Satya, the second Yama. Sutra 1:2 Yoga is complete mastery over the roaming tendencies of the mind Sutra 1:3 Then the Observer becomes established in its true nature Sutra 1:4 Otherwise, the Observer conforms to the roaming tendencies of the mind The Sanskrit word satya translates to truth in English. The quality of our mind creates the foundation for our thoughts and behaviors, and thus our quality of life. Our past experiences leave impressions in our mind, and we can become so influenced by them that they contaminate our view of reality in the present moment. This happens more often than you may realize. The mind is easily swayed by it's own perception, and tends to be stubborn in its def
Hi yogis & yoginis! It's Monday, which means I have a new pose for us to dive into for the week. This week's asana is Urdvha Mukha Svanasana, which translates to Upward Facing Dog. Upward dog comes up so much in our vinyasa classes. It's the foundation for all deeper, more advanced backbends to come, so it's important that we develop a solid technique for practicing this pose safely and effectively. HOW TO: For the sake of simplicity, we'll start in a plank pose, with your hands shoulder-width apart and your feet hip-width distance. Gently shift your weight forward so the tops of your feet come to touch the ground. As you roll over the toes, let the hips sink down toward your mat, hovering a
The practice of yoga asana, or the physical practice of yoga, is only one aspect in leading a yogic life. An individual truly begins practicing and living yogicly when one's entire lifestyle is committed to raising his or her own consciousness. That means that all actions, thoughts, and principles align with the cultivation of steadiness of mind and peaceful relationships with all other beings. In the Yoga Sutras, Patanjali outlines the path of yoga for us. explaining that the path to a yogic life is eightfold. Over the next few months, I'll be posting brief explanations of each of these limbs in hopes that you follow along. The first limb of yoga is the yamas,the moral code of the yogis. Th
