Yoga Musings

Swish

Oil Pulling is an Ayurvedic process that pulls toxins from the body and has numerous health benefits. • First thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything, including water, put about a teaspoon of oil in your mouth. Coconut, sesame, sunflower or olive oil are all great options. • Swish the oil around in your mouth and through your teeth for 5 minutes. You do not have to swish vigorously, relax your jaw and let the movement be natural. Do not swallow the oil! • It might take some time to get used to doing this for so long. You can also start with less oil in the beginning and/or less time – work your way up. It’s normal to want to gag, you have a mouth full of toxins! Remember to breathe through your nose it helps. • Brush your teeth immediately. Some Ayurvedic practitioners suggest rinsing with […]

Moderation: Enjoyment in Balance

‘Tis the season to celebrate by sharing feasts, sweets, and drinks. We all have experienced the remorse of too much! Over indulgence leaves us depleted, sluggish, and hazy and our bodies need days to truly recover. The method of Anusara yoga emphasizes balanced action and the middle path. We are householders, yogis who are living in the world therefore we are not looking to renounce anything or refuse the delights of embodiment. By all means, enjoy yourself; eat, drink and be merry but use yogic discernment to know when enough is enough. Practice moderation, you will be glad you did. One of my first yoga teachers continually reminded us that too much of a good thing never proves to be good, it’s all about balance. Let the holiday parties begin!

Balance and Sustainability This Holiday Season

11 Ways to End 2011 and Create Healthy Habits for the New Year! Slow down. Give yourself plenty of time to get where you are going. Make gifts or buy them from local designers and artisans. Join a CSA and get local, organic produce delivered to your door. There are so many, to choose from. (Yelp! can help you find the right one for you in your area.) Be sure to find a little time each day to enjoy silence and the company of your Self. Spread good cheer by saying hello to your neighbors. Start a gratitude journal and a daily practice of recognizing the blessings in your life. Go for a walk each day even if it is just around the block. Breathe in the fresh air. Surround yourself with people who are positive and uplifting. Eat warm grounding foods such as soups, stews, and seasonal root vegetables. […]

Connecting Hearts to Their Source… In China!

Often when people begin to practice Anusara Yoga and they first hear about the philosophy, the life view, and the approach, they find themselves thinking, “Wow, this is exactly what I believe and how I try to live. I can’t believe there is a system out there, a group of people who have the same beliefs.” This is precisely how it happened for me when the Anusara method found me in 2002. It was as if some part inside of me already knew these ideas to be true but I did not yet have the words to articulate it. My heart felt blissfully at home in a community of like-minded and like-hearted people. Over the years, many of my students have shared these same feelings that the Anusara philosophy truly resonates deep within their hearts. Recently this same theme was illuminated while I was teaching a 50-hour Anusara Immersion in […]

A Touch of Shri

Sigh… I have arrived in Bali. Though I love to travel and explore new places there is something very special about this island and I am delighted to be back. I could feel it right away. What struck me the most when I was here for the first time three years ago was the extraordinary beauty in everything. In addition to the magnificent natural environment the Balinese people revere art and creativity which seems to be woven into every aspect of their culture. Even the most basic everyday items are presented in an exquisite way. The word we use for this kind of beauty in yoga is shri. Like most Sanskrit words shri cannot be defined with one English word. Shri is the goddess Lakshmi; she is divine beauty both elegant and graceful. Shri is splendor; the magnificent light that shines from the rays of the sun, gleams off the water […]