For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, this year’s Winter Solstice falls on Tuesday, December 21. This day marks the longest night of the year and the beginning of the astrological calendar. Many people think of this marker date as the beginning of the return to light, and this is correct – every day…
Kundalini For Stuck Emotions
Old emotions and energetic blockages may begin to shift when you start practicing Kundalini yoga. This style of yoga is best suited to people who are ready to experience profound shifts within themselves. When that energy at the base of your spine activates and begins to move, places in you that have been blocked with…
To Find Contentment, Take Action
How can we overcome the afflictions of the mind that get in the way of our contentment? First, we must understand what the obstacles to our contentment are, get to know how they affect us, and find the self-discipline to improve ourselves. Then, we must realize that what we cannot change, we need to let…
Four Simple Ways to Practice Gratitude
With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s a good moment to reflect and to remind ourselves of the power of gratitude. What is gratitude? Gratitude is a positive emotion generated as the result of feeling thankful for things in your life. It can be big things, like important relationships or significant acts of kindness, or…
Surrender, Let Go and Accept What Is
The idea of surrender can have a negative connotation in Western culture and can even be synonymous with defeat, failure, or giving up your power. Standard English dictionary definitions of the word surrender reinforce this idea by describing it as something done “by demand” and “under duress.” Thankfully, yoga philosophy offers a more positive version…
Nervous System 101: Your Guide To a Happier Life
What role does our nervous system play in our overall happiness? Have you ever wondered why some people stay calm and relaxed in the face of stress while others snap – overreacting, breaking down, or saying things they later regret? You may be surprised to learn the answer. What is the nervous system? The nervous…
What Are Kundalini Kriyas & How Can I Use Them?
If you’ve been feeling stuck, angry or anxious, Kundalini kriyas can help you release negative emotions and move forward in your life. For thousands of years, the teachings of Kundalini were kept secret because yogic masters felt the public was not prepared to absorb such powerful knowledge. Kundalini came to the West in the 1970s, but…
Releasing Chronic Pain, Stress, and Blockages
Acute pain is a normal sensation triggered in the nervous system to alert you to injury or to the possibility of injury. Acute pain lets you know that you need to take action to protect and care for yourself. Chronic pain, on the other hand, persists for three to six months or more than the…
The Voice of Your Soul versus the Voice of Your Ego
The Sufi poet Rumi once wrote, “There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.” We are faced with choices everywhere, and the modern world operates at an ever-increasing pace, offering us more and more options while applying more and more pressure to choose well. Did you know you are exposed to more information in…
Massage Ball: The Yoga Prop You Need Now
Have you ever noticed that sometimes yoga just cannot help you with those hard, knotted-up places in the body as well as massage can? But, going out and getting a massage every time you experience adhesion of the muscles and fascia isn’t really feasible for a lot of people. Self-massage is a great way to…