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Practicing Mindfulness | Living Through the Four Agreements
Maybe you practice yoga three or four times a week, or even every day. When you’re in class with that teacher you can’t get enough of, you feel like you’re on top of the world. You can feel your true Self shining through more and more each day, and your body and mind feel healthier than ever! That feeling is like no other, yet sometimes, once we step off of the mat and back into the real world, that feeling can quickly fade.
Whether it’s an argument with a friend or loved one that pushed you to your limits, or someone cutting you off in traffic causing you to nearly crash, holding your zen can seem impossible in the world we live in. Daily life can test our inner peace, and as yogis we hope to carry that calm essence with us as long as possible. That’s where the The Four Agreements, created by Don Miguel Ruiz come in handy! The book is centered around four simple concepts that can be used as a daily guideline or reference point. When applied mindfully,...
Consent & Communication in Yoga Class
Original Piece by Avani | 2016
There are multiple ways of obtaining permission. If you’re concerned about consent and being a compassionate space holder, you may choose to employ more than one of the below options. Which ones will work best for you in a studio setting?
1.) Silent Consent: Students place stickers or totems on the top corner of their mat
2.) Verbal Consent: Students are asked during a private pose in class or one-by-one privately as they enter the class whether or not they give permission for hands-on touch.
3.) Written Consent: Students sign waivers that cover a broad range of scenarios and a broad timeline.
Getting consent before any type of touch is vital for safety, clarity and liability for all. Put yourself in the position of the student. And remember also, you have no idea about their background or what they’re landing on the mat with. Communication, as they say, is key.
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Basics of Ayurveda: The Science and Knowledge of Life
Ayurveda can be defined as “The science of the knowledge of life.” Ayurveda is closely connected to yoga and is an ancient system for living. It’s been around almost as long as yoga and it too originated in India.
Ayurveda is a holistic art and science that seeks to find balance in life. It does this by categorizing people into groups based on their unique habits, personality and behaviors. There are three doshas: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. The idea is once you see when and where you might be over saturated in a particular dosha you can analyze how it might serve you to add in a bit of the other two doshas to balance yourself out. It’s really full of common sense.
It’s interesting to read about each dosha and discover which one you lean towards! Let’s look at the 3 unique dosha’s.
The qualities of Vata are cold, light, dry, irregular, rough, moving, quick and changeable. Vata personalities tend to be lively and enthusiastic, slim and wiry, with...
Moringa: Green Goodness
Moringa: Green Goodness
Moringa is a small tree that is native to the foothills of the Himalayan mountains in India. A few of its common nicknames are: Drumstick Tree, Ben oil Tree and Horseradish Tree. Historically it was very common to find it growing in rural areas and used as a staple food source. A tree that is easy to grow and has so much to offer acted as an economical and nutritional addition to the daily diet.
Moringa is now cultivated in many places around the world. Universally it is thought of as the miracle tree. All parts of the tree can be consumed and all parts are believed to be highly nutritious.
The Leaves
The leaves are the most commonly consumed part of the tree. They can be ingested fresh, juiced, dried, turned into powder form or even cooked up in a veggie stir fry. Ayurveda Medicine site 300 diseases that can be treated using moringa leaves.
It is thought to boost energy and detoxify the body as well as containing large amounts of Vitamin C and A....
