The word pranayama contains two parts: prana and ayama. Prana refers to the life force, vitality, or energy that sustains us, and indeed, sustains the entire universe. Ayama means “extension” or “expansion.” Pranayama, therefore, means “extension of life force.” Prana...
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The Yoga Sanctuary - Jennifer
The Art of Self Practice: Why Are You Here?
By Jennifer French I often reflect on how fortunate I am to be on this yogic path. It has provided me with tools and skills that help keep me afloat when the day to day challenges of life get even more challenging. It’s a blessing to have mentors to go to, teachers...
Yoga for Dispatchers
By Kimberley Heffley: 2019 TYS Teacher Training Graduate and 15 year 9-1-1 Veteran with the Charlotte County Sheriff's Department As a group, dispatchers sit. A lot. Upwards of 12 hours for some. Some dispatch centers have consoles that allow you to stand but we are...
Yoga & Osteoporosis
Yoga is a simple and, when practiced safely, effective way to maintain and perhaps increase one’s BMI (bone mineral density). More clearly, yoga can help build bones. We build bone strength and density by putting stress on the bone or applying weight and pressure to the bone. The more we safely and mindfully stress the bone, the stronger it gets.
Forever Young: Maintaining and Restoring Your Vitality
By Carrie Demers, MD As a culture, we are obsessed with looking young. We dye our hair, whiten our teeth, use botox, have surgeries! - all attempts to hide the signs of our encroaching age. However, what we are truly seeking is not to look younger, but to feel...
Sankhya Philosophy
by Gwen Burdick The dualistic theory of creation or causation is called Sankhya Philosophy and it appears in texts as ancient as the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Its founder was the sage Kapila who is considered by scholars to be older than Buddha. It is also the...
The Gayatri Mantra
by Gwen Burdick Om Bhur Bhuvah Svah Tat savitur varenyam Bhargo devasya dhimahi Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat Translation: With loving reverence we bow to the inner Light, the supreme wisdom in all the world. May this Divine Light guide and illuminate our...
Yoga and Meditation
by Jennifer French People often wonder what the difference between yoga and meditation is, believing that they are two separate practices. In truth, yoga has a long tradition that is thousands of years old and, originally, its main purpose in practice was to hone and...
The Four Purusharthas: Kama
The Third Aim: Kama As our investigation of the Purusharthas continues, we come to the third aim, Kama, which means longing, wish, or desire. Kama pertains to the enjoyment of life and needs to be in balance with Dharma (duty) and Artha (means) if we are to experience...
How is a yoga therapy session different from a general yoga class?
by Jaime Boswell As yoga therapy becomes a bit more mainstream in the U.S., with yoga therapy schools now receiving accreditation and yoga therapists being certified through the accredited programs, it is a good time to talk about some of the questions that are...
Yoga Therapy: A Holistic Approach to Self-healing
By Jaime Boswell Yoga Therapy stands distinctly apart from other therapies in that it is based on the application of yoga philosophy through a holistic approach to individuals. Yoga therapy does not take the place of medical treatments. In fact, the yoga therapy...
Meditation and Restorative Yoga
Complementary Practices to Promote Relaxation and Healing by Melissa Goodwin Students often ask, “What is the difference between meditation and restorative yoga?” This is a great question, because we tend to think of both in terms of the same set of desired results:...
Navrati: The Nine Nights of the Goddesses
October 9th - 18th, 2018 by Gwen Burdick Navratri, a nine night-long celebration of the Divine Feminine, occurs every year on the New Moon in the Vedic month of Ashwin (usually our September, but not always) near the autumnal equinox. Worship of the Goddesses Durga,...
Why Bother Breathing to Improve Your Game
The Yoga Sanctuary is excited to share this excellent essay by local Tennis Professional, Jak Beardsworth. Jak writes about the importance of using the breath, particularly the exhale, to improve your game -- something we yogis know very well! To learn more about Jak,...
The Distant Stars
By Gwen Burdick The billions of years old and never-changing distant stars visible in the night sky make up the circle that mankind has observed and described as the zodiac. Vedic Astrology, Jyotish in Sanskrit, divides the 360 degree sky into 27 stellar...
The Vedic Trinity: Create, Sustain, Destroy
In the Vedic tradition, the ancient root of yogic philosophy, the concept of God or Supreme Reality is understood in a three-fold manner. The triple function of God, Trimurti in Sanskrit, is expressed as Brahma the creator, Vishnu the sustainer and Shiva the...
Looking Ahead in 2019
Vedic Astrology, Jyotish in Sanskrit, is a sister science to Yoga and Ayurveda. It is the study of the precision of our solar system and planetary movements that create linear chronological time. Comprehension of this ancient wisdom tradition allows for the awareness...
Staff Spotlight: Introducing Robin Lee
Robin has over 20 years of experience practicing massage therapy after completing her training at the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy in 1993. She combines techniques from Swedish relaxation, myofascial release, reflexology, reiki, and craniosacral therapy to...
Yogis of the Month: Edie and Glen Martin
As a young man, Glenn began his career in the car business. When he moved to Punta Gorda, he obtained a degree in culinary arts and worked as a chef catering with Dean of Dean's South of the Border, first at Edison College and then Hurricane Charley's. Edie is retired...
Exploring The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Sutra 2.29
Yoga sutra 2.29 states, Yama niyamasana pranayama pratyahara dharana dhyana samadhi astau angani: The eight limbs of yoga are: yama (self-regulation), niyama (observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana...