Join Amy and Whitney to discuss all things modern yoga - plus life off the mat for this first ever episode.
This episode contains:
Part I:
Hello!
8 Limbs of Yoga
Bikram Yoga, yea or nay?
Part II:
Veronica
Citta vṛtti nirodhaḥ
Lotus Temple
Yoga Ethics
Part III:
Sobriety
Social Media
Almond Milk
Sadhana Check-in
Shared exclusively with Four Paths Yoga members one week prior to public release, on a monthly basis.
Read MoreWhile it’s hard to say anyone is an expert, I think I know something about being alone.
As a child, I would retreat to my room and sit in the same place on my bedroom floor and find silence.
It wasn’t until many years later that I realized I was meditating, and can recall a number of profound experiences that came so naturally, despite never having named them.
No one knew, but me. This was my special space to be present to all my complex feelings, and observe them as they moved through me.
My favorite book in middle school was “Walden” by Henry Thoreau (if not a close second, after Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Self-Reliance”).
I dreamed about what it would be like to be so isolated, to slow the pace of life down to the point where I would notice early morning dew drops on the leaves of a flower, and wonder at the mirage of colors blending together as the sun set below the horizon.
I thought, “This is how life is supposed to be.”
The examples I saw of this type of true, childlike mindful awareness seemed only available by being alone.
Read MoreI hear the word “resistance” used over and over again in different contexts.
I recently exclaimed assuredly to my partner that the “resistance” was still coming, just resting for now.
Not realizing until later that our definitions of the word were distinct and misaligned.
Is “resistance” a dirty word? A threatening one?
To me, resistance equals the softness of saying No.
Resistance comes with a clarity and grounding, a moral backbone from which to stand up tall against forces outside ourselves.
As part of my day job, I engage with the news around the world. I read the Guardian, the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and listen to podcasts and talk shows from other countries.
I repeatedly hear the word: resistance.
Where is the American resistance? Where are the folks that stood up eight years ago? What does resistance look like today? Where has it gone?
Like many of you, I move from work to partner to family to friends to side hustle to self-care time, and I have wondered who was going to answer this narrative. Rhetorical questions itching beneath my skin. Thankfully, others (editorial writers) took up the charge.
“Where is the resistance?,” the public asks hopefully.
“The resistance is resting,” says a faint whisper in reply.
To read the full article, become a member of Four Paths Yoga here and receive monthly writings, video and podcast updates.
As we maneuver a collective reconciliation with difference today and in the weeks and months ahead, we can rest in the Reality of our sameness. And lean into the peace, safety and love of local community, friends and family that surround us - which we are also responsible for actively upholding and cultivating.
Read MoreAll are correct. None are correct. Knowing this, how do we choose to live? For me, by building self-trust.
Read MoreJoshua Tree, Stock Images 2023.
Read MoreStock Images 2023
Read MoreNobody told me I would stay stuck so long. If I hadn’t known about nervous system regulation through trauma informed mindfulness, I would probably still be stuck there. The mud and the muck.
Cheetah Art by: Megan Coyle
https://megancoyle.com/product/the-serious-cheetah-5x7/
The changes over the past year, personally and collectively, leave me with more questions than answers. I have even more awareness of my “not knowingness” (avidya).
The pause is the epiphany.
You can’t grow through the process of change without patience.
An applied understanding of nervous system regulation and mindfulness meditation has allowed me to survive - even thrive - during difficult times.
I am ready to share this with you.
What is Trauma is a blog post written by Amy Osborne, a yogi who has extensively studied yoga and, more specifically, its effects on those who have experienced trauma. In this blog, Amy defines trauma and goes into detail about the effects yoga can have in terms of fighting the negative psychological, physiological, and neurological impacts of trauma. Amy also explains that the instructors at In Yoga Collective have a wealth of experience that allows them to go above and beyond to create a space for healing and de-stressing.
Read More
