In yoga classes, in the marketing and in mainstream media there is a lot of press around yoga being good for flexibility. If you look around, the ads, Instagram pictures, and selfies are largely very flexible people doing incredible poses. There has been some push back on that to point out that yoga is also…
Intuition is that little voice that tells us things that we wouldn’t normally know. Sometimes it leads to great transformation, sometimes it means I make my train. Either way I am better off listening to my intuition than I am ignoring it. Here’s why you will be too. I usually get 4 questions when…
As you may have noticed, I’ve been lax on my posting for a bit. I’ve heard it say that the Universe never gives you any challenge you can’t handle. Of course I (and you) ARE the Universe, so really I’m really just challenging myself….but I digress. I’ve been confronting some particularly sticky challenges in my…
I started this a few days ago on Star Wars day so a quote from Obi-Wan Kenobi seemed appropriate. “…you’re going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.” Perspective, or point of view, is the way we are able to frame our world, our…
The power of meditation, yoga, kigong and the like is the ability to encourage awareness, growth and change. I look at it as a path. It might sound a little cookie-cutter, but while the process is essentially the same, the steps for each can vary wildly. I think that is the draw for each of…
Most of the time those on the path to enlightenment are looked upon with a mixture of reverence and expectation. Reverence because most view this path as one of a higher spiritual calling. Expectation because at least anecdotally “enlightened” people tend to give back, support and encourage the best in others. But that is the…
Be present. Be in the moment. Be mindful. Staple mantras for yoga, meditation and a plethora of “new age” things. The idealistic preconceptions surrounding presence vary greatly and tend to focus on benefits that are purely philosophical. The required steps and/or time for achieving these awe-inspiring results varies just as widely. But is it necessary…
Let me start by saying I think I have become one of those people I used to make fun of. Comedian Ron White has a set where he talks about a friend of his who moved from Texas to California and went vegetarian. After a meal his friend was complaining that there must have been…
Shane Falco: You’re playing and you think everything is going fine. Then one thing goes wrong. And then another. And another. You try to fight back, but the harder you fight, the deeper you sink. Until you can’t move… you can’t breathe… because you’re in over your head. Like quicksand. This is mental quicksand.…
The ‘P’ words are the hardest, especially patience and perseverance. What makes them so difficult is how easy it is to put them down when facing a challenging situation. It’s easy to get angry or frustrated when things aren’t going well and walk away. And it’s easy to stop or give up when facing large…
A lot has been written about Savasana and its importance to a yoga practice. The time to integrate, absorb and make space for the work done during a practice is crucial to physical/emotional/spiritual growth. That time of rest allows the body and mind to reset and adjust to or find new changes. This integration…
Nadi Shodhana, also called the Channel Purifying breath, is an alternate nostril breath that gets its name from the impact on the energy channels in the body. Nadi Shodhana is a breathing technique used to draw the senses inward leading to deep introspection. In addition to introspection, Nadi Shodhana has the following benefits: Calms…
Kapalabhati breathing, called the Skull Polishing Breath, is an invigorating breathing technique. This active breathing technique is used to bring awareness to the abdomen and to invigorate energy in the body. Think of it as a double shot espresso in the realm of breath techniques. Some of the effects of this breathing are: Cleans…
Ujjayi, or Ocean Sound breathing is a foundational breath in yoga. In my experience this breathing technique can be used on its own or in combination with other breathing techniques. Ujjayi breathing has a calming, centering effect on the mind, body and emotions. Benefits of Ujjayi breathing: Calms the mind Complete exchange of air…
Dhirgha breath is a foundational breath in yoga. Called the 3 part breath, full yogic breath, three dimensional breath or complete breath among others I’m sure. I prefer to call it the three part breath because it’s generally led by describing three distinct areas of the body being filled. The power of this breathing…
Meditation and Mindfulness 