, how can you establish balance?
We've got one of our favorite hip-opening, second chakra awakening poses for you to practice, as well as four new classes dedicated to finding healthy hips, inside and out. We recommend Baddha Konasana or Cobbler's Pose. Sit on your mat, bring the soles of the feet to touch and allow the knees to open out and sink toward the earth. Fold forward, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. Be patient and surrender into the pose. Take this pose anytime your hips feel tight or you feel creatively blocked.
We highly recommend any and all of these innovative new practices to remind yourself of how pleasurable life can be.
Strong and Flexible Hips - Celest Perreira Therapeutic Alignment : Triangle Pose - Shy Sayar Sacral Chakra Flow - Cicily Carter Leg Day: A Strength Flow - Jack Cuneo
Your body is designed to move in different ways and injury can result from too much repetition. By varying your routine, you’ll equip your body with the power to avoid repetitive-stress injuries and also stimulate your mind by learning something new. In order to continue to grow physically, emotionally, and spiritually, it’s a great idea to pause and assess. Change is good!
This week, we’ve got a solution for all that uniformity—four new classes designed to shake you out of stagnancy that may be settling into your bones.
Even if your body is happy with your usual yoga practice, your brain could be shifting into auto-pilot. Stimulating your mind with fresh challenges and different perspectives is vital. A wealth of scientific and anecdotal evidence exists showing that actively continuing to learn throughout life is beneficial for attention, memory, solving problems, and making decisions. We promise you won’t be bored with Jack Cuneo’s latest: An Intro to Animal Movement.
Next, we’ve got a Pilates-Yoga hybrid class designed to strengthen your core, stabilize your spine, and maintain full-body flexibility. Claire Petretti Marti - Pilates Yoga Fusion: Core Focus. This class will help you concentrate on your center, which helps you not just in your yoga practice, but also in your daily life.
If you stick with active practices, you may miss out on benefits from more calm styles of yoga like Yin. In a Yin class, your nervous system quiets and connective tissue relaxes and that’s important to staying healthy. Elise Fabricant’s new - Yin: Release Resistance class will balance out your energy and leave you feeling refreshed inside and out.
If you usually like a moderate practice, shake it up with a class that takes you outside of your comfort zone, like Becca Riopelle’s - Rock Hard Body Blaster. You’ll sweat, smile, and shake out any hint of a rut.
Challenge yourself to trying something new this week. Get wild: maybe add a slice of avocado to your usual eggs and toast, drink sparkling water instead of flat, or walk a different route to work. Try one or all of these new classes and banish boredom.
Sauerkraut is a food I've recently taken the plunge into consuming more often. Previously, I correlated sauerkraut with hot dogs, as it's one of their well-known toppings. As a hot dog hater - EW - why would I use sauerkraut in any other regard? Again, my eyes have been opened to what a wonder it is! Though I've never had a true sweet tooth, my palate has craved more savory and sour foods in my advancing years. Sauerkraut truly satisfies that craving! When I'm making one of my quintessential clean - out - the - fridge type of lunches or dinners, a large spoonful of the 'kraut goes well with vegetables, rice, avocado, chicken, you name it!
Lacto-fermentation, the process that turns water, salt, and cabbage into sauerkraut, converts Lactobacillus, a bacteria commonly found on the surfaces of vegetables, into lactic acid as these three ingredients sit and marry, fermenting them into a beneficial food. Lactic acid acts as a natural preservative and prevents harmful bacteria from forming, leaving good bacteria to thrive and, eventually, makes their way to your gut! For the science nerds, here's a helpful in-depth explanation of the process.
Second, let's talk beans. The more you eat, well...we all know how the song goes.
Though it is easy to grab a can of beans from the shelf in a rush - guilty as charged - don't discount the benefits of soaking beans if you have the time to do it! (Plus, the cost savings from buying a bag of dried beans will leave your wallet fuller!) I did some research on the benefits of bean soaking and learned some new - to - me facts! Phytic acid, found in many types of legumes, is known as a binder due to its chemical structure; when ingested, it binds to anything it comes in contact with. This includes other nutrients, metals, and minerals within your body. Namely, when bound to iron and zinc, this acid can form an insoluble barrier around those minerals which makes it harder for your intestines to absorb. Take a glance at this study! You might be depleting yourself if ingesting phytic acid on a consistent basis. Frankly, I'd rather keep the vital nutrients I'm taking the time to consume, thankyouveryMUCH. In addition, a good soak and rinsing can help increase digestibility by helping discard oligosaccharides, a sugar found in the outer membranes of many varieties of beans. These sugars, if present, will bypass the stomach and go straight to your large intestines. There, bacteria will break them down, and you may soon know why beans are called "The Musical Fruit". Needless to say, it can be taxing on our digestive systems.
Soaking chickpeas!
Third, let's talk about this recipe, because after this Alton Brown-esque food science lecture, you're probably getting hungry. Ha!
This salad can be crafted or adjusted however you choose. I prefer the creaminess of chickpeas and kidney beans as they meld well with the crunch of the vegetables I choose. Plus, a little crunchy red cabbage complements the sauerkraut nicely; you can never have enough cabbage!
There are so many resources on how and why to soak and cook beans. If I posted them all, you'd never get to this recipe - HA! - so here's a simple yet comprehensive guide from The Healthy Home Economist.
Bean & Sauerkraut Salad (Makes approximately 8 cups)
Salad: - 2 cups cooked kidney beans - 2 cups cooked chickpeas - 3/4 cup sauerkraut - 1 cup red cabbage, shredded - 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced - 1/2 cup red onion, minced - 1 bell pepper, diced - 1 cup carrot, cleaned and shredded (I keep the peel on unless it's still visibly dirty after cleaning)
Vinaigrette: - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil - 2 tablespoons sauerkraut juice (...get it straight from your sauerkraut container) - 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder - 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Notes: - Though the benefits of bean soaking are touted here, if you are in a rush, please feel free to use canned beans for this recipe. Be sure to give them a thorough rinse, still!
- To reap the benefits of the beneficial bacteria in the sauerkraut, look for it in your refrigerator section. It should be raw and not loaded with preservatives. In fact, the only ingredients, save for occasional spices, should be cabbage, water, and salt. Be sure to give that ingredients list a thorough read-through!
Directions: 1.) Combine all beans and vegetables in a large bowl and toss to combine.
2.) In a smaller bowl, whisk together all ingredients to the vinaigrette until emulsified. Pour over salad and toss to combine. Place and fridge and chill for at least one hour before serving.
Candace Cabrera Moore is an entrepreneur who believes nothing is impossible. She is an international yoga instructor who runs luxury yoga retreats, healthy living blogger, and author of Namaslay. She is passionate about modern yoga, delicious food, and living your absolute best life. After a very long battle with Lyme disease, she is so grateful to have her health back, and that was the inspiration behind founding YogaByCandace, a modern yoga lifestyle company that creates weekly yoga and hiit workouts, and curates Mantra Box, a seasonal discovery box program that supports small business.
When Yoga Journal magazine decides to put out an article entitled: “Why You Should Ditch Standard Cues,” it’s clear that the questioning and re-evaluating going on at the grassroots level have become prevalent enough that even the industrial yoga complex is feeling compelled to try and respond. In the search for new and better information, people are looking for answers. Earnest practitioners want to know if their practice is sound. Teachers want to feel that they can stand by what they teach. Consequently, there seems to be a rash of new offerings geared towards elevating the level of scientific knowledge from which yoga is being taught.
Is this pose hurting me?
One prevalent trope is that there is an increase in people getting hurt in yoga classes. To hear some people speak, it sounds like a rising epidemic. But I see no real evidence of this. In fact, I wish to proffer that folks were getting hurt in yoga classes in the past just as much as they are now. The difference is that nowadays more people are practicing than ever before and, because we are less deferential to the guidance of a guru, teachers, and students are being more honest about what is actually happening in their bodies.
What has changed significantly is the number of people who are questioning what they are doing, in ways that have not been entertained previously. Teachers are exploring new language and communication about poses and practice that are more rooted in ‘function’ rather than just making a form happen. In my view, this is a good thing. That YJ is picking up on this trend is also good. A more personalized inquiry into experiencing our anatomy is generally helpful in sorting out the practices that serve us, and those that don’t.
But my body cannot be reduced to parts.
Now that yoga teachers are no longer just taking cues from on high and are looking for other sources of expertise and legitimacy, it makes sense to want to understand the mechanics of how a body works and evaluate the practices through that lens. Western science and medicine purport to offer all kinds of definitive information on the degree to which one body part can function in a healthy way in relation to another. New imaging technologies allow us to have a look at our structures and reveal areas that appear to be the sources of our pain. Conventional protocols look to address issues at the specific point of measurable “abnormality.”
The problem is that many established ideas about the structure and function of our bodies are presented to us with a certainty that does not hold up to the reality of what actually happens in a person. For instance, MRI’s reveal that something like ninety percent of all people who undergo MRI’s show signs of herniations or bulging in their spines. Yet, a much lower percentage of those people are experiencing acute back pain. Fusing the discs, or implanting rods, has not proven to be any sort of definitive answer and, in many cases, has exacerbated the situation. Certainly, there are circumstances where intervention is warranted and effective, but the notion that back pain can be corrected with surgery, or a particular yoga exercise, does not usually bear itself out. In fact, an over-reliance on allopathic sensibilities reinforces a false and limiting premise that we are somehow broken beyond our ability to heal.
I do not need to be fixed.
Attempting to identify and name the physical workings that might govern yoga poses is perhaps interesting and potentially useful. But I don’t think that means biomechanics can tell me how to do a yoga pose right or hold the answers to addressing my pain and safety. As far as I can tell, biomechanics is based on an idea that, essentially, turns my body into a machine. And whatever healing and transformation that I have observed in myself and others through yoga has almost always had a direct correlation with a sense of ourselves and our bodies that is expressly not machine-like, but rather is predicated on the fact that we are entirely organic and whole.
As practitioners and teachers continue to parse out new approaches to utilizing yoga, deference to science must be weighed against a healthy amount of discernment. Frankly, doctors and researchers don't have definitive answers to the questions that arise out of our own experience any more than the gurus did. There is a reason why so many inconclusive test results end up becoming blind referrals to try yoga. The unspoken truth is that on some level what is happening in our bodies is magic. We are mystical beings existing on a planet surrounded by infinite space. When our understanding is capable of holding scientific knowledge with the humility of recognizing all that we do not know at the same time, then perhaps we will begin to better address our dysfunctions and more fully embody the wonder that defines us.
By J. Brown
J. Brown is a yoga teacher, writer and founder of Abhyasa Yoga Center in Brooklyn, NY. His writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy Today, the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, and across the yoga blogosphere. Visit his website at jbrownyoga.com.
Click here to try J. Brown's "Slower is Stronger"
This is true for all of us, because we are all human. As humans, part of our story is that as young people, an event creates a deep impact within our unconscious. Whether we attribute it to the perils of childhood, past karma, a big trauma, something subtle, or psychological struggles, all of us has some trigger lurking in the shadow. It is part of our growth and evolution as spiritual beings to come face to face with this inner dragon, and slay it to reveal the gold hiding behind it.
Virgo, as the goddess of the sky, represents our untainted soul, the purity from which we all arise. It strives to hold onto that goodness at every turn — through tending to cleanliness, clarifying its speech, indulging in self-care — and suffers greatly when those elements are neglected. For Virgo, who is ruled by both the planet of communication (Mercury) and the great mentor of the sky, Chiron, the downside of not holding to one’s sense of truth and purity results in a pattern of self-destruction as Virgo is its own worst critic…and enemy.
With Chiron directly opposite our sensitive Virgo new moon, he stands in the way of our forward progress, unless we are willing to take a good, hard look at whatever is “impure” within. Whatever keeps us small, or diminishes our light, represents for us our core wound. Likely, this is something we have run into time and time again as the source of our shame, frustration, or hurt. Underneath the wound, as Chiron is here to show us this month, is the source of our greatest purity and joy…but until we shine light upon it, it remains obscured in darkness.
For us to reclaim our light, rekindle our sense of interconnected innocence and see the universe as working in our favor, we must make powerful Chiron an ally this month and walk with him toward what is uncomfortable, scary, and potentially shameful. If we do this in a safe space, within the context of our spiritual practice, we transform our wound into our strength and move from the wounded victim to the empowered mentor. It is from this place we recover our greatest gift and become the most powerful teacher possible…as we usher others toward the light with our newfound strength. Alchemical Ritual for the Virgo New Moon:
Locate a powerful talisman that represents the symbol of a past wound. Gather crystals, sage and a candle and set up a space for your ritual. Light the candle and enter your ritual with the talisman.
Say out loud the following affirmation:
May this Virgo new moon energy heal my old wounds and reveal the source of my power.
Sit in quiet meditation for a few moments with the symbol and observe what arises as a result of its presence. There is no right or wrong, and it is also not necessary to relive or recapitulate past experiences with this practice. Allow it to be as it is, accept it fully, and witness it with the light of awareness. Write on a piece of paper some qualities of the past wound—it doesn’t need to be a complete recounting, just some free-association of the related emotions and energy.
Now, give yourself permission to allow the lessons of this past wound to evolve. What have you learned as a result? How has it made you stronger? What good has come of it? Immerse yourself in that knowledge, and sit in quiet meditation as you observe what comes up as a result of the shift in perception. Write these qualities down, and as you do, either hold or touch the symbol. This will transform the symbol and you from the inside out. Hold or touch the symbol while you continue to feel the good qualities within. Let those grow, flourish and take root. Cleanse yourself with the sage, and chant Om three times. Close the ritual by snuffing the candle and placing your symbol in plain sight as a reminder of your transformation.
By Alanna Kaivalya
Alanna believes Yoga is for everyone and each student can develop the self-empowerment needed to embark on a personal journey to meaningful transformation. On this principle she founded The Kaivalya Yoga Method, a fresh take on yoga emphasizing the individual path while honoring tradition. Teaching students since 2001, teachers since 2003, Alanna has written and developed teacher trainings worldwide for top studios and independently. In January she debuted a comprehensive 200hr-online teacher training with YogaDownload. She holds a Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, has authored numerous articles and two books: Myths of the Asanas, an accessible practitioner’s guide to stories behind beloved poses; Sacred Sound, a yoga “hymnal,” illustrating the role of chant and mantra in modern practice. Look for her third book, Yoga Beyond the Mat, in Autumn 2016.She lives in New York City with Roxy the Wonderdog.
You may have heard about Yamas in yoga class, but you may not have had the chance to delve into the ancient philosophy behind them. If you are new to The Yoga Sutras, it is one of the seminal texts on yoga philosophy, written thousands of years ago. It is a practical guidebook for living a fulfilled, positive life. The credited author, Patanjali, outlines the eight-limbed path of yoga, Yamas, Niyamas, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. The path is simple, yet not easy.
What are Yamas? They are considered the five moral restraints or your attitudes and behaviors. This ethical compass encourages us to examine our patterns, habits, and how we treat ourselves and others. Don’t look at the Yamas as concrete rules because none of us are perfect; consider them fluid guidelines to incorporate into your life.
1. Everyday Yamas: Ahimsa: Ahimsa translates to the absence of or freedom from harm, judgment or violence. Often, we are harsh and judgmental with ourselves and by extension, treat others in a detrimental manner. Cultivating a compassionate, loving, understanding, patient attitude toward yourself and others is the key to ahimsa. 2. Everyday Yamas: Satya: Satya is truthfulness in thought, word, and deed. Truthfulness needs to be balanced by kindness and mindful expression. When we are authentically living in our own truth, we are in harmony with the universe and everything surrounding us. Working toward loving communications, non-judgment, and honesty will create a life of ease and flow. 3. Everyday Yamas: Aparigraha: Aparigraha is the freedom from hoarding or collecting. When you operate from a place of scarcity, you can be greedy with your feelings, your actions, and your belongings. Remind yourself that abundance exists for everyone. Learn to trust the wealth of the universe and only utilize what you need in the moment. It takes practice to release attachment to possessions and even people. You can do it! 4. Everyday Yamas: Asteya: Asteya translates to freedom from stealing. Like all the other Yamas, this principle transcends simple appropriation of a tangible item. It’s the concept of becoming free from cravings for wealth, power, possessions, and attachment to outcomes. Also, Asteya reminds us to respect other people’s time and energy. Don’t be an energy vampire! Cultivate a sense of completion from within. 5. Everyday Yamas: Bramacharya: Bramacharya translates to moderation. It’s one of the most misunderstood tenets in yoga philosophy. Often, it is translated into a life of celibacy and religious study; however, most yogis are householders and live in modern society. Instead, strive toward moderation and balance in all matters. Your own restraint and moderation are key to your personal growth.
Use this new class package to examine yourself and learn how to find your best self!
Turns out, you can’t get rid of fear. Every single time you make a new choice, release an old habit, break an energetic pattern, decide to expand what’s possible for you- fear is going to be around.
What you can do is have a relationship with fear that *maybe* is actually beneficial for you.
Over the years I feel like I’ve built a pretty decent relationship with fear. I love in Big Magic when Elizabeth Gilbert talks about how every time we start out on a new endeavor, whether that be a creative project, a new relationship, an adventure, healing your body, or something else, inevitably fear is going to show up.
She uses the metaphor of a road trip- no matter how carefully you pack and plan or try to sneak out the side door, fear is always going to be along for the ride, ready and waiting in the car. You can’t control that.
What you can control though, is- Does fear get to drive? Does fear get to navigate and co-pilot? Or Can fear hang out in the backseat, occasionally offering comments and suggestions but not actually running the show?
Fear has a purpose. Its goal is to keep us safe and alive.
There are primal fears: Fear for your safety. Fear of being alone or abandoned by your tribe. Fear of pain.
These primal fears are at the core of all fear- designed to keep us from being cast out, unable to take care of ourselves, put in dangerous situations.
Then there are the ways those fears manifest in our modern lives. The patterns of fear that appear over and over again, especially for women, and are often in the driver’s seat or holding the GPS and telling you where to go, sometimes without you even realizing it.
Those fear patterns look like: Fear of being judged. Fear of missing out. Fear of being not enough. Fear of being too much. Fear of being misunderstood. Fear of everything falling apart.
Finally, there are the actions we take based on fear running the show and controlling the journey.
Actions like: Staying quiet, not speaking up for your needs or when you are uncomfortable. Numbing out with food or tv or a novel or sex. Pretending everything is okay. Policing our bodies and our points of view. Overworking and over-giving to appear useful. Stopping asking questions. Making endless lists and plans to ‘figure it out’. etc. etc.
Sound familiar?
This can feel super obvious when you have a specific thing happening in your life that is requiring you to step into a new version of yourself- going through a break up, dealing with sexual harassment at work, getting in a car accident, the death of someone close to you, not knowing how you’re going to pay your bills, meeting a deadline on a creative project… etc.
And sometimes fear is soooo sneaky.
There’s a kind of fear that isn’t talked about too much. It’s a fear that’s been really present for me lately. A sneaky kind of fear that shows up in the background and slowly, insidiously begins to take over thoughts and actions.
I was giving a talk a couple of years ago about how our bodies how the keys to having it all- love, health, freedom, joy, ease, wealth, and fulfillment.
Afterward, a woman came up to me and said, “you know, when you asked us if we would like to have it all, a big part of me immediately recoiled and said ‘hell no’. I think I’m most scared of having it all.”
The fear of having it all.
There’s a reason that Marianne Williamson quote is so popular- the one that says, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”
That fear will sneak in and shut down any choices that would allow you to “have it all” — whatever YOUR version of that looks like.
It all comes back to what we have learned as true, and what we have learned we need to do / how we need to behave in order to fit in with our current society and culture. Which comes back to the primal fears and not being ostracized or alone.
A woman who “has it all” is a dangerous woman in our society. Simply by being she is inviting in judgments, criticisms, scrutiny, and unpopularity from all sides, because she is choosing not to buy into the lie of how women are supposed to behave.
I also want to note that “having it all” is going to look different for everybody.
A woman who dares to be happy with the body she has, openly energized and excited by her life, with clear boundaries in place, making choices for herself, speaking up for her needs and visions of the world, sovereign in all areas of her life- this is the woman our culture fears, and subsequently is the woman many of us both long to be and fear becoming.
This paradox can hold you in a grip so tight that it feels like no matter how much “progress” you make, you are never where you want to be. It’s a safety mechanism. You can also accomplish a LOT from this place.
When you step out on the path toward “having it all”, whether you call in that our not, it usually looks like seeking to have a certain body type, enter into a romantic relationship, start a family, find a job you love, create a home you love, have a possibility oriented mindset, build thriving friendships, or something similar.
It may show up as one of these things in particular, over and over again. Or it may be a combination of things. And as you move down this path, an interesting thing starts to happen.
Maybe you make peace with your body over the years. Maybe you fall in love or enjoy more intimacy in your relationship than ever before. Maybe you learn how to release negative emotions and create peace and positivity every day. Maybe you find work that you are passionate about.
Over time, the things that used to have you in the grips of fear no longer hold the same weight.
You realize you no longer have wild emotional swings based on the number on the scale or the food you put in your mouth. You are no longer convinced that you are doomed to die alone. You realize you are paying your bills with ease and have the money to do things you want to do. A phone call from your mother no longer sends you into a tailspin. A missed connecting flight is met with a shrug and laughter rather than a meltdown.
And your sights start to turn toward expansion. Toward, “What else might be possible in my life?”
We humans, we love a challenge. We love to grow, change, and experience novelty. We love to push ourselves to see what’s possible, to play with our potential.
When expanding into new possibilities, we often forget about fear. The primal fears seem far away. You have tools to work with that will keep you moving in spite of fear. (By the way, if you’re not in this place- let’s have a conversation. This is a core part of the work I do with my clients, and is essential for liberating your body and really claiming your self-worth and power.)
Right when we aren’t thinking about fear- this is when fear sidles in the back door and sets up camp.
Welcome to my life the past few weeks- ignoring fear because I thought it wasn’t there. Avoiding the fear that is the hardest for me to identify.
This is the fear that shows up when everything is going well.
When my relationship is filled with love and electricity. When my business is thriving and I’m lit up with passion for my work. When my body feels vibrant and healthy and alive. When I have the capacity to expand and receive more than ever before.
We all have a set capacity we feel comfortable with having and receiving what we want. The place that says, “this is what I deserve and as long as I stay here, I won’t upset the status quo.” This capacity comes from a combination of upbringing, society, social conditioning, etc.
We also all absolutely have the ability to expand this capacity as much as we want to. We have the ability to “have it all”.
And every single time you reach your capacity, especially when you are looking to expand beyond it and up that set capacity, guess who’s gonna be there?
Did you guess Fear? Because you were right!
Every time you step into a new way of being, upping your capacity for receiving and becoming more true to who you are, Fear is going to be there.
Remember- the goal of fear is to keep you safe and alive.
And as magical as receiving more and being more of you and enjoying your life more are, they are also unknown realities.
For Fear, unknown = unsafe.
When you don’t pay attention to fear, invite it into the conversation, that’s when it sneaks up on you and whacks you on the head. Or, to go back to the road trip metaphor, it makes you feel all brain foggy and sleepy and unclear, so you decide to take a nap and when you wake up suddenly Fear is behind the wheel and you are no longer in control of the destination!
This is what has been happening with me this summer.
At the end of May, I celebrated 2 years with my amazing man. Mid-June, I launched Camp Fireheart. (Are you coming? It’s going to be incredible.) End of June, really cool opportunities began for me to bring my work and creativity to new outlets. Beginning of July, my MCL sprain finally felt fully healed and I began strength training again. Mid-July, more opportunities to speak, teach, and grow.
I hit my capacity to receive and have it so good in full force.
I began to notice a hesitancy to sit down and do the work to keep things moving forward, even when I had a really inspiring list of things to create and put into the world.
I would wake up feeling a foggy and low energy, even after sleeping 9 hours and eating what my body wanted.
I was spending more time on social media than usual, without creating my own content.
I would feel the desire to paint or go for a hike, and face massive resistance to things I’m normally excited to do.
I started to look for things that were going wrong- in my body, in my relationship, in my business. I started to feel frustrated and anxious and drained. I started to think “maybe it’s not for me”.
Until I remembered.
Remembered that Fear is a sneaky lil' $&%*#.
And that I had made a mistake.
I didn’t invite fear into the conversation. I didn’t ask fear what it needed me to know or address as I was expanding. I completely ignored fear, so it got louder and louder until I had to face it.
If you ignore Fear, it takes over.
We can’t get rid of fear. So what do you do instead?
Give it a job. Preferably a job that isn’t “driver” or “navigator”.
Even better, give it an ear. Let fear have its moment to shine.
This might seem crazy- don’t all the self-help and law of attraction teachings say don’t give fear any attention? “What you focus on grows” so why would you focus on fear?
Because fear is going to be there regardless of how you choose to interact with it. Wouldn’t the conscious, enlightened thing to do (say tongue-in-cheek) be to acknowledge and face your fear rather than simply pretend it doesn’t exist?
Thought so. But then again, I’m biased. You’ll have to try for yourself.
When you find yourself facing a situation of newness, regardless of whether you perceive that newness as welcome or not, consciously bring fear forward and have a conversation.
A conversation with fear
One of my favorite ways to start that conversation is to imagine I’m sitting down to coffee (or whiskey, depending on the day) with fear.
Say, either in your head or out loud, “Hi fear! How are you? What’s new?”
Keep in mind that fear has one goal: keep you safe and alive.
Some questions you can ask fear: “What do you have to say about this new thing?” “What would you like to bring to my attention?” “Am I missing anything in this equation?”
Tim Ferriss has a TED Talk with a great exercise to help you make peace with fear. Check it out here: Why You Should Define Your Fears Instead of Your Goals
My coach sent this to me after a particularly gnarly conversation with fear and it helped me SO much.
Once I recognized the symptoms I was experiencing as Fear rather than as ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE WRONG WITH ME, I was able to pause, turn, and face what was really going on. (and actually, keep moving in the direction I wanted to go!)
Giving fear the space it needs allows you to remain in the driver’s seat.
Truly hear Fear out. Write down things to consider when you confront fear. Ask your fear to fill in any blind spots you may have.
And? Remember that fear does NOT run the show. Fear is only one aspect of your life to bring to the table and have these conversations. Ask it to show you both the extreme ways you may somehow be unsafe or die in this process as well as some of the subtle things you may not have considered.
Give it a new job. Ask it to make it super clear to you when you are overlooking something important. Ask it to tap you on the shoulder when there is room to grow and expand.
You can also ask it to release its death grip on your hand because you are not going to try and leave it behind.
Finally, thank your fear. Acknowledge how well it is performing its purpose. Let it know that you will listen, but ultimately how you proceed is YOUR decision.
Sending you SO much love, Kate
Equal parts earth mama, mermaid, and magic glitter, Kate Marolt is an embodiment coach, speaker, yoga teacher, and founder of Unbound Living. Kate is a fierce advocate for women’s empowerment and wisdom, and with over 1000 hours of training in yoga, fitness, energy, philosophy, spiritual practices, and emotional processing tools, she is uniquely placed to guide you back into alignment, integration, and wholeness. Kate is dedicated to helping you understand your body’s messages and inner wisdom so you can feel ALIVE, joyful, and free to be exactly who you are, inside and out.
Back in the day when Jules was eating a predominantly raw food diet this Raw Blueberry Pie was a true life-saver.
Perfect for your next BBQ or summer gathering, share our Raw Blueberry Pie with your loved ones! Technically this recipe could be a part of the Conscious Cleanse, but because of food combining we recommend it more as part of your 80:20.
Either way, enjoy it, share it, and leave us a comment below. Will this delicious dessert make a regular appearance at your upcoming gathering?
With blueberry love,
Yield: 1 pie
Ingredients:
Instructions: In a food processor fitted with an S blade, combine raw walnuts, dates, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt until smooth. Press mixture evenly into a pie dish, and refrigerate for about 1 hour or until crust is hard.
Meanwhile, in the food processor fitted with an S blade, combine blueberries and honey. Pour into chilled crust, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Jo Schaalman and Julie Peláez are co-authors of the book The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body, and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life. Together they've lead thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They've been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
To learn more about “Jo and Jules” and to download a free e-cookbook for a sampling of the delicious food served up on the Conscious Cleanse, please visit their website.
Conscious Cleanse Detox Flow - Jo Schaalman
Heart Opening Forrest Yoga Flow - Jo Schaalman
Traditional Hot Yoga - Julie Peláez
How is your reaction time these days? Life is moving at a breakneck pace and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. If you find yourself reacting immediately and allowing yourself to be buffeted about by external events, we want to remind you to slow down and build serene strength from the inside out. By choosing to slow down and taking time to rest and recharge, you can create a wellspring of stillness within and react to anything or anyone coming your way with more equanimity.
We’ve got four excellent new classes this week designed to help you lower your blood pressure, quiet your mind, and feel good, regardless of what else is happening in your life.
We are thrilled to introduce our very own Keith Allen with the launch of two new classes: Deep, Slow, Mindful, Flow and Meditate & Cultivate Calm. We know you’ll love his clear, soothing guidance. Before you practice with him, we’ll give you some background and why we know he’ll soon become one of your go-to teachers.
Every teacher is unique and Keith taps into his wanderlust, his broad exposure to various yoga lineages, and his passion for meditation in his classes. More than a decade ago, Keith traveled to Africa to teach English. He practiced yoga for the first time in Moshi, Tanzania with Mt. Kilimanjaro in the background. Not your average yogi, right? Yoga moved Keith so deeply during his first class, he knew instantly it was to become a positive part of his life for a long time. He continues to study with different teachers, lineages, and yoga styles and incorporates his learning into his own practice and teaching.
Keith’s classes balance a meditative focus with safe alignment principles. Meditation is the key focus for Keith and he believes learning to create more calm within is the key to leading a more peaceful life. He uses these principles to lead workshops and yoga teacher trainings. He is launching his first book, www.theyogafixbook.com as a resource of healthy movement patterns. Check it out.
In addition to introducing you to Keith, we’ve got the always amazing Jackie Casal Mahrou’s: Gentle Hatha 7: Free Yourself for a well-rounded practice. Finally, make sure you sleep like a baby with Denelle Numis’ Nighttime Nidra.
Remember, taking time for yourself and maintaining your calm within the storm helps not just you, but those around you. We can make the world a more beautiful place through our individual dedicated practices.
According to Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutras, yoga is all about the mind.
The real yoga happens when we are able to sit with what is and develop a level of discernment (viveka) that best serves our dharma (purpose).
Of course, that requires knowing what our purpose is and a lot of practice.
Aligning the mind and thoughts
One of my favorite ways to live a purposeful life is to live in alignment with my values.
Core values give us a guiding post to test our life decisions against. If you value family, personal growth, integrity, freedom, health, creativity, leadership, community, and nature like I do then it’s important that the next time a big decision is looming you think about how that decision will affect (or not) all of these areas of your life.
It seems easy enough, and yet, it’s far from it.
I have a hunch.
When we are aligned in thought, we get a special feeling. But it’s hard to look in the mirror every morning and see how we feel so it’s also super easy to forget that aligning our thoughts, decisions, and actions are good things to repeat often.
That’s why it’s important to create our own rituals to consistently re-align with our core values.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
I want to go back to issue #1 above.
What Core Values have to do with Yoga
Do you know your core values? Like, can you send me an email right now and list all of them, in order of priority? Each core value distilled into one word or less? (Really, send me an email and let me know what yours are if you know them!)
I teach this stuff and even I have trouble remembering my values sometimes! The pull and temptation of subscribing to society’s values when they are not our own is a cause of suffering. The fear of being judged left behind, or scorned is enough to make us double-guess ourselves when we feel pulled to move in one direction even though the rest of the world thinks the opposite. It is this very fear that holds us back from living our most inspired lives and leads to unhappiness.
Core values are something that I’ve been learning about since 2008. I really, really love aligning with core values and I think this work is the number one most important first action we can take on our yoga journey toward alignment.
The core values of Classical Yoga
Finding our core values within the context of yoga means we don’t have to start with a blank slate. Classical Yoga Philosophy offers up suggestions for what core values we might consider living by in the Yamas and Niyamas.
As a quick refresher, the yamas and the niyamas can be distilled into the following values:
Compassion (Ahimsa, or non-violence) Honesty (Satya, or truth) Abundance (Asteya, or non-stealing) Moderation (Brahmacharya) Giving (Aparigraha, or non-hoarding) Purity (Saucha, or cleanliness) Contentment (Santosha) Discipline (Tapas) Learning (Svadhyaya, or self-study) Surrender (Ishvara Pranidhana)
There are many other values you may hold as well. For me, family and freedom are my top two non-negotiables.
So, are you living in alignment? Are you consciously creating a life based on a set of core values?
The beauty of yoga is that I’m not here to tell you what your values need to be. We can all live together peacefully and have different values. That’s what makes us individual and unique. Besides, we all have our own karma to work through.
But I can guide you through a process to help you find your core values. I can encourage you to make space and time to be with your values. I can help you develop discernment. I can support you when it seems everyone else is on the other side.
I’m on your side! Let’s live in alignment — body, breath, mind, and spirit — together!
By Ashley Josephine
I started practicing yoga to stay in shape and release stress. What I learned was how to love my life. How to have faith. How to find your community of people who support you and love you unconditionally. How to get back control. Today, it is my mission to help busy Type-A overachiever women like me gain back control of their lives, live pain-free, and love the life they want to live through yoga lifestyle practices. Visit www.ashleyjosephine.com to get free yoga lifestyle tips to help live healthier, happier, and pain-free.
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Corinne Marabel, creator of A Vegan Kitchen, never intended to follow a vegan diet, much less did she intend on creating what she has today. In July of 2013, feeling constantly run down and tired and after spending far too many months treating my body like a garbage bin, Corinne decided to turn from vegetarianism to veganism for a short detox. However, days turned in to weeks, and she began to find herself feeling not only better internally, but completely inspired to create beautiful and clean vegan dishes.
Check out @avegankitchen instagram page, and ebooks!