In essence brahmacharya requires us to abstain from acts that lessen our prana (life energy / zeal for life). When we find ourselves shackled to desire without exercising conscious control over what we allow into our lives, we become prisoners to life rather than creators of it.
Brahmacarya: Can You Abstain From What You Want? Read More »
When we think of stealing, we often think about the very clear act of taking something that does not belong to you. Things like robbing a store, taking something from someone who hasn’t given us permission, or embezzling may jump out at you. However, the yogic yama of asteya speaks much more deeply than this. Not only is it possible to steal in a material sense, but it is also possible to steal in a nonphysical one.
Asteya: The Observance of NonStealing Read More »
Truthfulness… how many of us can say that we are 100% honest all of the time? This is what the yama of satya aka truthfulness asks of us. Again, just as with ahimsa, we must first learn how to be honest with ourselves… to look at our current reality and the actions that have led
Satya: Are you living honestly? Read More »
Now that I’ve covered the basic premise of yoga, we’ll lead into the 8-fold path carved out by Patanjali within the yoga sutras. They are as follows and future writings during yoga month will cover each concept in a bit more depth: Prior to ever setting foot on a mat, traditional yogis spend years familiarizing
The 8 Fold Path: Yama | Ahimsa aka Nonharming Read More »
When we chant OM, it signifies the cycle of all life on this planet and in the universe… birth, life, death. It is a celebration of all that is and invokes vibration within one’s being as it is being chanted.
Om/Aum: What is it? Why Do Yogi’s Chant It? Read More »
Patanjali cites several methods by which to realize (make real – internalize – fully understand who you are) the big “I” (or the energy that has the power to create worlds)…
Samādhi: Who are you? Read More »
The primary sutra of yoga centers around, “Yogaś citta ṿṛitti nirodhaḥ,” which means the restraint of the modifications of the mind-stuff is Yoga. In essence, it’s the ability to still unwarranted thoughts or stories.
What is Yoga? Patanjali Points the Way… Read More »
Yoga is NOT JUST A WORKOUT! I feel it is a travesty that the West often portrays it this way when marketing. It is so much more. It is a resource for introspection that allows you to discover who you truly are and treat yourself accordingly. It is about yoking all facets of your being together so that there is no division…
“I’m trying my best!” I say to myself for the 10th time today. My child never stops making noise. I’m trying to work, not make her feel ignored, straighten up the house, make lunch, etc. and I am overwhelmed. I’m overstimulated. I’m an introvert and my energy is derived from time alone. My daughter never
Misconceptions of Love Read More »
The thing about this particular hike is it requires commitment, once you are up there aren’t a lot of options. No matter how much pain you feel or how tired you are, you need to keep going unless you are prepared to camp overnight in the woods. My fiance and I never prepare for that so it’s just a matter of pressing on to get up and over the 3 peaks and back down. As one of my favorite yoga teachers always says, “the only way out is through.”
Climb the Mountain, Climb Within Read More »
I just have to stoke the flames of purpose and surround myself with others who can do so when I lose sight of the fire and start allowing it to dim. We all need a team of people around us who care enough to throw some proverbial wood on our fire when they see our flames getting low.
Fan the Flames… Lorax Inspired Read More »
I’ve never liked being told what to do. Perhaps that is why I have such disdain for government these days. I think I’ve always been this way, but as I live through such ineffective leadership, it’s surfacing within me more and more. After reading an article on Associated Press (Millions of kids told full return
Would There Really Be Anarchy If Laws Did Not Exist? Read More »
Humility is not asking you to be less than who you were created to be to make others feel better about themselves. It is not asking you to stay in a victim mentality or play small. It is simply asking you to accept yourself for who you are and not think yourself greater than what you are.
Humility is Misunderstood Read More »
If we look, we can see how our actions impact not only our fellow humans, but all life forms from plants to animals. Often, we are abusing the very same resources that are meant to sustain us. When we refuse to use these resources in a responsible manner, we ultimately destroy them, and we ultimately suffer the consequences. Lack of regard for life around us is actually a form of self-hate and I wish more people lived with an understanding of this.
It was as though the moment I had her, my life’s training wheels came off and it became “go time.” Suddenly the pressure hit and it was about more than just me. There were bigger consequences to losing my balance in life… a whole separate life depended on my ability to balance and ride smoothly. Little eyes peering out from the basket of the handlebars just watching my every move… my facial expressions… my speech… my ability to cope with each challenge life hands me.
Riding the Bicycle of Parenting Read More »
I can see how tyrants turn into tyrants. They were probably trapped in situations where nobody heard them… nobody listened… nobody respected and so they became loud… they demanded to be heard… and they took respect! The pendulum swung powerfully and quickly in the other direction and the meek became the tyrant.
Sweetness in the Middle (this one is raw) Read More »
It’s peculiar, yet it’s a sign of the times No fireworks fly Can’t celebrate the false independence When black men are being killed without recompense Slavery still exists though not in clear sight People like Epstein with their filthy deeds under cover of night Or is it a cover of money and wealth… That keeps
A poem about the darker side of parenting and the trauma it resurrects for healing.
Desire… the path to hell paved with the red hot internal fire Wanting, yearning, needing, lusting, is like walking tight wire One wrong move and you come crashing down Fantasy makes you believe you won’t drown Just have fun and enjoy, no consequences today Let yourself be free and come play Until you get caught
As I was editing the site, an idea struck me that I just had to write about. Peace comes when we accept we are just a piece. How simple, yet profound is that idea? When we treat ourselves as though we should be doing everything that everyone else is doing, we suffer. When we treat
Peace comes when we remember we are just a piece of the puzzle, not the whole thing It comes when we finally take off the muzzle, and let ourselves sing When we allow ourselves to be, just as we are Only then do we see that we can really go far Humility in serving, in
Want Peace? Accept You’re a Piece… Read More »
Passion is a double edged sword. Passion fuels you with desire to move forward in endeavors, yet it can also cause you to be crushed when they don’t go as you would have hoped. Living a wholehearted life requires that we allow these fluctuations and accept them as part of our experience.
This begs the question, “Am I creating the world that I wish to see? Am I creating a better world for my daughter to grow up in?” While I like to think of myself as a “good” person, I am not doing everything I am capable of to ensure that she grows up in the world that I believe could be with just a little more effort on each of our parts. How much more effort would it really be for me to pick up some trash that others seem to have carelessly tossed?
Better for Having Lived? Read More »
As the world shifts and things change moment by moment, I can’t help but wonder what will change as a result of this covid-19 quarantine. I am not an economics major, but I can’t help but ponder how we’ll be feeling the effects of this shutdown when things resume. We know that many people are
Stimulus… to Stimulate Your Mind Read More »
Who has less time since the schools have been closed? I know I certainly do. It’s funny to see single people’s posts on social media versus people who have children’s posts. During this time I have to admit I’ve fantasized about what this experience might be like if I didn’t have my 7 year old
To die to self means to let the fear of death go knowing that we are part of the energy that manifests into everything and everyone we see. To die to self means to accept change and transformation knowing that the physical form is temporary, but I am eternal.
Losing My Identity Read More »
I keep refocusing my unruly mind back to the fact that change is. Change is. Change is. Looking at the design of this world, we encounter change every day, though most of it doesn’t feel as though it directly affects us in a major way. Animals die, leaves die, plants die, cells die, people die, and at the same time births continue. Nature is cyclical and balanced.
Accept Change, Accept Peace – Fearing Change is Acting in Vain Read More »
The thing that I am not laughing at and actually feel really saddened and quite frankly sickened by is the lack of consideration for our fellow humans which is on full display right now. Self-preservation seems to be running at an all time high as evidenced by the insane buying behavior. There is a demon of “me” “me” “me” running through society.
In Times of Uncertainty… Buy More? (Covid-19 Thoughts) Read More »
I don’t know when it changed, but today as I was putting my clean bras away and attempting to declutter and clear away the excess ones that I don’t wear while attempting to minimalize, it hit me. All the bras I no longer wear are the cute, lacy, sexy ones. I have stopped making the effort to feel sexy and be sexy.
Bringing Sexy Back Read More »
