Today we will talk about Limb 6 – dharana, or concentration. Recall that the last limb discussed (Limb 5) was pratyahara, or withdrawing the senses from the outside world and bringing them toward the internal world. In a way, Limb 5 marks the transition from the physical world to the inner spiritual world. Limb 6 continues that path toward inner stillness. Once
Onward to Limb 5 – pratyahara! Pratyahara is the practice of withdrawing the senses from the outside world. So…what in the world does that mean? To get our bearings, let’s revisit the previous 4 limbs. Recall Limb 1 – the yamas, which represent the ethical rules by which we live our lives. Limb 2 is the niyamas, or the spiritual observances that guide
The fourth limb of yoga is pranayama, or control of breath. Why is breath control important to mind-body balance? We all know the feeling – when we feel anxious or panicked, all we can think about is the stressful situation. Our heart rate goes up, our muscles become tense, and in most cases, our breathing speeds up. In essence, our stressful
Ahhhhh, we’ve finally come to Limb 3: Asana. AHHHHH-sana. (Did you see what I did there?) Asana is the part of a yoga practice that we typically think of when we tell a friend, “OMG come to yoga with me!” We are usually talking about the physical practice of getting into poses and breathing as you flow from one pose
The second of the eight limbs is the niyamas, or spiritual observances. The niyamas are recommended practices for day-to-day living that contribute to balance within mind, body, and spirit. There are 5 niyamas, which are as follows: 1. Saucha, or cleanliness/purification. Based on saucha, we are encouraged to remove impurities from both our external and internal environments. This means nourishing our bodies with pure, clean food
The first of the eight limbs of yoga is the yamas. The yamas are the physical restraints or ethical guidelines for embarking upon the yogic path. Before we continue, I want to make something clear. These yamas (and all 8 limbs, for that matter) are to be taken as guiding principles. The truth is, it is very difficult (if not downright impossible!)
Patanjali, known as the “father of modern yoga,” compiled a series of principles called the Yoga Sutras (a great read if you’re interested in yoga philosophy). These sutras outline the philosophical foundations that inform the physical, mental, and spiritual practices of yoga. In particular, Patanjali describes the 8 limbs of yoga in the sutras. These 8 limbs are intended to be
Sometimes life presents us with challenging interpersonal situations. Maybe we have a conflict at work; maybe we have a disagreement with a friend, family member, or significant other; or maybe the conflict is within and we are trying to figure out the next step in some part of our lives. During these moments, it is easy to fall into certain patterns.
Sometimes we wake up with a million things on our to-do list. Our brains may tell us to go here and there and do this but WAIT – not until you do THAT! Meanwhile, your feet just sort of…do their own thing. You might obey your brain’s rabid commands…or you might do them in a different order. Or, you might
Summer is in full force here in Key Largo! As the sun beats down on us, we can do our bodies (and minds) a huge favor and drink water at every possible opportunity – even if you’re not super-thirsty. Staying hydrated gives you more energy all year-round, but it is especially vital in the summertime when the sun can quite
