Tag: yoga

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The Ashtanga Oil Bath

Maybe you’ve heard your teacher mention it. Maybe your friend’s friend swears by it. Maybe you haven’t heard of it at all, but here’s what the OIL BATH is all about.

The oil bath is a self-care practice to sooth and ease sore/strained muscles, support joint health and bring balance to the yoga practice week. Oil is applied to the entire body and then left on the skin for at least 10 minutes, up to 60 minutes and then wiped off and cleaned from the hair.

The oil bath supports supple muscles, mobile joints and a restful nights sleep, it’s a self-care ritual which is also meditative and is highly nourishing for the skin.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Castor Oil (alternatives are almond and coconut oil)
  • Towel which can be dedicated to oil bath
  • Sheet which can be dedicated to oil bath
  • Candle (optional)
  • 30 or more minutes with privacy

This is how I do it:

I set up in the bathroom and light a candle for atmosphere (be sure to do this before you start to use oil and never leave an open flame unattended). Then spread a sheet on the floor to keep the tile from getting covered in oil. I have my oil bath towels out, I like to use two hand towels that are ONLY used for oil bath. I grab something to drink and then get started.

To start the process, remove all clothing and groom hair. If you have long hair, I recommend having a hair tie close by to easy use.

Begin to apply the oil at the top of the head on the scalp. Massage oil into the scalp and do your best to cover it completely. Once the scalp is finished, it can feel good to put long hair up in a bun to keep it off the skin.

Next, apply oil gently to the face and neck. Try using circular motions on the face and sweeping motions on the neck. Continue to apply oil all over the body. It can be very healing to use sweeping motions over the long bones (forearm, upper arm, thigh, lower leg) and circular motions over the joints.

There might be areas which seem to absorb the oil quickly, I would recommend applying extra oil here until there’s a small layer of oil on the surface. If you’re experiencing any pain, stiffness or injury, extra oil can be applied here.

Advice and Guidelines:

  • Avoid going out in the sun after an oil bath.
  • Consult with your Doctor before doing an oil bath if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.
  • If your Doctor approves the oil bath, DO NOT use cator oil if you are pregnant. Instead use almond or coconut oil.
  • It’s normal for the experience to be warming. If you start to feel uncomfortably warm, that’s a sign for the oil bath to be done for the night.
  • Consider not oiling the bottoms of your feet until you’ve done it a couple of times, it’s messy and a hazard to get up and move around when you have oil on your feet. The first couple of times you might have a hard time sitting still and/or remember something you need.
  • Whatever towel/blanket you choose to use, DO NOT place it in the dryer – it’s a fire hazard. I launder mine separately and let them air dry.

For your first oil bath, I recommend leaving the oil on for about 10 minutes once it is completely applied. It usually takes about 10 minutes to apply the oil so this first time will last about 20 min from the time you start applying the oil.

When you’re ready to take the oil off, I start with the limbs. Using the designated oil bath towel, gently wipe the oil from the skin. Next step in a warm shower to rinse off the oil and wash the hair. For my hair, it works to shampoo twice and skip the conditioner. This gets all of the oil out of my hair for me and leaves it feeling soft. Your hair might need less/more shampoo to remove the oil. I do not was my skin while in the shower but you might like to use some soap.

After you get out of the shower it’s nice to get cozy and either cuddle up with a book or head to bed for some snuggly rest. Before going to bed be sure to blow out your candle if you lit one. Additionally, you might want to send a kettle of boiling water down the shower drain. Our home is from the 1950s and sometimes the drain can get a little slow. I’ve found if I use boiling water after my oil bath shower, the drain stays flowing freely!

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Why You Need To STOP Using Breath Retention In Public Yoga Classes – a plea to yoga teachers everywhere

Breath retention practices are not appropriate for public yoga classes. Regardless of what you learned in your yoga teacher training, what you have experienced while being a student, or even what you have taught in your classes for years.

Those who have studied in a class or teacher training setting with me will have already heard this from me many times and it deserves repeating because it’s essential for the health, vitality and yoga journey of all those attending public yoga classes.

There are many reasons why breath retention practices do not belong in public yoga classes ranging from medical red flags to impeding your student’s ability to gain equanimity along their spiritual journey. Breath retention is going to amplify whatever is in the body, mind and energy. If a student is experiencing any sort of imbalance, breath retention practices will exacerbate the imbalance.

There is a long list of prerequisites for breath retention practices here. The student needs to be appropriately prepared for these intensive practices in order for them to be beneficial and not cause harm. This is why, for countless generations, these powerful breath retention practices have only been taught under the care and strict observation of master teacher to devoted student. This approach to teaching grants the teacher in-depth knowledge of the student, their practice, their health on all levels and the teacher is able to directly monitor the student so they can adapt/discontinue the practices when necessary.

However, in the average public yoga class, teachers have nowhere near enough knowledge on every single student’s physical, emotional and mental states to determine if advanced breath practices are appropriate – sometimes we don’t even know the student by name.

The American Heart Association acknowledges that mid-cycle rest (a pause in the breath at any point in the cycle) has been associated with increased incidence of arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke and high blood pressure. Sleep apnea (a condition in which the breath stops mid-cycle during sleep) is a common example of mid-cycle rest in the breath cycle and according to the AHA is experienced by 1 in 5 folks. 

“When the air flow stops, the body releases stress hormones, which over time can lead to heart disease — the leading cause of death in the United States — stroke and high blood pressure. It also can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, liver problems and metabolic syndrome.” – https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea-and-heart-disease-stroke

Why teach our yoga students a practice which will only reinforce and deepen a pattern which is known to cause major health concerns?

Without being properly prepared and monitored, breath retention practices can also trigger trauma, PTSD and re-traumatized students recovering from traumatic events. In addition to all of these risks, the student’s spiritual journey can also be compromised with the use of breath retention practices.

When studying the yoga sūtra, we learn that all humans share patterns of suffering and mental fluctuations. While all of our individual sufferings are distinct and valid – as a whole, our sufferings can be categorized into 5 broad categories.

Patañjali explains the root of all suffering is avidyā (ignorance). This ignorance breeds asmitā (not knowing ones true nature), rāga (attraction), dveṣa (avoidance) and abhiniveśaḥ (avoidance of death/change). These afflictions can certainly be reduced with appropriate practice and can be fueled with practices that are not fitting for the student.

If we teach students breath retention practices before they have done the necessary work of weakening the kleśa-s, we will unknowingly contribute to them strengthening these patterns of suffering. Students will find themselves stuck in a web of these afflictions, bouncing back and forth between different patterns and experiences of suffering. The student will then not able to genuinely settle into an experience of samādhi (mental absorption on an object, task, etc.).

Instead of teaching breath retention practices in public yoga classes, focus on helping your students find balance in their breath from inhale to exhale – without any pauses and reinforce this pattern of even breath throughout class. This approach to breathing has been proven to increase cardiovascular health, balance the nervous system, increase heart rate variability and create a foundation for a meditative experience. This will also strengthen the student’s ability to transition from sympathetic nervous system (fight/flight) to parasympathetic nervous system (rest/digest) with greater ease and an easeful transition between sympathetic and parasympathetic is a foundation for changing reactionary patterns and weakening the influence of the kleśa-s.

If we want to support yoga being a practice for any body, we MUST create an environment in which everyone can receive the benefits of yoga, this includes education on what practices are supportive for everyone and clear knowledge of practices that are advanced and not appropriate for the average Saturday morning class at a local studio.

About Jessica

eBook – The Sound The Heart Sings, a journey inward with sacred sanskrit sounds

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Yoga In Action

We all come to our yoga practice for individual reasons. Some seeking physical health, others for emotional and mental support. With consistent practice, many come to experience the powerful impact this practice can have on our total life experience. We might notice that our overall well-being transforms. And once we start to feel better in body, mind and heart, that impact can spill over into our personal lives and inform the way we interact with others. This can lead to an increase in meaningful and impactful connections.

However, it will not always be easy to integrate the lessons we learn on our mat. Some situations will be very challenging and we will find ourselves ruled by our previous patterns of conditioning and unable to connect to the calm and insightful teachings of yoga. These are the moments that offer us a powerful opportunity to transform. 

The Bhagavad Gītā offers us wisdom and tools for navigating these challenging moments which have the potential to lead us in the direction of profound transformation.

This epic poem beautifully paints the picture of the challenges of the human experience and offers readers a roadmap for navigating challenges and living a life aligned with their purpose.

Set on a battlefield, the main character Arjuna is facing the biggest existential crisis of his life. In the face of having to fight a war with his family, Arjuna throws down his bow and refuses to fight. His charioteer and dear friend Kṛṣṇa, is actually The Lord in human form guides Arjuna through a journey inward to find himself and answer all of his questions.

Kṛṣṇa peels back the layers of yoga, action, study and devotion to guide Arjuna as he is navigating the most challenging moment of his life.

This poem reveals that within each of us, a battle rages between selfish impulses that ignore the claims of justice and mercy and a realization that ultimately we are all connected in a unity that embraces all humanity and the whole world.

Arjuna is our conscious mind, which must make the choice of how we will live. Arjuna’s opponents on the battlefield represent our impulses to self-centeredness and greed. Kṛṣṇa is the divine spark within each of us, our higher Self, which is always available to rein in the horses of our feelings and thoughts and to guide us in the battle of life, if we will only seek that help.

The teachings that Kṛṣṇa offers to Arjuna are vast and multi-layered. In one of those lessons, Kṛṣṇa is educating Arjuna on is how to put yoga into action in his everyday life. This call for action is crucial. We must take action to support the collective growth and evolution of all of us. For, a choice to not do anything is in itself a choice which serves our lower self, the part of us that doesn’t want to do what is best for all because it’s hard, uncomfortable or costly.

Kṛṣṇa offers a 5-step plan to put yoga into action:

  • Keep the spiritual goal
  • Offer all actions to something greater than oneself
  • Don’t be concerned with the result
  • Be free from possessiveness
  • Be calm

These five steps offer us a map to navigating the actions we can take in every moment of our lives.

KEEP THE SPIRITUAL GOAL

We are called to always remember what our ultimate goal is – to reduce all suffering and learn to connect with our true nature.

OFFER ALL ACTIONS TO SOMETHING GREATER THAN ONESELF

By offering our actions up to something that is greater than us, we free ourselves to act for the greater good, without prioritizing our own personal benefit of that of others.

DON’T BE CONCERNED WITH THE RESULTS

This concept might be the most misunderstood concept of all. We are being called to not control the outcome of our efforts. But this does NOT equal indifference. This concept is rooted in CONNECTION and calls on us to acknowledge that we are all in a collective and shared reality and to reflect on the impact of our actions (regardless of our intention) have on others and the world around us.

BE FREE FROM POSSESSIVENESS

This concept is also intertwined with the second one – since we are offering all of our actions to something which is greater than us, we will release our urge to grasp onto acclaim, accolades or praise associated with our actions and instead allow our actions to be of service to all – instead of just ourselves.

BE CALM

We must try to always find steadiness within ourselves so we can continually return to this constant process of reflection, release and adjusting.

These are the five steps Kṛṣṇa lays our for Arjuna to put yoga into action in his life. This method can be applied to every area of our lives and will deepen our understanding of ourselves and continue to fuel our spiritual journey.

Next time you notice yourself feeling frustration, anger, fear, nerves, etc. try to analyze your experience through the lens of these five steps and see if you’re able to find freedom in a different perspective. Often, this different perspective is expansive and inclusive all at the same time and might bring a bit of ease in a challenging moment.

About Jessica

Virtual Retreat – October 23-25

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FREE Meditation

I’m so excited to announce a FREE meditation just for you! This meditation is a powerful meditation to support a healthy and vital life. This Ajapa Dhāraṇā will bring focus to your spiritual heart and support awakening the energetic body and supporting higher integration of the mind/body systems.

What is Ajapa Dhāraṇā?

Ajapa Dhāraṇā is a transformative meditation technique. Through absorption on breath, mantra, visualizations and awareness of the energetic body, one can experience the beauty of dhyāna – meditation.

This meditation will support increased connection to your higher Self, calm the nervous system and support a calm, grounded existence.

In the words of Swami Satyananada: “Ajapa meditation helps one to withdraw the senses and awaken self-awareness.  It removes the impurities of the mind. A burning lamp cannot give full illumination if its glass is covered in smoke. Only when the glass is cleaned will the lamp shine fully. Similarly, the light or the power of the Atman is within us, but it does not manifest itself in our daily life because of the hindrances of the thought process, the vagaries, dissipations and distractions of the mind.”

Read about more benefits of meditation here: https://www.yogachikitsa.net/meditation/https://www.yogachikitsa.net/meditation/

To continue this meditative journey of integrating the energetic body and awakening the higher levels of existence, contact Jessica today.

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Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind

The fourth of the Niyamas is a call to deepening our study of ourselves as a means to prepare the aspirant for the continued journey toward Liberation. It is with true knowledge of existence and the reality of the world of change that the yogi can finally see through the fog of human existence to the Truth of themselves, to know the Ātman (Soul, Self, Divine Within, etc.).

Svādhyāya surfaces in the Niyamas, as a repetition of one of the components of Kriyā yoga and can initially cause some misunderstanding. While the word svādhyāya gets commonly translated as ‘self-study’ there is often an important mechanic of that self-study which is often omitted. Patañjali teaches yogis to learn about themselves by studying spiritual texts, chanting, repeating mantras, etc.

Through the study of spiritual texts, the aspirant can gain knowledge on the journey ahead of them. Additionally, knowledge of the subtle layers of existence can be revealed through this continued study. When combined with chanting and repetition of mantras, the yogi will find balance in their subtle energies and gain increased clarity of the human experiences. With this knowledge and awakening, the aspirant will gain grace and ease with navigating the challenges of daily life and the human experience.

For a journaling practice today, explore how does self-study can lead to more meaningful and productive relationships? How has your knowledge of yourself grown from reading and studying spiritual texts?

For a chanting practice, you might try repeating this mantra 12 times:

Oṃ Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ

This is a chant which invites in knowledge of our own innate capacity to overcome obstacles. It acknowledges that we each have the power Gaṇeśa represents contained within ourselves. It’s already there, we just have to awaken to our own divine nature.

A gentle way to ease into a chanting practice is to begin with 12 repetitions, for one week continuously. After that, you might try 36 repetitions for two full weeks. Next step could be to complete 108 rounds of the chant daily (or twice daily). See this post on the benefits of Chanting and encouragement for a consistent chanting practice.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the remaining schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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The Many Benefits of Chanting

Chanting can be a powerful and transformative practice of using sound to bring on a meditative experience. The repetition of mantra and sound aids in down-regulating the nervous system and creating space for peace and stillness to arise within. Additionally, chanting is known to have the following

  • Helps to Improve Concentration
    • Chanting helps to calm the monkey mind by giving it something to focus on both mentally and verbally. With regular chanting, your mind becomes focused on the Sanskrit words instead of everything else. with continued practice, the mind will become more attentive in whatever it focuses on.
  • Reduces Stress and Anxiety
    • Chanting can provide relief from anxiety and tension. Regular chanting allows you to experience peace from within and be less distracted while doing any form of work.
    • Chanting is a practice of meditation and helps you to learn more about yourself and adds meaning to all aspects of your life.
  • Rejuvenating & Calming
    • Tensions are a regular part of life. But too much anxiety and stress produce toxins in the body leading to harmful physical and mental diseases. And Om chanting eliminates the possibilities of toxin production by reducing stress and making you feel rejuvenated whenever you start chanting. Thus, one of the health benefits of Om chanting is that it makes you feel happy, rejuvenated and pacifies your troubled heart.
    • Regular Om chanting also helps to reduce your mood swings and thus improve your work capacity and performance. So, it indicates that with regular Om chanting practice you can improve your personal as well as professional life as well.
  • Helps Support the Back and Spine
    • Chanting, done in an upright position, helps to tone and strengthen the abdominal muscles and this can help to keep the spine healthy in everyday life.
  • Detoxifies Body
    • Chanting is a type of meditation, when you regularly perform meditation, it allows the body to function at an optimum level. This will help the body release toxins and impurities efficiently. 
    • Chanting requires breath regulation and this helps improve blood circulation and oxygen supply to the cells or the body. These are the two important physical benefits of chanting. 
  • Can Improve Functioning of Heart & Digestive System
    • Chanting can help regulate the blood flow to different body parts. Thus, it helps in stabilizing blood pressure. While chanting, the breath, respiration and heartbeat can normalize.
    • Regular practice can improve the functioning of the heart and your digestive system.
  • Helps Improve Quality of Sleep
    • You can improve your sleep and wake up pattern by chanting regularly. As the mind resides in a more peaceful state, the nervous system can reset and recalibrate. Chanting can help with falling asleep quickly, and getting sound and quality sleep.
  • Helps Promote Emotionally Stability
    • When experiencing worry, anger, frustration, irritation, etc. our work and relationships are impacted. Behavior can become irrational and impractical when the mind is disturbed. Chanting can help balance emotions and allow the mind to operate from a more altruistic place, as opposed the fight/flight/freeze state of a mind ruled by worry, anger, frustration, irritation, etc.
  • Improves Reasoning Ability, Reduces Negativity
    • A distracted mind has a tendency to think negative first whenever something unexpected happens. Regular chanting helps keep the mind calm and helps stay present/positive through uncertainty. When you are no longer ruled by your reactionary mind, your reasoning ability improves and you are able to make more grounded and meaningful decisions.

For a initial chanting practice, try repeating this mantra Oṃ 108 times, for one week continuously.

This can be the mantra you continue with indefinitely. If you could like a slightly longer mantra, you might try:

Oṃ Gaṃ Gaṇapataye Namaḥ

This is a chant which invites in knowledge of our own innate capacity to overcome obstacles. It acknowledges that we each have the power Gaṇeśa represents contained within ourselves. It’s already there, we just have to awaken to our own divine nature.

A gentle way to ease into a chanting practice is to begin with 12 repetitions, for one week continuously. After that, you might try 36 repetitions for two full weeks. Next step could be to complete 108 rounds of the chant daily (or twice daily).

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping

Aparigraha, the fifth and final of the Yamas completes the first rung of Patañjali’s ladder toward Ultimate Liberation. This Yama requires the aspirant to practice non-grasping, to live life allowing for a state of flow to exist within all connections.

Grasping is an attempt to control. An attempt to mold and shape the outcome of our efforts and interactions into something of our own, instead of allowing what is possible to blossom. This practice of aparigraha leads aspirants away from the demands and stimulations of the outside world and guides the yogi deeper on the journey inward. The yogi will gain more control over their thoughts, words and actions and will find they are no longer ruled by the impulse to control the results of all of their connections.

Aparigraha opens students up to releasing the desire to own and allows us to let go of what is unnecessary and out of our control. Yogis are able to learn and truly embrace their own strength. Knowing they already have everything they need contained within their own hearts.

This practice leads to knowledge of the difference between committing and grasping. Commitment often starts with the best of intentions, a symbiotic connection which is mutually beneficial. Then, through a series of inevitable life events, commitment can turn into grasping and trying to control. And yet, it can seem impossible to identify the moment when a loving commitment, a gentle clasp of fingers, is transformed and suddenly a desperate, unrelenting desire to control is ruling the connection.

With discipline, self-study, connection, non-violence, truth, non-stealing and honoring of sacred energy, the yogi can start to notice when this transformation happens. The yogi will start to notice when they are attempting to control the outcome of their efforts and return to their own work of Kriyā Yoga and the previous Yamas.

For your journaling opportunity, explore ways you already know you try to grasp and control situations. Additionally, how might you change this pattern of trying to control into an opportunity for deeper self-study?

How could the practice of aparigraha apply to the time you spend practicing yoga on the mat?

How can this practice expand to include our personal relationships?

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Asteya, understanding the scope of non-stealing

The third Yama, asteya, is a practice of non-stealing. Patañjali next calls upon the yogi to deepen their discipline by incorporating the practice of asteya into their life. As it was with truthfulness, this practice must first be rooted in the previous practice of non-violence. All acts, thoughts, and speech must be rooted in non-violence.

So, what is Patañjali asking of us? The concept of not stealing is not new, most of us learn at a very young age that stealing is wrong and will result in some form of punishment. So, maybe the yogi is being called to expand their understanding of what it is to steal to include more subtler practices of non-stealing. With a firmly rooted practice of non-violence and truthfulness the aspirant might find their exploration of non-stealing to expand and include ideas about how our behavior in relationships, and our exchange of time, energy, thoughts, feelings, trust, generosity, etc. 

As a human, we can all have moments of inadequacy, fear, doubt, pain, judgment, etc. and it is quite easy to forget that all humans have these same feelings. Have you ever had a moment of feeling panic or doubt about a situation and then were surprised to learn someone you viewed as ‘so confident’ was also feeling similar threads of doubt and worry? With time, we might find the practice of non-stealing expands and reveals moments when we might not be recognizing the interconnectedness of existence, or the humanity and similarities within each of us.

What about our global resources, are there ways we can alter our daily practices to be sure these global resources are available to all?

For your journaling practice today, explore your definition of stealing and see if there are ways to deepen your understanding of this concept into subtler layers of meaning.

How do you define stealing? Does the concept of non-stealing expand to include more than simply taking an item, which isn’t yours?

How can the practice of Asteya deepen our posture practice?

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Thursday, January 30 – Brahmacarya – celibacy and what it means for the yogi
  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Satya, the vast extent of truthfulness

Could truthfulness change the world? If each soul on this planet were to accept a complete practice of truthfulness into their lives, how would the global social norms be altered?

Practicing truthfulness is not limited to simply avoiding lying. Truthfulness also involves an honest view of all of our actions. The activities we participate in, the food we eat, the way we treat our body, the way we keep our home, etc. If any of these actions are not aligned with our internal core values, this is a form of non-truthfulness.

A pure practice of truthfulness is a powerful opportunity to examine your perception of the world around you and how you engage with it. When journeying into the practice of noticing patterns of truthfulness/non-truthfulness in your life, it’s important to understand this practice must be rooted in non-violence (ahiṃsā). Ahiṃsā, the first of the Yamas, is the foundation of the ladder of Patañjali’s Aṣṭāṇga Yoga system and all actions (even honesty) must be rooted in non-violence first, in order to maintain the appropriate foundation for the spiritual journey of yoga.

Satya is non-violent truthfulness in thought, word and action. Below you’ll find a couple of journaling questions to help you deepen your exploration of Satya.

What does it mean to you to be truthful? Beyond your spoken words, what else is included in this definition of honesty? As you sit and contemplate these ideas, remind yourself of your practice of kindness toward yourself.

Do your thoughts embody truthfulness? If not, how often is your inner monologue untruthful to you? How does your level of stress or calm transform your inner monologue?

How often do you witness un-truthfulness in the world around you? Are there non-violent and honest ways for you to transform those untruths?

How could practicing truthfulness encompass all eight limbs of yoga and guide the aspirant toward freedom?

This practice of journaling and meditating on these questions (and the questions they inspire you to contemplate), can be a powerful tool for self-study and will continue to elevate your spiritual journey. Stay rooted in the concepts we have discussed earlier: Kriyā Yoga and ahiṃsā and remind yourself these practices are a means to overcome suffering and lead us toward peace.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives. Share how you’re experiencing and practicing truthfulness today and everyday with our Ashtanga community and read what others are learning by following #yogafoundationschallenge on IG.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Wednesday, January 29 – Asteya, understanding the scope of non-stealing
  • Thursday, January 30 – Brahmacarya – celibacy and what it means for the yogi
  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Ahiṃsā, non-violence includes so much more than you might think

To observe and practice non-violence, yogis are called to much more than simply the restraint from physical violence. Non-violence is a lifestyle and the respect for all the world and the collective journey of existence we are all participating in. In fact, Patañjali calls for an elimination of violence in thought, word and deed. That’s quite the tall order, to control your engagement with the world with such precision that you are no longer even harboring thoughts that are even remotely violent.

Original commentary on the yoga sūtras goes on to elaborate that this practice of non-violence is required every single day. We learn we can not truly embody non-violence unless it is a constant force saturating throughout our intentions, impacts and ideas.

Ahiṃsā is the tolerance and acceptance of all of the differences amongst the living creatures of the universe. As well as a respectful use and care of all non-living objects as well. Ahiṃsā is also the practice of kindness. Kindness in all of our actions, thoughts and intentions.

As we meditate on this practice of non-violence, I invite you to grab a journal and explore a couple of questions. As you journal on what comes up for you with these questions, use this as an opportunity to get to know yourself better, to see a clearer vision of you. This exploration will lead to gaining knowledge of yourself and offer you opportunities for growth and transformation.

What does it mean to you to be non-violent?

Personally, how have you identified moments in your existence where you have caused harm and what steps did you take to be accountable for that impact? How could you adapt your patterns to impact the world less violently?

Are there truly violent acts, which are considered socially acceptable? And if so, why do we accept them?

Practicing non-violence can take an infinite number of forms. It may come in the form of forgiveness, letting go of past sufferings for the sake of both you and the world around you. Or maybe it comes in the form of acknowledging the presence of the human asking for food on the street corner. It’s also possible to for our act of non-violence to be standing up and using your voice to help those whose voices are being ignored. Or it might be making choices to support the health and vitality of our planet, instead of what is convenient or familiar.

Currently, we’re exploring each of these Yamas (mahāvrata) as well as the Niyamas and trying to understand how we can start to integrate the lessons of these guidelines in our posture practice and our daily lives.

Through the lens of our practice, we can start to view our patterns and reactions as a means to known them and adapt/change them as needed. I encourage you to practice with extra care over the next few weeks and journal about your experience on and off the mat. This will give you an additional tool to process the ideas and concepts we’ll explore throughout the challenge.

Tag @bellapranayoga in each entry along with #yogafoundationschallenge and #bellapranaashtanga to be entered in a drawing to win:

  • Mysore Practice Rug
  • Yogi Assignment by Kino MacGregor
  • 4 oz bottle of Mahanarayan Oil
  • PLUS 10% off workshops with Ajay Tokas in July 2020

See the daily schedule below and follow the tag #yogafoundationschallenge on Instagram to hear experiences from our community as well as share your own. Now, you take practice 🙂

  • Tuesday, January 28 – Satya, the vast extent of truthfulness
  • Wednesday, January 29 – Asteya, understanding the scope of non-stealing
  • Thursday, January 30 – Brahmacarya – celibacy and what it means for the yogi
  • Friday, January 31 – Aparigraha – non-grasping, feeling the difference between holding and grasping
  • Saturday, February 1 – Śauca – cleanliness and why it’s so important on our spiritual journey
  • Sunday, February 2 – Saṃtoṣa – contentment, feeling joy everywhere
  • Monday, February 3 – Tapas – self-discipline as a path toward freedom
  • Tuesday, February 4 – Svādhyāya- self-study, repetition of mantras and calming the mind
  • Wednesday, February 5 – Īśvara Praṇidhāna – connection to the unknown

* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

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Always looking, never seeing

by: Jessica Lynne Trese
What would it mean to stop looking and actually SEE?

I have spent the majority of my life looking for something. Looking for approval, looking for love, looking for validation, looking for happiness, looking everywhere for what was missing in my heart, for what was missing in my life. I looked to others, I looked to money, I looked to partners, I looked to material possessions…basically, I looked outward.

This constant LOOKING finally led me to a yoga mat.

I was looking for peace of mind, looking for something more in my life, looking for a healthier body. As I began practicing yoga regularly, my pattern of looking outward for validation and happiness continued. I would look for approval, look for new poses, look for the next accomplishment.

All of this looking was to fill something that was missing in my life.

And where did this get me? I found pain, suffering, frustration, loneliness and isolation.

But, with the help of some really amazing teachers along the way, I was led to turn inward and observe. I finally learned to calm down my monkey mind enough to start to see and witness my inner landscape.

Instead of looking outward to receive what I needed, I found a path to turn inward.

And there it was revealed, everything I was seeking was inside me all along. Like the tearful moment when Dorothy realizes she could have been swept back to Kansas at any moment, I found myself rushed with the overwhelming knowledge that I had everything I was looking for me inside me already.

तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपेऽवस्थानम् ॥३॥
tadā draṣṭuḥ svarūpe-‘vasthānaṃ ॥1.3॥

And then, the seer abides in His own nature.

By practicing yoga, you can lead your self toward bliss and supreme connectivity. Or, you can also be led toward more suffering.

The intention beneath your practice is what matters the most.

What are you looking for on your mat?

What do you SEE when you look within?


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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What’s the deal with the drishti (dṛṣṭi)?

by: Jessica Lynne Trese

We hear it a lot from our teachers: ‘gaze hear, gaze there.’

But why?

Our yoga practice is meant to focus the mind, while healing the body and increasing our overall vital energy.

A combined concentration on these three practices opens the doorway to a moving meditation and allows our yoga practice to transform into a comprehensive healing system.

The poses are there for the health of the body. The breath allows us to connect to and increase our vital energy. And the dṛṣṭi (gazing point) is how we focus the mind.

Wherever your gaze goes, so does your mind. So, if your gaze is dancing all around the room, watching other practitioners, and/or watching yourself in the mirror; then your mind is also bouncing around, unfocused and distracted.

Give your mind the gift of focus and keep your gaze steady. When the suggested gaze is not possible, keep your gaze focused close by, either on your own mat or somewhere on your body.

focused gaze = focused mind


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Yoga Doesn’t Really Mean Union

by: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

yoga-patanjaliYoga is often times defined as union. To me, this is not completely accurate.

Students always hear, yoga means uniting our body, mind and soul. Which sounds awesome! But, I feel this definition is missing something.

I interpret yoga to mean RE-UNION. Yoga is a tool to help students return to place of inner peace through connection, a place we have been before, the place from which we came but have since forgotten. Yoga opens the door to once again, reside in complete unity within our own divine Self.

So, I like to define yoga as REUNION, returning to the place of complete connection, which life has led us to forget about.


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Mindful Assisting & Adjusting

with: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

After practicing yoga with a teacher a few times, you’ve probably experienced the way hands-on help in the room can bring you into a deeper experience on your mat. And sooner or later, you’re bound to receive help that doesn’t feel good, throws you off balance or maybe even hurts.

As teachers and students of Yoga, we want to learn how to help people journey deeper on their mat, without causing them suffering. Assisting and adjusting can be a practice, which leads students toward deeper experiences on their yoga mat. And when approached mindfully and knowledgeably, teachers can safely guide their students deeper.

Learn how to individually assess students in order to effectively assist them in their yoga practice. We’ll learn how to safely guide our students deeper into poses and lead them further along the path of yoga. This workshop will cover assisting and adjusting poses commonly seen in Vinyasa classes as well as poses from Ashtanga’s Primary and Intermediate series and is appropriate for both teachers and students as a way to deepen their understanding of the poses, the goal of Yoga and the students experience within the poses.

Location: Yogani Studios, Tampa, FL
Date: Now on January 9, 2016
Times: Saturday – 12:00-2:30pm
Cost: $45

sign-up-now-button2



* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – september 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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What does it really mean to practice non-attachment?

by: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

Vairagya, non-attachment, gets thrown around a lot during yoga classes and discussions on yoga philosophy. But what does it really mean to practice non-attachment?

Often times, non-attachment gets interpreted as indifference. As students we hear ‘practice non-attachment’ and we think, ‘ok, I just need to stop caring about everything.’ WRONG.

To me, non-attachment can only be practiced in the presence of pure connection. Non-attachment means connecting to the present moment, without trying to control it.

Connection is the key to non-attachment.

In order to practice non-attachment, we must reside within the exchange of energy in each and every moment without trying to control it. We must give our energy freely, with kind and honest intentions, and genuinely experience what each moment has to offer.

We Are All ConnectedIt’s possible the whole reason we are here on this earth is to CONNECT. Maybe our purpose is solely to connect to our Self, to connect to each other, to connect to the Divine, which is present in and around all of us. Connection could possibly be the goal of our entire journey. Honest connection, without trying to control what comes back to us, but accepting what comes for exactly what it is.

And when we roll out our mat everyday, the goal is not to preform asanas but to connect to the Divine within our hearts even when our situation seems impossible.

Live This MomentAnd when we fail, when we are faced with a task which appears unfeasible we find the strength to continue wholeheartedly, and without attachment to the outcome of our efforts.

We practice the poses to feel and experience the present moment within each pose, and when we don’t catch the bind or stick the landing, we accept the outcome without remorse, judgment or anger. And when we do manage to accomplish the impossible, we accept it graciously, and then move on to the next moment with joy in our heart.



* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Yoga To Sleep Better At Night

sleepy-kitten
SLEEP BETTER

A restful night’s sleep is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. Here are a few yoga practices that can help you sleep as soundly a tired out kitten!

All of these practices can be preformed either in your bed or on the floor of your bedroom. I suggest doing this sequence when you are ready to go to sleep, after all the household tasks are completed and you can turn in for the night. If any part of this routine makes you feel overwhelmed or if it feels unsafe at any time, please stop immediately and find a comfortable place to breathe deeply while the sensations dissipate.

Keep in mind the most important aspect of ANY yoga practice is the breath. Try for deep, steady breathing where the inhales are the same length as the exhales.

Breathe your way to more restful sleep!

Alternate Nostril Breath:

    *Take three deep breaths in and out through the nose
    *Use the thumb to block off the right nostril and breathe in through the left
    *Use the third finger to block off the left nostril and breathe out through the right
    *Repeat 9-12 times total
    *Use the third finger to block off the left nostril and breathe in through the right
    *Use the thumb to block off the right nostril and breathe out through the left
    *Repeat 9-12 times (the same number of rounds each side)
    *Take three deep breaths in and out through the nose

Legs Up the Wall:

    *Sit down right next to the wall
    *Keeping your hips as close to the wall as possible, lay down on your back
    *Lift your legs up the wall
    *Rest your hands on either side of the body or let them rest on your belly
    *Remain here for five minutes breathing through the nose as possible

Reclining Twist:

    *Bend your knees to your chest and catch the outside of the left knee with your right hand
    *Use the right hand to guide both knees to the right
    *Breathe 15 times through the nose as possible
    *Draw both knees back to the center
    *Catch the outside of the right knee with your left hand
    *Use the left hand to guide both knees to the left
    *Breathe 15 times
    *Draw both knees back to center

Seated Bound Angle Pose:

    *Sitting on the floor or the bed, connect the bottoms of the feet and make the legs shaped into a large diamond
    *Rest a pillow or two between your legs
    *Gently fold forward so your upper body can rest on the pillows with your head turned comfortably to one side
    *Stay here for 20+ long breaths

Final Resting Pose:

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Some Truth About Ashtanga Yoga

By: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

Sometimes Ashtanga Yoga can get a bad reputation in the yoga community. It’s called the ‘fitness yoga’ and all the students are closed-minded because they practice the same ‘routine’ everyday. And Ashtangis are known for being a little over the top with our adherence to ‘the rules of Ashtanga.’

Is Ashtanga Yoga ‘fitness yoga?’

No, not the way most people think of fitness routines. Our asana practice (postures) is meant to heat up the body, to cleanse, purify and enliven the physical body from the inside out.

A more fitting description would be ‘body healing yoga’ because we find balance, ease and health throughout the physical body from the physical asana practice.

Are we closed-minded because we practice the same ‘routine’ everyday?

Not even close! We open our minds, and hearts up to the subtle nuances of in-depth study. Ashtanga Yoga is used as a tool to turn inward and by taking the same ‘route’ inward each day we can start to notice the more subtle changes in the body. We can start to notice the more subtle changes in our hearts.

Taking a different route inward everyday you can miss the subtle changes in YOU!

Are we over the top in following ‘the rules of Ashtanga’?

Not really. Yes, there are some rules/guidelines that we stick to. Ashtanga Yoga is a tool for Self-transformation, and the rules/guidelines show us how to use this tool.

Simply by surrendering to the ‘rules’ of Ashtanga Yoga our transformation begins. The ‘rules’ show us what to do and when we let the mind surrender to this method, it can finally rest and stop trying to control every single thing. Then we can start to truly experience the present moment; the moment is no longer colored by the mind’s wish to have it be something else.  Presence and stillness can reside within the mind.

All those who practice the Ashtanga Yoga method for a long time, without break and with devotion have experienced the way the practice allows the light in our hearts to shine. Illuminating the present moment with acceptance, peace, gratitude and joy.

And the most amazing part of this practice is the Ashtanga Yoga Community. Our community spans the globe, and no matter how far one of us travels, if we find another Ashtanga student, we will have found a piece of our heart. Even if we don’t speak the same language, we can speak to each other through the language of our practice. A global community of people, each one dedicated to working on being the best version of their own Self as possible.


 


* About Jessica

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Yoga Brings Out The Worst In Me…

By: Jessica Lynne Trese
Hate, fear, anxiety, anger, doubt, judgement – they all come flooding to the surface and they bring up all of my buried crap along the way. The more I practice yoga, the more I find my personal pain coming to the surface – and I LOVE it!!!

I went to my first yoga class after the um-teenth friend suggested I just try it. The suggestions always came up during discussions of spirituality and the meaning of life. Inevitably, the conversation would lead to this recurring phrase: ‘You know, you should really try yoga.’

So one day I did. And it was awesome! I felt great! All of the sudden, I had never felt better in my body. I was calmer, more present and had more energy. I was hooked! Yoga would be in my life forever.

I had no idea how choosing to include yoga in my life would transform my heart and soul. Yoga has allowed me to experience the peace of truly being comfortable with who I am.

This experience of yoga has not always been pleasant, and it doesn’t always feel good. There has been pain. There has been anger, fear, doubt, frustration and more. At the same time, it has been the most wonderful addition to my my life and has brought me more overall health, happiness and joy than anything I’ve ever tried before!

This practice of yoga continues to dredge the lake of my soul and shines light into the darkest corners of my heart, revealing all the shadows I have buried away, and had hoped to never see again. Having to re-experience this past pain is not easy.

My regular Ashtanga practice teaches me to observe my internal fluctuations. I’ve learned to watch the emotions and feelings as they come to the surface and instead of allowing myself to get wrapped up in all the pain and suffering I’ve buried, I am able to remain neutral… well neutral-ish.

Before yoga, neutral wasn’t possible for me. I was easily weighed down by experiences of sadness and grief. I would look for ways to burry and numb these feelings so I could just go back to feeling happy.

But because of the work I do on my yoga mat each day, I now realize when these feelings come up, it’s more than just a time to be reminded of the pain, it’s also an opportunity to release the pain once and for all.

If I can watch the emotions and pain as they come up, without holding onto them, they can finally be released. I can finally let them go, one at a time. And all of the sudden I am no longer weighted down by that pain and my heart is lighter.

Yoga has given me freedom. Freedom to be happy. Freedom to be who I am without the weight of past suffering. Freedom to experience and receive pure LOVE from the world around me. Freedom to give love to the world around me. Freedom.


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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Catvāri cringe

By: Jessica Lynne Trese (Moore)

In Ashtanga Yoga, we do most of our practices in the Mysore room. This personal and healing practice initiates a deep moving meditation. Each day we have the opportunity to travel along the path inward, learning about ourselves and finding the grace to approach the tight spots with ease and balance. It’s beautiful.

Then there are the led classes… Many Ashtanga teachers would recommend attending a led class once a week as a way to tap into the pace and rhythm of the vinyasa count. Led classes ask students to start and end together and try to keep a collective pace for the duration of the class. This pace is held within the vinyasa count.

Ekam Inhale.
Dve Exhale.
Trīṇi Inhale head-up.

Here it comes…. Our dread in led classes, the outrageous Catvāri Exhale. Where our teacher expects us to pause and complete the exhale while hovering in chaturanga, and it seems like we’re staying here FOREVER before the teacher releases us into the sweet expansion of up-dog.

Why does this pose have to be such a big deal?
Why can’t we just slide right into up-dog and hang out while everyone catches up?
What is our teacher really asking us to practice here?

Maybe what our teacher is trying to get us to practice has absolutely NOTHING to do with chaturanga.

Maybe what our teacher is trying to get us to practice is something much more powerful, much more liberating than any single yoga pose.

Maybe our teacher is trying to get us to practice presence.

Our teacher’s simple request. Try to reside with this moment, and absorb all that is this moment. Then, we will move on to the next moment together. Linking moments of presence together with the breath.

There is a deep peace, which can be experienced when surrendering to the present moment. Allowing for the experience of the present moment, without rushing is liberating. Freedom in the present moment.

Practice, practice.

About Jessica

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Led Full Primary: Igniting Your Practice

by: Jessica Lynne Trese

Ekam Inhale…

Two words, two languages, one breath, one practice.

Hearing those two words inspire a moment of spontaneous meditation for me. For a moment, I can feel the mat beneath my feet, I can feel Sharath’s presence on the stage nearby. The grace of surrender floods my system and ease fills my heart.

Surrendering to the pulse of Ashtanga Yoga, surrendering to the pace of the vinyasa count allows me to dive into the waters of the moving meditation. Stilling the mind and calming the body. The next 90 minutes are a concentrated experience of Breath, Bandhas and Dṛṣṭi.

Then rest, peace and tranquility pervade the physical, energetic and mental bodies. Stillness abounds.

The Ashtanga Full Primary.

#takepractice


* About Jessica

* Ashtanga Eco Retreat – September 1-7, 2016

* Upcoming Events & Workshops

* Apprenticeship Program

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