This August full moon is full of power and will bring forward a resurgence of lifeforce. It is 'Go Time" my loves, and in the beginning of this month the transition into these new energies and directives could have felt like pressure or uncertainty. Everyone collectively felt and received an intuitive push from the soul to step into the new self that has been unfolding this entire year.
Here we are. The rise of the sun. The theme for this full moon is positive masculine outward forces that will bring new energies into self-expression, new goals, and dharma. A key aspect of self-expression is possession. The movement forward asks for ownership of who you are becoming. Own and take possession of your greatness and rise into it. It is a shift of consciousness.
The energy is working and transforming the earth element. We have water, air, and earth working to transform into a new being. This point is when the evolutionary outgoing path meets the involuntary ingoing path. The evolution of the self meets the inner self for an outward expression. The material becomes more stable and muddles less. Maya (illusion) is overcome through owning self, the gift of Leo is the separation from Anima Mundi-universal soul.
The individual self is strengthened, dharma has greater footing, clarity, and the rise of the soul-sun moves forward with vigor, courage, and brighter horizons. These energies are working to manifest on the outer plane. There has been so much energy earlier this year, developing the levels of consciousness, and awakening dharma. Here it is new energy moving to develop dharma and gifts outward. These energies have also developed the individuated self (unique soul self). This lunation is masculine dominant energy within feminine creative power. This level of shakti moves the soul self to create within new realms. For many of you, this will affirm new aspects of self.
Many of you will have desires, and dreams reach new forms of manifested reality. It is a fortunate lunation, marked by supporting planetary placements. Jupiter will play a key role in uplifting the Sun and Mars, while the moon will work with illuminating what lies behind Maya (illusion). This revealing is unifying of the self within dharma. Do not fight the flow, surrender into it. Allow the self to be carried away and allow the illumination to purify the dross.
There is a unique energy of spiritualization that is transforming the interrelationship of self and others. This will work through material life, it will work through all facets of relationship. Some may feel tempted to resort to past placation or pleasure-seeking. Follow the heart of creation, nourish what is arising, this can be done by ownership of all aspects of self. Make love to your ‘lesser nature’, woo the traits that aren’t as pretty.
Again ownership of self will raise one into new heights. Move beyond what you perceive and how you are perceived. Silence and devotion to this new you is required. That means applying directive to the positive force of masculine energy into outward action. This can be in any area of your life, but your commitment to stabilizing these new creative forces and the energy that is moving is important. The individuated self will seek new heights.
To work these energies in asana, open chair twist will work with the elements and with the actions of the planets during this full moon.
To book a personal chart reading click here. Cosmic Resources and deeper esoteric practices can be found on my website.
Geenie, also known as Gemma, is an Ayurvedic Practitioner, astrologer, and student of the Sri Vidya Tantric lineage. Her classes on YogaDownload are often inspired by astrology and aimed to guide each student to unfold a deeper connection from within. Her diverse knowledge and continued studies in the spiritual sciences can be felt in her class offerings. With humble devotion Gemma weaves the wisdom of yogic practices into accessible and impactful mat experiences. Her website is here.
Practice the Yoga & Astrology series with Geenie now!
Iyengar Yoga is a style of yoga that was developed and named after someone called B.K.S Iyengar, in the 1960s. This style of yoga is very meticulous and places importance on precision and alignment. Iyengar yoga is about breath control and posture and is great to build strength and flexibility, as well as teaching the correct alignment of the body.
B.K.S Iyengar was born in 1918 in Bellur, India. He studied and practiced yoga for over 85 years. He studied under T. Krishnamacharya - who is often referred to as ‘The Father of Modern Yoga’. He brought his style of yoga to the west in the 1970’s and wrote his book: Light on Yoga, which has been a source for yoga students all over the world. B.K.S Iyengar taught for over 75 years in the 5 continents, bringing yoga to many people around the world. He even invented a lot of the yoga props we still use today and helped explore how yoga can treat medical conditions.
Iyengar yoga is different, and it’s accessible to anyone. It is the most widely practiced yoga style in the world. Iyengar yoga focuses on postural alignment, and it is good to treat postural problems. It requires a high level of concentration to achieve the precise details of each pose. The emphasis is on quality of movement rather than quantity and encourages safety throughout the practice. It might seem a bit slower, but you’ll soon realize how hard you have to work.
Iyengar practice utilizes props - such as blocks, blankets, straps, chairs, and bolsters. This is to help each student to find the proper alignment in each pose. Props are useful as they help students to hold poses in the proper alignment even when it’s the first time they’ve tried it, or if they are stiffer or injured. Props should always be available in an Iyengar yoga practice, but they’re not always necessary. They should be used to simplify the poses and to make each pose accessible to everyone. Make sure you take advice from your instructor if you’ve never used props before, or you’re not sure if you need them or not.
In an Iyengar yoga class, the technique in which the postures are taught is the exact same worldwide. Each teacher will choose a series of poses for each class for different reasons, but each pose will be exactly the same worldwide. That means you will not feel out of place whatever Iyengar class you attend.
Beginner classes tend to focus on standing postures, to help you learn and understand the fundamentals of how to align your body correctly. Standing poses form the foundation of the practice, before moving onto more advanced postures. However, standing poses need to be practiced and studied regularly - even if you’re a master at the practice.
Teachers who teach Iyengar yoga must undergo lots of training to ensure they give out the right instructions needed on alignment and postures. A fully qualified Iyengar teacher will hold a current Iyengar Yoga Certification Mark.
You can expect a class to include lots of information on technique and sequencing, progressing safely through the postures.
The benefits of Iyengar yoga include physical benefits, such as increased flexibility. You don’t need to be super flexible to try it, and increased flexibility may be a great side effect. It is a slow and gentle practice that allows you to hold poses for one minute, and using props to help hold poses can increase your flexibility.
Another benefit is toned muscles, as the physical demand of holding the poses will build up strength in your muscles as well as stretching them. Iyengar engages your whole body, allowing you to build strength in all the muscles, including connective tissue that you might not usually work out. This results in a full body toning experience, and allows you to be aware of how your muscles work deep in your body.
Iyengar yoga can also be used as a type of pain relief, to help relieve back and neck pain. This is because it focuses on alignment, to combat slouching, hunching, and muscle weakness. Iyengar can also help to stretch the muscles in your back and relieve any tension that might be causing pain in these areas. Additionally, this focus on proper alignment can help to strengthen the muscles of your body that are responsible for posture, like your legs, back, and core. With these adjustments to improve your posture, you will also find that smaller muscles become stronger and you find yourself standing taller, and you’ll have more energy, less pain, and feel more confident.
Practicing Iyengar yoga can also help to protect from disease. Disease happens when the normal processes of the body don’t happen exactly the way they should. Iyengar helps to improve the functioning of your body, from circulatory and nervous systems, to lymph systems and digestion. When your body is working properly, your organs are nourished and can eliminate toxins, decreasing the risk of disease.
Finally, Iyengar yoga can help to improve your breathing. While you hold your asana and focus on your alignment, you also move your focus to the breath. The more you practice Iyengar and practice breathing, the less you end up holding your breath unconsciously in your day-to-day life. This encourages a constant flow of oxygen to the brain.
“It is through the alignment of the body that I discovered the alignment of my mind, self, and intelligence.” -B.K.S. Iyengar
Are you ready to immerse yourself and learn all about Iyengar yoga from expert teacher Dana Hanizeski? We are delighted to share this new 7 class program which will leave you feeling energized, calm, and knowledgeable.
Before we dive into a deeper description of Iyengar yoga, here’s a little history about the man who created this unique style. B.K.S. Iyengar was one of T. Krishnamacharya, the Father of Modern yoga’s, most famous students in Mysore, India. Other prominent Krishnamacharya disciples include Pattabhi Jois and Indra Devi. Iyengar is one of the teachers who introduced his style of yoga and interpretation of the Eight-Limbed Yoga Path to the Western world.
Iyengar penned the famous book, Light on Yoga, and other well-known texts studied and revered to this day. His books Light on Pranayama and Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali delve deeper into his shared wisdom. In his teachings, Iyengar states that yoga is a classical Indian science dealing with the search for the soul. The word “yoga” signifies both the way to discovery of the soul and union with it.
In addition to his significant contributions to yoga philosophy, Iyengar developed his style of yoga that arose from personal necessity. He suffered from poor health throughout his childhood and could not perform the vigorous Ashtanga routines created by Krishnamacharya. Often described by his students as the “Lion”, Iyengar was fierce, disciplined, and stubborn. He overcame his personal health issues by experimenting with blocks, straps, and other props to achieve proper alignment in each pose.
Iyengar yoga is a slower, more deliberate style of yoga with long holds emphasizing proper alignment from the feet to the crown. Iyengar believed that extended time in each pose provided major benefits physically and mentally. The addition of props allowed anyone who wants to practice the opportunity to do so with proper support. This style of yoga encompasses a therapeutic aspect excellent for students seeking to recover from injury or simply become stronger.
Whether you are a beginning yogi or an advanced practitioner, you’ll enjoy this well-rounded Iyengar yoga program!
Sometimes the only thing you need is a cake. Feels familiar? So let me introduce you to a chocolate and beetroot cake. No need to be afraid – we do use a lot of beets in this recipe, but you can’t taste it in the result. Also, if you are afraid of too many beets, then just skip the beetroot powder in the frosting (yes, there also is a frosting!) and substitute this with pink pitaya powder or just fresh berries or skip it altogether. The main purpose of the powder here is to color the “cheesecake” frosting into a nice pink-purple color anyway, so if you are happy with white, just go for it.
The cake itself is quite moist and decadent anyway and a few of my friends have mentioned that this is the best vegan cake they have ever had. To make it even more luscious, I added a whipped tofu frosting for extra moisture. And of course, I needed to go the extra mile and also candied some beetroot ribbons. For this, I first created a sugar syrup – 1 cup of water and ½ cups of regular sugar. Bring to boil, add beetroot ribbons (or just very thinly cut beetroot slices), and simmer them for 30 minutes until they turn slightly translucent). Then drain them and leave them to cool. I also cooked the rest of the syrup down to beetroot caramel, but I am honestly not sure yet, where or how I will use this.
So you can go a little crazy with this cake. Go all in and do all the elements for an extra fancy cake. Or keep it simple and only do one element. It is delicious either way!
Vegan Beet-Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Cooking time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
For the cake base:
14 oz grams boiled beets
3 ½ oz dark chocolate
2 tbsp flaxseed flour + 4 tbsp water mixed
2 oz coconut oil
½ cup cashew milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
9 oz all-purpose flour
2 oz cocoa powder
5 oz coconut sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
Extra coconut oil and cocoa to cover the cake pan
For the frosting:
12 oz silken tofu
1 tbsp coconut oil
3.5 oz oat-based whipping cream
1 tsp agave syrup (or sugar)
1 tbsp beetroot powder
Instructions:
Place the parchment in the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan, cover the bottom and the sides with a thin layer of coconut oil and sprinkle with cocoa powder. Keep the prepared pan in the fridge until you prepare the batter.
Preheat the oven to 360F.
Melt the chocolate and leave it to cool slightly.
Blitz the beetroot to a smooth puree and mix in the melted chocolate, flax and water mix, coconut oil, cashew milk, and vanilla extract.
In another bowl sieve and mix all the dry ingredients.
Gently mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients only until incorporated and do not overmix.
Pour the batter into a pan and bake for 40 minutes.
Blitz the tofu until smooth. Stick blender works wonderfully here or use a regular blender.
Mix in the coconut oil, agave syrup, beetroot powder, and vanilla extract.
Separately, whip the cream to stiff peaks and fold it in.
To assemble, let the cake base cool completely, then cover with the frosting (or if you feel extra fancy, you can cut the base into two and create a layer cake – there is enough frosting for two layers!) and decorate with candied beetroot, edible flowers or raspberries.
By Kadri Raig
Kadri is a food blogger and yoga teacher from Estonia. She loves to spend time in the kitchen, but most of her recipes are simple and don’t take more than 20 minutes of active cooking time. She thinks that everybody can find time to cook healthy food at home, it is just a question of planning. "I work in an office full time, teach yoga 7-8 hours a week and write a blog. So if I manage to cook most of my meals, then so do you!" Connect with Kadri and enjoy many more of her delicious healthy recipes on her website here: www.kahvliga.ee.
Enjoy this FREE 25-Minute yoga class from home, before your delicious mushrooms!
25-Minute Full Body Yoga with Keith Allen
The second limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga system are the Niyamas, which are five internal practices. These practices extend the ethical codes of conduct provided in his first limb, the Yamas and look more within. The practice of Niyama helps us maintain a positive environment in which to grow, and gives us the self-discipline and inner-strength necessary to progress along the path of yoga.
Similar to the Yamas, the five Niyamas, while ancient in their origins, are very applicable to everyday modern life. These concepts can help you self-reflect and live a more peaceful life.
Saucha. Purification: The first principle of Patanjali’s five Niyamas is Saucha. It is often translated to “cleanliness” and relates to good hygiene and self-care. It also goes much deeper than that. It is the idea that your environment impacts your state of mind. For example, if you walk into a messy room, you are more likely to feel scattered and anxious internally, versus how you feel when you walk into a clean and orderly room. The same goes for your body. If you feel well-groomed and clean, you’re more likely to feel better and even clearer in your mind.
There are a number of yogic cleansing techniques that create cleanliness internally. Things like a neti pot, nauli (abdominal massage), and bhasti (colon cleansing), are examples of techniques that support Saucha and a clearer mind and body. Treating your body like a temple, with care is part of yoga.
Santosha. Contentment: In simplest terms, Santosha teaches us to be grateful for what we have and not waste energy craving for things that we do not have. Advertising wants us to think that true happiness can come through the accumulation of objects, but yoga teaches us that happiness that comes from materialism is only temporary.
Practicing Santosha frees us from perpetually wanting more and feeling dissatisfied with what we have. Right here, right now, you have the ability to appreciate everything you have. Contentment is a powerful perspective and one that can allow us to feel joy for all of life’s blessings. Unnecessary suffering comes from always wanting things to be different.
Tapas. Asceticism: Tapas is the yogic concept of self-discipline and willpower. Tapas can be seen as doing something you might not feel like, that will have a positive effect on your life.
Tapas is related to our inner fire and our passion, purpose, and willpower. Tapas is trusting yourself to do the things you say you are going to do and following through with things you’ve committed to. Tapas gives us more control over our unconscious impulses and poor habits. It can build the willpower and personal strength to become more dedicated to our practice of yoga and other good habits.
Svadhyaya. Self-Study: Svadhyaya is the practice of being able to look at yourself, your patterns, behaviors, flaws, strengths, and self-growth. It’s simply being able to contemplate and reflect upon life’s lessons, as well as your own behavior.
Life is an ever-changing journey, and we change throughout life as people. That is why Svadhyaya is not a one-time thing, but an ongoing practice. Do you consider conflicts with others from perspectives other than your own? Are you willing to realize and admit when you’ve made mistakes and choose to grow from them? It’s harder to grow when we’re not able, to be honest with ourselves and take a good look in the mirror once in a while. Yoga and meditation are practices of looking within. There is an opportunity to practice Svadhyaya every single time you step onto your yoga mat.
Ishvara Pranidhana. Devotion: This is the dedication and devotion of the fruits of one’s practice to a higher power. This Niyama fuses two common aspects of yoga within it: the devotion to something greater than just yourself and the selfless action of karma yoga. Patanjali tells us that to reach the goal of yoga we must dissolve our egocentric nature and let go of our constant identification with ourselves.
Ishvara Pranidhana is not religious, but about dedicating the benefits of your yoga practice, to the benefit of all. It has ripple effects that go far beyond just you. Through this simple act of dedication, we become reminded of our connection to an energy that connects us all, and our practice becomes sacred and filled with grace and love.
By Keith Allen
Sometimes when you are seeking more clarity, the best move you can make is to hit the pause button and slow down. This week’s classes help you do that with a mix of Hatha and Iyengar practices designed to help you reach a deeper level in your mind, body, and spirit. Sequences vary in each class, with poses held for several breaths instead of flowing breath to movement. Quieter styles of yoga give you the opportunity to savor the feelings that arise in each asana (pose).
Hatha yoga is the umbrella under which all physical styles of yoga reside. A Hatha Yoga class combines asanas and pranayama, usually at a slower pace than some other practices like Ashtanga and Vinyasa. Hatha classes are known to be more mellow but don’t assume that makes them easier. Sometimes holding fewer poses for a longer time is more challenging than flowing through a faster-paced Vinyasa class. These more gentle classes are also excellent if you’re nursing injuries or experiencing physical limitations but don’t want to miss your yoga.
Iyengar Yoga, created by Yoga luminary, B.K.S. Iyengar, helps you slow down so you can develop a deeper sense of awareness of physical sensations and tune into your thoughts. The author of Light on Yoga, Iyengar was a physically frail child and believed yoga was for everybody regardless of physical or mental challenges. Iyengar highlights integrating props like blocks and straps into a slower alignment-based practice. This style emphasizes fewer poses, each held for a significant time, which helps you settle into stillness.
Sometimes stepping back and focusing on alignment can help you make sure you’re receiving all the benefits from each pose. When we flow quickly, sometimes we sacrifice form for speed. A periodic reminder of what each asana actually feels like in your body helps you stay strong and supple and avoid injury. So this week, slow down with us and savor the experience.
Dana Hanizeski - Deep Release for the Back
Keith Allen - 45-Minute Heart & Hips Hatha
Desiree Rumbaugh - Strengthen, Protect, & Heal The Hips
Patrick Montgomery - Focus on Form - Twists & Arm Balances
This is the easiest recipe ever and I usually don’t even bother writing down recipes this simple, but this drink has been on my menu almost every day this summer, so I figured it makes sense to jot this one down.
In Estonia, where I live, we usually have a few weeks of real summer if we are lucky. Estonian summer means something around 70°F for days and 50-60°F during nights, so rather chilly. But this year has surprised us with a real heatwave and we have had the temperatures around and even over 80°F for almost 6 weeks already. This also means that the temperature inside my apartment is constantly around 80°F and this is not so nice anymore... At one point I seriously considered just sleeping in a hammock on my terrace where there is at least a little wind. But generally, I am rather happy with the hot weather.
Hot weather means hot weather food or rather hot weather drinks like smoothies, iced tea, iced coffee, ice cream, and everything else that comes cooled.
This one here is one of my favorites from this summer. I would call it a slushie, but a healthy and a really delicious one. I can’t explain it scientifically, but I feel that watermelon quenches thirst better compared to regular water (which I, of course, also drink in excessive amounts), and since my own little balcony garden has given me a lot of strawberries over the summer it just makes sense to combine them.
One thing to note here is that I highly recommend using frozen strawberries. In case you have fresh strawberries at hand another option is to freeze up cubed watermelon. Just make sure that one of the ingredients is frozen as you don’t want to end up with a juice, but a niche thick slushie consistency.
Watermelon-Strawberry Slushie
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1
7 oz diced watermelon
7 oz frozen strawberries
Add both ingredients to the blender and blitz until smooth. Drink immediately.
The first of Patanjali’s eight-fold path of yoga are the Yamas. They are moral, ethical and societal guidelines. These guidelines are all expressed in the positive and can be interpreted as descriptions of how a yogi behaves and relates to their world. The Yamas are applicable to modern life, and a good guidance system on how to lead an honest, ethical, and conscious life.
Patanjali teaches that Yamas are meant to be practiced in our actions, thoughts, and words. The Yamas are applicable to everyone regardless of socioeconomic class, gender, or ethnicity. The Yamas are something that can make life more peaceful for people who observe them. It’s possible that observing the Yamas will lead to a life of less conflict, deceit, and even stress.
Here is a brief overview of each Yama, to reflect on how these Yamas show up in your life and how you can live them more.
Ahimsa. Non-Harming: Ahimsa is a practice of non-violence towards others or yourself, physically, mentally, or emotionally. It is about carrying an energy of peace and compassion instead of one of harm.
While not inflicting physical violence seems straightforward and clear, Ahimsa is more subtle than it seems. Aside from not harming others physically, your words and even your thoughts matter. Do you talk negatively about others behind their backs, or hurl personal insults to their face? These are examples of harm, and not in alignment with Ahimsa. Treating others with respect, and never intending to do harm is in the spirit of Ahimsa.
Ahimsa is also meant to be applied in your relationship with yourself. Do you harm yourself with self-destructive habits or relentless self-criticism? The opposite of that, and the practice of Ahimsa, is to take loving care of yourself and treat yourself with compassion and care, even though you are not perfect (no one is).
On your yoga mat, the practice of Ahimsa can also be applied. Your yoga practice is meant to be a healing and beneficial practice. Listen to your body and make sure you’re not pushing yourself too much and overdoing it, or self-critical of your practice while you’re on your mat.
Satya. Truthfulness: Satya is about speaking, acting, and thinking with integrity. In simplest terms, Satya is about being honest. Satya is also about being honest with yourself and expressing unsaid truths that need to be expressed.
When someone speaks from a place of integrity and honesty, it feels different than when someone isn’t being honest. An honest person’s words land differently and with more impact. Life is simpler if one is not concealing the truth or running from lies.
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, he says that the words of those firmly established in the practice of Satya become so powerful that everything they say comes true.
Asteya. Non-Stealing: Asteya teaches us to not take anything that has not been clearly given to us. Taking what is not yours and stealing comes from a place of lack.
While non-stealing is at the core of Asteya, it goes deeper. Things you may not think of, like perpetually being late, are examples of stealing the time of other people. It’s also about not taking things that have not been clearly given. For example, do you ever assume that it’s okay for you to take something, without it explicitly being given to you?
Brahmacharya. Self-Restraint: Brahmacharya is about having self-control over our impulses of excess. When practiced, this can lead to an increase in vitality and energy. It takes courage and will to break some of our addictive tendencies, but each time we overcome these impulses we can become stronger, healthier, and wiser. Yoga teaches us to maintain balance and avoid extremes and that practicing Brahmacharya can help create moderation in all of our activities.
Brahmacharya is related to sexual energy but it does not necessarily mean celibacy. It is about preserving and using our sexual energy with purpose, instead of wasting it and letting it control us. It is some of the most powerful and vital energy we have, and we can utilize it in our pursuits and practice.
Aparigraha. Non-greed: Aparigraha is about non-attachment. This is not a vow to live in poverty, but more of an invitation to be satisfied with what you have and avoid excess and perpetual dissatisfaction. There is abundance in the spirit of aparigraha. A person with a lot of money who steals from others and is constantly worried about not having enough is not really rich in the truest sense of the word.
Yoga teaches us that our greatest satisfaction comes from within. In many modern societies, there is tremendous emphasis on acquiring more and more excess materialism. While having nice things and living comfortably is wonderful, Aparigraha is about not becoming greedy.
On the yoga mat, this non-attachment shows up in how we treat the practice. If you’re striving to be better to the person next to you on the mat, you’ve likely lost sight of why you love yoga and came to practice in the first place. It’s about going inwards and connecting deeply to yourself.
Around the world, COVID-19 restrictions are lifting in various stages, and in some places, they're getting tighter again as the pandemic continues.
In some parts of the world, people are coming out of lockdown and recent months have been a time of being allowed to see family again, to go out for dinner, and even festivals and nightclubs. This can be quite overwhelming after months of restrictions in place. While you might be excited for some sense of normalcy, feeling uncertain and anxious is a normal reaction to the world changing once again.
In other places, the pandemic is getting more serious again, perhaps after months of things seeming like they were getting better. This can be extremely confusing and stress-inducing.
To help transition from lockdown to opening up, we’ve put together some tips on how to deal with pandemic anxiety.
People will respond differently to the current situation where they live depending on differences in being introverted or extroverted, our view of risk, our own health needs and those of our friends and family, and also how the pandemic has affected us personally. Moving from worrying about these factors to another set of rules (or no rules!) can feel strange and cause anxiety and worry.
For some, after spending so much time being stuck inside, we can get used to our own company, or socializing online, and the thought of in-person interactions can feel daunting. Even those who love socializing can feel anxious.
How to deal with pandemic anxiety?
If you’re feeling pretty anxious about things - first of all, acknowledge that this is completely normal. We have been living with a threat for over a year now, and our bodies can react to threats by going into flight or fight mode - literally triggering anxious thoughts and feelings. Lockdown might have been a reset period for some people, but also for others it was a time of intense stress - and people have been living with those feelings of stress for a very long time, which can lead to chronic stress, and issues like sleep deprivation, memory issues, and irritability. However, there are ways to combat this.
Soothing Techniques
There are soothing techniques that you can use to remind your body that you are physically safe. Simple breathing exercises and pranayama practices, like focusing on a long inhalation through your nose, and a long exhalation through your mouth, can take your body out of flight or fight mode. You can also ground yourself by naming one thing you see, one thing you smell, one thing you feel, one thing you hear to help present yourself. These techniques can help to notice your individual stress triggers.
Be Kind to Yourself
Giving yourself a break and being kind to yourself can make a huge difference too. Practicing self-compassion as the world changes around us can help to transition, and remind ourselves that our feelings are completely natural. It can be tempting to beat ourselves up for our feelings and push ourselves to power through, but it's super helpful to accept our feelings and not judge ourselves for them. Give yourself time and space for your feelings, and be present with how you're feeling.
Focus On Things You Can Control
Feeling like we’re not in control has been a feeling many of us have struggled with over the course of the pandemic, and it’s totally normal. There’s a lot in the unknown that we just can’t control, from new variants to the risk of another lockdown. It can be hard to stay calm when you worry about things like this. Not having control can be anxiety-inducing, and we can try and combat this by trying to control things we can’t. It helps to focus on things that you can control, from small things and big things, and also thinking about how we can control our anxiety levels by being kind to ourselves.
Reframing
When we feel anxious it can be easy to get into unhelpful thought patterns, where we start to imagine catastrophic situations or try to predict the future. If you catch yourself doing this about our changing landscape, it can be useful to try and reframe your thoughts, and try and look at things in a more positive way. Remind yourself that it’s normal to feel anxious and that it’s okay to move at your own pace when going back to ‘normal life.
Monitor News Consumption
Watching, reading, and listening to the news is a great way to stay on top of how the world is changing, but too much news consumption can actually make you feel worse. A lot of news stories are based on rumors and speculation and can make you feel more anxious. Try to find a trusted source that you can rely on regularly, and set a time limit for how much you watch, read or listen to it.
Keep Boundaries You’re Comfortable With
Everyone responds to the end of lockdown in different ways, and it will probably affect you. People close to you may be feeling different, maybe more excited than anxious, and they might invite you over or to do things you may not be comfortable with. It’s important to be honest, and set boundaries that you feel comfortable with. Try not to put the needs of others above your own, and practice setting boundaries as we move forward.
Stick to a Routine
Looking after yourself is so important when you’re feeling anxious. Focus on the basics and maintain a routine that fills your day with sleep, healthy food, and exercise, as well as talking to loved ones. Your routine doesn’t need to change too much even though the world might be.
Accept What Has Happened
Even when this is over one day, it may be unrealistic to jump straight back into their lives as if this hasn’t happened. Taking time to process and accept what has happened is important to move forward. Ask yourself questions like "What have I found hard?” and "What have I learned about myself", and take stock of where you are in your life right now.
Wherever you are in the world, the landscape of your life has probably changed drastically over the pandemic. Try not to let your anxious feelings overwhelm you and enjoy your life as much as you can, despite the ongoing unusual circumstances we're still living in.
By Amy Cavill
Practice the 7-Day Yoga for Anxiety Relief Immersion to help you relax!
Are you ready to go deeper into your yoga practice?
This week the focus is on Pranayama, which is a vital component of a complete yoga practice. We’ve got new short classes dedicated to different techniques which will impact your state of mind and your body––fast! Pranayama is the practice of extending and regulating your prana or life force. The way we breathe changes the way we feel.
Yoga luminary T.K.V. Desikachar stated: “In order to influence our prana, we must be able to influence the mind. Our actions often disturb the mind, causing prana to exude the body. Through daily pranayama practice, we reverse this process, as a change in the breathing pattern influences the mind.”
Pranayama techniques are specific breathing practices to enable this process. Asana or the physical postures are used as a practical tool to purify the physical body. Pranayama is a more nuanced tool used to reveal and refine the details of energetic patterns. Pranayama is subtle but extremely profound and also prepares you for meditation.
If you love Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga, you’re familiar with Ujjayi Pranayama or “Victorious Breath.” Using this pattern of breathing through the nose with a slight constriction in the back of your throat helps you maintain awareness of the breath flowing with steadiness, ease, and balance. You literally get into the flow of breath to movement, quieting your mind and calming your nerves.
Other Pranayama techniques can help amp up your energy, soothe your parasympathetic nervous system, quiet your mind, and soften your emotions.
The breath enhances the mind-body connection. Breath links the physical body to the mind and links the mind to the life force or Prana. Power exists in the knowledge you can impact your well-being simply by dedicating your time to your breath cycles.
According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a seminal text on yoga, “when the breath wanders the mind is unsteady. But, when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.”
If you're newer to pranayama practices, all these classes are accessible and beneficial. If you’re already an experienced practitioner, enjoy the review and perhaps discover different perspectives. Breathe deep!
Pradeep Teotia - Pranayama: Kapalabhati
Claire Petretti Marti - Pranayama: Vishama Vritti
Maria Garre - Pranayama to Ground & Calm the Mind
We’ve officially entered the dog days of summer in Colorado, which according to Wikipedia is an expression that “refers to the hot, sultry days of summer especially in the Northern Hemisphere.”
Today we’ve got the antidote to the dog days of summer – Chocolate Ice Cream!
Check out the decadent summery sweet treat recipe below featuring frozen bananas and raw cacao. This ice cream is 100% vegan and dairy-free, making it truly 100% guilt free! And it’s so rich and chocolatey that you’ll never miss the real thing.
Guilt-free ice cream? Sign us up!
That’s how we roll in the 80:20! For more great recipes, habits, tips, and inspiration for how to continue living vibrantly long after the cleanse ends, be sure to check out our Conscious Cleanse On Demand which includes our 80:20 Plan here.
Are you ready to give this vegan ice cream a whirl? Go freeze your ripe bananas (be sure to peel them first!), then let us know after you’ve tried this marvelous treat.
With chocolate ice cream love, Jo & Jules
Vegan Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Yield: 6 servings
1 ripe avocado 4 ripe bananas, peeled, chopped into pieces, frozen ¼ cup cacao powder Pinch sea salt 1 tsp. maple syrup 3 TB. cacao nibs
In a food processor fitted with the “S” blade or high-speed blender, place avocado and frozen banana pieces and blend until no lumps remain. This could take a while and the mixture might need some help by scraping down the sides. If the mixture is too thick let it sit for a few minutes to soften. This helps to get it moving in the food processor. Scrape down this sides and add the cacao, sea salt, and maple syrup. Process until smooth and combined thoroughly. Scrape the mixture into a freezer-safe bowl and stir in the cacao nibs. Serve immediately or cover and freeze until serving. If serving from the freezer let it sit for a moment or two to soften a bit.
Jo Schaalman and Jules Peláez are co-authors of two books The Conscious Cleanse: Lose Weight, Heal Your Body and Transform Your Life in 14 Days, a best-selling, step-by-step guide to help you live your most vibrant life and their brand new The Conscious Cleanse Cookbook! Together they’ve led thousands of people through their online supported cleanse through their accessible and light-hearted approach. They’ve been dubbed “the real deal” by founder and chief creative director Bobbi Brown, of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, beauty editor of the TODAY show.
Yes, yogis can be susceptible to materialism too! I subscribe to numerous yoga mailing lists and it’s nice to have at least one email every day that I know will engage and excite me in a way that all that lovely spam just can’t seem to do.
Lately, though, I’ve started to realize a trend about my beloved yoga newsletters and publications: I’m enticed to buy a product every time I open an email. Maybe I’m especially susceptible to marketing ploys, as, after all, I’ll freely admit how much I love to shop. I realize this isn’t exactly a yogic quality and I have a long way to go to really be able to observe Santosha (the yoga Niyama of contentment), but at least I can recognize it.
The yoga community doesn't always feel like it's doing the same. Yoga is not just about what brand of clothes you wear, what summer yoga festivals you attended, or what brand of new mat you have. However, every yoga magazine I read now contains information about new clothing, mats, or other things that will enhance my practice? Sure, these publications need advertisers, but when I open up a magazine and see a spread of What to Wear as if I were flipping through Vogue, I have to admit, I’m sometimes a little put off.
I imagine that there are many people who will disagree with my assessment of this as there are great and new innovative yoga products that are exciting to learn about and try. I’m also not saying that practitioners are shallow or driven by our consumer culture and I’m certainly not suggesting that all yogis come to class to show off their great new gear. I am, however, suggesting that consumer culture might be driving our yoga community more than we realize. I’m not condemning people who enjoy buying new yoga gear – I do it myself. I worry however, about how many yogis get caught up in the consumerism of yoga products.
Many come to yoga to clear our minds and find something deeper, more meaningful, than fancy yoga pants or ultra-plush yoga mats. When I read yoga literature, I expect to learn about how to go deeper in my practice – perhaps through different breathing techniques, maybe with meditation tips, possibly because of strategies to get the most out of an asana more than feeling like I’m opening up a catalogue. I have found myself distracted from good stories because I’m enamored with the newest mat comparison chart or floor-gripping gloves.
Yes, corporations have realized they can capitalize on yoga to make a buck and it's understandable that as yoga's popularity and benefits grow, so do the need for more yoga gear. Would it make me a better yogi to keep my mouth shut and learn to block it out? It’s kind of difficult when I walk into the studio and see large red sale banners pointing down to $25 headbands or $80 yoga pants though!
By Khaleelah Jones
Yoga can be a magnet for you to attract the things you dream of. Unfortunately, it is not a fairy dust you can sprinkle on your mat. The shifts do not come overnight. And, you cannot simply mutter a Sanskrit mantra for your hopes to manifest. It is a journey of work, of love, and of intense self-reflection. It takes tapas - the yogic ethical concept of discipline and austerity. For many people, yoga is nothing more than a fancy workout, or maybe a few calm moments of de-stressing or elaborate stretching. However, yoga is much more. It is a science, a wellness system, a lifestyle, a philosophy, and more than anything a path to clarity and joy. The beauty of yoga is that is flexible to your life and needs. There is an infinite number of ways to practice as there is to interpret the meaning of the word. The word yoga is derived from a word meaning to yoke or to unite. One encompassing way to conceptualize this is to think of uniting the self with all - to connect with the source of all possibilities. The true magic of yoga can happen with the sincere realization of the concept "Namaste" - the light in me recognizes and honors the light within you."
When this is realized, there is a great surrender - defenses drop - prejudices fall. All things become you, and you become all things. Of course, this too is no sudden switch but is learned slowly over time - the concept, like yoga, is endless and ever-deepening.
In the beginning, yoga with all the Sanskrit words and postures alluded me. The intricate curves of the ancient writing looked more elusive than Korean. Sitting upright in a cross-legged position was physical torture, and holding tree pose for more than five seconds seemed an impossible feat. Still, there was still a deep resonance within me. As I continued to practice and study yoga, I sensed a truth that is now growing and intertwining with everything in my life on and off the mat.
Similar to things you may have read in books like The Secret or in articles about the law of attraction, once you begin this path of yoga –or your own effort to seek wellness and clarity- things in life effortlessly fall into place. There is work and, of course, some difficulties as you are faced with the task of clearing out the muck. Once the path clears, it is still your choice to follow it, to listen, and to take the openings or not. If you do choose to step forward it is rewarding. Here are some instances of the way yoga has brought opportunities into my life. Just a month before graduating from yoga teacher training, a job fell into my lap. A fellow yoga school graduate sent out an email asking for people to take over her classes. Responding to the late, I figured it was a long shot, but, I got the job, and beyond that, it came with a teaching mentor and the opportunity to lead a teens’ class. Both perks were things I had been silently dreaming of.
Beyond the yoga front - other jobs have seemingly fallen into my lap. I wanted a way out of my dead-end job so that I could nanny and teach yoga. Out of the blue, the sister of a family I had babysat for once a year before, called me and asked me to take care of her daughter a couple of times a week. I found out that she had been training to teach Bikram yoga before becoming pregnant. Our friendship grew and we continue to find similarities in each other. I love the little girl, and it turned into a wonderful job. Through her, I have been put in touch with four other families that I now work with. The families I work for on a regular basis all needed me on opposing days that work together in perfect synchronicity.
Here, a deeper meaning of the word yoga comes to fruition. Everything becomes untangled and one can see how each strand connects seamlessly. It doesn’t matter if you understand the words and concepts of yoga consciously or can perfectly do a headstand or can practice patience in every situation – this is a journey, and what matters only is that you begin.
By Chelsea Cunningham
Kindness is the reason! A universal thread in all yoga practices is learning to embody loving kindness. How you treat yourself has an effect on you and how you treat others has an effect on you. When you are kind, your behavior impacts others around you in a positive manner and helps them feel more content.
Learning to be compassionate and kind regardless of circumstances is one of the key principles of the eight-limbed yoga path, as expressed in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. Ahimsa, the first of five Yamas contained in the first limb of yoga is at its root is all about kindness.
Ahimsa translates to the absence of, or the freedom from violence, killing, judging, or harming. Ahimsa is avoiding all forms of violence to yourself or to others. It is less about physical violence and more about thoughts and feelings.
When you are critical, when you are judgmental, when you are cruel to yourself or to others, you are killing off life force. When your judgment impairs another’s hopes and dreams, you are harming them as concretely as if you had physically struck them. This type of behavior arises from fear, weakness, or ignorance. Doing the internal work to focus on love and step away from fear is vital to embodying kindness. When you practice yoga with the intention to manifest compassion, love, understanding, and patience, you are practicing ahimsa. You are non-harming.
The Yoga Sutras offer more wisdom in the form of the “Four Infinite Thoughts” in Sutras 1:32-33a. In essence, this guidance offers the belief that there are four locks in our own minds and in the character of other people: happy, unhappy, virtuous and non-virtuous. Patanjali advised: “Befriend the happy; have compassion for the unhappy; delight in the virtuous; be indifferent toward the non-virtuous.”
In his commentary on Patanjali’s Sutras, Swami Satchidananda called these principles the four keys to contentment: “These four keys should always be with you in your pocket. If you use the right key with the right person you will retain your peace. Nothing in the world can upset you then.”
Basically, this wisdom suggests we be kind and friendly to everyone, regardless of how they treat you. By choosing to be compassionate toward everyone, you elevate yourself out of acting in a harmful manner toward yourself and others.
Kindness is true strength. This week we bring you classes to help you embody kindness.
Kristen Boyle - Kindness is Strength: Deep Hip Flow
Jeanie Manchester - Bhuvaneshwari Flow: Earth & Sky
Dana Damara - Hearts Wide Open
Labor Day weekend is not too far away in the United States and it’s known to be the last big hurrah of the summer. With that in mind, we wanted to make certain that we “cooked” up the very best recipes for your barbecue weekend. Ditch the pies, cookies, and other sugary treats and opt for this Farm Fresh Raw Peach Tart, which is truly a slice of heaven.
The key to this recipe is the ripe succulent peaches that are overflowing at the supermarket and local farmstands. I sourced the peaches for this recipe from Ela Family Farms in Hotchkiss, Colorado, and boy can you tell that these peaches didn’t travel very far!
Whether buying peaches from your farmer or grocery store, the key is knowing which ones to choose. A quick tip for picking peaches is to use your schnoz. Yes, your sniffer! A peach is ripe and ready to be eaten when you can smell it’s sweet ripe fragrance.
We hope you enjoy this decadent guilt-free treat. Please share this recipe with your family and friends and spread the love.
Leave a comment below and tell us how you’ve indulged in your love of peaches this summer.
To a long and blissful summer weekend,
Jo
Farm Fresh Peach Tart
1 1/2 cup raisins 1 1/2 cup dates 1 1/2 cup raw pecans 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 -1 tsp cinnamon 2-3 fresh organic peaches 1 fresh organic nectarine Juice of 1/2 lemon 1-2 peaches, sliced
Directions:
In a food processor fitted with an S blade, combine raisins, dates, raw pecans, sea salt and cinnamon until smooth. Press mixture evenly into a tart dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until the crust is hard. Meanwhile, in a high-speed blender, combine peaches, nectarines and lemon juice. Pour into chilled crust. Top with sliced peaches. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Enjoy!
For the Audio Reading & Full Moon Resources
This Full Moon marks the fulfillment, and nurturance of the ‘I AM’ through a new conscious evolution. At this pinnacle point, we have reached a monumental aspect within the collective consciousness. The Full Moon lights up in Abhijit a ‘lost’ nakshatra (lunar mansion) which marks the return to higher consciousness. The theme of this lunation will shower down nurturing cosmic prana and work to expand the sense of being into greater conscious ownership of one's divine plan.
Saturn and Jupiter continue to play a prominent role through this Full Moon. They are working to reshape self-aware consciousness through subject and object. The subject/object shift is how one sees self within reality. It is duality into creation. The mental shifts have reached a level in which the individual mind is more settled, more reassured, more aware of boundaries, and even aware of dislikes. This is a part of redirection. The energies are strengthening one’s own inner guru. These forces will work to expand the mind so one can take on who they are becoming. This ownership and consciousness shift will unite ‘I AM’ into a new state of understanding and embodiment. It will work to shift the restraints one believes is possible.
There will be a natural inclination to move towards divine plan and impulses will shift ownership of dharma into day-to-day actions. This shift will move one through interest and new motivations and inspirations will arise. Limitations and any boundary testing that has led into this Full Moon is an integral part of the unfolding. These energies are reaffirming one’s value system and will work to strengthen inner confidence.
Deeper cosmic energies are relaying Moksha-liberation. This is liberation from the mundane aspects that may have hindered the ‘I AM’ consciousness from taking fuller form within everyday life. The liberation is another level of spiritual manifestation within material through the individuated consciousness. There is a transformation of the ‘I’ self, a retraction of selfishness, in which one can see more unity consciousness. It is a pivotal shift towards Aquarian consciousness.
Here lie the energies for dharma and purpose to emerge within greater space throughout the 4 levels of the mind. Like Aquarian consciousness one must see themselves as limitless, not bound by restrictions, it will work to expand the sense of self in achieving and striving for dharma. Don’t worry these energies are also working to downpour cosmic prana. You will be thoroughly supported energetically, and spiritually. Your cup will flow over, allow the residue of the old to wash away. Many of you may feel energetic shifts within the body, either in your rhythms and/or emotionally.
This position works to bloom the latent potentials within the self that have been stirring over these last few lunations. It will give new energies to nurture abilities and awareness arising from within. Expect more confidence, but outward action isn’t there yet. When the Sun moves into Leo, (not just Leo season) the outward energies will be more of an emanation. It will emanate from the new way of seeing and being. Another important aspect of this Full Moon is its energy of preservation. There will be a preservation of what works, preservation of the self so stability is worked from within. This will allow one to carry their inner wisdom forward in the here and now. The Full Moon asks that you own yourself and the divine plan within the present.
Be well my loves,
Geenie (Gemma) Celento
With curiosity, I applied a new lens to my yoga practice — is it good for my longevity? It’s a wonderful puzzle to consider the arcs of now, the future and the possibility of an elder future and how every moment I am planting seeds, or making choices, that impact all three of these stages of life.
What does a yoga practice look like that is an offering to all three of these versions of me? Before I share what I’ve found to be true for me, let me share a bit about my existing framework.
First, I believe yoga is one of many means to a healthy and fulfilling life, it is not the end itself. Even for me, someone who has made a career out of yoga, someone who feels called to teach yoga, it is not my only resource nor my only passion. It’s a supplement, or a field of practice, that improves my quality of life. Just like anything else, the most helpful dosage changes over time and sometimes I have to try a different flavor or a different practice altogether to restore balance in my system.
Second, I believe human beings belong to nature and that we are cyclical. There is the BIG maha cycle of life and infinite smaller cycles. Interestingly, a healthy cycle, no matter how small or large, follows a pattern:
Birth — Growth — Peak — Decline — Death — Rebirth
Or
Generation — Maturity — Fruit —Seed — Rest — Regeneration
Simply
Birth — Life — Death — Rebirth
And here’s where it gets exciting, because there are so many aspects of being human, life is so rich, we may be in decline in one area of our life while regenerating in another.
So, knowing that yoga is just one tool kit among many and that we are cyclical beings, what kind of yoga practice promotes longevity? Here are the important characteristics of a yoga practice for longevity.
Yoga for longevity is accessible, adaptable, balanced, compassionate and diversified.
Accessible— a practice that is accessible during all or most stages of life. Regardless of your mobility, flexibility, coordination or strength. This means that “peak” poses and alignment are out and props and mindfulness are in.
Peak poses, as the name suggests, are only suitable for one stage of your natural cycles. Either that, or a radical shift in perspective about what a “peak” is… What if the “peaks” of your Yoga practice are the moments you feel at home inside of yourself?
Alignment and technique you often use to “improve” a posture but in some stages of life, like declines and rest periods, aiming for improvement is not realistic or supportive. In a longevity practice, alignment and technique are of little importance and only serve to prevent injury and provide helpful instruction.
Props and creativity can make a lot of yoga poses accessible and beneficial. Using props illuminates the poses in a different way and you can use them in any Yoga practice, but especially longevity practice.
My teacher Sarah Powers once said that mind states, or the ability to move energy with the attention of the mind, is where your human potential lies. Framing mindfulness in this way is a huge moment of reckoning and empowerment. There may be times in this life that you cannot move your body, what will you do then to create inner circulation? Amazingly, this frontier of your human potential is also highly accessible. Thus, significant components to accessible yoga are mindfulness and meditation practices.
Adaptable — adaptability goes hand in hand with accessibility. Adaptability is one of the most defining characteristics of the human species. It goes well beyond your body’s capacity to adapt (but that’s also quite extraordinary) and deep into your problem solving and creative capacities.
For the instructor, this means offering a lot of variations and encouraging the practitioner to find their own expression.
For the practitioner, this means exploring and being curious. Can you adapt the practice to where you are at today? If you get sick, have an injury, feel heavy, feel light, feel rigid, feel soft, can you adapt the practice to be supportive?
Balanced — there are two pieces to this.
First, given everything else you do or don’t do in your life, how can a yoga practice provide balance? Your life will move in cycles and what you need to move towards balance will change. Moving towards balance begins with self-awareness and becomes an art as you become more adept at knowing yourself.
Second, the practice itself is balanced between movement and stillness, between attending to the body and attending to the mind, between the inhale and the exhale, between that effort and the ease, between the instruction and the silence.
When I say “the practice” I don’t mean one yoga class. I mean the average of anything you would consider your Yoga practice. Classical Yoga offers eight limbs, see below. You can have however many branches to your practice that you want. I put the limbs of my practice below, too.
When you think about all of the pieces of your practice fitting into a whole, is there a balance between your input and your output? Are you nourishing all aspects of your being?
Patanjali’s Eight Limbs of Yoga
Caitlin’s Limbs of Yoga
Compassionate — how you practice is just as important as what you are practicing. If you are beating yourself up for any reason or feeling negative about your body, your emotions or any part of yourself, your yoga practice can become toxic.
If you are not used to listening to your body and you are aggressive, pushing through pain or resistance, you will cause more harm to your body than good.
A quote of Pema Chodron’s that I love is, “We are all neurotic and we are all wise.”
Let’s approach the yoga practice with our wise selves turned-up and be tender towards ourselves on good days, bad days and everything in between. Meet yourself where you are at compassionately.
Diversified — one of the most common types of injury yoga practitioners get is a repetitive movement injury. We can also get repetitive movement injuries from anything we do a lot of, like typing, driving, pulling espresso shots, carrying the kids, etc.
Here’s a visual I hope will help…
Imagine that your body is made from hundreds of thousands of pieces of thread and like fabric, these threads are woven together and run alongside each other. If we always stretch and strengthen the body in the same way some of those threads get frayed from over-use while other threads get clumped and tangled together from under-use.
Rather than doing the same practice over and over again, or the same poses week after week, which will over-use some of our tissues and under-use others, you gently glide, stretch and strengthen as many threads in your body as you can.
Diversifying means exploring ALL ranges of movement and attending to not just the muscles, but also the fascia, tendons, ligaments, bones and internal organs. This means incorporating both dynamic practices like gentle flows and holding strength building shapes with longer passive holds (Yin Yoga).
Putting it all together… Practicing with a lens for longevity has made my practice more joyful. I relish holding an active strength building pose more because I know it’s value and I know the value of its opposite. Sinking into stillness no longer feels anxiety provoking, it has become a respite from overstimulation and excessive output. Gentle movement shines a light on the path for how I can practice for a long time to come, even hopefully as an elder. Finally, the combination of it all gives me resources to adapt to the seasons of my life and integrate my Yoga practice with other parts of my lifestyle.
If you would like to practice Yoga for Longevity, I’ve put together a package of classes on YogaDownload that offers Yin Yoga, Breathwork, Gentle Flow, and Mindfulness. I hope you enjoy it and bring your own creative adaptations into your practice!
By Caitlin Rose Kenney
Caitlin Rose teaches yoga to satisfy the whole being and speaks about the physical practice as an access point for widespread change in mental patterns, emotional states, and connection to spirit. Caitlin Rose is known for holding space with a calm confidence that allows practitioners to move safely, feel their experience, revitalize and heal. Her gentle demeanor and articulate instructions aid students at any level to advance their ability for precision and graceful embodiment.
If we asked you to share your number one reason to practice yoga, what would your response be? Answers run the gamut from spiritual enlightenment (Samadhi) to physical mastery of asanas like handstand or Hanumanasana, to mental health benefits like stress relief. Whether you step onto the mat for the spiritual, physical, or mental aspects of yoga, you are receiving all the benefits. What if we suggested you regard yoga as life insurance?
Consider your yoga practice through the lens of preventative healthcare, a tool to ensure you’ll continue enjoying a long life to the fullest. Yoga helps keep our bodies strong and supple, our minds alert and open, and our hearts softer and more compassionate.
To sustain a lifelong yoga practice, check in with yourself. Are you doing the same things out of habit, but it no longer gives you the same joy or energy?
When we learn to adapt our practice to the seasons of our lives, we maintain our strength and flexibility, and balance for as long as possible.
Physical: Your yoga practice will change and transition throughout your lifetime. A practice that is appropriate and nourishing for a twenty-two year old may look completely different than one for a forty-two year old. The key is to listen to your body––the answers are contained in your tissues. If your sweaty Ashtanga practice feels great, keep going! But if jumping back into chaturanga is creating pain in your shoulders, perhaps it is time to consider a different transition.
Mental: Yoga has always been about learning to direct your thoughts where you want them to go. As we age, we can begin to lose mental acuity. Through mindful yoga practices we learn to quiet our minds and filter out distractions. We strengthen our brains. Pranayama or breath control is a valuable tool to manage stress levels and calm us when we are anxious and energize us when we feel lethargic. Adding in yoga practices specifically for longevity, like Yin and gentle slow classes specifically designed to soothe the nervous system can keep us young.
Emotional: To maintain Santosha (contentment) in life requires regulating our moods. Emotional strain impacts every single one of us––on both professional and personal levels. Yoga provides a tool to release feelings that may be weighing us down. It helps us lighten our moods which in turn helps relieve health-related issues stemming from stress.
The sum of all practice is vibrant health inside and out, like a long-life insurance policy. This wonderful Yoga for Longevity program is designed to support a healthy lifestyle, whether you are new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner. Through sustainable practices that promote joint health, improve mobility, and relieve stress, these classes will keep you feeling your best now and far into the future.
Enjoy this simple and delicious yellow smoothie. Tropical flavors are great for waking you up in the morning. The use of Greek yogurt provides you with much-needed protein that you require to keep you going for the rest of the day. Bananas are the most important ingredients in most healthy smoothies, as they are loaded with potassium, magnesium and create a thick lining in your stomach which protects your digestive system. Make yourself this smoothie in the mornings and you have your healthy breakfast in a mug!
By Zyana Morris
Zyana Morris is a passionate health and lifestyle blogger who loves to write about prevailing trends.
Want to get better posture with yoga? Try this program!
We can feel at home, anywhere. By nature, I am not the most settled person. I travel constantly and I haven't really had a home base that I would confidently call my own. Over the last few years, I’ve changed locations dozens of times across multiple countries. I’ve lived in places for no more than 6 weeks at a time. It’s been an exciting adventure and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Through my experience, I have learned to bring my sense of “home” with me wherever I go. A master nester, if you will. I have become accustomed to picking my life up, putting it on my shoulders, and moving to the next destination. Kind of like a turtle, my home is always with me.
Lately, the idea of continuing to travel drains me more than it inspires me. It’s clear that I’m craving stability. I’m craving security. I’m craving a home base. I recognize all of these as Root Chakra needs. We all have them.
To cope with my imbalanced Root Chakra, I’ve been working with earth energy and using grounding techniques in my meditation practice. I’ve pulled out all the stops.
In this guide to balancing the Root Chakra, I share my go-to practices and rituals that make me feel warm and cozy in an instant. Those that help me feel strong, empowered and deeply connected.
I love the process of settling in. I love making myself feel at home. My sense of home is always with me. By sharing what works for me, I hope it brings peace and stability into your world.
Simple Approaches to Heal the Root Chakra: Below you’ll find an outline of a few simple Root Chakra calming strategies. Calming and balancing activities for the chakras range from contemplation, meditation, proper nutrition, and physical exercise. These exercises, in conjunction with a Root Chakra Healing Program will help you to experience a balanced Root Chakra in no time. Trust in yourself to do the work. Work it and it’ll work for you.
1. Earthbound Connections
Because people with Root chakra imbalance feel anxious and detached, re-establishing relation to the Earth is the first phase toward healing Muladhara. The Root Chakra relates deeply to the element of the earth, so when we do activities that connect us with the earth, we are nurturing our Root Chakra. Stimulate connection with the earth by gardening or going on long walks in nature.
If you are in an urban area, you can still find nature around you. Bring a plant into your apartment, or go visit a local park. Even holding a crystal could do the trick. The point is to feel a connection with the earth. You could even meditate with the idea of Grounding.
When healing the Root Chakra, be mindful to ensure a safe and harmonious connection with your surroundings and loved ones. The connection to the world and your surroundings will create a sense of harmony and stability. With a connection to earth energy, you may feel at ease with who you are and your purpose in this world.
2. Eat Root Vegetables
Minor adjustments to your food intake may also prove beneficial to healing the Root Chakra. The organic matter that we ingest literally forms the basis of our being. In a literal sense, the proteins and vitamins in our food become the baseline of our health.
A balanced diet can usually help hold the chakras intact. Do you ever wonder why you crave “comfort food” when you are stressed? There are some common foods associated with the Root Chakra. Ironically, those foods are generally roots!
Look for foods that are:
• High in protein. Feed your muscles foods like beans, tofu, kale, and almonds.
• Red. Because of its connection with the color red, the Root Chakra plays nicely with red foods like red peppers, raspberries, or cherries. Typically these products give you a lot of vitamin C, and support your immune system, as a bonus.
• Roots. Vegetables such as beets, carrots and potatoes are all grown in the ground. Directly related to the roots in the earth, these vegetables help to rebalance a misaligned Root Chakra.
3. Crystal Healing for Root Chakra
You might be able to realign or begin to unblock the Root Chakra by working intentionally with certain stones. Crystals carry energy and when working with certain stones, you can access different levels of energy and connection. As crystals are made of earthbound energy, working with crystals can bring a sense of calm to the Root Chakra. When working with the Root Chakra, the following stones may be of particular benefit. • Carnelian: A pale red stone with orange hues. Red carnelian blends power, cleanliness, and courage. If you suffer from anxiety and can’t bring yourself to abandon your comfort zone, Carnelian will support you in building self-confidence. • Obsidian: A black gemstone is said to be a stone of protection. You can defend yourself against dark energy with this stone. Wear it while you work to become more stable in your life, and your obstacles will be met with ease. • Bloodstone: Historically kept as a token of good health and long life, Bloodstone also has a reputation for bringing good fortune. Leading to an increase in finances, it helps to banish negativity and protect one from evil. With all that, Bloodstone will be your Root Chakra’s lucky charm. • Argonite: Argonite is the crystal of expansion. It supports us as we learn to expand our beliefs and learn to reprogram our prejudices. We need to be able to stretch out edges and grow without fear or worry getting in the way.
4. Abundance Mindset
Adopting an abundance mindset can have a tremendous impact on a healthy energetic system. Meditation and journaling practices may be a tremendous benefit in letting go of materialistic desires. Instead of worrying about the lack, focus on the good you already have.
Reframe your perspective when thinking about finances, your sense of self, or your general health and safety. Instead of thinking, “I’m so broke. My bank account is empty.” Try thinking, “My bank account is wide open for growth.”
One of the main aspects of Muladhara chakra healing is learning to trust and enjoy yourself by letting go of anxiety. Your nerves naturally decrease when you stop operating from a scarcity mindset. Accept that you are important and successful in this universe. Believe that good things are coming.
Anything you put your mind to, you will do.
Be confident in sharing your power and capabilities. As you use an abundance mindset to calm the Root Chakra, you will find hope, confidence, and resilience. Remember: There is always enough.
5. Meditations on the Root Chakra
Root Chakra meditations will benefit you too when it comes to healing Muladhara. Start by initiating your standard mediation strategies, such as sitting still and concentrating on the breath. But then, try to draw a physical connection to the earth. Using grounding techniques like the Grounding Cord Meditation taught in my Root Chakra Healing Kit, can stimulate a strong connection with the earth and build a sense of security in the Root Chakra.
Sit or stand up straight. Start by relaxing all your muscles and shutting your eyes. Breathe deeply. Inhale through the nose, draw the air through the lungs as deep down as you can, and exhale through the mouth.
Shift your focus to the Root Chakra spot, right under your tailbone.
Imagine an energetic cord expanding from that area into the earth. Let it drop below the floor, and the dirt and rocks beneath that. Continue to drop the cord further and further into the earth’s core. Then, pause in the stillness.
In this connected state, release any unwanted feelings of anxiety, stress, or worry. Let the healing energy of the earth absorb those feelings. They can be transformed into something productive in another cycle.
Before returning back to the room, take a moment to pull up feelings of safety, security, and abundance. Bring these energies with you as lessons and reminders from the earth. Use them to remind yourself that there is always enough for everyone and we are destined to thrive.
Visualize the cord coming back up toward the Root Chakra center at the base of your spine and integrating seamlessly into your being. You are fully connected, whole, and held by the earth. There is nothing to worry about.
Find the full-length guided version of this meditation in the Root Chakra Toolkit, an online course for nurturing your Root Chakra.
6. Practice Grounding Yoga Poses
The following yoga poses help to connect with the earth's energy and bring a sense of grounding to the physical body. Try to be completely present when activating your Root Chakra and be intentional about your movements and the way you power through or release completely.
Think about what your body needs, then listen to it. Here are some suggested practices.
Morning Grounding Poses:
Earthy Evening Poses:
Conclusion: As a long-term traveler, I’ve used these tricks to help me get a sense of being grounded while traveling. Despite my home changing dozens of times across multiple landscapes over the last couple years. I have learned to carry my home with me.
By working with the practices mentioned above, I have maintained my sense of security, my Root Chakra alignment, and overcome my own fears and insecurities. You can too.
If you utilize some of the tactics in this guide, comment below and let me know how you get on with it! I can also help support your journey through 3-Days to Ground Yourself.
Be well & happy living.
By Whitney Reynolds
I'm an online yoga and meditation teacher and certified energy healer. I've spent the past few years traveling the world, but have recently settled down in the state of Oregon. I teach from a culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed lens and enjoy holding space for transformative class experiences. Find the Ground Yourself Challenge here.
Bad days can happen to anyone, even the most positive of us. Anything from a stressful day at work, something you love breaking, getting caught up in traffic - things go wrong and we feel like life just well, sucks. While we can’t manage absolutely everything in the world to ensure we never have a bad day, we can do some small things every day to boost our mood, no matter what life throws at us.
Start the Morning Right
If you don’t start your first 20 minutes of the day by getting up and doing something good, it’s been said it can have an impact on the entire rest of your day. To avoid your whole morning, afternoon and evening being an uphill battle, try and do something productive in those first 20 minutes, if its meditation, going for a walk, making a healthy breakfast, or catching up on some positive news, it will boost your mood and start you right for the rest of the day.
Drink Water
Drinking water can help to energize your body, support healthy weight, improve your brain function and also improve your sleep. Sounds great! Try and drink between 2-3 liters of water a day, and try and drink some first thing in the morning - yes this means before your morning coffee! Top tip - try to drink room temperature water to help it be absorbed more quickly to rehydrate you faster.
Take the Stairs
If you’re able to, skip the lift and take the stairs every day. Even if you don’t have time for a daily workout, take the stairs when you’d usually take a lift, if it's at home, work, or the shops. Climbing stairs is actually the equivalent of 5x the amount of jogging per day, so it’s one of the easiest ways to get fit and have a boost of happy chemicals.
Be Present
One of the best ways to stay cheerful is to stay in the present. Wandering minds and too much dwelling and daydreaming can actually bring you down. Try to re-center by sitting quietly for a few minutes and try some deep and calming breaths. Focus on the breath moving in and out of your body and guide your thoughts to your breath if your mind starts to wander.
Eat a Banana
Did you know that eating a banana can help you to produce the same amount of happy chemicals as some antidepressants? They’re also a great way to keep up your energy levels, so try eating a banana a day!
Get Sunshine
As soon as you can after you wake up - get outside for a walk. Vitamin D can massively boost your mood, and also help you to stay present if you pay attention to all of your senses and surroundings! Pay attention to the things you see, hear and feel, without any distractions.
Eat Breakfast
You need fuel to get through the day, so breakfast is essential. If you don’t start the day by eating a meal, your body will want more snacks and fuel during non-meal times, and you’ll probably have a headache, be grumpy and less productive. Stay away from sugar and unhealthy foods and try something high fiber to keep you going.
Get Moving
You don’t have to go to the gym to get fit - you can work exercise into your daily routine - there are many ways that you can incorporate working out into your daily routine. Try taking a walk, instead of getting a bus, or as before, take the stairs. Gardening and housework and chores can also get you moving and busy. Try and get your heart rate up to a walking pace, for it to have a beneficial effect.
Be Kind to Someone
Do something nice for someone else, such as helping someone with the shopping, or helping a colleague at work, or helping someone with their chores. Doing something nice for someone else will help you to lift your mood and make you feel good.
Reflect
Finally, some self-reflection can help you boost your self-sense of worth. People who self-reflect are able to be more disciplined and have a better focus, as well as the ability to manage stress and emotions, making them altogether more chilled and happy! Try to reflect each evening on what’s happened in the day.
Why not try our 9 days of Ashtanga Yoga Immersion series and find out Ashtanga's benefits for yourself?
One of yoga’s greatest benefits is the process of tuning into your thoughts and emotions and understanding your own personal truth. When we utilize the tools of a consistent yoga practice, we learn to tune out distractions and external influences and listen to our internal voice. Avidya or mistaken perception is ignorance––the fundamental inability to see things as they are. The practice of yoga is moving away from these misperceptions toward Viveka, the ability to discern and see clearly.
The physical practice aids us in relaxing our muscles and begins the process of delving deeper into our psyche. Yoga teaches us that all we need is within us, we simply need to pay attention. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras include the eight-limbed path of yoga. The Niyamas, or moral observances, are tangible steps to achieve a calm and peaceful mind.
One of the Niyamas is Svadhyaya, which means self-study. Svadhyaya includes the study of texts and authors and teachers, but it also means self-examination and reflection. Through mindful movement and breath, we can eliminate disruptions and focus on our thoughts and feelings. Simply giving your mind a break for an hour to focus on sensation and breath gives you space to reflect more deeply. We become quiet enough to study our beliefs, to listen to our inner knowledge.
Through physical practice and meditation, we learn to control our reactions to what is happening around us. Yoga is the ability to direct the mind exclusively toward an object and sustain that direction without any distractions.” Yoga Sutra 1.2 Citta Vritti Nirodhah. Maybe that simply means you can be patient in challenging situations that triggered you in the past. Or that you can stay present during uncomfortable circumstances with the knowledge that everything is temporary. Yoga can help you learn to tune in to your intuition and act upon it.
As a result of being present in your practice, you can attain greater concentration, mindfulness, and clarity. This week’s classes will help you on your journey to a more balanced, joyful outlook on life. And, of course, feeling stronger and more supple on the outside supports inner strength!
Robert Sidoti - Morning Routine to Start Your Day
Christen Bakken - The Conditions for Joy
Jackie Casal Mahrou - Happiness Flow
Mushrooms are good! One of my favorite things to forage, but of course, spring is not the high season for mushrooms (at least not in Estonia), so today I used king oyster mushrooms. I have made the same recipe with button mushrooms and while still delicious, king oysters work the best here. I like that they are not too watery and of course, the fact that 2 mushrooms are enough to make up dinner for one person helps as they are so simple to prepare.
The mushroom recipe itself is very simple too, and I usually always have all the ingredients waiting in my fridge or cupboard.
If you are a lover of sticky delicious mushrooms like I am, I already have two recipes here, so check out these Sticky Asian mushrooms and Bao buns with mushrooms. But there is always room for another mushroom recipe, and it is different from the previous ones.
One of the key players here for me is the butter. If you are fully plant-based, of course, you can use a vegan alternative or just stick to oil, but butter does give the recipe a special touch, and combined with soy and sugar it is amazing.
I like to have rice on the side, but noodles or even pasta would work well too.
Enjoy!
Soy-Glazed King Oyster Mushrooms
Cooking time: 20 min
Serves: 2
4 large king oyster mushrooms
2 tbsp butter (use vegan butter or oil to make plant-based)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp coconut sugar
Chili flakes, to taste
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
Spring onions, coriander, and toasted sesame seeds to serve
Cut the mushrooms to large junks and fry in a tiny bit of butter until crispy on all sides. Set aside until you prepare the glaze.
Melt the rest of the butter on a pan and over medium heat cook the ginger for few minutes. Add the sugar, chili flakes, soy sauce, and lemon juice. Mix until the sugar has melted.
Have a try and add anything you feel is missing.
Add the mushrooms back into the glaze, heat for few more minutes until the glaze slightly caramelizes around the mushrooms.
I like to serve the mushrooms sprinkled with spring onions, coriander leaves, toasted sesame seeds, and sometimes a little extra chili flakes.
A friend asked me what my most unusual job has been. After running down a few odd positions I’ve held in my past, (did you know I spent a year as a Glitter Fairy?) I landed on the rewarding work of being a doula, or birth assistant. This doula work was a natural culmination of my life-long gravitation to all things baby. I had spent the previous decade working as a nanny, mostly of newborns and infants, and had also started teaching Prenatal Yoga and practicing Prenatal Massage. Many of my girlfriends were on a journey of pregnancy and childbirth for the first time, and a few had asked for my help. Over the span of a few years I witnessed (and hopefully helped in some small way) twenty-six new, fresh baby beings enter into this world. Although every birth was its own messy, joyous and arduous event, after each I felt so extremely honored, to the point of tears, to have been there.
Through the years of teaching pregnant women safe yoga techniques, holding hands and wiping brows during labor contractions, and changing poopy diapers of many little babes, I never once doubted that I would experience mamahood for myself. Being a mother was all I ever wanted since I was a little girl, my biological clock was all I could hear. However, my inability to become pregnant and my ensuing infertility diagnosis forced my life trajectory to turn 180-degrees. That year was one of reconciliation; the path I always assumed I would take is just not available. So now I am faced with a giant black hole, a strobing neon question mark, an echoing plea to inquire into “Well then, what’s next?”
On the very first day of my RootEd Yoga Teacher’s Apprenticeship my beloved teacher, Jessica, pulled Goddess cards for each of her students. The card pulled for me was the great Hawaiian goddess of fire, Pele. The text read “Divine Passion; be honest with yourself, what is your heart’s true desire?” This resonated intensely for me. Now that the passion and drive to be a mama had to be relinquished I had a chance to see what else inspired me. Instead of gestating and birthing a physical baby, what else could I create to give to this world?
To discover my new creative force, I turned my inward gaze downward to my Second Chakra, which is also called the Sacral Chakra, Svadhistana, or Her Favorite Standing Place. The Second Chakra spins in the pelvic region, its orange light shining upon our reproductive areas, the fearful psoas muscle and the bony sacrum. It throbs the pulse of creation, taste, sexuality, music, water, and emotions. It invokes conscious creation, versus habitual reaction. In our asana practice, it is governed by forward folds and hip openers.
Lounging in a Yin yoga version of Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) during my practice this morning, my mind was called to my 2nd Chakra via the deep aching voice in my outer hip. I recalled the high-fives given by my long-time chiropractor Jay. He had found sincere joy in the fact that my pelvis is finally moving correctly after years of SI joint dysfunction. He had pressed me to understand that this shift was one of my own personal healing and growth, rather than a solely physical state. I also recognized the importance of getting through heartbreak and healing, for letting go of the past is a way to purify Svadhistana. I acknowledged some grief for the dreams of motherhood that never rooted, and at the same time, I reveled in my freedom, especially when it comes to exploring sexuality and sensuality as a sacred practice.
Finally, I felt the real need to nurture my creative energy and direct it into my calling as a yoga teacher and massage therapist here in my Denver community. Instead of leaving offspring behind in this world, my legacy will be how I serve my community with my healing work.
So, I could wrap up this piece on creativity, birth, and the Second Chakra right here, and tie a tidy bow around it. Instead, I need to mention the pitfall of creative offering – the over-identification with the end result. Having lived in the world of art and artists, I fully know what ugliness can happen when ego gets overly entwined with creation.
Sadly, the yoga world is not immune to this, either. So I remind myself as I employ my new creative energy to offer it up, to release my identity with the creation. Yoga Sutra 1.23 states “Isvara Pranidhanad Va,” or “by giving your life and identity to the Divine, Supreme Consciousness, you attain the identity of the Divine.” When I can co-create with the Divine I am no longer mired in the results of my creation. This takes ginormous trust in my new life path, and a profound release of perfectionism. As my teacher Jessica says, “When we offer it up, we trust. We let go of the need to worry, control and dictate. We know we will be held.”
After my doula certification had long expired, I found myself, somewhat by accident, assisting at a beautiful home-birth in North Denver. I had been called in at the last minute to massage the laboring mother, a yoga student of mine. The birth process once again brought tears to my eyes, but this time there was no yearning to be birthing a babe of my own, but rather just my piercing passion for helping and healing the members of my community. With that memory I hear Pele calling from ‘Her Favorite Standing Place.’ Now, humbled and grateful, I am listening, creating, and offering it up.
By Elise Fabricant
Elise's course Revive: 30 Days to Vitality, Health & Ease
Along with teaching for YogaDownload, Elise works one-on-one with clients around the globe to help them up-level their energy, turn their new healthy behaviors into habits that last, and discover how best to express their gifts to the world. Elise nurtures her creative streak by producing online courses on a balanced, purposeful lifestyle. Along with giving massage to Denverites, Elise also teaches group yoga classes in central Denver. Elise feels blessed to be able to combine her love of travel with her work by taking yoga and health coaching to workshops and retreat centers around the world. Connect with Elise on her website.
Enjoy one of Elise's amazing yoga classes now!
Open Your Heart to Gratitude with Elise Fabricant
This New Moon marks the bridge of harmony between the mind, individual soul, and universal directive. It is regeneration of mental, emotional bodies through the guidance of the higher self and divine plan. This evolution of the self within the mind is the culmination of the mental principle in its external manifestation.
The soul, higher mind is leading the way as universal forces aid in awakening the individual self to their capacities and latent abilities through divine connection. These energies lead the self through calm waters while embracing inner guidance and outward realizations. The outer planets, Jupiter and Saturn play a key role in creating foresight and hindsight. They support the evolution of the self and work to create an open mind and non-duality realizations so the individual self can rise into the divine plan and become more impervious to external influences. This is a third level of a conscious shake-up.
Think of it as the phase of self-realization from the inner mind into the outer world. The potency of the inner self aligned with the analytical mind has made the soul and mind more effective in the outward materialization of the soul’s desires and dharma. The veil has been thinning, which lessens delusional interference with higher mind communication. These energies have been unfolding for some months, each New Moon leading into another level of evolutionary phase. This New Moon is the point where balance and purification have come together. It makes realization easier, calmer, and with fewer mental objectifications. The noise of the mind has relaxed into the higher inner knowing making way for a third level of conscious shifts.
This third level of consciousness evolution changes realization within cause, effect, subject and object, and how accumulated karma within the mind has been liberated. Welcome to the new self from new perspectives. Much has been unfolding for the rise and the power of the mind to lift the self into greater alignment with inner truth and into the “I am” nature. This is not just within the levels of the mind but, the emotional body has aligned to this inner power as well. Feeling more aligned, more clarity, and feeling more empowered in the personal directive is an important aspect of this lunation.
The renewal of inner abilities is with divine creation. The bridge between Gemini and Cancer alludes to the evolutionary forces that merge the mind into divine creation with universal forces. This new harmony magnifies and multiplies one’s “I AM” realizations. If your personal birth chart has Sun, Moon, or Mercury in Gemini, or Mars in Cancer, effects can be felt more profoundly. Mars in Cancer will affect the emotional to mental body and external efforts of these forces. Gemini planets will be harmonized and feel more of the inner communication of the self with the soul. Another key aspect is the 23 degrees within these planets. If there is any planet stationed at 23 degrees within your birth chart. That (Those) planet(s) will play a prominent role in your personal outward evolution with this New Moon.
The Moon and Mercury will influence these energies more than the Sun, because of their connection with the individual mind to the universal mind. Moon and Mercury activate latent virtues connected to WILL (power) and mind, so WILL can fructify in accordance with a divine plan. This is when wisdom has evolved the mental/emotional connection within manifested reality, so too, WILL and directive are reshaped to be less affected by external influence. It reinforces the internal response to remain connected to inner wisdom.
This recreation is the transformation of the inner gem. Harmony between universal soul, individual soul, and mind rest in unity together. The individual self has more clarity, foresight, and directive in divine purpose. Self, personal desires with soul desires are communicated easefully through experiences and into this next evolutionary phase. Saturn has removed the veil laying within the karmic-influenced mind, making the intuitive mind prominent and inner knowing more impervious.
Lastly, an important aspect of this lunation is the wisdom gained from boundaries, and one’s external interactions. The interactions/experiences with others or circumstances that were aligned or misaligned. Any efforts in protecting one’s energy or the seed of personal dreams will show how to move one forward into softening boundaries because personal embodiment into one’s truth has aligned external manifestations. And, any protection of inner dreams will receive the needed directive on next steps.
Every culmination and rise of evolution marks the ending of the previous iterations. Rise into knowing that previous experiences have communicated their wisdom, served your evolution and are now surrendering into the cosmic waters to be returned to source. This marks the ending cycles of serving others over self, ideas over self, and subtly silencing your inner knowing and intuition to follow acceptance, idea, or any external influence. The veil is gone, the power is yours. These energies are serving freshness. Wisdom, nurturance of self are resurrected and take the forefront. The inner relationship emerges to lead external influences to fall to one’s WILL and soul’s plan. Claim your chariot and allow the heart to lead.
The mind is finally in suit and executing in higher alignment in accordance with the heart (seat of the soul). This is the unification of the four minds. One can move forward and see the unity through personal contribution to lesser influences/experiences and how it has all led to alignment with one’s TRUE NORTH. Divine plan has harmonized the mind and individuated soul to make abstract ideas/dreams more concrete. Aspirations, goals, have more clarity, directive, and personal embodiment fueled by divine alignment. Manifest your reality, use these energies to call up the power that is alive and ready to externalize on the next level. Command your forces and get ready. When Mars enters Leo, the outward manifestation will move quickly.
Currently, Mars’ position is fortifying the emotional and intuitive abilities for more fruitful manifestations. Life Forces and impulses are becoming more cohesive with universal forces. The world is yours, and your dreams are coming up for material realization.