Tapas may be one of the easiest Niyamas (ethical observances) to understand yet the hardest to follow. Tapas is Sanskrit for discipline. As the 3rd Niyama listed in Patanjali’s eight-limbs of yoga, I often think Tapas should be the first. To fully experience Saucha (cleanliness) and Santosha (contentment), which are the first two Niyamas, mindfulness and full-attention are required. True discipline (tapas) commands that we are attentive in the moment. Many times discipline takes months, … [Read more...]
Kindness All Ways, Always
We are taught as children to be always be kind to others. Play nice always. Share your toys and snacks always. Always help others in need. Yet somewhere along the way to adulthood, many of us fall off the kindness track. Expressions such as "please" and "thank you" are no longer the norm, they seem to be the exception. Why is that? Maybe it's in the drive to succeed in life, to get ahead, that we forget (or elect to forget) the manners of "kindness all ways, always" that our parents, … [Read more...]
Key to Life: Tapas
Many years before I was familiar with Yoga & Tapas, I recall observing the practice of discipline in every day living. For instance, my Father regularly changed the oil in the cars. He would tell me if he didn’t do it often the cars wouldn’t run properly. My Mom always insisted my Sister and I have our hair trimmed every 1-2 months growing up. Unwillingly I did it because she said otherwise my hair would get out of control, knotty and dry. I always noticed how my Grandparents went to … [Read more...]
Too Busy to Pause?
I interact with many people on a daily basis. Whether I am a student in a yoga class among 25 fellow students, teaching a corporate yoga class or talking with someone about my health coaching practice, a common thread I hear is the word "busy" which is often paired with the word "stressed." Modern day living dictates many people feeling overwhelmed with busyness. Some literally don't know when/how to take a breath - a key factor in stress. Busy leads to boredom - people get stuck in a rut … [Read more...]
Feeling Fall
The chill is in the air. Pumpkins are for sale. Halloween decor is out. I'm so not ready for Fall but it is here. Fall is now. Rather than wishing it was still Summer, I need to open up to all of Fall's offerings now. Otherwise the next thing you know, it will be Winter. Then I'll wonder "what happen to Fall". Embrace "what is" vs. resisting is a practice I've learned on my yoga mat. I often catch myself needing this lesson in everyday life. Learning to accept and appreciate where I am … [Read more...]
Power of Community
I spent the past week surrounded by the beauty of Breckenridge, CO. The cold (below 0 temps) doesn't sit well with me but the peace of the mountains is hard to beat. I skiied a few days (3 to be exact), meditated daily, practiced yoga every morning before sunrise (which wasn't hard to do) and read a lot. When it was time to return home on Saturday, I was ready. I had already marked my calendar for a class at Flow Yoga on 2/7/2010, my Sunday afternoon ritual. Unfortunately, Mother Nature had … [Read more...]
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