Tools to Live Yoga!

Yoga is a life journey to personal mastery. Below are a few resources to get started on that journey and to continually return to as you progress – consistency is the key to results!

9 Emotions of Yoga

Rasas

One of the first steps towards self-study (svadyaya) to gain more mastery over our life is to know what emotion we are feeling.

Shanta- calm

Sringara – love

Hasya- joy

Veerya- courage

Adbhuta- curiosity, wonder

Karuna- sad, compassion

Bhayanaka- fear

Vibhasta- disgust

Raudra – anger

7 Habits of a Highly Effective Yogi

Developed by my teacher Padma Shakti, founder Rasa Yoga School, these 7 habits will help you start your day off with vigor, intention, and balance!

1. Water ritual

Every morning with awareness of the cleansing properties of water take several drinks of water immediately after your first aware breath or before getting out of bed. 

2. 7 movements 

Watch video below for a visual of each pose. Take 3 complete breaths for each posture.

•  Baddha Konasana 
•  Shoulder Vinyasa
•  Chakra Vakrasana
•  Rabbit/Headstand or Headstand Prep
•  Double Pigeon 
•  Spinal Twist
•  Spinal roll to squat

3. Sit for 5 minutes

Practice naming your breath, more experienced students, emotions run through you.

4. Tongue scrape

The tongue is an important detoxification organ and also important for your first meal of the day.

5. Look outside – connect with the Earth and the Sky

Connect with the harmonious balance of nature and seek to live in rhythm with nature.

6. Addiction (have a plan)

Set the intention to let go of one addiction a day and have a plan to healthfully fill the space of the addiction.

7. Live gratefully

Be grateful you have a home, food and gas in your car:  EVERYTHING IS A GIFT.

Gunas – 3 Attributes of Nature

Gunas represent attributes that are present in all aspects of nature (sattva, rajas, tamas). These energetic forces extend to how we mentally process thoughts (Manas Prakriti). Ayurveda yoga guides us to become self-aware of what guna we are leading with and how to shift to a more peaceful state.