If you ask my dad, he’ll tell you it was absolutely a foreshadowing that they brought me home from the hospital on the 4th of July because I turned out to be quite the firecracker of the family.
Read moreGood Intentions, pt 2
I started my yoga practice at the age of 18 with a simple intention: to gain strength and flexibility for horseback riding. That was it. Nothing more. I didn’t enjoy working out, I wasn’t athletic, and no exercise practices had ever stuck.
Read moreLokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu
By chanting this mantra of Lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu we move from our personal self and radiate a prayer of love for the world around us. It releases us from our ego and our limited worldview and emits from us wellbeing for all, everywhere — those we know and love, those we know and don’t love, those we don’t know yet and those we won’t ever know. It is a reminder of our universal spirit.
Read moreA New Season :: Spring Renewal, Growth, and Our Truth
The freshness of the earth in spring inspires me to evaluate what needs renewal in my own life and to question: "Am I staying true to myself or has my truth changed and evolved over the winter months?"
Read moreSHOUTOUT ARIZONA - A Fire Horse Yoga Story
Several months ago, I was given the opportunity to be featured in Shoutout Arizona; an online publication that supports small business across the country.
Read moreMeditation :: The Practice of Metta or Lovingkindness
This month, we’ve been focusing on lovingkindness as a practical way of practicing Ahimsa — the first of the five Yamas (moral/ethical guidelines of yoga). Ahimsa means ‘non-harming’. The absence of violence. It goes beyond physical violence. It’s a principle of ‘first do no harm’ that we should all apply to our lives when thinking about ourselves and others. It can be as simple as not gossiping or meeting an unkind person with kindness and grace; knowing that their unkindness is probably more about them than it is about us.
Read moreThe 'Why' Behind My Practice
If you look at our BINGO cards hanging up in the studio, you’ll notice that you get a sticker for sharing your Yoga ‘WHY’ with Sam via email (or text or social media!). It’s only fair that I share mine with you.
I have been practicing with our little community for nearly 7 years, but I originally found yoga in high school. I practiced in my room without a mat as a way to stretch and get some exercise in by myself. I needed nothing for the practice and there was no judgement. A time/space for me to accept myself and my body. A rarity for a teenager to be honest — especially in the early 2000s.
Yoga loosely followed me through my 4 years at Purdue, but it wasn’t until my mid-to-late-20s that I got serious about it and really began to see a difference in myself.
The big WHY behind my yoga is multi-tiered and has some other stories behind it, but to put it simply: I want to keep moving — and maintain a healthy mind — as I age. I don’t want to lose the flexibility, strength, and stability (mentally and physically) that a consistent practice has given me.
Share your ‘WHY’ with me — and others! Sharing with others why we practice and what the practice has brought to our lives can help encourage others to take that step towards a healthier, more positive life AND is a nice reminder to ourselves about why we started practicing in the first place.
With love and light, always —
Sam
Of Names and (Fire) Horse Things
Suffice it to say, over the last year+ I’ve had questions about the Fire Horse Yoga name. Is it because of my love of horses? That would certainly seem to fit — especially given my penchant for fiery red mares that my husband and parents are sure will kill me some day {If you know, you know}.
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