The Magic Mat
“The Original Magic Mat is the innovative, game-changing product your die cutting has been missing. Swap out one of your plastic cutting pads for this sturdy self-healing pad and you'll be amazed by the cleanest cuts you've ever achieved. Try the affordable, long-lasting Magic Mat today.” As someone who enjoys crafting, after experiencing yoga teacher training this advertisement for the Magic Mat suddenly took on an entirely new meaning. I’ve seen this advertisement before, but I’ve never thought about anything more than crafting. The words began to resonate on a cellular level as I read and re-read this advertisement. The words like, innovative, game-changing, sturdy, self-healing, amazed, and cleanest cuts you’ve ever achieved all seemed to speak to how my mat was becoming a key component to my transformation and self awareness……The Magic Mat. Early April 2022, slowly coming out of the pandemic, with frustrations of the new-new normal setting in, I thought to myself, “Now is the...
Reducing Anxiety Amidst a Pandemic
Here we are in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and anxiety is through the roof! When we’re anxious, our breathing pattern changes. That’s why it’s good to take a break regularly and stretch your upper body. You don’t even need to get up from your chair.
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...
More Recent Articles
What Brings True Happiness?
What is life? How do we find happiness in this life? These are questions that people ask themselves and try to answer without sometimes looking deeper for solutions that could last longer and have more benefits. We tend to look for the quick and easy fix, like taking...
A Yogic Adventure—for Kids!
What if your Hatha class took you on a fun-filled journey into an imaginative story? In Nitya's classes for kids, that's the reality! Nitya reveals what makes her classes so magical for little ones and shares what she has learned from teaching kid's Yoga for over 12...
Unlock Your Potential: Master Keys to Happiness
What if someone handed you the keys to a peaceful, joyful life? Would you use them to unlock your full potential? Mitra Somerville offers two helpful practices to help open up doors to our inner peace. Live in Feeling The practice of Integral Yoga helps us to have...
Cultivate Self-Love!
In last week's blog, Sampada Desai espoused the benefits of self-compassion. We followed up with her to learn simple and effective daily practices for cultivating self-love. Since who we are at the core goes beyond just the physical body, a multi-faceted approach...
A Healthy Dose of Self-Compassion
In the following interview, psychotherapist, yogini, and laughter Yoga leader Sampada Desai makes a powerful argument for why it is beneficial to be kind to ourselves. Throughout our lives we long to be loved more deeply and to find a greater sense of connection with...
Vegan Chickpea Tuna
An Ashram favorite, this mock tuna recipe was recently requested by our readers. Vegan and gluten-free, this dish is a guaranteed table-pleaser for all. You can guiltlessly indulge in this delicious, karma-free comfort food! Chickpea Tuna Recipe Makes enough for 6...
Meditation with a Master
In any pursuit, the advice of a master is incredibly valuable for advancing one's craft and avoiding common mistakes. Yoga master Swami Satchidananda shares practical teachings about one of the most important pursuits we may ever undertake—realizing one's Self through...
Healthy Eating for the Holidays
The holidays are a joyous time for coming together with family, expressing love and gratitude, and enjoying delicious, homemade meals. In the midst of these festive, social gatherings, mindful eating is sometimes forgotten. Just the thought of the dining table laden...
The Secret of Silence
Know that you are That. Be silent and find such inner knowledge for yourself...In that silence, realize your true nature. There are no words to describe it.—Swami Satchidananda The wealth of hearing is above all wealth. Always listen. You were made to listen. You were...
Yama and Niyama: The Foundation of Spiritual Life
The first two limbs of Raja Yoga are called yama and niyama. They consist of five precepts each and constitute the ethical foundation of Yoga. Sri Swami Satchidananda said: “All spiritual life should be based on these principles. They are the foundation stones without...
Ahimsa in the Workplace: Finding Harmony
The yamas and niyamas of the Yoga Sutras form the ethical and moral guidelines for yogis and yoginis who aim to practice Yoga in all aspects of their lives. In the following article, Madhavan Mark Wolz explores the first yama, ahimsa, and how to practice it in the...
Personalizing Your Meditation Practice
Most people don't have the introduction to meditation that Sumati Govinda Steinberg had. Sumati's incredible meditation journey started with her first meditation experience at 2-years-old learning from her father. Sumati answered our questions about how to make...