Pratyahara, the fifth limb of yoga, means withdrawal of the senses or sensory transcendence. It is during this stage that we make the conscious effort to draw our awareness away from the external world and outside stimuli. Keenly aware of, yet cultivating a detachment from, our senses, we direct our attention internally. The practice of …
Conscious Lifestyle
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Pranayama
Pranayama has several slightly different translations. Broken down, prana means ‘life force energy’ or ‘that which is infinitely everywhere.’ Ayama means ‘to stretch or extend.’ Generally translated as breath control, this fourth limb of yoga consists of techniques designed to gain mastery over the respiratory process while recognizing the connection between the breath, the mind, and …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Asana
Asanas, the postures practiced in yoga, comprise the third limb of yoga. In the yogic view, the body is a temple of spirit, the care of which is an important stage of our spiritual growth. Through the practice of asanas, we develop the habit of discipline and the ability to concentrate, both of which are …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Niyamas
This week in our yoga classes at The Yoga Room we focused on the Niyamas, the second limb of yoga. The Niyamas have to do with the attitude we adopt toward ourself, our sense of self-discipline and spiritual observances. The five niyamas are: Saucha: cleanliness of body, mind, words, thoughts and actions. To put this …
The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Yamas
Our theme for our May-June class session here at The Yoga Room is the 8 Limbs of Yoga. Taken from the Yoga Sutras, the 8 Limbs basically act as guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life. They serve as a prescription for moral and ethical conduct and self-discipline; they direct attention toward one’s …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 8: Samskaras
For the final week of our Spring Cleaning session here at The Yoga Room, we worked with the yogic concept of Samskaras on our yoga mats. According to Michael Singer in the book The Untethered Soul, Samskara is a Sanskrit word meaning impression, and in the yogic teachings it is considered one of the most …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 7: Sauca
This past week in our yoga classes here at The Yoga Room we shifted our spring cleaning focus beyond just the physical by working with the concept of sauca–cleanliness and purity. Sauca can have to do with physical cleanliness and purity, and therefore we can cultivate it simply through practicing asana and pranayama that cleanse …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 6: Digestion & Detoxification
This week my intention for our yoga classes here at The Yoga Room was to revitalize the major organs and systems in the body that aid in the detoxification process. Those major detox players are the lymph, blood, liver, kidneys, colon and parasympathetic nervous system. Lymph and blood deliver waste products to the liver, kidneys …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 6: Digestion & DetoxificationRead More
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 5: Kapha
In Ayurveda, health is defined as the dynamic state of balance between mind, body, and environment. It is possible for each of us to achieve and maintain a vibrant and joyful state of health by identifying our mind-body type and then creating a lifestyle that sustains and nurtures our unique nature. There are 3 different …
Spring Cleaning Challenge, Week 4: Apana
The tradition of Spring Cleaning can be extended to yoga practice on a multitude of levels. Physically, it is important to recognize the body’s energy systems, and how they respond to seasonal cycles. Our lower bodies are the location of waste energy, or apana. Other ways to describe apana are a heaviness, dullness, or lethargy. …