Tell me a little bit about your yoga journey from the beginning. Within my first class, I knew I had found my safe haven. After a few short weeks of diligent practice, I was starting to heal injuries my body had suffered from being a dancer most my life. This safe haven developed into an overall state of health that I wanted to carry off of my mat and into the world. I quickly found my calling to become a certified yoga instructor! What's it like to be a part of the RYL community? All of the teachers are so unique, yet everyone is so supportive of one another! The community embraces different styles of yoga. No matter where you are in your body (physically, mentally, or spiritually) RYL has something to offer. I love being a part of a community that reaches such diverse needs! Did you ever see yourself teaching yoga when you started practicing? When did you know that you were called to teach? I knew I was called to teach within 3 weeks of starting yoga. I started out planning to double major with Dance as one of my degrees, but had to quit one year into college after suffering major injuries. Yoga brought back that aliveness I felt when I was a dancer. The path the Universe wanted me to take was very clear to me. What does yoga mean to you? Yoga means listening to the body and bringing about awareness in everyday life. Since I come from a background of injuries, listening to my body and not pushing it is very important. What is the most magical thing about yoga? The most magical thing about yoga is how it encompasses every aspect of life. As a culture we typically only practice asana. However, asana is only one of eight limbs of yoga. No matter which limb you may be practicing, an open heart allows the others to fall into place.Why do people especially need yoga in their lives? Presence, presence, presence; too often we're filled with anxiety and stress about the past or future. Being fully absorbed in the moment is where life happens. It can’t be found anywhere else. This month we are setting intentions and preparing for the year ahead. Do you think yoga can support an intention setting practice in anyone’s life? Yes! I have found the more aware I am, the more conscious I am in my decisions. You make a lot less excuses when you are present. What is your favorite music to practice to, and why? It totally depends on my mood-- from complete silence all the way to dubstep! What 3 words would describe your life outside of your yoga practice? Outdoors, foodie, playful. What is your greatest guilty pleasure? Snacking on yummy “hobbit” food all day while watching a Lord of the Rings marathon (extended versions of course)! Anything your students ought to know about you? When I’m not teaching , I’m in the kitchen experimenting! I keep up a website called Nourished Yogi that is full of plant based recipes, helping anyone who wants to go more plant based. When I’m not teaching yoga or in the kitchen, you can find me, my husband, and pups outdoors! |
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This is a guest post from astrologer, herbal intuitive, and spiritual mystic Treaura Herbal at Treaura.com There's nothing sweeter than the holiday season; we're sipping warm eggnog, coaxing the fire, and spending time with loved ones! Holidays are a time of expressing love, joy, and gratitude for those closest to us, and it's no surprise that many people look forward to this time of the year. Unfortunately, what goes along with this season is a rapid influx of scheduling, budgeting, and socializing. It's easy to see that time becomes the most important commodity in staying as joyous as the season. The American Psychological Association reported in 2006 that over 1 in 4 of Americans feel anxiety and stress during the end of the year, and that number continues to climb higher. Many factors come into play: facing family drama, struggling to financially endure the gift giving, and the tiring nature of travel are just a few! This week, we're dealing with the anxiety and stress of the holiday season with one of my favorite anxie-tea busting secrets; natural herbal teas! Delete Depression With Citrus (Lemon, Orange) Feeling blue during this time of year? You're not alone! Find freedom from sadness and release your burdens with the power of citrus peels and fruits in your tea! Citrus contains bioflavanoids that provide antioxidant support, healing the body from the inside out. Lemon and orange contain aromatherapeutic properties that lift your mood instantly, creating a positive emotional state when used frequently over time.
Attack Anxiety With Kava Root Believe it or not, Native Hawaiians would drink a version of kava root tea to relax so much so that it was almost like being buzzed! There is no alcohol content in kava root, though it can immediately relax a tense body-- a common symptom of anxiety. Eleuthero root is another beneficial calming herb that has been used for centuries to encourage a sense of well-being! In combination with kava root, anxiety will be a thing of the past after you drink these teas:
Shush Stress With Rooibos African red bush tea has taken off in the last 5 years, and for good reason! Rooibos is an earthy, zesty tea that can satisfy many different tea drinkers. It also has powerful stress relieving properties that make the holiday season a much more joyous occasion for those cold evenings. St. John's Wort is a common stress reducing herb that can go perfectly in any tea formulation without tasting herbally.
Thank you for sharing your time and space with me at the Roswell Yoga Life blog! Learn more about herbal medicine, astrology, and cultivating daily joy at Treaura.com!
Tell your story: share your favorite stress reducing practices this holiday season on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtags #stressfreetea and #roswellyogalife! In the middle of yoga class, we're all eager to savor the moments of deep centered balance and stability in each posture. The practice of yoga is inherently a practice of being in the present moment. Sure, we are all guilty of wandering off into the responsibilities that lie outside of that sacred space-- kids, work, home life-- which are all perfectly normal. The benefits of living in each moment as consciously as possible is beyond healing for the immune and nervous system. Stress, anxiety, and tension are demolished by living in a state of positive consciousness. When it comes time to decompress after a vigorous yoga class, and settle into savasana, it's easy to let your limbs relax and spread out over the mat. For many, it is the time of true release and relaxation. However, it's also a true test of conscious living: will you relax in savasana long enough to forget everything that awaits you in the outside world? Or will you succumb to the stresses that brought you to your practice in the first place and get up early? Savasana, or Corpse Pose, is meant to bring about a sense of deep joy and bliss that cannot be duplicated. The body eagerly awaits a chance to completely rest, especially after a moving meditation like yoga. Quit skipping savasana to save time, and save your health instead! Rolling up your mat early is like shaking hands with a massage therapist, laying down on the table, and then walking out the door. Savasana provides many immediate benefits:
When staying in Savasana for more than 5 minutes, you can experience the following:
Before the ultimate chill of Winter arrives, it's important to acknowledge and adjust ourselves to Autumn. Traditional Chinese Medicine is a powerful, ancient wisdom of natural and seasonal habits that contribute to overall health and well-being. Every season, according to Chinese Medicine, is rich with its own unique properties that allow us to achieve greater health during that time. In addition, by caring for ourselves in sync with the season, it prepares the body and the mind for the next transition. Daoist master Qi Bo once said, "those who knew the way of keeping good health in ancient times always kept their behavior in daily life in accordance with nature [...] and were able to live to the old age of more than 100 years." This simple idea could be the key to a happier, healthier life! This week, we're discovering what secrets Traditional Chinese Medicine offers for our mind, body and spirit. Utilize these simple rules and see how your wellness improves once you take inspiration from Mother Nature:
Breathe Easy, Digest Well Every season in Chinese Medicine is associated with a part of the body that represents yin and yang. The lungs are the yin, while the large intestine is the yang. Take care to nourish these functioning organs with herbal and nutritional healing modalities, including intestinal massage. This simple act can dramatically improve digestion, allowing the large intestine to properly detoxify and release waste from the body. Utilize herbal formulas to treat and balance the lungs naturally, such as:
For the large intestine, treat the mucosal lining and overall digestion with these herbs:
One of the most important aspects of Autumn in Traditional Chinese Medicine is the emotion behind the season: grief. During Autumn, Chinese Medicine focuses on the idea of "letting go" and releasing what no longer serves you. People, things, ideas, beliefs, and items are all worth reflecting on to be sure that you're surrounded with positive, loving energy. Embrace and accept grief and loss during Autumn to prepare you for the weight of Winter. Welcome to our new mini series, focusing on the ideas behind each season according to Traditional Chinese Medicine! Look forward to our Winter post in January.
What insights do you have to share? How will you incorporate these ideas into your daily life this season? Share your thoughts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using the hashtag #rylwellnesswednesday and #rylseason! Autumn is a time of beautiful, color changing landscapes with breezy, changeable weather and the season of gearing up for dropping temperatures outside. Maintaining a healthy body temperature is the job of your organs and muscles, a state called homeostasis, so that we are balanced and comfortable. Sometimes, though, we need a little more help from our wardrobes and our diets. Escape the cold weather and chill winds with our favorite warming hacks this week on Wellness Wednesday:
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About the AuthorKayleighWriter, energy healer, astrologer, nerd, animal enthusiast, naturopath in training. Archives
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