The Spirit of Yoga

Embracing a yoga practice, and therapeutic practices can hold you together through the challenges of life.  It was during a yoga class, Tamara realized how tightly she holds on and tries to control herself, and the world around her.  She realized while on the mat she can lean on the earth, and it will hold her, embrace her and love her.  Being present on the mat allowed her to move away from focusing on what she hasn’t accomplished.   Yoga helped her to get out of her old story and to create a new one. Yoga helped Tamara learn to stand on her own two feet.  Befriend yoga and your body will befriend you.  Tamara met her true self on the mat.  She invites you to do the same.

Add the practices of yoga, with journaling, and living in a yogic way (The Eight Limb Path,) and you’ll be on your way to inner peace and an awakened thirst for life.

The Eight Limb Path includes:

1) Yama (restraints)
2) Niyama (should do)
3) Asana (poses)
4) Pranyama (breath work)
5) Pratyahara (Close eyes)
6) Dharana (focus on one point)
7) Dhyana (Meditation)
8) Samadhi (Ecstasy)

Yama
1. Ahimsa: nonharming
2. Satya: nonlying
3. Asteya: nonstealing
4. Brahmacharya: abstaining from sensual indulgence
5. Aprigraha: nonpossessiveness

Niyama
1.  Sauca: purity
2. Santosh: contentment
3. Tapas: austerity (self-discipline)
4. Svadhyaya: self-study
5. Ishvara-pranidhana:  surrender to a higher power