Discover Kripalu
A conscious practice of physical body postures, breathing exercises and relaxation techniques for integrating body, mind and spirit.
Latest Yoga Notes
Yoga Off the Mat: I was sitting in my family room last night, doing a “technical run” of the California Dental Association’s “Mental Health & Wellness in Dentistry” which will air live virtually on Thursday, December 9th, 2021, 6-9 pm EST. (I’m blessed and honored to participate as a presenter and Wellness Advocate😌) At one point I looked in my lap to find a lady bug had landed on me and was just crawling around. Intrigued, I looked up the symbolism and significance of lady bugs {see photo below}. And I smiled😊.
When you are aligned with your passion, life flows. It’s exciting to contemplate the next steps of growth! As we enter the last month of this year, what lights you up? Where is your growth potential? Separate from a New Year’s Resolution, what little change might propel you even the tiniest bit towards your goals and dreams?🤔 Small shifts can increase momentum. Stay true to what matters, ask for and accept the help that you need, and watch your life unfold😌
What signs have you noticed lately? Comment below😊
MyYogaJoy Monday brings you this lovely bouquet 💐 There’s a new video being produced (just recorded this morning!) that you’ll have access to very shortly👍☺️ stay tuned!
Yoga Off the Mat: sometimes the practice is very simple: savor what brings you joy 😊 Whether it’s noticing a cheerful bouquet of flowers, enjoying a favorite meal, spending time with someone special, or being alone doing whatever brings you pleasure, take time this weekend to truly “be” with what you cherish😌
MyYogaJoy Monday brings Mindfulness outdoors, practicing self care by reconnecting with Nature.🌿🍁😌
Yoga Off the Mat: I’m pretty sure they didn’t put all ten servings in this bag of “healthy” chips, ‘cause it was pretty empty when I got through with it the other night before bed!
Which brings us to this sharing of MYJ OTM: Prajna Paradha, or “crimes against wisdom”. I knew it wasn’t a good idea to eat chips before bed. In fact, I knew the spicy crunchiness was exactly the opposite of the grounding and settling I needed to go to sleep. And I certainly knew that I’d regret my choice in the morning when it felt like a lump in my belly. But I ate them anyway, too many of them. And when I got to work the next day, others shared that they had eaten ice cream or a brownie before bed, while another shared that she woke up at 3am craving warmth and brewed herself a decaf coffee before returning to bed! Why do we sometimes knowingly act against our better judgment? Because we are human and perfectly imperfect. So today’s take home message: give yourself a break once in awhile. As long as you’re not regularly and repeatedly doing things that harm you (excesses of just about anything—food, alcohol, smoking, sex, TV/screen time, work, exercise, or ignoring your needs—healthy food, restful sleep, supportive relationships, work/life balance, etc), it’s ok to “transgress” from time to time. Let go of the guilt, be kind to yourself, and just choose differently the next time. Namaste🙏🏻😌☮️
MyYogaJoy Monday gives you options to strengthen your core and upper body with these modifications of Plank Pose 👍💪😁
Yoga Off the Mat: fall can be a perfect time to slow down and reflect before life ramps up around the holidays 😌 Sitting with a warm beverage, a special token or candle, and good old-fashioned pen and paper at the start of your day can be a wonderful way to clear your mind, center, and refocus on who and what truly matter to you. From that space, clarity unfolds and you can be more intentional with where you’re going and how you spend your time and energy 👍Drop a comment below on how that works for you! 😊
MyYogaJoy Monday brings you a sweet treat that doesn’t have empty calories or cause tooth decay! Check out Sukkhasana (Easy Pose, literally “Sweet Seat”☺️) 🤗🍭☮️
Yoga Off the Mat: I finally completed this puzzle—well, almost anyway. 1,498 pieces—two are missing, can you see where they should be? Don’t strain your eyes searching!😆 The point is, the picture looks just as good even if it isn’t 💯% perfect. For many reasons, it took me a long time to finish this one…Lessons: 1) sometimes it is more about the journey than the destination; 2) in seeking and striving for perfection, even if you come up a little (2 pieces) short, you can still arrive at a great result; and 3) there is value in pursuing an activity that allows for immersion and mindfulness, whether that be a puzzle or knitting or gardening or tinkering with a fun project or simply decluttering a closet. So go ahead, when autumn feels dry and swirly and crispy, find bits of what feels grounding and flowing for you in order to settle and soothe yourself 😌😊 bonus: share your favorite grounding/mindfulness practices in the comments below!
Yoga Off the Mat: I nearly missed this beautiful rainbow! While hiking up a very steep incline recently, we paused to catch our breath. The first comment was “Are we almost there yet?🤪” One friend replied, “Turn around and look how far we’ve come.” = OTM/Off the Mat lesson #1: pause from time to time to gain perspective and acknowledge progress along the journey. Then another friend noticed the rainbow, and we realized that while we weren’t experiencing rain, that it was in fact raining within our view = OTM lessons #2: every rainbow is preceded by rain, it takes a full range of weather/emotions to experience true joy, and #3: we need to remember to pause from time to time (stop and smell the roses or see the rainbow) to experience the beauty that is all around us 😌 Wishing you all peace, positivity and perspective ☮️😁🌈
MyYogaJoy Monday offers relief from tight muscles (hiking 🍁🍃🍂) and sore joints 👍😁😌
Yoga Off the Mat: yesterday I set out on a hike/jog on a wooded trail in search of mental health and physical wellness .😌 When I arrived at the overlook, there was a nearby couple speaking in a language I didn’t understand and a group of lively six year olds who had hiked up the other side. They were excited about seeing Red tailed Hawks and were pointing at the person (me) “sleeping” on the rocks. I smiled to myself. Instead of peace and quiet, space was filled with melodious conversations in an unfamiliar language and joyful tones of children’s laughter…
On my way back down, immersed in nature, I missed the path and ended up in unfamiliar territory, discovering new sights. Knowing that I wasn’t truly lost, I took a longer view through the forest and found my way back to the main trail…
What were my Off the Mat lessons? That sometimes seeking one thing can lead us to something or someplace a little different, and as long as we keep our main goals in mind, it’s all good. Life unfolds exactly as it should, especially when we’re open to accepting what is and allowing what will be… Peace and Nature Therapy to all 😁☮️😌
Yoga Off the Mat: as the seasons change and the days get shorter and cooler, you can sync with the season by noticing subtle changes in what your mind and body call for. In Ayurveda, this is understood as Ritucarya. 🍁You may find that you’re naturally inclined to tuck into bed a bit earlier than during the long days of summer🥱. While “sleeping in” can feel cozy, you might also try getting up before the Sun in the morning. Peace and quiet are perfect ingredients for early morning meditation, gentle stretches, or reflective journaling😌. Exercise can change from sweaty aerobic workouts to lower impact endurance activities like hiking or biking. Eating slightly heavier fall foods like root vegetables and squash nourishes your body and soothes the scattered mind. 🥕Adding healthy oils, such as avocado, coconut and sesame, to your diet aids in lubricating your skin and joints as the weather becomes more drying. 🥑Notice little changes, incorporate small adjustments to your routine, and you’ll be on your way to optimum wellness 👍
Yoga Off the Mat: traditionally in Ayurveda, mushrooms don’t make the menu because they “grow on dead things.” But when we delve a little deeper, different mushrooms grow on decaying and live matter, and the former often simultaneously break down and absorb nutrients from the very matter they’re living off of—pretty ‘green’ and symbiotic if you ask me! So if you enjoy edible mushrooms, no worries—they can be a low calorie source of fiber, potassium and protein. AND they are an excellent example of recycling and renewal 😌
MyYogaJoy Monday is “AWE” inspired about duality 😁 Experience healing and acceptance today 😌
MyYogaJoy (the day before) Monday invites you to make time for yourself with this guided meditation body scan through the chakras😌☮️
MyYogaJoy (the day after) Monday brings you peak performance, calm and centering with this simple 5+second breath 😌
Yoga Off the Mat: have you ever felt like you had so much pent up emotion that you could explode at any moment? Most people can relate to feeling that way at one time or another, and often feel guilty later for feeling that way. But when this happens, you don’t need to beat yourself up about it. Instead, you can healthily let off steam like this geyser! As long as you’re not hurting anyone (including yourself!), go ahead and let it out—punch a pillow, go for a long walk/run, find a safe place to shout or sing it out, dance like nobody’s watching, draw or paint your feelings, play a musical instrument even if you don’t know how to play one, have a good cry of you need to—just don’t hold it all in! Once you release the physical feelings, you might be able to better navigate the situation that prompted the emotions. And if all else fails, exhale…….😌😊
Never felt like that said Mr mhm st heleen
MyYogaJoy Mardi/Martes: Volume Up! This evening’s meditation brought to you by crickets and frogs🦗🐸☮️
Yoga Off the Mat: walking today, I was struck by a metaphor: how the elements (here: mainly Earth, Water, Wind) and Human Beings (made up of the same elements!) are the same. These spaces received a LOT of water. The first video shows Resistance: damming up, overflowing vs absorbing, stagnation vs change, cloudiness vs clarity. The second video, taken just steps away from the first, shows Transformation: flowing, cleansing, energizing, renewing. Regardless of your individual makeup or skill set or support system, when faced with a challenge at some level there is always the ability to choose your mindset and response to a given situation. I know, “deep thoughts” on the weekend 😊 Your thoughts???🤔
Love walking, not on treadmill though!
Share The Joy
Creating joyful living through yoga.
The goal of My Yoga Joy is to share the benefits of yoga, bringing healing and personal growth to as wide an audience as possible.
Personal transformation can be experienced by anyone through regular practice! Improved physical health, fitness, emotional and spiritual growth and well-being are just a few of the many benefits to yoga.
Here are a few of the ways I'm sharing the joy of yoga
with the Greater Hartford community!
Currently spreading the joy of yoga at St. Mary's Home in West Hartford where adults with mental illness are enriched through their discovery of self.
Offering the joy of yoga with residents of the Windsor Independent Living Association where adults with intellectual disabilities can expand their possibilities through practicing yoga.
Now enrolling cancer patients and survivors in a free Yoga4Cancer class series at the Bone and Joint institute through Hartford Healthcare at Hartford Hospital.
Contact me to find out if you are eligible for any of the above programs.