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Yoga Teacher Training: Moving Beyond the Doubts

Yoga Teacher Training: Moving Beyond the Doubts

I remember the first time I seriously considered yoga teacher training. It seems like a lifetime ago. Yet I can easily conjure up the feelings I had, the curiosity, the excitement, the doubt—so much doubt…. “Should I or shouldn’t I apply for the teacher training program?” “Am I good enough, capable enough?” “It’s a long, long drive for such a big commitment.” “Can I financially afford this right now?” etc. But my future husband kept at me, “Quit doubting yourself. Just go for it!” So—eventually—I did…

The Journey into the Heart of Yin Yoga

The Journey into the Heart of Yin Yoga

There is always an origin story. There is always a describable journey into the depth of something profound, or a pathway that’s been forged or followed. Many journeys exist, but not all are worthy of the effort of bringing them to life by way of pen and paper. Or in this case, fingers to a keyboard.
I believe that this origin story is fundamental to my development as a yoga teacher, and it’s an interesting story to tell. Moreover, it’s relatable. It started an indeterminate number of years ago – a random yin yoga class lies within my history as a student more than 10 years ago.

How to Begin Your Yoga Journey

How to Begin Your Yoga Journey

If you are brand new to yoga, there are a few things that you will want to know to prepare you for class. Yoga can seem like an intimidating practice, but it doesn’t have to be. When you know a few basics about what to expect, you’ll feel more ready for class. Whether you are brand new to yoga or you are coming back to the practice after a very long hiatus, the following tips will help you ease into the practice.

Cultivating Gratitude at Thanksgiving & All Year Through

Cultivating Gratitude at Thanksgiving & All Year Through

The practice of cultivating gratitude is part of the science of positive psychology. Studies have found that gratitude can increase levels of well-being and happiness in those who cultivate it.

In the Midst of March 2020 Madness

In the Midst of March 2020 Madness

Earlier last summer I was confiding in Gwen, a fellow yoga teacher and friend that recently passed. I said to her, “ I feel as if I’m practicing (yoga) as though I’m preparing for something but I don’t know exactly what that is.” I had been feeling this way for months, and although I had many goals for my practice, I felt my preparation was fueled by something greater than I could even explain. In this case, by “practice,” I’m referring specifically to yoga philosophy, the study of self, and meditation….

Pura Vida: The Yoga Sanctuary in Costa Rica

Live Your Life Fully by Jennifer French and others It’s been just over three weeks since The Yoga Sanctuary returned from our first ever yoga retreat! Our adventure took us all the way to Costa Rica. We stayed just outside of a little town called Puerto Viejo de...

Using the Sensory Practice to Move Inward

A Guided Meditation Led by Melissa Goodwin Melissa fell in love with yoga at the age of 10, when she and her mother attended a community yoga class. She is grateful to have found her long-time teachers, Tias and Surya Little, when she moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in...

The Seventh Limb of Yoga: Dhyana

The Seventh Limb of Yoga: Dhyana

Dhyana, the seventh limb of yoga, is often referred to as meditation. Building on the foundation of dharana, the sixth limb, it can be thought of as the uninterrupted flow of concentration. While dharana focuses on one-pointed attention, dhyana takes this practice a step further by maintaining that focus for extended periods. When the mind is fully absorbed in an object, without distraction, this is dhyana.

The Sixth Limb of Yoga: Dharana

The Sixth Limb of Yoga: Dharana

Dharana is the sixth limb of Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga, and it marks the stage of one-pointed concentration. At this point, the mind is trained to focus steadily on a single object, free from distraction. While this might sound like meditation, it is actually the foundation for the deeper practices of dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (enlightenment). Dharana is about developing the skill of sustained concentration, which allows us to move toward the higher, more effortless states of mental absorption and unity with the object of focus.

The Fifth Limb of Yoga: Pratyahara

The Fifth Limb of Yoga: Pratyahara

Pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, invites us into the quieter, more subtle aspects of our practice. Often translated as “withdrawal of the senses,” pratyahara asks us to look inward, beyond the constant pull of external distractions, and cultivate a deep sense of stillness. It is about muting the senses—learning to quiet the constant stream of external stimuli that often pulls our attention away from the present moment.

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.

Vastu

By Gwen Burdick Vastu, which means “science of space” in Sanskrit, is a sister science to Yoga, Jyotish and Ayurveda, and is the precursor to Feng Shui. The ancient Shastras are the books of rules of the Vedic sciences and the Vastu Shatra is the text that explains...

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...

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: Moksha

The Fourth Aim: Moksha Our investigation of the four Purusharthas, or aims of life in the Vedic tradition, concludes with Moksha, which means release, liberation or self-realization. The harmonious interactions of the first three aims, Dharma, Artha and Kama, are the...

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...

The Vedic Fire Ceremony

The Vedic Fire Ceremony

Fire, or Agni in Sanskrit, is one of the five basic elements of creation. It dominates the Pitta dosha of Ayurveda. In its highest expression, Agni is the source of self-discipline, purification and transformation.

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:...

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