Samadi Yoga

Many of us are aware of the “food culture” debate about eating meat. Vegetarianism and veganism have become not only fads but another subject or distraction for judgment and “othering.” In this article, I will present some...

One of the greatest gifts of teaching yoga is witnessing the many benefits of the practice for each student. The benefits are mostly familiar, such as higher energy, better balance, strength and flexibility, but once in a...

I had a student ask me this morning if I recommend diaphragmatic breathing while doing yoga postures. This was an absolutely brilliant question!   Knowledge of anatomy not only helps us respect and understand the beauty of...

When you hear the phrase "living in a trance", it's easy to judge someone who may come to mind or even yourself.   Most of society lives in this trance of incessant thinking, worrying, planning, and fearing. This forgetting...

A common misconception of a yogi or yogini, one who practices yoga, is that all who practice are vegetarian or vegan. I believe what one chooses to put in their body is a personal choice, but there are some basics for proper...

Most people’s definition of “attention” is simply the ability to focus the mind. This is accurate but does not explain the details of how attention works.  Why the human brain evolved as it did. Through the course of...

A common cause of human suffering is the incessant thinking mind. Many of our thoughts, when observed, are not necessary for our daily living. They mostly serve as distractions and hinder our potential to be in the moment and...

Mindfulness is an integral part of our yoga and meditation practice. What does mindfulness mean? Mindfulness is the state of being conscious. Being completely conscious takes work for many of us who are stuck in habitual...

Externally Forced Stillness was a phrase that resonated with me when learning about Dhumavati, a hindu goddess in Indian mythology. She represents misfortune being turned into blessings. Dhumavati's sanskrit translation is...

One of the biggest challenges of yoga practice is to simply sit still and begin a meditation. Start simple by beginning each day with 5 to 10 minutes of sitting still and observing the breath. Before you know it, you will...

"It is the lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion toward others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearts and minds to others"- The 14th Dalai Lama The above quote...

“Breathing isn’t only essential to keep us alive, it also impacts our emotions, attention, and how our brains process the world around us.” Neuroscience News, Nov. 2022 Why is breath so important? The most obvious...

What is Enough? Much of our Spiritual and Mindfulness Practice is to recognize patterns of the mind that contribute to suffering. Meditation practice helps us observe these patterns and notice the suffering which...

Emotions are a natural and necessary part of our human “make-up” and understanding emotions helps us recognize it’s important role in guiding us through our lives. Many have been taught to hide their emotions, sometimes...

“Awareness” is a word used more often now with the discussions around social challenges in this country. Subject matters that may have been ignored are now being openly discussed. These discussions help many become more...