Meditation Technique: Noting
Meditation Technique: Noting Last week we explored a foundational exercise for starting a new meditation practice. When you are feeling more comfortable with meditation overall, you can start experimenting to see what other meditations can feel like for you. Today’s particular meditation is a simple way...
How to Start a Meditation Practice
How to Start a Meditation Practice Starting a meditation practice on your own can feel intimidating. Many online instructions and books tell you to set aside a minimum of 10 minutes per day, which doesn’t seem like a lot of time until you try to find...
What is Dharma?
What is Dharma? The word dharma has multiple meanings across Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. We’re going to explore one aspect of dharma that comes from Hinduism; the word dharma appears in many sacred Hindu texts like the Rig Vedas and the Upanishads. In this context, dharma...
What are Samskaras?
What are Samskaras? Think about something you do without thinking about it, like making breakfast in the morning or driving to work. You don’t need to think about the individual actions that make up those processes because they are habitual. This is a good thing when...
What are the Gunas?
What are the Gunas? “Gunas” are qualities or properties of life; the word “guna” is often translated as “thread,” as in the different threads that are woven together to make up reality. The three gunas are Sattva, Tamas, and Rajas. The gunas are present in everyone...
Meet the Teacher Training Faculty: Lisa Helm
Meet the Teacher Training Faculty: Lisa Helm What do you teach for the Iam Yoga Teacher Training? I teach the Anatomy and Physiology module, which always kicks off the teacher training. We are big believers in setting up new teachers for success by helping them understand how to keep...
Purusha & Prakriti: Opposing Universal Forces
Purusha & Prakriti: Opposing Universal Forces The concepts of purusha and prakriti come from the Samkhya school of Hindu philosophy, which believes that the universe is made up of two realities. These two forces are purusha and prakriti, male and female, unchanging and changing, divine and...
Meet the Teacher Training Faculty: Elizabeth Vecchio
Meet the Teacher Training Faculty: Elizabeth Vecchio What do you teach for the Iam Yoga Teacher Training? Within the IAM YTT I teach four units: Hatha and Classic Sequencing, Fitness Sequencing, Creative Sequencing and The Language of a Yoga Instructor (which is kinda like sequencing too, just for your...
What is Jnana Yoga?
What is Jnana Yoga? Patanjali saw four paths for attaining the “union” of yoga. In past posts, we have discussed Karma yoga, or the yoga of service, Bhakti yoga, or the yoga of devotion, and Raja yoga, or the royal path. Lastly, we have Jnana yoga,...
What is Raja Yoga?
What is Raja Yoga? Patanjali saw four paths for attaining the “union” of yoga. In past posts, we have discussed Karma yoga, or the yoga of service, and Bhakti yoga, or the yoga of devotion. This path, the one of Raja yoga, is considered the...