Yoga
The sweetness of practice comes with integration. We share tips and reflections regularly on our blog to help you find ways to connect.
Back in the saddle
Ok, I didn’t actually make it to the saddle (as we fondly refer to the O’Malley Gully) but I did get to one of my favorite hiking trails in Anchorage for my annual “reality check.” This what I call my first foray into the mountains after summer comes to the...
May is mental health awareness month. How aware are you of the state of your mental health?
Mental health “issues” are so woven into the fabric of our lives that we are as likely to miss them as the sound of water coming from the faucet. Sleep, nutrition, sunlight, movement, moods, and a myriad of other issues affect the function of our mind and our...
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, by Diane Ziegner
As a teacher and student of yoga, I often look to The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali for inspiration. Introducing and inviting my students to apply the wisdom of the sutras with curiosity in asana class is one of my objectives as a teacher. It gives a richness to our...
Taking Time to Listen by Maggie Laufenberg
Hello all and welcome to my first blog post with Yoga for Mental Health. I am delighted to share my practice with you as well as my story while Margi is away on retreat! I want to start off by sharing with you the first time I tried to practice mindfulness and to...
Giving up what causes suffering
Perfections of the Heart: Renunciation“Most people have something they can relinquish.” This is the quote from Sylvia Boorstein that opened our conversation about generosity. We considered abundance, receptivity, and how to reinforce connections with the practice...
When cleaning the house during meditation… spicy sourdough buns
In my meditation this morning I was cleaning the house. Vacuuming, organizing, moving the painting that’s at the wrong height since I moved the plant that was beneath it. All of this movement was motivated by anticipation. I am going to be hosting. ...
A virtuous life. Practice.
Perfections of the Heart: MoralityThis perfection is our commitment to a virtuous life. It is reflected, with relative consistency, in virtually all spiritual practices. In yoga the moral principles are known as the Yamas. In Buddhism, the 5 precepts. In...
Befriending
Befriend, freeze, run away, defend, help, grieve… our animal instincts, all of them. Along the way we get so much feedback, we learn so many stories. We develop preferences, we choose sides. We change. Everything changes. In the liminal space...