Crafting – whether with ceramics, paint, wire, wool or flowers – is a wonderful way to wind-down from stress, and to cultivate more creativity. The rhythmic and repetitive nature of creating with your hands is calming, comforting and contemplative. Research shows that knitting and other forms of textile crafting such as sewing, weaving, macrame-ing and crocheting have quite a lot…
…OUT OF MY YOGA FABRIC So you rented a yoga towel for class and when you were down-dogging you noted a slightly pungent aroma wafting from its surface. You try to place the smell and decide it’s reminiscent of your boyfriend’s (insert sport) jock and uniform stench. Now how are you supposed to focus on the zen quality of the…
Ogayay in Pig Latin, the word yoga has Indo-European roots. Many yogis learn that the word yoga is translated from the Sanskrit word yuj or yug, which means “to yoke.” But did you know it has its root word in common with other words like: jugular, conjugal and zygote? These are all derived from yug as well. So yug means…
The mountain ranges surrounding the Valley of the Sun called to him in the early 80s. Those hills held possibility. A lifelong hobbiest, Dad spent my tweenish years prospecting for gold in the foothills of Arizona. Trekking to n’er before trampled soils to dig in, exploit, strike it rich. Perhaps this is where my inner explorer got nourished. Building campfires…
I mean, platonic intimacy is a thing. Here we are, rolling along in 2019. A few more exhales and it will be Valentine’s Day. Sweet treats, cheesy cards, the chance to dote on our loved ones. But Valentine’s Day doesn’t need to be an exclusive party to which only lovey-dovey couples RSVP. Everyone is welcome to jump on the Valentine’s Day bandwagon,…
“Kripalu” is one of the Hindu words for “compassion.” My weekend at North America’s largest and oldest yoga and retreat center – Kripalu – was filled with just that. Compassion. And of course rules… always with the rules. It was pointed out to me by my dear ol’ dad (numerous times in my teens in fact) that I am either…
What happened to the people inside us who were completely unaffected by others’ opinions? Boldly seeking to be individuals who stood out uniquely and unapologetically? I believe they are still in there begging for some air time. Let’s invite them out to play in a safe space where inclusion, connection and empathy abound. A center where you can simply live…
Manifest Station is an all-inclusive yoga and music festival in southern Illinois which aims to inspire positive collective consciousness for all through the collaboration of talented musicians, outstanding yoga and movement instructors, performers and healers. By keeping the ticket costs low and including accommodations and food in one price, we have made the weekend accessible to every person who wishes…
Why do yoga teachers use a language 1000s of years old? Sanskrit is no longer used as a spoken language, yet this oldest language on Earth is still prominent in Yoga classes. Attend enough Yoga classes in various locations, and you will likely arrive in a class some day where the teacher uses only the Sanskrit title to describe the posture…
From a Plant-Based Yogi Let’s sprout roots, grow and salute the sun together. St. Louis VegFest Yoga Daughter of a gold prospector / gardener / construction worker / minister, I found my love of plants at a young age. Plants & Tantra Yoga My dad granted me a lifelong awareness of our interwoven co-existence with all life on this planet,…
