Yoga Sutra 2.42 Santosha
Yoga Sutra 2.42 Santosha (& Gratitude) REFLECTION QUESTIONS How often does your thinking take the shape of an if/then statement? If this happens, then I’ll be happy... When that happens, everything will fall into place... How much of your life energy do you spend on wanting things to ... (Continue Reading)
Yoga Sutra 2.40-41 Sauca
Yoga Sutra 2.40-41 Śauca (& clarity) REFLECTION QUESTIONS What are the habits that hinder your ability to think clearly, choose happiness, maintain focus, and remember your True Self? What are the "opposites" that you can focus on in order to begin shifting these habits (pratipaksa bhavanam)? What are ... (Continue Reading)
Niyama: Foundations of Personal Practice
Yoga is a state of being AND the practices that help us reach that state of being. The practices of yoga are laid out in an 8-limbed path that includes everything you would suspect: movement, breath, meditation. But the path of yoga begins with what it means to live in right relationship. As we ... (Continue Reading)
What Grounds and Guides You?
Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Late Fall 2020 As we make our way toward the end of 2020 and into the heart of winter, I've got a really important sermon for you. It's meditative. It's practical. It's filled with both ancient and modern wisdom. It will help you find the ground beneath ... (Continue Reading)
Gratitude as a Quality of Being
Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Late Fall 2020 The 2nd limb of yoga practice is called the niyama-s, which is a 5-part teaching about how to live in right relationship with yourself. It's a potent set of teachings that includes the practice of contentment. Contentment is not the passive acceptance of life ... (Continue Reading)
Svadhyaya: Exploring The Stories That Shape Us
Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Late Fall 2020 Svadhyaya: Exploring the stories that shape us. REFLECTION QUESTIONS These are big questions and I encourage you to explore them on your own and with the people you love. You were born into a family ... (Continue Reading)
Finding Refuge
Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Late Fall 2020 HERE I AM. Take a breath and say it to yourself: Here I am. What's happening in your life right now? Take another breath and let's say it together: Here we are. HERE WE ARE. We're heading into the darkest part of the year ... (Continue Reading)
The Beauty of Feeling
Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Early Fall 2020 Sometimes strong emotions—like anger or despair—make us feel uncomfortable or guilty. Sometimes we're tempted to push strong emotions away. But our emotions keep us rooted in our humanity. And our world needs our humanity right now. We've got to build the capacity to stay ... (Continue Reading)
Here We Are (an invitation to grieve together)
Welcome to the Yoga Church Sunday Sermons Early Fall 2020 There’s so much happening in the world right now and we need to meet it as our best selves. (Please know when I say "best selves" I'm not talking about notions of perfection or false happiness.) Our best self is the part of us ... (Continue Reading)
Lady Gaga, Jesus, and an angel walk into a bar. A recap of the Yama-s.
We're coming to the end of our study of the yama-s (for now...) and I'm excited to share a guest sermon written by my friend and colleague Marci Becker. She offers deep personal reflection (that I know so many people in this community will relate to) and her hope for what's possible in ... (Continue Reading)