The word “yoga” means union, and the essence of Yoga is to unite with your true nature. The paramount theme of yoga at its core is the same as Ayurveda—to return to your true nature. As Yoga is Ayurveda’s sister science, Yoga and Ayurveda share themes and principles. Yoga is fantastic for everyone because there are a variety of styles and poses that can be selected, adapted, and modified to complement anyone’s mind-body constitution.
The purpose of yoga is to align the mind, body, and breath, creating stability, calmness, clarity, and a sense of inner peace. When we bring together the mind, body, and breath, we access the opportunity to be present in this moment rather than spending time spinning our wheels in the what-ifs of the future and the regrets of the past.
"Heart-opening yoga" is a term often associated with images of various back-bending yoga postures. While these chest-forward expressions are helpful in creating space, a student can perform backbends until Armageddon and still have restriction to the heart chakra and the flow of prana, our life force. Being bendy is good but having a truly open heart is vital. Read this article to find out how to implement the other seven limbs of yoga into your practice to truly open your heart space.
Yoga with children may, at first, seem like a bit of an oxymoron. And yet, they are natural yogis with a lot to teach us about yoga, and, perhaps, a lot to teach us about life. Children love to “imitate” animals and nature. They know how to BE a Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana). They also make really good Cats (Marjaryasana) and Cows (Bitilasana), “meows” and “moos” included. They make beautiful Trees (Vrksasana) and growing flowers and bamboo blowing in the wind. Let your yoga space be a barnyard. Let it be a story. Let it be fun.
Stress happens. What we can try to do is recognize it in the early stages and find tools to cope when a stressful situation arises. Stress is usually connected to one or more dosha that is out of balance. One practice I have found helpful in recognizing “the stress buzz” sooner than later, or even when stress crash lands at the front door, is pranayama. Pranayama, an intentional practice of restraining and expanding the breath, is one of the 8 limbs of yoga.
Our journey moves from outward to inward as we dive into the topic of pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga. Often quickly glazed over or ignored completely, pratyahara is the gateway to what we are looking for. After all the attention and effort applied to the previous four limbs, limb five opens the door to where the magic resides. It is within.
Pranayama is the fourth of the eight limbs of yoga, according to the ancient sage Patanjali. In the second book of The Yoga Sutras we find the description of pranayama as “regulation of breath or the stoppage of inhalation and exhalation, which follows after securing steadiness of the posture or seat, asana.”
The great yogi, Sir Isaac Newton, taught in his third law of motion, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. The same can be said for the law of karma and its effects on both body and mind. Patanjali, author of the ancient text, The Yoga Sutras, clearly points out the karma or good action that comes to us when we apply the first and second of the eight limbs of yoga to our lives.
Warrior III (Virabhadrasana III) gets its name from its strong energy and the resilience it develops through practice.
It challenges our balance and perspective as we stand on one leg and gaze straight down to the earth beneath. This posture embodies the warrior energy, to stand steady and stable we must also be soft and still in our mind and body.