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7 Morning Mantras to Inspire Your Day

By Lifestyle & Wellness, Yoga Philosophy

Think about this – your thoughts shape your emotions, which shape your actions, which shape your entire day.  In order to start your day off on the right foot, try reciting a positive affirmation to yourself.  According to YogaBasics, a mantra is “a word or series of words chanted aloud or silently to invoke spiritual qualities.”  From your self-image and the way you take up space in this world, to the way you process what’s going on around you, using a mantra daily gives you the power to guide your thoughts. 

A mantra can be as simple as using the words “inhale-exhale” to deepen your focus in meditation, or one word that you’d like to embody more, such as “peace,” “calm,” or “love” or as complex as a complete statement.  According to Healthline, here are some of the most frequent benefits those who develop a mantra practice see:

  • Reduced stress
  • Increase self-awareness 
  • Increased self-love
  • Reduced anxiety
  • A greater sense of calm
  • Less fatigue

Ready to develop your morning mantra practice? Here are eight morning mantras from fellow yogis to give a try:

“I exist. Therefore, I am worthy.” ~Tia Carrara

“Even though I feel difficult emotions, I deeply and completely love & accept myself.” ~Lija Yoga

“Grow with the flow.  Conditions are always changing, but real peace lies in the ability to adapt to those changes.” ~Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, post by Lettered.Together

“Thousands and thousands of failures, both big and small, are the foundation of all success.” ~Kino MacGregor

“Observe. Accept. Release. Transform.” ~Yung Pueblo

“May the long time sun shine upon you, all love surround you, and the pure light within you guide your way on.” ~Mama Sunshine

“I’m not searching for my other half, because I am not half.  I complete me.” ~Yoga Daily Community

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07/01/2021
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Intuitive Eating: A Beginners Guide

By Yoga Asana

We’ve all heard about it. It seems like everyone on social media is talking about it, but what is intuitive eating, and how is it connected to mindfulness? It isn’t really new, but it seems to have become more popular over the last few years.

The anti-diet approach was first introduced in 1995 by Californian dietitian Evelyn Tribole and nutrition therapist Elyse Resch with the bestselling book Intuitive eating. According to research, intuitive eating has been linked to a decreased emotional eating behavior with higher levels of mindfulness and even a lower BMI. The idea behind the concept is to stop restricting and (re-)learning how to identify your body’s signals of what it really needs to nurture yourself without categorizing food into good and bad. 

As a holistic nutritionist, I eat intuitively for many years now and have never felt better.

So let’s get into the details; Only eat when you are hungry, and stop eating when you feel full. Without prohibitions, without renunciation. Easier said than done, right? Mainly because we live within a society that is abundant in easily accessible food. Mindfulness often plays hardly any role in everyday life. We eat out of habit and ignore signals from our bodies. Instead, external signals often dominate our diet: advertisements for the latest ice cream, cooking tutorials, or food photos on Instagram. So although we are well satiated, we often get the feeling of being hungry anyway. 

Research has shown, though, that intuitive eating strategies and skills can be re-learned and sustained. The following ten principles of intuitive eating will help you get started, and I would like to break them down for you in a beginner-friendly way;

Reject the diet mentality

Diets are often doomed to failure in advance and are not a long-term solution if you want to reach your feel-good weight. On the contrary, they usually lead to renewed weight gain – even I, a nutritionist, have fallen into that trap in the past.

Honor your hunger

Hunger is not your enemy. It’s your body’s natural defense mechanism and desire to be fed. You’ll often read to suppress your hunger with a big glass of water. Forget that. Eat when you’re hungry – whether the last time you ate was one hour or four hours ago.

Make peace with food

Stop splitting food into good and bad. Everything is allowed. If you eat intuitively, you eat everything you want. Pay attention to the taste and the feeling that the meal leaves after eating.

Challenge the food police

This is a crucial step on your path of becoming an intuitive eater; The “food police” are the thoughts that tell you that you should feel good or bad after eating. Reject these thoughts and stop feeling guilty if you ever ate a bag of potato chips or a chocolate bar.

Discover the satisfaction factor

Eating is not just about getting full. Food should make you satisfied and well-nourished. So sit down, make time and take your meal in peace and with all your senses.

Feel your fullness

Learn to listen to your body’s signals; If you eat slowly and calmly, you’ll quickly know when enough is enough. You haven’t finished your plate yet? That doesn’t matter; just save the rest of the meal for the next day instead of forcing yourself to eat it all.

Cope with your emotions with kindness

When you’re stressed out or sad, you automatically reach for chocolate. Does that sound familiar? I’ve been there too.

It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, anxious, angry, or lonely. Food is often used to make you feel better. But remember, food won’t solve your problems. Find other ways to deal with your feelings. A Yoga session, a phone call with your best friend, or an entry into your gratitude journal can be beneficial.

Respect your body

One of the most important principles of intuitive eating; You are enough. Accept your body the way it is and learn to love yourself. Your value does not depend on the way you look or how much you weigh.

Move

Instead of thinking about which workout burns the most calories, consider, “What activity is fun and makes me feel good?” It doesn’t matter if that’s Yoga, running, dancing, biking, or strength training. If you enjoy your exercise routine, you will be more likely to stick with it.

Honor your health

Choose food that promotes your health and helps you feel good. You don’t have to eat perfectly all the time to be healthy, though. No particular food will make you sick overnight. The journey is the destination.

Remember, intuitive eating is not a diet. Instead, it’s an expedition to more self-love. Applying ten principles can feel overwhelming first, just start with the one that seems most natural to you and add another once your new habit has manifested. You’ll quickly discover that it doesn’t require effort as you learn to simply trust your intuition again.

Something that is close to my heart and I would like to mention is that if you have in the past or are currently struggling with an eating disorder, I know letting go of numbers can feel challenging and scary; I have worked with clients who gained weight when first introduced to intuitive eating, and this can be triggering. Just know that this is a very normal and even healthy response from your body when you restricted yourself for a long time. Still, the chances are high that you will bounce back to your healthy feel-good weight when your body realizes that this is the new standard and it doesn’t need to store for tough times. Additionally, I suggest unfollowing all social media accounts that glorify unrealistic body types and food restrictions.

Be patient and gentle with yourself on this worthy journey.

06/29/2021
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How Yoga Teacher Training Helped with My Postpartum Blues

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

The therapeutic and healing properties of yoga are well-known and studied. People from all walks of life come to yoga looking for relief from physical and mental trauma. Doctors recommend the use of yoga for patients experiencing chronic pain, mobility issues, and even some mental health concerns. Yoga can be gentle, it’s reflective and peaceful, and the spirituality of yoga practice can soothe even the most tired and tumultuous soul. Maybe that is what made me, a then 31-year-old first-time mother with no previous experience in yoga, roll out a mat for the first time during my baby’s nap. And maybe it is what drove me, two years later, to sign up for a yoga teacher training course.

An estimated that one in eight women or as high as 20% of women will experience postpartum depression. Common symptoms are insomnia, loss of appetite, intense irritability, and difficulty bonding with their baby. My experience with postpartum depression began just 24 hours after delivering my son. I became a paranoid, angry, and emotional mess. I went from being terrified that something would happen to him to having absolutely no interest in being a mother. I was exhausted, but I couldn’t sleep. I cried, and cried, and cried, and then would be numb for days. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. My doctor prescribed Zoloft and I felt like I was underwater. Nothing worked, nothing helped.

Before I had my son I was a runner. After I had him, during the worst of the postpartum, I tried running again. Running had made me happy, but it was now one more thing to do – there was no feeling of euphoria when I finished an especially long or difficult run. One day, I decided to try something new. I bought a mat for five dollars at our local Five Below and began surfing YouTube for a decent video. I was too self-conscious to go out and take a class. I didn’t even want to tell my husband who always supports me.

Stefanie and her son, Dom.

I found Yoga With Adrienne and queued up one of her beginners’ videos. Twenty minutes later I lie face up on the mat, a little winded, but feeling accomplished. Feeling hopeful. For the first time in months. I didn’t get to it every day. I was a working mom and we don’t always have time. But I made an effort and it gave me a ladder out of the well of depression.

I continued individual practice for two years before deciding to enroll in a teacher training program to build my own wellness program for postpartum women.

The community I found online through my teacher training program with YogaRenew gave me friends that shared my passion for yoga and healing. Learning about how breath work, which hadn’t been a focus in my limited individual yoga practice, could manage stress and bring awareness of self allowed me to battle minor depressive episodes. The program’s comprehensive overview of anatomy and physiology allowed me to finally begin building a program for women that I felt confident would be safe for anyone. I learned about adjustments and modifications to poses that both helped me enhance my individual yoga practice, but encouraged me to know that the women I will help in the future, even if they have limitations, will be able to use the knowledge I am gaining.

Yoga hasn’t been an outlet for me, it’s been an anchor. Something I can count on when everything else in my life seems chaotic and I feel myself spiraling towards a depressive episode.

Yoga teacher training has empowered me with more training and knowledge to know that even though my healing journey isn’t over I am headed in the right direction. There is something empowering about teaching others how to heal themselves.

Learning yoga helped me recover from a debilitating condition. In learning how to teach yoga and its philosophies I am helping other women like me recover from the same condition. Yoga teacher training isn’t just a way to learn yoga, it’s a way to learn a lifestyle change. It is a way to bring change to people that need it in their lives.

 

 

 

06/25/2021
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3 Easy Breathing Practices to Reduce Anxiety

By Yoga Asana

The benefits of mindful breathing stem far beyond helping you hold a challenging yoga pose. The practice of pranayama – the Sanskrit word for yogic breathing exercises – can relieve stress, and reduce anxiety symptoms by allowing you to focus on the flow of your breath. While there are a number of different pranayama breathing techniques used to calm the mind and body, we’ve gathered three of the most commonly practiced and proven methods to help ease your anxious thoughts once and for all.

Simple Breathing Exercise

women doing breathing to Reduce AnxietyOftentimes, simply breathing is the solution to the symptoms that anxiety sufferers face. The racing thoughts, worries, lack of concentration, among other signs and symptoms, can all be better controlled by utilizing the breath. By paying attention to how you’re breathing, you can understand your breath while reducing any distractions or strains on the body.  The best part, these exercises can be done anywhere.

How to: Practice lying on your back in Savasana (Corpse pose) with your arms at your sides. Inhale slowly and deeply imagining the breath filling a particular area of your body before exhaling with your mouth closed. Keep repeating this motion three more times before focusing on the breath layering another part of your body. (Option to begin at your feet, then calves, thighs, hips, bringing attention to each muscle group up your body to the facial muscles). The more you concentrate, you may feel each area of your body becoming slightly warmer.

Abdominal Breathing

Abdominal (belly) breathing exercises enable you to visualize your breath traveling throughout your body, in turn relaxing your muscles and your mind. You can imagine positive feelings and energy filling up your body on the inhale while releasing any opposing thoughts or concerns on the exhale. Also known as diaphragmatic breathing, this type of exercise encourages exchanging oxygen, stimulating the relaxation response through the movement of the diaphragm.

How to: Try sitting in a comfortable seat, taking slow, deep breaths in and out through your nose. You can explore the movement of your breath by placing one hand on your low belly and the other on your heart. Feeling your belly rise with your ribcage expanding on every inhale and your belly relaxing back towards your spine on the exhale, you can continue to focus on the flow of your breath. This conscious movement of your breath elicits your body to relax and allows your mind to focus on your breath rather than other thoughts that may arise.

Alternate Nostril Breathing

women taking lesson in breathing to Reduce AnxietyWhile recommended to practice in preparation for meditation, Alternate Nostril Breathing does wonders for your concentration in just a few rounds. Along with centering your body and mind, it’s an excellent technique for clearing your sinuses and improving your respiratory function. The practice has also been widely successful in reducing blood pressure and improving heart rate in recent studies.

How to: The technique is practiced just as it sounds: by alternating your breath flowing from each nostril one at a time. Begin by placing your right thumb gently on your right nostril and your right pinky and ring finger on your left nostril. Take an exhale, and then inhale fully and completely. Next, use your thumb to block your right nostril and exhale slowly to a count of four out of your left nostril. Then, inhale through your left nostril and switch sides by blocking it and exhaling out of your right. Continue this pattern, switching sides after each inhalation. Notice how your body and mind feel after repeating alternate nostril breaths eight to ten times. If you’re already noticing a difference in how you feel mentally and physically, consider incorporating it into your routine.

Practicing pranayama breathing can be a total game-changer in improving your everyday health, especially if you’re battling anxiety. By following these techniques, you’ll learn how to regulate your breath by alleviating stress, depression, and other symptoms that often accompany anxiety. It gives you command of the flow of your breath, allowing you to control your anxious thoughts. Yes, your breath helps guide you through a challenging yoga pose, but knowing that it has the potential to rid your anxious mind makes your breath that much more valuable.

06/23/2021
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Meet These 5 YogaRenew Graduates from Around the World

By Yoga Asana, Yoga Teachers

Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, once said, “Success is best if it’s shared.”  Even before the pandemic forced us to begin taking classes online, remote education was extremely popular.  The YogaRenew teacher training programs have been doing this for several years.  The best part is that it fosters a tight-knit community and connects people all over the world though a shared passion.  In honor of International Yoga Day we’re celebrating some of our talented YogaRenew graduates from around the globe.

Jessica MĂśltgen of Cologne, Germany

Girl and her dog

Like many YogaRenew students, Jessica enrolled in the 200-hour program to advance her personal practice and graduated in May of 2021. She found YogaRenew while searching for a self-paced, affordable program. After checking out the website and content she enrolled the same night. Her favorite part of the program was how responsive the YogaRenew team was and how easy the program was to navigate. “I once asked a question via e-mail and got an answer within an hour – so awesome,” she tells us. She loves the community of the student Facebook group and said that while she isn’t teaching right now the program did help her discover that she might one day enjoy teaching.

Yoga pose on the beach

Ana Percic of Cairo, Egypt

Ana Percic is originally from Slovenia but now resides in beautiful Cairo, Egypt. She graduated from YogaRenew’s 200-hour teacher training program in November of 2020. Having lifetime access to YogaRenew’s materials and the number of great reviews convinced her that it was the program for her. Her favorite part of the program was the detailed videos, especially the anatomy section, and she has plans to take the 300-hour program soon. With her YogaRenew certification, she now teaches at local gyms in addition to doing private classes and teaching online.

Jenifer Wagner of Ontario, Canada

Girl in field gazing at sky with bikeJenifer graduated in April of 2021. In addition to the 200-hour teacher training course, Jenifer has completed the 200-hour Yin training and the 20-hour children’s yoga program. The online, self-paced program works well for her.  Her favorite part is being able to look back at all the modules and recorded Zoom calls to reference materials later as she puts together classes. She’s currently teaching locally and online and has a client in France, who found her through social media.

 

Yogi selfieJena Radcliffe of Orefield, Pennsylvania in the USA

Jena Radcliffe is a mom to two young boys and an elementary school teacher of 15 years. Jena was looking for a program that could expand on her already significant yoga knowledge where she could work at her own pace. She feels like her in-person practices through the years focused heavily on poses and she really enjoyed how the YogaRenew program gave her a well-rounded education on everything yoga encompasses. She says, “Personally, I have found great connection and growth through my breath.” Jena graduated from the YogaRenew 200-hour program in May of 2021 and has made the decision to leave her teaching profession in the public school system to take a job with a non-profit where she will work with children using yoga and mindfulness. Her decision to enroll in YogaRenew’s virtual program has led her to a whole new career in her community!

 

Surina Sharma Gambhir of Ontario, Canada

Yogi on mat outside Surina Sharma Gambhir graduated from YogaRenew’s 200-hour program in June of 2021. Surina began looking for reputable online schools where she could study for her teacher training certification. She chose YogaRenew, because of the positive ratings from other students. She emailed a few previous graduates to get their feedback on the course and then chose to enroll. Surina loved how easily the course was laid out and that she didn’t have to wait long when she needed help. She really enjoyed the community and the help she received from YogaRenew’s student Facebook group. Through her Instagram, she has connected with yogis all over the world from the YogaRenew program.

 

Thanks for taking the time to meet some of our YogaRenew graduates!  We’d love to welcome you into our international community of yogis at and answer any questions you may have about our trainings.

 

06/18/2021
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class teaching children yoga

7 Powerful Tips for Teaching Children’s Yoga

By Yoga Teachers

girl watching video of someone teaching children yogaChildren’s yoga is more accessible than ever before since schools and day cares are adding the practice to their curriculums.  With the increase in demand comes a strong need for new teachers. 

Tips for Teaching Children’s Yoga

Whether you have your children’s teaching certificate already or are currently working on it, we put together our top tips for teaching kids.  

Enjoy their company.

Being able to connect with your students is a key requirement for a good yoga teacher. It applies just as much when you teach young children, and you can only build a true connection if you like being around them. Teaching children requires a different mindset and level of patience than teaching adults, and it’s usually easier for people who love spending time with children.  

Awaken your inner child.

two girls taking a lesson from someone teaching children yogaWhen teaching young kids, it’s important not to take yourself too seriously. Kids learn through play, and you can’t teach them to play without practicing what you preach. This will quickly enable them to relate to you and to trust you.

Tell a story. 

While it is true that children are open-minded and receptive, they often have a short attention span. In order to keep them engaged, you need to give them something to look forward to. A story does just that – it encourages children to participate actively and enthusiastically, and also awakens their imagination. 

When you’re planning a kids’ yoga session, try to focus on an asana sequence that tells a story. Some poses naturally lend themselves to storytelling (like Tree Pose – “imagine reaching for the sun, your roots growing deep into the ground,” or Lion Pose – “hear the mighty roar with each breath out”) and for others… you might just need to get creative. Remember, for the purpose of telling a story, you can even give asanas new names the kids can relate to. 

Always have a plan B.

When you’re teaching adults, you might prepare your class centering around a particular theme. Session planning is a great tool that will help you advance as a teacher. This is also true for planning children’s yoga classes, but it requires a slightly different approach.

When kids are involved, things are subject to change. And sometimes, they change very quickly, forcing you to improvise. That’s not to say you have to completely abandon your session plan, but it might mean you have to take a detour. In short, be prepared to wing it! 

Honor the principles of yoga.

Making a children’s yoga session into a fun game is a fantastic strategy. However, it’s also important to educate your little students about the core principles of this practice. Take time to talk to the kids about the history of yoga, the reasons we practice, and the things we try to achieve through yoga.

And by talk we mean exactly that. Instead of simply giving them information, have a discussion and encourage the children to ask questions (be ready for some weird ones, too!). Depending on the age group, you may be able to go into more detail, or dedicate more of your lesson to this discussion. You don’t necessarily have to do this every session.  As long as you do it regularly, your students should have a solid idea of what yoga is about.

Teach them to slow down.

As a children’s yoga teacher, you are not only teaching them to move, you’re also teaching them to embrace stillness. At the start of each lesson, take a few minutes to focus on breathing. You might frame it as a discussion or even as a game. Let the kids imagine that their belly is a balloon as it expands, or draw their attention to the sound of their breath. 

Beginning and ending each class with defined elements like breath work and relaxation will help to create  a sustainable routine, provide the kids with a sense of familiarity, and teach them to slow down.  No matter what, don’t ever skip the final relaxation, even if the kids are a little restless.  Before you know it, Savasana will become their favorite part of the class.

Be patient.

little girl learning from someone who has learned teaching children yogaJust like adult students, every child will have a unique experience with yoga. From a purely physical standpoint, some kids will be more flexible, some kids will have a better sense of balance, and some will be able to progress faster than their peers. 

Same applies to the mindfulness practice.  Some children will be able to easily engage with it, while others might find it difficult to stay still, or to maintain focus. That’s perfectly fine! Remember, kids are just miniature visions of us, and just like us, they have complex emotions, and they come from a variety of backgrounds. Take that into account and be patient.  It pays off for you and for them, we promise.

Interested In A Children’s Yoga Teacher Training Class? 

Check out our new offering from YogaRenew!

06/01/2021
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What Does it Really Mean to Let Go? (Plus Yoga Teaching Tips!)

By Yoga Philosophy, Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga Teachers

In my early days of practicing yoga, I found myself curious about what seemed to be a very common yoga theme – letting go. I’d hear it at the studio, I’d see it on social media, and in blog posts, but I didn’t quite understand what it meant. When in a yoga pose, let go seemed to be a cue to relax where possible. In terms of yogic philosophy, I took letting go to mean loosening my grip on the things I couldn’t control. In a sense, both are true, but as I dove into the nitty gritty of yoga, I discovered more.

yoga class learning yoga teaching tipsLetting go is a simple phrase, but the instruction isn’t. Even for the most seasoned yoga practitioners, relinquishing control, detaching from sense distractions, and demonstrating faith is a constant, daily practice that can ebb and flow between graceful diligence and downright frustration. The following paragraphs offer another perspective of letting go, plus suggestions for teaching this topic in a yoga class.

Detachment isn’t enough – we must seek out something higher

Like letting go, the concept of detachment or dispassion – called vairāgya in Sanskrit – suggests a release of something. But what are we letting go of and what fills the gap left behind? Vairāgya – the necessary counterpart to abhyāsa, or practice – is more than severing our attachments to the shiny objects of our sense world; it also entails repositioning our energy towards what really matters – our souls. And the texts speak to this. Translators of the Bhagavad Gītā agree that detaching from material desires is not enough; we must also engage in something greater than ourselves 1,2. Yoga Sūtra commentators mirror this understanding of vairāgya, explaining that detachment means pursuing the soul 3,4. go is a choice to focus on the deeper essence of who we are, and this perspective is a powerful lesson to weave through a dharma talk, or the spiritual message of a yoga class.

I’ve met this moment again and again, of realizing that a job, a relationship, or routine distracted me from Spirit, and from knowing myself. At those times, I’ve had to practice quieting my mind in order to refocus inwards. It’s really impactful to share this type of experiential knowledge with our students, backed by yogic teachings, because relating these concepts to modern life makes them more understandable and transformative.

It all comes back to calming our fluctuating thoughts

women rolling up mat after lesson learning yoga teaching tipsLettingSo how does this all translate to an āsana practice? Yogic postures are tools for shifting our awareness from the actions of our bodies to the energetic levels of our souls. The reason why the postures should be steady (sthira) and comfortable (sukha) is so we can maintain them for meditation5. It all comes back to quieting our minds. In order to turn our attention within, we need to bring our minds under control so we can untangle ourselves from material lures.

To help students experience āsana as a mental discipline, pair movement with breathwork (prāṇāyāma). Focusing on our breathing gives our minds something to do, rather than fixate on our fleeting thoughts. Regulating the pace of an āsana sequence is also important. If we tire out our bodies a bit with steady to fast-paced vinyāsa before holding stationary poses, our minds have a better chance of slowing down. This might look something like multiple Sun Salutation (Sūrya Namaskar) variations to start, followed by 10 breaths in Warrior II (Vīrabhadrāsana II), several counts in Chair Pose (Utkaṭāsana), Fierce Angle Pose (Utkaṭā Koṇāsana), and Garland.

Pose (Mālāsana), and so on and so forth

This approach combines physical endurance with mental focus – the two dynamic components of āsana.

When it comes to letting go, presenting this deeper meaning opens doors for our students to connect, in even small ways, to something bigger than themselves. Letting go of the things we can’t control is part of it, as is releasing tension and giving up expectations of ourselves for our practice. But, in truth, letting go is more than a single moment; it’s a lifelong process of connecting to what’s most important, of devoting our hearts to the eternal, divine truth knitting us all together.

  1. Prabhupāda, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, translator. Bhagavad Gčtā, As It Is. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1983, p. 288.
  2. Goswami, H.D. A Comprehensive Guide to Bhagavad Gčtā, with Literal Translation. Krishna West, Inc. 2015, p. 95.
  3. Iyengar, B.K.S., translator. Light on the Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. Thorsons, 2002, p 62.
  4. Bryant, Edwin F., translator. The Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. North Point Press, 2009, p. 53.
  5. Bryant, Edwin F., translator. The Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. North Point Press, 2009, p. 284.

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05/21/2021
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3 Mindset Tips for Finding Balance

By Lifestyle & Wellness, Yoga Philosophy

Consider this common scenario. It’s the start of a new day or work week and the anxiety rises up in your chest, settling in like a ton of bricks as you anticipate the scope of what you need to get done. You’re exhausted and your efforts to focus are futile. It feels impossible to slow down and your plate is so full you can’t figure out what needs to go or ways you can try finding balance.

What Can You Do To Help Yourself Gain Balance?

women Finding Balance in a classI’ve been there, too. When we have too much to pay attention to, it’s challenging to focus and establish better rhythms for ourselves. Sometimes too many unexpected changes happen all at once and it’s tough to scale back. But very often we can find some balance by managing our thoughts and changing our perspectives. The Yoga SĹŤtras offer practical teachings for achieving balance through mental discipline.

You are not your thoughts.

Our minds are like flooded internet browsers with numerous tabs and pop-ups open at any given time. However, we do have the option of clearing any and all irrelevant windows. According to yogic wisdom, our true selves and our minds are two separate things. Let’s consider Yoga Sūtra 1.4, “Otherwise, at other times, [the seer] is absorbed in the changing states [of the mind] (1, p. 24).” Sometimes our thoughts overwhelm us, and at other times we’re able to let them go.

While our minds are very reactive and become easily consumed by what’s happening around us, often leading us off track and distorting reality, we can discern which thoughts warrant our attention. For example, if you think you’ve failed because something didn’t work out, it doesn’t mean you have or that there’s no chance of turning things around. A missed step is not failure, nor is it a reflection of who you are; it’s just another way to move your feet. Keep your mind open, steady on the path forward, and detach from the thoughts that threaten to distract you.

What can you let go of?

When we’re scrambling to meet every demand, it’s hard to know which priorities to keep and which ones to toss. This relates to tasks as well as expectations for what we can accomplish. And that’s where Yoga Sūtra 1.15 comes in, which states: “Renunciation is the practice of detachment from desires (2, p. 64).” Not attaching to our desire for success is a learned skill of keeping the mind steady and clear of distractions. Without attachment to worldly gain, we can work with greater ease, fulfilled by what we’ve accomplished, and unbothered by feelings of failure or lack. When the pressure to do it all feels utterly consuming, take a pause. Step away from the computer or the paperwork. What can you scratch off your list? What expectations of yourself, or desires for achievement can you let go of all together?

Change your thought patterns.

man working on Finding BalanceDisciplining our minds also includes changing our thoughts when they threaten to drag us down. For this one, let’s turn to Yoga Sūtra 2.33, “Upon being harassed by negative thoughts, one should cultivate counteracting thoughts (1, p. 255).” This teaching could mean reversing our outlook from a glass-half-empty mentality to a glass-half-full. But sometimes that can feel like we’re forcing optimism where it doesn’t belong rather than looking at things through a different lens.

Perhaps you can relate this thought, “I’m never going to be able to accomplish X and Y by Z.” Maybe that’s true, but this mindset can be debilitating midst pressure to meet all the demands thrown at you. An example counteracting thought could go something like this, “I won’t be able to accomplish X and Y by Z, but I can get A and B done by C.” When the unfavorable thoughts won’t stop no matter how much you dismiss them, consider this exercise. Write down your negative thoughts on one side of a piece of paper, and then write out the counteracting thoughts right next to them. Cross out the negative and proceed with the opposite thoughts.

Yoga provides some of the very best instruction on how to live life, especially when life is difficult. It’s helpful to apply yogic teachings to our lives in practical ways so that they serve their purpose of helping us transform. Yoga is meant to be lived and experienced; That’s how we experience its gifts. The wisdom of these three sūtras can help us bring a chaotic situation back into balance by enabling us to see things clearly and examine our lives with some fresh perspective.

(1) Bryant, Edwin F., translator. The Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. North Point Press, 2009.
(2) Iyengar, B.K.S., translator. Light on the Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. Thorsons, 2002.

05/20/2021
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Śraddhā: Faith as Yogic Practice

By Yoga Philosophy

We all have a story to tell, a story of collapsing to our knees, winded and weary, and then picking ourselves up from wherever we’ve fallen in order to keep going. What fuels our ability to persevere through loss and adversity? One short answer is faith. But what is faith? What is sraddha and how does it really work? Because faith relates more to the heart than it does to logic, it’s something we can feel but not necessarily define with absolute certainty. We tend to think of faith as something we have or we don’t, as in having faith in God or the Universe, or in a worldly sense, as having faith in humanity or a particular organization. Yoga offers another perspective, one that links faith to personal practice.

What Does Sraddha Mean?

women posing for sraddhaThe Sanskrit word sraddha translates to faith or trust. But encased in this word is a deeper, more illuminating meaning. B.K.S. Iyengar describes sraddha as mental and intellectual firmness, which fosters an innate trust (1). Vyasa, an original commentator on the Yoga SĹŤtras, interprets sraddha as clarity of mind that sustains us as we move along with our yoga practice. When the mind is clear, truth reveals itself; With untainted vision, we can see the way forward and trust it (2).

Faith in Yogic Practice

Faith is something many of us long for, and it’s also something we need – a deep trust in our purpose, preceded by mental clarity and fortitude. Faith is, without question, a necessary component of yogic practice. It’s our sustenance, our spiritual nourishment. But faith is also a practice in and of itself. It’s a quality of being that need not be left up to chance, but rather is something we can cultivate. Just as any type of personal growth stems from effort rather than luck alone, we can develop a relationship with faith wherein it becomes a reliable and vibrant force in our lives.

Whether it’s faith in the potential for personal transformation, faith in humanity, or faith in the goal of equity and justice for all, it starts with quieting our minds. Cultivating faith is not a linear process, and that’s because focusing the mind and removing obstacles, like ignorance and attachment, are by no means easy undertakings. Our minds are wild and turbulent like the wind, and therefore seemingly impossible to control, so exclaims Arjuna in Bhagavad Gītā 6.34. But, Lord Krishna replies in 6.35, it is possible to control the mind, however obstinate it might be, through practice and detachment. Yet, try as we might, sometimes the mind is steady and focused, revealing our true nature, and at other times we identify with our fluctuating thoughts (See Yoga Sūtras 1.3 and 1.4). Such is the nature of practice.

Putting Ourselves Into Our Practices

girl doing sraddha yoga in sunsetAs we work to transform ourselves and better the world around us, it’s normal and necessary to fall down from time to time, whether from the weight of doubt and despair, a wave of humility, or just exhaustion. But within spiritual work like yoga runs a river of grace. Each moment is an opportunity to examine ourselves, to course-correct, to try again, to make real change happen. If we give it the time faith will lead us somewhere special, towards authenticity, deeper empathy and compassion, so we truly become caretakers of each other. If we work to still our minds, truth will arise and reveal the next right steps.

We can’t force faith upon ourselves through any type of logical thinking, but we can allow it to expand within us by creating the necessary conditions to reveal our inner selves as holy places where truth does exist. In times of great despair and hardship, it may feel like we’re dragging ourselves across the floor, hoping for just a shred of strength to peel ourselves up. In those moments, practice faith like medicine. Be still and listen. Just like a sailor must know the direction of the wind in order to guide the ship, we must know truth in order to persevere. We must seek out that divine wisdom, adjust our course accordingly, and then allow that steady breath to fill our sails. It will lead us to where we need to go.

 

(1) Iyengar, B.K.S., translator. Light on the Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. Thorsons, 2002, p 75.

(2) Bryant, Edwin F., translator. The Yoga SĹŤtras of PataĂąjali. North Point Press, 2009, p. 77-78.

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05/18/2021
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4 Ways You’ll Benefit from Teaching Kids Yoga

By Yoga Teachers

Yoga’s an excellent practice for children, because it helps build the foundation for a happy and healthy life.  As a matter of fact, 1.7 million children in the US are practicing yoga today.  Whether you’re a current yoga teacher looking to expand your skill set, or are a student going through your 200-hour training, there are so many reasons to consider teaching children’s yoga.  Not only does yoga benefit the practitioner, but you’ll also benefit from teaching kids yoga in ways you wouldn’t expect. Here are a few we found to be the most rewarding.

It inspires creativity and play.

Teaching kids yoga gives you an opportunity to think outside of the box and acts as a reminder of how important the concept of play is in our lives.  Holding a creative space for children to move and breathe awakens your youthful spirit that’ll translate into teaching adults and even into your own practice. When you can find even the most minor ways to inspire a child to do a pose, tune in to themselves, or even practice breath work, it can give you a whole new outlook on what yoga means and why it matters to you.  

You get to watch children begin to connect to themselves and their breath.

It’s also an incredible way for children to cultivate body awareness.  Through this practice, children can learn so much about themselves.  Once they begin to discover what they’re capable of, it’s both exciting and empowering for both of you.  This occurs during the magic when they discover how “cool” it is to watch their bellies rise and fall with their breath.  The more kids learn about themselves through yoga, the more it boosts their self-esteem and helps them connect more deeply to others and their natural world.  

You’ll help children manage their emotions and behaviors.

Children experience stress and anxiety, just as we do.  The most common mental health disorders children face are ADHD, anxiety and behavioral disorders. By practicing yoga,  children are able to recognize and cope with their feelings through exercises and other playful yoga techniques. 

Along with their mental health, yoga also helps children to focus and helps to reduce their impulsivity. The effort and concentration that children put into holding a pose or maintaining balance carry over into other areas of their lives, such as at home and school. 

Teaching kids yoga will help you grow as an instructor.

If you’ve worked with children in any other setting before, you may be aware of just how much children can help you grow. The same goes for teaching yoga, where you’re likely to learn more from your students than you could ever expect to.

Children’s yoga is one of the most fun and exciting challenges you could ever encounter throughout your teaching journey.   Yoga’s becoming more accessible to children in schools, studios, and gyms, providing abundant opportunities for you to grow your audience while positively impacting a future generation of leaders and teachers like you. 

Interested in a children’s yoga teacher training class?  Check out our new offering!

05/17/2021
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