By Mary Hilliker, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT “Each cakra represents an essential chamber in the temple of the Self. Each one houses an aspect of the sacred and is necessary for wholeness. The more we clean and properly decorate the temple, the more we court the presence of the divine.” – Anodea Judith in Eastern Body, […]
Read More ›
What have you had to give up an attachment to this year? Some of the attachments may be more superficial, some more deeply difficult. Your list might be long. Family rituals, friend gatherings, travel, work, school life with in-person contact, in-person volunteer work, shared interest with others in hobbies, sports or causes, in-person entertainment. You […]
Read More ›
by Renee Peterson, MSW, RYT, RPYT It’s the season of love. Most people think of February 14th as a day to celebrate and recognize the love of their life and those dear to them. It is, and this is important! But what about celebrating self-love? Some people might think self-love is self-centered and ego driven […]
Read More ›
“I rarely laughed at my husband’s jokes.” Recently I spoke at the Alzheimer’s Association Conference to support caregivers. After a short yoga practice of breath guided movements, the caregivers participated in a meditation that invited them to pause in gratitude for themselves, the choice they made to attend the conference and for the sacred work […]
Read More ›
by Janie Martin “If you wish you were more flexible or more relaxed, give yoga a try. If you are nervous about going to a class, go with a friend. If people with serious diseases can participate and enjoy it, so can you.” Joining a Yoga Class One of the things on my long list […]
Read More ›
By Karey Krampota, RYT-200, Certified Viniyoga Wellness Instructor “In Yoga Sutra I.12, Patanjali explains that to achieve a state of yoga, or focused concentration, one must utilize both practice (Abhyasa) and detachment (Vairagyam). Practice and detachment are two of the very first tools Patanjali offers to help in this process of refining the mind toward […]
Read More ›
By Pauline Zweck, RYT-200, Certified Viniyoga Wellness Instructor, 5 Koshas Yoga & Wellness “There is something in every one of you that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. It is the only true guide you will ever have. And if you cannot hear it, you will all of your life […]
Read More ›
Grief is a unique combination of sadness, memories, fog, strong emotions, bodily experiences and occasional moments of peace and clarity. This simple quote reveals so much about what we are just beginning to understand about the science of chronic stress and the effects of grief. Dr. van der Kolk, a researcher who studies the effect […]
Read More ›
“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.” -John Muir Free yourself from winter hibernation + Free yourself from cold weather tension and stagnancy + Free time to be outside, breathe, […]
Read More ›
Resolve – settle or find a solution; decide firmly on a new course of action Revolution – to overthrow a social order in favor of a new system (Google.com) Could ‘New Year Resolutions’ be overthrown? What if they were erased from our culture? How would we react? What would we talk about? Would we still […]
Read More ›
We are light. Within us is a light, very much like the Sun, that is unchanging and brilliant. This is one of the fundamental teachings in yoga philosophy. The darkness of the winter creates an inward movement of our attention that creates opportunities to experience our inner life and radiance. As we move into this […]
Read More ›
How do you fuel yourself? Working-out Outdoor activities Food Family and friends Music Quiet…? Recently a student stated, “Remind me what the 5 Koshas represent.”
Read More ›
It’s almost that time again. The snow that filled the amphitheater atop Rib Mountain has been soaked back into the earth or evaporated into the sky. This corner of the world that peers over Wausau offering quiet respite, a vast view and one of the best ‘seats in the house’ is ready and waiting for […]
Read More ›
We all exist within our own unique expression of physical structure, physiology, mind, personality and heart. These layers of our being, also known as the koshas or sheaths or layers of being, provide a passageway into our deep center, the cave of our heart.
Read More ›
Conscious Eating, Active Living, Habit Change Can the tools of yoga help us change our habits? Yoga is a powerful practice for transformation and change. The tools of yoga can be applied in specific ways to help us strengthen will and change habits around food, exercise and body image.
Read More ›
con·tent·ment noun kən-ˈtent-mənt : the state of being happy and satisfied : the state of being content We all want happiness and contentment. My teacher, Gary Kraftsow, says that santosha, the Sanskrit word for contentment, is “the way you take experience.” It’s an internal state of mind and attitude that permeates your internal being, words and actions.
Read More ›
My husband recently turned his own harvest of apples into crowd-pleasing apple bread (see recipe below) for one of my yoga retreats. It struck me how long the journey is for that wonderful apple bread. We can learn something for our journey in yoga from the patience it takes to nurture apples from seed to bread.
Read More ›
The other day I read something very “new-agey” about yoga. The author said that yoga is being, not doing. I immediately visualized the packing of my bags to trek to the Himalayas to meditate, to just be. It made me chuckle. Reality set it. It’s rare that a person of the modern world has an […]
Read More ›
Change in our life comes in many different ways. Sometimes we plan for the change. A retirement, career change or getting married are examples of things that we often consciously choose. And then some changes blow in like a strong wind taking with it any sense of order and stability.
Read More ›