How Meditation Can Help
in Times of Loss and Heartbreak
In grief and loss, the mind is powerfully affected. The way we think is changed. The content of our thoughts is altered. Particularly in early and traumatic grief, we forget things, we lose things, we are distracted and inattentive. Alternatively, we can be utterly focused on thoughts of our loved ones and what we have lost. We zone out, we draw blanks, we review, we scrutinize, we reject, and we ask unanswerable questions. We may question the very foundation of our most deeply held beliefs. The way we see the universe, other people, relationships, life itself, and the way things are can change drastically. We think about who we are now that this has happened to us, and try to decide how that makes sense based on who we were before grief came and what that will mean when we become whomever it is we will be in the future. We contemplate the strangeness of the loss of past interests and the inability to care about things that were once important. We wonder why other people continue to...
Ayurvedic Wisdom for Healthy Body and Mind
Tune into ancient Ayurvedic wisdom that offers guidance on keeping our bodies strong and our minds calm, amidst times of pandemic and stress. Ayurveda is a five-thousand-year-old natural system of healing that originated in India, rooted in longevity and preventative...
Laughter and Yoga: Being Happy on Purpose
One of the key indicators of happiness is laughter. Normally, we think we need to wait for something to happen before happiness can occur or before we hit the happiness button, but, that’s not true! We have the power to go ahead and hit that button! I call this...
More Recent Articles
Campers, Get Ready for Summer!
If you've visited Yogaville during the summer, you may have seen a group of young yogis attending puja at Kailash, or you might have had the privilege of witnessing the boisterous fun of the Camp Yogaville talent show, or attending a lively Saturday night satsang...
Teaching Teens, Saving the World
In the early years of my career as a Yoga teacher, I worked with a lot of different populations—adults, seniors, cancer patients, kids and even toddlers. But I very consciously avoided one group… teens. I didn’t want to deal with their attitudes and hormones, and I...
Nourish Your Soul: Q&A with Marni Sclaroff
Sometimes, a sense of disconnection with who we really are sends us searching—for depth, for meaning, for reconnection. “Who am I?” is a question that has been asked since time immemorial. Too often it brings more questions than answers! Marni Sclaroff explores this...
Embracing Empowerment: Releasing Victim Mentality
The stories we tell ourselves about our lives help us understand the world and our role in it. But when those internal narratives become negative, blameful, and disempowering, then they may no longer serve us. Sid McNairy, former football coach at Northern Illinois...
Non-Greed (Aparigraha): The Folly of Craving
If you've ever taken a class with Swami Karunananda, you know that she is a Raja Yoga master and a fantastic storyteller. That's why we couldn't miss the opportunity to share her most recent satsang talk on Aparigrapha (non-greed). Below, Swami Karunanda offers many...
Go with the Flow
“Go with the flow!” We hear this phrase often as advice when we are struggling under pressure or we are experiencing something uncomfortable. Its intention is to shift us out of trying to control the outcome so that we accept what is happening and relax into the...
Stress Management at Its Best
Integral Yoga brings a deep wisdom to our experience of stress and suffering. Through Yoga, we understand that stress begins in the mind with how we interpret events. For example, one person may see a difficult situation as a real threat, while another person sees...
Yoga—The Fountain of Youth
Barbara Prema Brown has been practicing Yoga for the past 30 years. After being diagnosed with a fibroid tumor, she sought Yoga as an alternative therapy to help her recover. An accountant by trade, she pursued Yoga teacher training at Yogaville in 2009 and has been...
Yoga for Better Bone Health: 12 Poses to Counter Osteoporosis
Yoga is touted as having numerous health benefits, ranging from increased flexibility and strength to reduced stress and anxiety. But have you ever wondered if Yoga has any effect on the very foundation of your body—your bones? Dr. Loren Fishman, M.D., is the medical...
The Power of Sanskrit: A Vlog with Gita Zember
As a Yoga student and practitioner, you may have heard about kirtan, mantras, and the Sanskrit language. But you may still be wondering, “What’s it all about, really?” Kirtan artist and dedicated Bhakti yogini Gita Zember has guided many students into spiritual bliss...
Treating Cancer Patients with Yoga Therapy
Sandra Susheela Gilbert has certainly found her life's work. Dedicated to Jnani Chapman and her teachings of Yoga Therapy for Cancer and Chronic Illness (YCat), Susheela began to share the healing practices of Yoga with cancer patients. After Jnani's recent and...
Social Eating: A Challenge on the Weight Loss Journey
Whether or not you've ever been on a weight loss journey, you are probably aware of the connection between food and social life. In many cultures, eating a meal is a social activity. Anna Neiman Passalacqua, a teacher of Peaceful Weight Loss and co-author of At Home...