meditation

The 8 Limbs of Yoga: Living Yoga Beyond the Mat

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Yoga is far more than stretching, flexibility, or mastering complicated poses.

In today’s world, yoga is often portrayed as a physical practice—a workout focused on strength, balance, and mobility. While movement is certainly one part of yoga, it is only one piece of a much larger system designed to help us live with greater awareness, purpose, and inner peace.

The ancient sage Patanjali outlined what is known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga in the Yoga Sutras over 2,000 years ago. These eight interconnected practices provide a roadmap for living a meaningful, balanced, and mindful life.

Whether you practice in a studio, on a chair, in your living room, or simply through your daily actions, these teachings remind us that yoga extends far beyond the mat.

What Are the Eight Limbs of Yoga?

Think of the Eight Limbs as branches of a tree. Each supports the others, helping us cultivate physical health, emotional resilience, ethical living, self-awareness, and spiritual connection.

1. Yama: How We Treat Others

The Yamas are ethical guidelines that encourage us to live harmoniously with those around us.

The five Yamas are:

  • Ahimsa (Non-Harming): Practicing kindness and compassion toward ourselves and others.
  • Satya (Truthfulness): Speaking and living authentically.
  • Asteya (Non-Stealing): Respecting the time, energy, and belongings of others.
  • Brahmacharya (Moderation): Using our energy wisely.
  • Aparigraha (Non-Attachment): Letting go of excessive grasping and comparison.

In modern life, practicing Ahimsa might mean speaking kindly to yourself instead of engaging in harsh self-criticism. Aparigraha may involve releasing the pressure to keep up with everyone else’s highlight reel on social media.

2. Niyama: How We Treat Ourselves

The Niyamas are personal practices that help us cultivate self-awareness and inner growth.

The five Niyamas are:

  • Saucha (Purity): Creating clarity in our environment, body, and mind.
  • Santosha (Contentment): Finding gratitude in the present moment.
  • Tapas (Discipline): Showing up consistently for what matters.
  • Svadhyaya (Self-Study): Reflecting on our thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs.
  • Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender): Trusting something greater than ourselves.

For many of us, Santosha may be one of the most challenging practices. We often believe happiness lies in the next achievement, purchase, or milestone. Yoga invites us to discover contentment right where we are.

3. Asana: The Physical Practice

This is the limb most people recognize.

Asana refers to the physical postures practiced in yoga classes. However, the original purpose of Asana was not fitness or flexibility. It was to prepare the body to sit comfortably for meditation and self-reflection.

The goal is not to force ourselves into advanced poses. Instead, Asana teaches us to connect breath, body, and awareness.

Whether you practice standing poses, gentle stretching, adaptive yoga, or chair yoga, you are participating in this limb.

Yoga is not about touching your toes.

It’s about what you learn on the way down.

4. Pranayama: The Practice of Breath

Pranayama involves conscious breathing techniques that help regulate energy, focus, and emotional balance.

Our breath is one of the few bodily functions we can consciously control, making it a powerful tool for managing stress and cultivating presence.

Simple practices such as:

  • Deep belly breathing
  • Three-part breath
  • Alternate nostril breathing
  • Lengthening the exhale

can help calm the nervous system and create a sense of steadiness in challenging moments.

The breath serves as a bridge between the body and mind.

5. Pratyahara: Turning Inward

We live in a world filled with constant stimulation.

Notifications.
News alerts.
Emails.
Social media feeds.

Pratyahara invites us to occasionally step away from external distractions and reconnect with ourselves.

This doesn’t mean withdrawing from life. It means creating intentional moments of quiet where we can listen inwardly.

Examples include:

  • Taking a mindful walk without your phone
  • Sitting quietly with a cup of tea
  • Spending time in nature
  • Practicing meditation

In many ways, Pratyahara is the art of protecting your peace.

6. Dharana: Concentration

Dharana is the practice of focused attention.

In a world that encourages multitasking, concentration has become a valuable skill.

Dharana may involve focusing on:

  • The breath
  • A mantra
  • A candle flame
  • A prayer
  • A single task

Every time your mind wanders and you gently return your attention, you strengthen your capacity for presence.

7. Dhyana: Meditation

As concentration deepens, it naturally evolves into meditation.

Dhyana is not about forcing the mind to be empty. Rather, it is an uninterrupted flow of awareness.

Meditation allows us to observe thoughts, emotions, and experiences without becoming consumed by them.

Over time, meditation can help cultivate:

  • Greater emotional resilience
  • Improved self-awareness
  • Inner calm
  • Compassion
  • Clarity

It is less about escaping life and more about fully meeting it.

8. Samadhi: Connection and Unity

The final limb is often described as a state of profound peace, connection, and unity.

Samadhi is not something we achieve through effort alone. It is a glimpse of what becomes possible when we feel deeply connected to ourselves, others, nature, and the present moment.

While ancient texts describe Samadhi as spiritual enlightenment, many people experience moments of it in everyday life:

  • Watching a sunset
  • Holding a newborn child
  • Sitting quietly in nature
  • Feeling completely present during meditation
  • Experiencing deep gratitude

These moments remind us that we are part of something larger than ourselves.

Why the Eight Limbs Matter Today

The Eight Limbs of Yoga offer something our modern world desperately needs.

They remind us that yoga isn’t just about how we move our bodies.

It’s about:

  • How we treat others.
  • How we care for ourselves.
  • How we manage stress.
  • How we respond to challenges.
  • How we cultivate presence.
  • How we find meaning and connection.

You don’t have to master all eight limbs.

In fact, yoga was never meant to be perfected.

It was meant to be practiced.

Every mindful breath, kind action, moment of gratitude, and act of self-awareness is yoga.

Every day offers another opportunity to begin again.

Reflection Questions

Consider journaling on one or more of these prompts:

  • Which of the Eight Limbs feels most present in my life right now?
  • Which limb could use more attention?
  • How can I bring yoga off the mat and into my daily routine?
  • What does living my yoga look like today?

Final Thoughts

The beauty of yoga is that it meets us exactly where we are.

Whether you’re practicing chair yoga, meditation, mindful breathing, or simply choosing compassion in a difficult moment, you are living yoga.

The poses may strengthen the body, but the deeper teachings of yoga have the power to transform the way we live.

And that is where the real practice begins.


Enjoying this content? My book 52 Weeks of Wisdom & Wellness goes deeper — find it here.

Essential Oil Blends for Love

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Love & Ahimsa Essential Oil Diffuser and Roller Blends

This month, as we focus on ahimsa—non-harming and self-compassion—these blends support love, heart-opening, and emotional ease. Perfect for meditation, gentle yoga, or mindful moments.

Love & Ahimsa Diffuser Blend

Inviting compassion, softness, and emotional ease

Ingredients

  • 3 drops Rose (or Geranium if Rose isn’t available)
  • 2 drops Sweet Orange
  • 1 drop Frankincense

Instructions

  • Add oils to your diffuser with water according to manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Diffuse for 20–30 minutes while journaling, resting, or during gentle yoga or meditation.

Why it works

  • Rose: emotional healing, heart chakra support
  • Sweet Orange: warmth, joy, and optimism
  • Frankincense: grounding and spiritual connection

Self-Love & Ahimsa Roller Blend (10 ml)

Meet yourself with kindness wherever you go

Ingredients

  • 2 drops Rose or Geranium
  • 2 drops Lavender
  • 1 drop Frankincense
  • Carrier Oil (Jojoba or Fractionated Coconut Oil, fill to 10 ml)

How to use

  • Roll onto heart space, wrists, or soles of feet
  • Pause for one slow breath and silently repeat:
    “I meet myself with kindness.”

Budget-Friendly Love Blend

Diffuser or roller option without Rose

Ingredients

  • 3 drops Geranium
  • 2 drops Bergamot
  • 1 drop Ylang Ylang

Why it works

  • Soft, floral, emotionally balancing — heart-opening and uplifting

Safety Notes

  • Avoid citrus oils on skin before sun exposure
  • Diffuse lightly around pets; allow them to leave the room

If you’d like more information, click this free downloadable ebook (no email required!) and if you’d like to reach out for more, just email me!

Breaking the Cycle: How Repeated Complaining Drains Us — and How Repeated Gratitude Heals

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We’ve all been there—caught in the loop of saying the same frustrating things over and over. The stress, the pain, the overwhelm, the “why me?” moments. Repetitive complaining is surprisingly natural… and surprisingly draining. It doesn’t make us bad or ungrateful; it just means we’re human.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned through mindfulness, yoga, and healing:
What we repeat becomes what we reinforce.

And while complaining might feel like release, gratitude is what creates actual relief.

Why We Fall Into Repetitive Complaining

When something is hard — your body hurts, life feels heavy, you’re tired, or you’re juggling more than anyone realizes — the mind wants to loop. It’s trying to make sense of discomfort. But when we repeat the same story too often, it keeps us stuck in the same emotional place.

Repetitive complaining can…

  • increase stress hormones
  • shrink our perspective
  • drain our energy
  • make challenges feel bigger than they really are
  • prevent healing (emotionally and physically)

The hard moments deserve acknowledgment — absolutely. But they don’t deserve ownership over your entire inner world.

The Shift: Replacing Repetition With Intention

Instead of repeating the pain, we can repeat the gratitude.

Not the toxic positivity kind.
Not the “pretend everything’s fine” kind.

But the grounded, honest, heart-centered gratitude that reminds us:

There is still some good here.
There is still something working.
There is still something steady beneath the struggle.

This shift isn’t about silencing your pain — it’s about changing the soundtrack of your inner world.

Why Repeated Gratitude Works

Practicing gratitude repeatedly — especially in small, simple ways — can:

  • soften emotional tension
  • support nervous system regulation
  • expand your perspective
  • create new thought pathways
  • bring your attention back to what is supporting you
  • help you feel less alone
  • anchor you in hope, even during hard seasons

It’s the repetition that matters.
Just like complaining reinforces stress…
gratitude reinforces resilience.

A Simple Daily Practice to Try

If you catch yourself repeating a complaint (it happens!), try this gentle shift:

  1. Pause.
    Notice the loop without shame.
  2. Acknowledge the truth.
    “This is really hard right now.”
  3. Add one small gratitude.
    Just one.
    “And I’m grateful I’m learning to take better care of myself.”
    “I’m grateful for the support I do have.”
    “I’m grateful for the strength I didn’t even know I had.”
  4. Repeat the gratitude instead of the complaint.
    This is where your healing gains momentum.

A Repeated Gratitude Mantra to Use All Week

“Even in the hard moments, there is something supporting me. I choose to notice that.”

Say it as many times as you need.
Let it become your new repetition.
Let it anchor you back into compassion — especially compassion for yourself.

Closing Reflection

We all slip into repeating our pain. But with awareness and intention, we can choose a new pattern — one that restores instead of drains, one that lifts instead of weighs down.

A life rooted in gratitude doesn’t ignore the hard things.
It simply refuses to let them be the only things.

Living in Alignment: Discovering Your True Values Through Mindfulness

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Living in Alignment: Discovering Your True Values Through Mindfulness

In the busyness of daily life, it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters. Yet deep within each of us lives a set of guiding values—compassion, honesty, kindness, presence—that serve as an inner compass. When we pause long enough to listen, mindfulness helps us reconnect with these truths and live with greater intention. I like to think of these values as the roots of ourselves, much like a tree.

Tuning Inward

Through mindfulness, we begin to notice the subtle ways our actions either align with or drift away from our deepest values. This gentle awareness isn’t about judgment, but about clarity. It allows us to ask: Am I living in a way that reflects what I truly believe?

Living Authentically

When our daily choices reflect our values, life feels less scattered and more grounded. Instead of moving through the world on autopilot, we experience a sense of balance, authenticity, and peace. Mindfulness becomes not just a practice on the cushion, but a way of walking through life.

An Invitation to Pause

Take a few moments today to pause and reflect:

• What values are most important to me?

• Where in my life am I living in alignment with them?

• Where might I gently realign?

These reflections are simple yet powerful steps toward living with authenticity and purpose.

Living in alignment with your values is not only empowering—it is the foundation of a mindful, intentional life.

Stay Connected

If this reflection resonates with you, I invite you to like, share, and subscribe for more mindfulness practices, reflections, and guided meditations. Subscribe here for gentle yoga, chronic pain support, and mindful movement.

Take a listen as I walk you through discovering your roots.

If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on my digital storefront!

Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.

Interested in being part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.

Daily Drop of Gratitude: 3–5 Minute Daily Gratitude Meditations for Mindful Living

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A Simple Daily Practice for Mindful Living

Gratitude has the power to shift our perspective, calm our nervous system, and bring us back to what truly matters. That’s why I’m so excited to share my new Daily Drop of Gratitude series — short 3–5 minute guided meditations now available on the Insight Timer app.

This series was created to help you pause each day and reconnect with gratitude in a simple, approachable way. No matter how busy life feels, you can take just a few mindful minutes to cultivate appreciation — and let that ripple out into the rest of your day.

Why Gratitude?

Science shows that practicing gratitude regularly can:

  • Reduce stress and anxiety
  • Improve sleep and overall well-being
  • Strengthen relationships and connection
  • Foster resilience, even in challenging times

A daily gratitude practice doesn’t need to be long or complicated. Even just a few mindful breaths of appreciation can change the tone of your entire day.

What to Expect in the Daily Drop of Gratitude

Each day, you’ll be guided through a short practice centered around a theme of gratitude — for your breath, your body, nature, connection, lessons learned, the present moment, and for life itself. These meditations are designed to be approachable, whether you’re brand-new to meditation or already have a practice.

Each session includes:

  • A gentle moment to settle in
  • A focused reflection on gratitude
  • A short closing to carry gratitude into your day

The beauty of this series is in its simplicity: just 3–5 minutes a day is enough.

How to Begin

All you need is a quiet space and a few minutes. Open the Insight Timer app, search for Daily Drop of Gratitude, and choose a session that calls to you. You can listen in the morning to set the tone for your day, or at night as a gentle reflection before sleep.

Join Me in Gratitude

My hope is that this practice helps you build a habit of gratitude that feels supportive and nourishing. When we pause to notice and appreciate the good — big or small — we align ourselves with joy, peace, and presence.

I’d love for you to join me for this series and make gratitude a daily ritual. Sometimes, the smallest moments have the biggest impact.

? Ready to begin? Subscribe to me on the Insight Timer app and take your first mindful step into gratitude today. The Daily Drop of Gratitude will be uploaded soon!

If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on my digital storefront!

Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.

Interested in being part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.

The Foundation of Yoga

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The Foundation of Yoga: Returning to What Sustains

September has always felt like a month of renewal. The air shifts, the light changes, and there’s a quiet invitation to pause, reflect, and come back to what sustains us.

In the busyness of life, it’s easy to get swept away from our roots — the practices that ground us, steady us, and remind us of who we are beneath the noise. Yoga, at its heart, is not just movement. It’s a way of returning home.

I created The Foundation of Yoga — a 3-part digital series designed to guide you back to your roots with practices that nourish both body and spirit.

What’s Inside the Program

  • Yoga Practice: Gentle yet powerful practices to reconnect with breath, alignment, and awareness.
  • Discussion: Reflections on the deeper meaning of yoga, beyond the poses.
  • Mindfulness: Simple practices to weave presence and grounding into daily life.

This program is perfect for anyone feeling the call to reset — whether you’re beginning your yoga journey, returning after time away, or simply longing to reconnect with the essence of your practice.

The beauty of this series is that it’s completely self-paced. As a digital download, you can begin anytime, anywhere — letting the practices meet you right where you are.

September is the perfect moment to return to your foundation, to breathe deeply, and to remember what truly sustains you.

 Begin your journey today! Download this program HERE!

 Come back to your roots, your breath, to yourself. 

Mindful Practice: Returning to Your Foundation

1. Ground Through Breath
Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor or crossed on a cushion. Close your eyes and take 5 slow, deep breaths. With each inhale, imagine drawing nourishment from the earth. With each exhale, release what no longer serves you.

2. Root into the Present
Place your hands over your heart and gently whisper to yourself: “I am here. I am rooted. I am sustained.”

3. Carry It With You
Throughout the day, notice the moments when you feel scattered or pulled away. Pause, breathe, and silently repeat your affirmation to anchor back into your foundation.


“I return to my roots. I am grounded, sustained, and whole.”

If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating. 

Looking for the tools and products I swear by? Visit my Amazon storefront for a handpicked collection of my favorite finds—from kitchen gadgets to wellness essentials. Click here to explore and shop my must-haves.

Interested in being part of my essential oil community and are ready to start using pure essential oils, shop here or email me for a free 1:1 consultation.

Dhyana

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Dhyana: Resting in Presence

There is a moment in stillness when effort dissolves. When the breath flows quietly, the mind softens, and the heart simply is. This is dhyana—the seventh limb of yoga.

Often translated as meditation, dhyana is more than a technique. It is a state of being. A soft, spacious awareness that arises when we’ve spent time tending the breath, steadying the mind, and drawing inward with care.

Dhyana is what happens when we stop trying to meditate and begin being with what’s here.

Meditation as a Gentle Relationship

I used to think meditation required silence, discipline, or a perfectly still mind. But over the years—and especially through pain and healing—I’ve learned that dhyana is much more tender than that.

It is sitting with yourself the way you’d sit with a dear friend: open, patient, without needing to fix or change anything.

It is staying.

In the discomfort. In the calm. In the mystery.

How I Practice Dhyana

Dhyana often arises naturally after practicing pratyahara (turning inward) and dharana (focused attention). It’s less about doing and more about allowing. About resting in awareness, however it shows up.

Here are a few gentle ways I ease into meditation:

  • Silent Sitting with the Breath – Simply being with the breath as it moves in and out, without needing to change it.
  • Loving-Kindness (Metta) Meditation – Silently offering phrases of compassion to myself and others: May I be safe. May I be well.
  • Guided Stillness – Using a soft voice or recorded meditation to anchor me in presence.
  • Open Awareness – Noticing sounds, sensations, or thoughts arise and pass like clouds in the sky.

There is no right way. No goal. Just presence.

Coming Home to Awareness

Dhyana reminds me that underneath all the doing is simply being. That the peace we seek is already within us, waiting in the quiet spaces between thoughts. It’s a returning—a homecoming to ourselves.

Even if you sit for just three minutes today, eyes closed, heart open—you are meditating.

You are practicing dhyana.

And in that stillness, something sacred stirs.

If you love my content and want more tools for mindfulness & movement, check out my digital products on Buy Me a Coffee! Your support helps me continue creating. 

The Benefits of Mindfulness and How to Apply It to Daily Life

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The Benefits of Mindfulness and How to Apply It to Daily Life

In a fast-paced world filled with distractions, practicing mindfulness offers a powerful way to bring peace, clarity, and intention to our daily lives. Mindfulness is more than just meditation—it’s about being fully present in each moment, engaging our senses, and fostering awareness in everything we do. From baking to conversations, movement to creativity, mindfulness can transform the way we experience life. Let’s explore the benefits of mindfulness and simple ways to apply it to everyday activities.

The Benefits of Mindfulness

  1. Reduces Stress and Anxiety – By focusing on the present moment, mindfulness helps reduce worries about the past or future, creating a sense of calm.
  2. Enhances Emotional Well-Being – Mindfulness encourages self-awareness and emotional regulation, leading to greater resilience and happiness.
  3. Improves Focus and Concentration – Being mindful strengthens our ability to concentrate, making us more efficient in our tasks.
  4. Encourages Gratitude and Enjoyment – When we slow down and appreciate small moments, we cultivate gratitude and a deeper sense of fulfillment.
  5. Supports Physical Health – Studies show that mindfulness can lower blood pressure, improve sleep, and even enhance immune function.

Applying Mindfulness to Everyday Life

Mindful Baking and Cooking

Instead of rushing through meal preparation, approach cooking and baking as a meditative practice. Focus on the textures, aromas, and colors of your ingredients. Feel the warmth of the oven, listen to the sound of chopping vegetables, and savor each bite with full awareness. Cooking becomes more than just a task—it turns into an act of nourishment and creativity.

Mindful Movement

Whether walking, stretching, or practicing yoga, movement can be an opportunity to connect with your body. Notice the way your muscles engage, how your breath flows, and the sensations in your joints. By moving with awareness, you cultivate a stronger mind-body connection and reduce physical tension.

Mindful Crocheting and Creative Activities

Engaging in creative activities like crocheting, painting, or knitting can be deeply meditative. Focus on the rhythm of each stitch, the feel of the yarn between your fingers, and the evolving pattern. Let creativity be a moment of presence rather than an outcome-driven task.

Mindful Thinking and Conversations

Mindfulness in our thoughts means becoming aware of how we talk to ourselves. Notice negative self-talk and gently shift toward self-compassion. In conversations, practice active listening—truly hearing what the other person is saying rather than planning your next response. This fosters deeper connections and more meaningful interactions.

Mindful Interaction with Others

Be fully present when engaging with loved ones, colleagues, or even strangers. Put away distractions, maintain eye contact, and offer your full attention. Simple acts, like genuinely asking how someone is doing and truly listening, can enhance relationships and create a more compassionate world.

Final Thoughts

Mindfulness isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence. By incorporating small moments of awareness into daily activities, we create a more fulfilling, balanced, and peaceful life. Whether through baking, moving, creating, thinking, or connecting, mindfulness transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences. Start today by choosing one daily activity to practice with full awareness—you might be surprised at the joy and peace it brings.

Consider joining my free Facebook group called 365 Days of Mindfulness for daily tips and community building of mindful people.

Starting a Home Yoga Practice

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Starting a home yoga practice can be a transformative journey for your mind, body, and spirit. Starting a yoga practice at home also offers numerous physical, mental, and emotional benefits.  However, like starting anything, it can be scary and uncertain. By understanding a few tips to get started, you can begin with a little more knowledge and courage.

Here are some tips for beginners:

1. Set Your Intentions

  • Decide why you want to practice yoga (e.g., stress relief, flexibility, strength, or mindfulness).
  • Keep your goals realistic and focus on enjoying the process.

2. Start Small and Simple

  • Begin with shorter sessions (10-20 minutes) and gradually increase duration.
  • Focus on basic poses like Child’s Pose, Downward Dog, Warrior I, and Cat-Cow.

3. Choose the Right Style

  • Explore styles like Hatha (gentle and beginner-friendly), Vinyasa (flow-based), or Yin (deep stretches).
  • Experiment with different classes or teachers to find what resonates with you.

4. Create a Comfortable Space

  • Set up a quiet, clutter-free area with enough room to stretch and move.
  • Use props like a yoga mat, blocks, and straps to support your practice.

5. Wear Comfortable Clothing

  • Choose clothing that allows free movement and doesn’t restrict your breathing.

6. Listen to Your Body

  • Avoid pushing yourself into pain; yoga is about progress, not perfection.
  • Use modifications as needed and honor where your body is each day.

7. Practice Breathing Techniques

  • Focus on deep, steady breathing (like Ujjayi breath) to calm your mind and enhance your practice.
  • Pair your breath with your movements for a meditative flow.

8. Stay Consistent

  • Try to practice regularly, even if it’s just a few minutes daily.
  • Consistency is key to building strength, flexibility, and mindfulness.

9. Seek Guidance

  • Consider joining a beginner’s yoga class or using online videos/tutorials.
  • A qualified instructor can ensure proper alignment and provide personalized tips.

10. Be Patient and Kind to Yourself

  • Yoga is a journey, not a destination. Celebrate small progress and enjoy the learning process.
  • Remember, everyone’s practice looks different—focus on your unique path.

Check out these additional tips for beginning a home yoga practice. If you don’t think you have the perfect space, maybe this article will help you get started!

Here are five basic styles of yoga, each with its unique focus and benefits:

1. Hatha Yoga

  • Focus: A gentle introduction to yoga postures and breathing techniques.
  • Best For: Beginners or those looking for a slower-paced practice.
  • Key Features:
    • Combines physical poses (asanas) with breathing (pranayama).
    • Emphasizes balance, alignment, and mindfulness.

2. Vinyasa Yoga

  • Focus: Flowing movements synchronized with breath.
  • Best For: Those who enjoy dynamic, dance-like sequences.
  • Key Features:
    • Smooth transitions between poses.
    • Often set to music, creating an energetic atmosphere.

3. Ashtanga Yoga

  • Focus: A structured sequence of poses performed in a specific order.
  • Best For: People who enjoy discipline and a physically demanding practice.
  • Key Features:
    • Follows a set series of poses.
    • Builds strength, flexibility, and stamina.

4. Yin Yoga

  • Focus: Deep stretching and relaxation, targeting connective tissues.
  • Best For: Those seeking stress relief, flexibility, and a meditative experience.
  • Key Features:
    • Long-held, passive poses (2-5 minutes).
    • Encourages stillness and introspection.

5. Restorative Yoga

  • Focus: Deep relaxation and stress relief through passive, supported poses.
  • Best For: Those seeking rest, recovery, and a calming practice.
  • Key Features:
    • Long-held poses (5-20 minutes) with extensive use of props like bolsters, blankets, and blocks.
    • Activates the parasympathetic nervous system for deep relaxation and healing.

Check out this for more on several styles of Yoga

If you are ready to experience gentle yoga virtually, check out my new online weekly LIVE class! All Fromm the comfort of your own home!

Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

With over seventeen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

Implementing Your Intentions

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Let’s face it, setting an intention is the easy part. Implementing your intention can be the true work. To implement your intention, you are basically saying to the universe you are willing to step into a relationship that requires work. All relationships take work and this spiritual marriage between you and the universe is no different.

My Intention for the Year

I have set out to bring a sense of renewal into my life. It is not that my life is bad, but I do have certain lifestyle choices that I know need to be adjusted. At one point in my life many of those choices worked for me. That is no longer the case.

To implement a sense of renewal, and align with the forces of the universe, I must be willing to have deliberate actions. Publicly proclaiming your intention is a powerful step to begin the process. Plus, it gives me a record for accountability.

Implementing My Intention

I know that some changes have to happen to bring my intention of renewal into action. To me, renewal means the process of making something fresh, new, or strong again. Here is how I plan to implement the energy of renewal into my life this year.

  • Ditch my tracking of steps walked. Yep, that is correct. After twenty five years of logging my steps, I am going to release it. I am not going to look at the amount of steps, but rather look for quality of steps. Are they in nature? Were my daily steps meaningful? Did I enjoy my time walking?
  • Shift directions a bit. By fostering the things that bring me joy, I am going to make more space for them. That will give me less space for things that cause me stress. I still intend to teach adaptive yoga as my primary “job”, but implanting my own bakery business is next up for cultivating JOY.
  • Nurture my creative side. I intend to create some magic in my life through publishing affirmation cards, a teaching manual for yoga teachers, and an online course for mindful manifesting. Watch out! It is going to be another new direction I take my business. These options will allow me to renew my physical body by reducing my demanding workload.
  • Foster my friendships and relationships. Most people know I work a lot. I genuinely love what I do so it never feels like work to me. However, in my desire to do what I love, relationships and friendships have been less of a priority the last 10 years. I want to renew some old friendships and create new ones.

Tips for Implementing Your intention

To implement your action plan for your intention you must do a few things that will bring the intention into your daily life. I find these simple things bring great power to your world:

  • Write it down. Put the word of your intention everywhere you might see it. Your mirror, car, planner, desk, and screen saver on phone. Anywhere your eyes will be, the word needs to be there.
  • Tell people your intention. You have to talk about it to anyone in your life. I have been known to even tell my dentist and barista my intention! When you speak it, you become it.
  • Choose daily. Everyday you must be willing to think, speak and act in alignment with your intention. Not everyday will be a success, but at least you can know that you are on your way!
  • Affirm your intention. Every day spend 3-5 minutes speaking your intention into an I AM affirmation. For example, “I am renewing”.

Not sure what your intention is? This video will walk you through the process of finding your intention! This step by step tutorial will help you find the direction your spirit is wanting you to take this year!

End of Year Ritual

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Every year I host an end of year ritual to release the year, look for lessons and growth, and find gratitude for what is. This year I was unable to host it so I recorded a sweet little ritual you can do in your own quiet space. I think reflecting on the year and closing it up is a powerful practice to then be open to new possibilities. Why carry over the things that no longer serve you into a new year?

An end-of-year releasing ritual can be a powerful practice for personal growth, emotional well-being, and setting intentions for the future.

Here are the key benefits:

Emotional Cleansing: Allows you to process and let go of emotional baggage, regrets, or disappointments from the year. Creates emotion space for new experiences.

Increased Clarity: Reflecting on the year helps identify patterns, lessons, and areas for growth. Clarifies what to release (habits, relationships, beliefs) and what to nurture moving forward

Stress Reduction: Symbolically releasing stress or negativity can bring a sense of relief and renewal. Encourages mindfulness and relaxation, reducing end-of-year tension.

Enhanced Gratitude: Reflecting on the past year often highlights moments of joy and gratitude. Focusing on what you value reinforces positive emotions and appreciation.

Intentional Goal-Setting: Letting go of what no longer serves you creates space for setting meaningful goals for the new year. Helps align actions with your values and aspirations.

Symbolic Closure: Provides a sense of completion, signaling the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. Helps prevent carrying unresolved issues into the new year.

Spiritual Renewal: For those who are spiritually inclined, rituals can provide a sense of connection with something greater, enhancing inner peace and guidance.

You can find the video below, or on my youtube channel. Listen to it while you are still, or while you enjoy a walk outside. Either way I hope it brings you closure and hope.

I personally couldn’t have made it through this hard year without all of the love from my friends, my family, my community of people, and those who I don’t even know.

The generosity of love, support, coffee, encouragement, and pure goodness takes my breath away.

I truly couldn’t have made it without you.

Thank you and let’s close this awful chapter and turn a page for a new direction filled with hope, opportunities and joy.

xo, Stacie

Compassion

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“Karuna” is a Sanskrit word often translated as compassion or empathy, particularly for the suffering of others. It is a central concept in several Eastern teachings and traditions. Karuna goes beyond pity or sympathy; it involves a deep connection and a genuine wish to help ease the pain or difficulties of others. It is often referred to as “compassion in action” because it includes not just the feeling of compassion, but the active part of demonstrating compassion.

This month in all of my yoga classes we are going to be focused on this concept as we strive to serve others.

Here are 10 examples of practicing or embodying karuna:

1. Providing Comfort to the Grieving

Sitting with someone who has experienced a loss, listening to their pain without judgment or trying to “fix” it.

2. Offering Support to the Ill

Volunteering at a hospital, Assited living home or hospice to provide companionship or practical help to patients and their families.

3. Advocating for Social Justice

Speaking up against injustices, such as discrimination or inequality, to alleviate the suffering of marginalized groups.

4. Feeding the Hungry

Donating meals or volunteering at a soup kitchen to ensure no one goes hungry.

5. Helping Someone in Crisis

Offering emotional or practical assistance to a friend or stranger going through a difficult time, such as homelessness, mental health struggles, or financial hardship.

6. Practicing Loving-Kindness Meditation (Metta Bhavana)

Engaging in meditation to cultivate goodwill and compassion for yourself, loved ones, neutral people, and even those who may have caused harm.

7. Forgiving Someone Who Hurt You

Letting go of resentment and extending understanding or forgiveness, knowing that harboring anger can perpetuate suffering for both sides.

8. Caring for Animals

Adopting or rescuing animals in need, or supporting sanctuaries and organizations dedicated to their well-being.

9. Protecting the Environment

Taking action to preserve nature by reducing waste, planting trees, or joining efforts to mitigate climate change, acknowledging the suffering caused by environmental degradation.

10. Practicing Active Listening

Listening with full presence to someone who needs to share their story, showing understanding and validation of their feelings.

These are just a few simples acts to embody karuna by addressing suffering with kindness, understanding, and a desire to alleviate it.

Karuna is not limited to specific actions but extends to a mental and emotional state of being that influences how one views and interacts with the world. It emphasizes the interconnection of all beings and the ethical responsibility to act with kindness and care.