The ethical practice of not stealing can be found in every spiritual tradition I’ve ever studied. The first one I learned was “Thou shalt not steal” from the ten commandments. The second precept of Buddhism asks you to “undertake the training to abstain from taking what is not given.” And Asteya or “non-stealing” is one
Last week I wrote about the ethical precept of nonviolence, or Ahimsa from the teachings of yoga. This week I have been practicing with the second precept of “truthfulness,” or Satya. You really can’t practice truthfulness well without nonviolence, so it’s convenient that they come right after the other. But even when you speak with
This week in the yoga classes I teach, I have been talking about the ethical practice of non-violence, or Ahimsa as it’s called in Sanskrit. Non-violence is at the heart of the teachings in yoga and provides the foundation for the other guidelines. Regardless of its historical or religious underpinnings, I think most people would
Act soon to take advantage of the $100 early signup discount on your trip to Costa Rica next February! Offer ends June 1. This will be the sixth trip I’ve taken to the Pura Vida Spa. Why, you might ask, do I keep returning? This trip creates a perfect balance of yoga practice, time for
Celebrating Life: A Kripalu Yoga and Mindfulness Retreat; February 1 - 8, 2020, EARLY BIRD SPECIAL until May 31, 2019.
Pay attention to the sensations of your breath and your body. When the mind wanders to a thought (or something else), gently but firmly bring your attention back to experience of breathing and the sensations of the body. Bringing a kind and compassion attention to the present moment. Repeat over and over again. These are
At the end of a week-long yoga and mindfulness retreat, I was standing outside the yoga room looking out over the expanse of the canyon that lies outside of San Jose, Costa Rica. There was a light wind blowing, as is often the case in the mountains at this time of the year. There were
There is no better time to go to Costa Rica than February and there is no better reason to go than to experience your best self emerge from the spiritual practices of yoga and mindfulness. This year will be my fifth year of retreating at the Pura Vida Spa in the mountains outside of Alajuela,
Mindfulness meditation and yoga have both given me lots of practice at slowing down and paying attention to the effects of being too busy, in a hurry, and striving too hard. These mindfulness practices have also given me tools for shifting my relationship to the present moment so that I can include within it the
This February after I completed a week-long Kripalu yoga retreat in Costa Rica, I was on cloud nine. This was my fourth time attending and co-teaching this retreat and the combination of yoga, companionship, sunshine, and beautiful flora were a cocktail of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin—all hormones that lead to greater happiness. Back home, I
