Category Archives: peace

The ananda maya kosha

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The ananda maya kosha

ananda maya kosha

I am light

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to traditional yoga writings, in order for true relaxation to take place, the body and mind need to actually take a mini holiday so that the level of peace can be uncovered. This state of peace is covered by five coverings, or bodies, called Maya Koshas. Maya means illusion and Kosha means body or Sheath. They are like wearing different layers of clothing. Just like you remove clothes to take a shower, so we have to relax each of these sheaths to uncover the light of the pure self within.

ananda maya kosha

ananda maya kosha

This particular post is timed with an invitation to come to my group Restorative Yoga Class, it is a great way to systemically relax. The sheath called the Ananda Maya Kosha, means the body of joy. It isn’t like a temporary happy feeling that you get from a sugar rush, or a purchase. It is best described as a stillness or quietude that is content in and of itself, and usually only uncovered when the body is relaxed and the mind is meditative.

ananda maya kosha

bliss

Most of us do not take the time to allow and nurture this type of silence and inner stillness. Ironically, when we push ourselves with more and more effort, we are actually often depleting ourselves. Taking the time to uncover your true joy and silent inner core is where the deepest healing takes place.

peaceful quotes for a stressful day

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Reading these peaceful quotes for a stressful day will put you in the mood for my upcoming restorative workshop in Jersey City:

peaceful quotes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“May all beings be peaceful. May all beings be happy. May all beings be safe. May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature. May all beings be free.”

Unless you did not already know, stress can make you sick, or, just plain not in optimum health. Stress creeps in and begins with a physiological response when your nervous system perceives a threat – mental, physical, emotional. This heightened alert triggers the adrenal glands to secrete catecholamine hormones. What this means is that your heart rate, blood pressure, and brain ramp up to prepare for “flight or fight”. Obviously, this is the opposite to the relaxation response, which is pretty much going to shut off, and shut down. Peace? Where did that go? Exactly. This is where restoratives, savasana, pranayama can help. Really. Check out my calendar or book a private ~ cause the “antidote to stress is relaxation” (J. Lasater)

yoga inner peace quote

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 yoga inner peace quote: I like that this yoga inner peace quote is in black and white (sort of simple, right?). “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be”. In other words, don’t chase peace, uncover it. if you have stumbled onto my post or website, you will find many such quotes and blogposts. I am the kind of yoga teacher who likes to empower my students and, from the feedback I get, they are able to incorporate the teachings from our yoga classes into their daily life. Work posture, life posture, relationship posture. Work with the now, with what you have. If you want downloadable practices for inner peace, my cd is on ITunes

yoga inner peace quote

Yoga For Stillness Amidst Chaos

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Yoga For Stillness Amidst Chaos

What is it that makes you feel calm when things are pretty stressful ? I think the point is not to be perfect but to have tips and tools at your fingertips to calm yourself down, find your inner peace (you may lose it again!?). Sometimes your yoga practice has to be almost snuck into a chaotic life. Do it no matter what is going on. This is a beautiful poem by Thich Nhat Hanh:

Breathing in,

I establish myself

in the present moment.

Breathing out,

I know that this is

a wonderful moment

Yoga For Stillness Amidst Chaos

When you do get to a physical practice, the reason restorative yoga is gaining in popularity is that, in part, speed is sometimes un-grounding. Set a realistic pace that has both lightness and firmness on and off your yoga mat today and see how this translates to your nervous system. True sometimes we need more “energy” but it is more a question of finding balance…

If you like listening to an ipod or other device, there are some breathing and relaxing tips on my Yoga Mind Cd that you can carry with you and hopefully you will “walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet”
walk as if...

 

Yoga = Union

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Working together, the breath, body, mind in unison, that is Yoga. The feelings generated make one feel more peaceful and less disconnected, just like a light plugged into a power source. It can be very self-validating. I like to end my yoga classes with “AUM, shanty,shanty,shanty” ( shanty = peace )… create space for peace in your life, interesting things will unfold

 

peace, unity, love

 

An affirmation to keep in mind on your Yoga Mat

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This is an affirmation to keep in mind when you are on your yoga mat.

Sometimes as a yoga teacher we give adjustments and it is important to remember that these are meant in the spirit that you are perfect as you are; perhaps you might use them as you would a GPS – to navigate a path that needs a little direction so as to keep you safe in your range of motion and reach, or to help light up the path so your body can find its way.

Comparison robs us of joy and peace of mind. It is far better to just be the most excellent variation of our own self that we can. So today in your practice, tune into the rhythm of your breath, focus on your inner self – the light body – and repeat: I am perfect the way I am

You do not need to compare and or contrast yourself to anyone or any notion of what practice is

I am perfect as I am

Let Peace Begin With me

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This is beautiful. I led a class yesterday and found myself reflecting, as I talked students through the transition from savasana to the end of class, about how peace is our innermost self, beyond the masks we wear during daily life. Easy to doubt that, for sure. Life can be a frickin’ roller coaster. So it is definitely a choice to live completely stressed out or at least have a way to neutralize and re-balance. I believe my yoga practice does that for me and I am grateful for each day of insight and intentional movement.

I have seen some classes here which include 3-5 minutes of relaxation – in fact it does take around 15 minutes to really get to that altered state. You can give it a whirl any time. I have a few longer practices on my Yoga Mind Cd. Click here for some easy steps to build a home practice. I am available for private yoga classes as well. Let Peace Begin With Me.

let peace begin with me