Intention is word rich in meaning.  It is a word worthy of meditation. We all enter a yoga workout with some kind of intention. Maybe there is more than one. Or maybe more develop after we have conformed to the ritual. I love the very beginning of a class. It is the moment we cease all of our side conversations, all of our personal checklists for the rest of the day and become silent. While we may have been individuals before, we are now united by our commitment to silence and focus. We start breathing in synchronized harmony. Our eyes close, our minds clear, and we are ready to set our intentions.

For most, it is a physical intention that brings them to their mat. They intend to build strength, lose weight, build stronger bones. For others, it is a mental intention to relieve stress and find peace. And for some, It is to find quiet and learn more about themselves and God.

What is your intention when you come to your mat? What do you seek?

Ok. I have broken down and decided to share some recipes with you on occasion.  I did not think it would be relevant at first but after further consideration decided vegetarian eating is a major part of yoga culture. And one thing that is so alluring to me is the challenge. Healthy vegetarian eating is not easy. It sometimes takes time, money, and creativity. But I like the challenge. Three years of practice for me and I am still learning all of the time. But what does help considerably are a variety of good recipes. Here is one I like. Continue Reading…

You will often hear the term mind-body in reference to yoga. This mindset is spiritual, almost mysterious in itself. From my experience this is an awareness of yourself so much that you find yourself able to achieve great strides in your postures. It is finding the mental connection to the pose; maybe it is confidence in yourself. I do not know but when it happens to you, it is mysterious.

Yoga speaks a lot about listening to yourself, listening to your body. Not pushing it when it feels pain but also, gently relaxing into poses. For those who do the same posture time and time again, and cannot move further, the key is sometimes relaxation. You allow the exhalation or relaxation that comes with your exhalation to lead you further into your each pose.

It always amazes me how they taught us to adjust people in postures. It only takes a light touch on someone to guide them where they already know to go in their postures. Yet you find yourself bending in ways you did not know were possible.

 It is like they have some sort of invisible string attached to you and the lightest touch gives you the courage to try things you would not have tried before. And yet it was inside us all along.

How many of us still pray before meals? I know I don’t. I gave that up years ago. Yet as a child, I felt it an obligation as a Christian. It set me apart as a Christian in the school cafeteria. Oh. I got taunted for it but I chalked it up to “bearing my cross for Christ.”

As juvenile as that perspective was, I now see better reasons for prayer before meals. Why not slow down our meal process to mentally absorb what is on our plate? A yogi, Richard Alpert, shared his perspective from outside the Christian culture, in the yoga journal. Continue Reading…

Music is the nourishment of life. I always know when I am becoming deficient because I start to become tired and withdrawn. There is nothing like a good song to enrich my heart and set it to singing. Music not only lifts my mood and helps me pass the time but it motivates me in my daily workout. A good playlist is a must when sticking with the discipline of exercise. And different styles are good for different exercises. For instance, when I am doing a cardiovascular exercise, an upbeat playlist is appropriate. And when I am doing yoga, a gentle yet driving pace is needed. Continue Reading…

Last week I alluded to my frustrations with the Westernized versions of Eastern philosophies. Last week it was in regard to the marketing world of yoga accessories. This week, my frustrations were further fueled when entering a tea store. A tea store laced with figures of Buddha and Eastern Religion, so overpriced and shiny. The clerks, wearing their fake smiles, and feeding us lines to try to get us to buy more. So skilled in their sales techniques were they that we had to listen closely in order to get out with only what we intended to buy. Never before have I used so many “No thank yous” at a register. And I began to recall the history of the Buddha. Wasn’t he about a life of poverty and freedom from attachments? This place wreaked of contradiction.  Continue Reading…

I’ve seen all kinds of yoga mats. I myself own four. Here are some of my personal opinions on yoga mats. First, there is a difference between an exercise mat and a yoga mat. You can do yoga on both. Hey you can do yoga on anything, but as far as what is the best with grip and stability for your poses, a yoga mat is best. Something that is thinner is usually best for grip. I own a thick, bulky one that is very comfortable for my feet but does not help me much with balance. You need a firm foundation to plant your hands and feet. Continue Reading…

Sitting in a circle of people. The room is dark. Our minds are ready. There are seven chakras in the body and we breathe our way through a meditation that opens them. I have to admit, the sounds are perceived to be demonic, the audible chanting noises that they make as they concentrate on different chakras. I sit and retreat into myself as the others continue. I don’t understand the process. It seems a foreign and unnatural.  And I write it off as against my religion. Continue Reading…

I am forming opinions on a topic, I admit, I am still learning about. So, let this be an open and educational discussion for all of us. And let me share my concerns with the digital yoga world. When I was first learning yoga, I took one class. I memorized the routines and I did it on my own after the class had ended. This was good. I think it is important to have a personal yoga practice. Your yoga practice can be very spiritual and restorative in a quiet setting between you and God. Continue Reading…

Our turtle died Tuesday. He’d been in the family longer than I have. Seth got him about 4 or 5 years ago. It is always a sad day in our home when a pet dies. No matter how small the creature, we develop an emotional connection to them. Continue Reading…