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Chakra Two The Sacral Chakra: Svadhisthana
Last week I talked all about the root chakra, what a balanced root chakra feels like and how to find balance if your energy is off base. This week I wanted to keep the theme going and move into the second chakra sometimes referred to as the sacral chakra. If you haven’t read my first post about chakra one then I recommend you read that post before continuing. In order to effectively tap into the second chakras energy, we need to have an opened, balanced first chakra. Chakra Basics The sacral chakra, called svadhisthana in sanskrit, means “the dwelling place.” Some refer to it as, “the seat of the self.” Due to its…
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How To Balance Your Root Chakra: Muladhara
How to move into the first chakra, find your grounding, and build stability for the remaining chakra centers. If you checked out my post last week then you know I’ve got a little theme going. Last week I talked about the first chakra and how it correlates to your energetic wellbeing. This week, instead of diving into the second chakra, I wanted to share how you can balance out the energy of your root chakra or, muladhara. Root Chakra Review The root chakra is crucial to finding balance overall in the chakra system. So it’s important to understand how to tap into its energy. No, you don’t have to be a yoga guru to do…
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Chakra One The Root Chakra: Muladhara
The root chakra, is arguably the most important chakra point to understand. The root chakra resides at the base of your spine and connects to your most primal instincts of survival. Additionally, the root chakra is responsible for your connection to the physical world. Therefore, the element associated with the root chakra is earth. Your fight or flight sense, and your feeling of belonging, also results from the first chakra energy. If the first chakra is not in alignment then it is nearly impossible to find balance among the rest. Your first chakra provides the stability for the energetic body. Anatomy Physically, the first chakra is associated with the male reproductive organs and…
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7 Yoga Books for Teachers and Practitioners
One of my favorite parts of my teacher training experience was rediscovering my love for reading. I’ve always enjoyed reading but forgot how much as I grew older. Recently, I’ve been reading about ten books at a time and scribbling notes in every single one of them. Here are five yoga books that I recommend for teachers and students alike! Mindfulness in Plain English This book is a great introductory read for those seeking to learn more about yoga and meditation. Mindfulness in Plain English offers a practical approach to mindfulness and meditation for both beginners and seasoned practitioners. It is an excellent reminder of how you can live intentionally off your yoga…
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5 Tips for New Yoga Students
Being a new student on your yoga mat is intimidating, but we’ve all been there. Don’t let your fear of judgment or lack of flexibility keep you from going to the studio to practice. Most of your fellow students in the room will be too wrapped up in their own practice to worry about yours. If you’re still a little hesitant though, Don’t worry – here are five tips for your first yoga class! 1. Do your research on each yoga class there are many styles of yoga, each with their own benefits. When you first start your yoga, look into multiple styles of practice to see what fits your needs. Do you…
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Stepping Into Mindfulness and Meditation
Meditation plays a large part in the practice of yoga and can have many benefits if you practice consistently. While meditation can seem mysterious and ethereal, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, it requires more willpower and patience than anything. Meditation is a way to train your brain, focus your mind, and clear out the junk gathered from daily life. Rather than emptying the mind of all thoughts (which if you’ve ever tried is actually really hard) you simply let your thoughts come and go like clouds in the sky. It is almost impossible to stop your brain from thinking, but it is possible to observe your thoughts without attaching to them.…
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How I Started My Yoga Practice
When I first came to my mat I was at a low, I had suffered from depression, a lack of self-love and poor body image. My intention when I started yoga was to build lean muscle and strength. I started practicing at a hot yoga studio a few blocks away from my college campus. They were running a student special and practically giving away month long memberships. I couldn’t resist the offer, I paid for an unlimited monthly membership and went to class almost every single day. As dramatic as it may sound, that first month of unlimited yoga changed my life for the better! It didn’t take long for me to realize…
