" ... for her, everyday was the same, and when each day is the same as the next, it's because people fail to recognize the good things that happen in their lives every day that the sun rises."

~ The Alchemist ~

An excerpt from one of my favorite books in which I glean threads yoga wisdom; enjoy each day and all of the experiences that each encompasses.

Namaste

Fall is "vata" season, according to Ayurvedic philosophy. Vata represents "air" and movement. As the season changes and the temperatures cool, Ayurveda informs that we adjust our lifestyle and diet in accordance with the season to maintain balance.

Adjusting our diet to include more oils and hearty, warming foods to counter the cold air and drying effect that it has on the skin, is just one of the ways we can move into harmony with the season.

Om shanti.

Backbends help to open the chest and stretch the front of the body. Backbending positions are also naturally invigorating, kind of like when you're yawning deeply while stretching out the arms. This action allows us to expand more deeply through the torso and allows more air to enter the body.

Whether it's a gentle bend or deep backbend, enjoy the stretch as you inhale back into the bend.

Namaste!

Maya is a sanskrit term from yoga philosophy which means "illusion." When the mind refuses to see things as they really are, but rather, sees things as it wants to see them or as it has always known them, this is an "illusion" or "maya." The unravelling of an illusion can be a painful process for many people.

In practical life we may constantly battle awakening from these illusions that the mind creates and in which we can feel deeply rooted. From letting go of a pattern of behavior or a relationship that brings pain or discord into our life, to realizing that our own mind is the source generating and maintaining the pain or illusion, a painful awakening can sometimes lead toward a path of extreme peace.

shanti!