Category Archives: Yoga Lifestyle

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All it takes is a little courage…

… to find balance, self-love, and compassion

This week I am trying to be brave and explore outside of my comfort zone. To take it that extra step further, I’m trying to be excited about my “courageous” choices, but realistically that’s not always feasible. This is part of my month of practicing and observing Ahimsa in my surroundings. So September is my month of nonviolence (well, since I started late in September, I’ll most likely continue with my month of Ahimsa through Halloween).

Today my brave choice was to confront my fear of confrontation. It wasn’t exactly a negative confrontation so I don’t know why I was so afraid. I guess I can kind of be supersensitive and reserved sometimes; honestly I just dislike hurting others (so my month of Ahimsa should be a piece of cake), or perhaps it’s just that I dislike being in uncomfortable situations. But how will I know if I’m hurting someone if I avoid them altogether? Continue reading →

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What are the Yamas & Niyamas?

The Yamas & Niyamas are like the Ten Commandments of yoga. However, they are not such strict rules that suggest one will be severely punished in the afterlife if they are not followed precisely. Instead, think of them as moral guidelines that, if followed, will lead one on a journey towards contentment. It’s all part of the mind-body-spirit balance that practicing yoga is supposed to help yogis find. Contrary to popular conceptions of what yoga is, it is by no means only about contorting the physical body with goal of kissing your own ass. Yoga incorporates the mind, the body, and the spirit.

Yamas

Ahimsa – Non violence

Satya – Truthfulness

Asteya – Non stealing

Brahmacharya – Nonexcess / Moderation

Aparigraha – Non possessiveness

Niyamas

Saucha – Purity

Santosha  – Contentment

Tapas – Self-Discipline

Svadhyaya – Self-Study

Ishvara Pandidhana – Surrender

By respecting the Yamas & Niyamas and choosing to surrender to a pure, selfless, disciplined life, you can take control of your choices and your path and succumb to the joy of living in the present. What a concept: Live in the moment! Bumper stickers had the answer the whole time.

I am dedicating a month to observing and practicing each of the ten Yamas & Niyamas, so I can scrupulously focus on the concepts of each one and how they connect me to the fabric of the universe. After all, I am but one spark of the divine. This blog is like my journal. Only instead of hiding my secrets inside some dime a dozen diary secured by a flimsy lock and key that’s not fit to protect the adolescent fantasies of a twelve year old girl, I am sharing the jewels of my perception with the regular patrons of cyberspace.