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Chitta Vritti, Thoughtlessness, and the Mind.
I’ve written about mindfulness and meditation a few times before on my blog, but meditation is such a diverse topic. I find I am constantly discovering more and more about the practice, and I’m always excited to share what I’ve learned! Something I have been exploring lately is the idea of Chitta Vritti, often translated to mind chatter, or monkey brain. I would say most people experience this mind chatter regularly in their everyday lives. It’s hard not to when we live in such a sensory-driven society. While having thoughts is totally normal, why is it that we try to suppress them when we meditate? This idea of having absolutely no thoughts when…
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Chakra Basics: How to Balance the Second Chakra
It’s been a while since I’ve written about the chakra system, but it’s one of my absolute favorite topics as a yoga teacher! If you don’t know much about the chakra system, I encourage you to backtrack to my first post about chakra one. Chakra one is the stability that allows the other chakras to flourish, so it’s important to understand the first chakra’s energy before moving on. Since I’ve already discussed the first chakra, we’re going to move onto chakra two, the sacral chakra. Our sacral chakra is a space of sensuality and emotions. The sacral chakra also deals with our creativity, adaptability and the nurturance of ourselves and others. While there’s a…
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What Alternate Nostril Breathing Does For Your Brain And Body
This post contains affiliate links, for more info read disclaimer Alternate nostril breathing, or Nadi Shodhana, is a Pranayama breath technique practiced in yoga. Pranayama is the art of breath retention and is a practice passed down from teacher to student when the student’s body and mind are ready. The technique of Nadi Shodhana is usually done before or after practicing the asana, or yoga postures. The Pranayama technique can also be practiced on its own as a form of meditation and cleansing. Traditionally, Pranayama is taught after a practitioner has learned the philosophies of the yoga practice. Having a preestablished asana routine is also a prerequisite to learning Pranayama. This is because…
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Chakra Two The Sacral Chakra: Svadhisthana
Last week I talked all about the root chakra, what a balanced root chakra feels like and how to find balance if your energy is off base. This week I wanted to keep the theme going and move into the second chakra sometimes referred to as the sacral chakra. If you haven’t read my first post about chakra one then I recommend you read that post before continuing. In order to effectively tap into the second chakras energy, we need to have an opened, balanced first chakra. Chakra Basics The sacral chakra, called svadhisthana in sanskrit, means “the dwelling place.” Some refer to it as, “the seat of the self.” Due to its…
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Chakra One The Root Chakra: Muladhara
The root chakra, is arguably the most important chakra point to understand. The root chakra resides at the base of your spine and connects to your most primal instincts of survival. Additionally, the root chakra is responsible for your connection to the physical world. Therefore, the element associated with the root chakra is earth. Your fight or flight sense, and your feeling of belonging, also results from the first chakra energy. If the first chakra is not in alignment then it is nearly impossible to find balance among the rest. Your first chakra provides the stability for the energetic body. Anatomy Physically, the first chakra is associated with the male reproductive organs and…
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5 Tips for New Yoga Students
Being a new student on your yoga mat is intimidating, but we’ve all been there. Don’t let your fear of judgment or lack of flexibility keep you from going to the studio to practice. Most of your fellow students in the room will be too wrapped up in their own practice to worry about yours. If you’re still a little hesitant though, Don’t worry – here are five tips for your first yoga class! 1. Do your research on each yoga class there are many styles of yoga, each with their own benefits. When you first start your yoga, look into multiple styles of practice to see what fits your needs. Do you…
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Stepping Into Mindfulness and Meditation
Meditation plays a large part in the practice of yoga and can have many benefits if you practice consistently. While meditation can seem mysterious and ethereal, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, it requires more willpower and patience than anything. Meditation is a way to train your brain, focus your mind, and clear out the junk gathered from daily life. Rather than emptying the mind of all thoughts (which if you’ve ever tried is actually really hard) you simply let your thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky. It is almost impossible to stop your brain from thinking, but it is possible to observe your thoughts without attaching to them.…
