Good Intentions, pt 5

I have a tendency to think I’m capable of doing all the things (and almost always without asking for help), but the truth is, I’m not. I’m one person with many different roles and sometimes, one or two roles have to stick out a little bigger than the other. Things get dropped and forgotten, people disappointed, and I get worn out.

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Good Intentions, pt 3

I did shed a lot of bad habits over the winter, but I was recently hit with what can only be described as a round of just really bad luck in several aspects of my life. When I was finally able to come up for air, I realized that I still had a little shedding to do — funny enough, the same week that Mother Nature decided winter wasn’t quite over yet.

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New Year’s Resolutions - 3 tips to get started with a yoga practice

Happy (Gregorian) New Year, friends! For many of us, January signifies a new year, but for some, the new year truly doesn’t begin in earnest until the Spring Equinox on March 19. If you’re in the “New Year, New Me” camp - then welcome! Grab a warm mug of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa, and let’s chat. 

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Meditation :: 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. 

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The '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