The Yoga At hOMe Podcast

Episode 30: Now is the time for unity

Open your heart, try to see things from a different point of view, and listen to excerpts from Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book Mindfulness for All.

 

Suggested props: blanket, 2 blocks

 

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

EPISODE 29: Ayurvedic Yoga: Building Ojas

Ojas is our vital reserves, it’s like the oil in our vehicle, it keeps things running smoothly, and in modern culture we are all about a quart low.  In Ayurveda ojas relates to our immunity - it’s our defense system…..defense not only from pathogens and environmental toxins, but our defense to negative energy.  In this practice we’ll focus on building our vital reserves to build up our immunity.

Suggested props: blanket, 2 blocks

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

Episode 28: Honoring our Ancestors

Chaturanga free flow!  Honoring our ancestors by living up to our full potential and living our life’s purpose. 

 

Suggested props: 2 blocks

 

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

EPISODE 27: Just a little patience.

Research has shown that our capacity to delay gratification is an indicator of success when it comes to achieving goals.  Developing patience and our ability to self-regulate also builds our resilience. Practice patience with a sama vrtti breathing technique and a slow and mindful flow.

 

Suggested props: 2 blocks

 

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

Episode 26: Ayurvedic Yoga for Reducing Kapha

Perfect for a cool rainy day, or anytime you feel heavy, lethargic, or low on energy. This practice is quite energizing and not recommended late in the evening.

 

Suggested props: 2 blocks

 

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

Episode 25: Alignment as a Focal Tool

It’s my opinion that alignment doesn’t have much benefit in terms of keeping bodies safe or healthy in a yoga class. Alignment’s usefulness in an asana practice is really as a focal tool. The aim of yoga is stilling the stirring of the mind and alignment can help us focus our attention in just one point - our body.

Suggested props: 2 blocks

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

Episode 24: Spatial Awareness - Level 1

By focusing on spatial awareness we can quiet the language centers of our brain and settle into a meditative state. In this way, yoga asana becomes a moving meditation. 

Suggested props: blanket, 2 blocks

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

Episode 23: Breath

We are all familiar with the physiological benefits of breath, but what purpose does it serve spiritually?  The breath is the anchor to the present moment. The breath is how we coax our mind to cooperate. In this practice, breath awareness leads to sirsasana (headstand).

Suggested props: blanket, 2 blocks

Intro Music: Magic Hour by DJ Taz Rashid

Episode 22: Prana - Hatha Level 1

Prana enlivens us and connects us to our creative potential, it enables us to think clearly and supports the manifestation of our higher self.  Hatha yoga enhances and directs the flow of prana and invigorates our body and mind. In this gentle practice we focus on breath awareness to recharge the pranic body.

Suggested props: blanket, 2 blocks

Episode 21: You're Already Whole - Hatha Level 1

You’re Already Whole

Level: 1

We aren’t practicing yoga to “fix” ourselves or to “become whole”, we are practicing yoga to uncover our inherent wholeness - we just have to stop thinking in a fragmented way. In this practice we lengthen and open the side body, and explore how every part of the body is connected.

Suggested props: blanket, 2 blocks