Why yoga philosophy is good for your story — even if you’re not a yogi. — “Yoga is the journey of the Self, to the Self, through the Self.” – The Bhagavad Gita But what the f#%k does that mean?! If yoga philosophy, in your mind, goes something like this — “Once upon a time there was an old dude with a beard in a cave…

And the rest of us! — As The Conscious Life Collective continues this journey inward, this discovery of self-awareness and realization, I invite you to tune into distractions, obstructions, issues — when it comes to meditation. We all “know we should do it” for a million reasons. And we all have a million excuses not to…

Just as fitness is a way to train the body, meditation is one way to train the mind. So many meditation techniques exist — all aim to consciously cultivate the mind, but not all styles are right for everyone, pending personality, point in life, and so much more. — “In Buddhist tradition, the word ‘meditation’ is equivalent to a word like ‘sports’ in the U.S. It’s a family of activities, not a single thing,” University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson, Ph.D.

Alternative Ways to Meditate — Most of us begin to implement “healthy habits” by making changes in our food and exercise. They are definitely cornerstones of good health, but there’s so much more. Food and fitness address the physical aspects of vitality, energy, and healthiness, short-term and long-term, but to truly cultivate holistic health and…

Awareness through Beginner’s Eyes — “A lot of our troubles could be solved by one simple practice. A lot of joy could be found with the same practice. And it is simple: practice seeing life with a beginner’s mind.” – Leo Babauta What is beginner’s mind? It’s a bit of confusion, and a lot of…

I have been wordless via social media, but not silent. My activism may have been quieter thus far than some, but until recently I felt, with all my heart, that it is also effective. I may have failed the spiritual community in not speaking up about the current social injustice. And this is why. — Over the last months I have been, like so many, reeducating myself. The Black Lives Matter movement is offering hope for real, powerful change. Changes in perception and humanitarian rights are being demanded by more now than ever before. I am one of them.

Crisis. Trauma. Loss. Grief. Uncertainty. Worry. Fear… Is pain always the catalyst for change? The death of a loved one is a death of you. A psychedelic experience is transcendental. A meditation provides ascension. COVID shakes your soul. …

What turns a regular (or non) yogi into a super yogi? Mudras. Gestures, usually done with the hands, that look really cool and can feel extraordinary. Hyper-charge your meditations with these simple, yet profound, additions. — “I can change the world, with my own two hands. Make a better place, with my own two hands. Make a kinder place, oh with my, oh with my own two hands.” — Ben Harper A mudra, or “seal,” actively joins (seals) two parts of the hand or fingers. They…

My once hard, sweaty, HIIT style, six-pack cultivating (and maybe competitive) yoga practice is now mostly soft, blanket-covered, breath-centered, quiet meditation. Both versions are sacred and transformative. — noun: practice — the actual application or use of an idea, belief, or method, as opposed to theories relating to it. verb: practice — perform an activity or a skill repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one’s proficiency.