When you think about the word “yoga,” what crosses your mind? Most likely, you imagine today’s modern yogi decked out in fancy leggings and performing convoluted shapes on an expensive yoga mat. Truthfully, our idea of yoga today is far from its true and original meaning. So what does the word “yoga” actually mean?
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Kundalini Yoga for Beginners
Starting the year with Kundalini yoga is a good way to cultivate positive energy. But what is kundalini yoga and its benefits?
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What Brahmacharya Is and How To Practice it In The New Year
The holidays can leave you feeling exhausted and burned out. Practicing the yamas, particularly brahmacharya, can help us conserve our energy and feel refreshed as we move towards 2021. If you want to find out what brahmacharya is and how to practice it this new year, read on!
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Monday Meditation: Find Your Authentic Truth
Across the struggles and challenges that we face, it’s easy to fall into feelings of self-blame, guilt, and worthlessness. The narratives we attach ourselves to can often lead us to seeing (and believing) the worst in ourselves. But more often than not, the supposed “truths” we tell ourselves are often not true at all. How, then, do you find your authentic truth?
To find your authentic truth is to acknowledge the quiet, peaceful spaces in your mind, to let go of any beliefs, grudges, and grief you’ve held on to, and to embrace the light within you. Below is a meditation to help you do that:
As you sit comfortably on your chair or on your mat, come into the present moment by scanning your body from the top of the head to the tips of your toes. Observe the shape of your body, and pay attention to how the body is feeling today. Notice if you’re holding any tension across the hips or the shoulders. Allow your body to be upright, yet soft and relaxed.
Then, tune in with your breathing. Are you breathing more from the belly or from the chest? Understand that there is no right or wrong way to breathe. Start by simply allowing your breath to be natural and effortless. When you’re ready, try to breathe more deeply and equally across your belly and your chest.
Finally, tune in with your mind. Notice any worries, anxieties, and grievances that have taken root or have lingered in your mind. Observe these without judgment. Know that it is simply the ego that holds onto these, that joy and peace are found in the quiet, still spaces in the mind–in between the thoughts. As you recognize this, allow yourself to feel softer and lighter.
As you continue to observe and acknowledge your thoughts, then, start to pay closer attention to those quiet spaces. They exist in between each thought–the small, tiny space that is neither thought nor feeling–just pure being. Recognize that to find your authentic truth is to know that you are pure being. And, once again, allow yourself to feel softer and lighter.
When you’re ready to end your meditation, simply come back to your body and breath. Feel the weight of your lower body against your mat or your chair, start to wiggle your fingers and your toes. Then, open your eyes and feel refreshed and renewed.
1 Minute Mindfulness Exercises
Sometimes, sitting down for even just 5 minutes can already be difficult–especially when you’re dealing with anxiety and stress, or are simply busy and on the go. All the same, you can still make room for your mindfulness practice. Here are 1 minute mindfulness exercises you can do:
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What is the Principle of Ahimsa?
When it comes to yoga, we often think or talk about asana—or the postures that we practice on the mat. However, yoga is more than just the physical practice and exercise method that we know of today. If you deep dive into its history, you’d find that it is about 5,000 years old and rich with spiritual and philosophical teachings.
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