For Love and Yoga

Many of you may know that I am a Massage Therapist in addition to being a Yoga teacher. I started investing quality time in my Yoga practice after becoming an MT in order to take better care of my body. After a couple of years, I decided to go through the Yoga Teacher Training program at Frog Pond Yoga Centre in Princeton Massachusetts. I wanted to get a deeper understanding of Yoga and how my body can improve in flexibility, range of motion, and maintain strength and endurance. You may be thinking that's what a gym is for, but not for me. I spent many moons in a traditional gym setting with little success. Yoga was an amazing physical experience for me. I felt strong, tall, confident, and healthy. I fell in love with Yoga and it became an amazing emotional and Spiritual experience as well. Now, these many years later I am even more in love with my Yoga practice. My practice has evolved with me and I have discovered so many more reasons to be in love with Yoga today. Yoga can b...

Dating can be tough for everyone. First, you have to decide what you want and that can be tricky territory for the uninitiated. Think about it, how many of us wonder through our lives in and out of relationships that are unfulfilled and shallow. The passionate relationships burn out quickly or may simmer and boil over, but in the end we are left alone and hungry for something undefined. The practice of dating isn't any different for a Yogi. The biggest difference starts with understanding my own desire. 

I grew up a very angry young girl. My family had troubles and some were severe and some were pretty minor. My parents had baggage like all parents and they did their best, or sometimes they didn't, I don't know. I do know I grew up feeling angry all the time. I was aggressive and at times violent; getting into fist fights with my sister and neighborhood kids. I was growing into an angry and confused woman.

mandala yoga studio M ost people associate "Karma" with what goes around comes around and when people do "bad" things they will get what's coming to them. This view of Karma has been twisted to suite our view of Universal Justice. The hard truth of Karma is that you are the only one that decides what consequences you get in life. Karmic debt is accrued when we choose actions that have a negative impact on our self or others. We can never escape that Karmic debt and we can not erase it. That sounds a little depressing and you may be asking yourself, If I can't erase my bad Karma what is the point? I have great news for you!

Howdy yogis and yoginis. This post is a list of some helpful tips and reminders I have learned on my journey so far. Many of these items I have experienced as a yoga student and as a teacher. Enjoy. Show up ~ There are so many things that distract us during the day. The truth is those things will always be there. If you want a yoga practice make it a priority one day at a time.  I'm too fat/stiff/inexperienced  ~ No you are not! Yoga is wonderfully accepting. The only limitations you have are the ones you have placed on your self. If you have medical concerns let the instructor know. There are modifications or alternative poses that can be offered to you. Ask Questions  ~ Most Yoga teachers LOVE to talk about yoga and how your body is responding. If you are unsure of your alignment or if you think you are "doing it wrong", ASK!

Y oga is a fabulous journey. My yoga journey started with chronic back pain and an endless regimen of exercise tapes, gym memberships, diet pills, and diet programs. You name it and I tried it. Some of these avenues were moderately successful while others were just plain silly.