Author: Amanda James

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Trataka Meditation

There are as many types of meditation as there are types of meditators. It is always useful and enlightening to explore different meditative practices with compassion and curiosity to find the one(s) that speak to you.
Trataka meditation is a powerful way to still the mind and develop strong concentration through steady gazing. Traditionally, practitioners gaze at something luminous like a candle flame or the moon. But, really, you can use almost any object to gaze at, as long as it is an object that brings you a sense of calm, like a leaf or even a dot on the wall. Please avoid using a candle if you have cataracts, glaucoma, myopia, astigmatism, or epilepsy.
To begin your trataka meditation, place a lit candle in front of you at eye level about 2 feet away. Be sure it is stable and away from drafts. Sit in a comfortable position and gently close your eyes. Take 3 deep yogic breaths in and out through your nose, allowing your body to become more relaxed and still with each exhale.
When you are ready and relaxed, gently open your eyes and let them rest at the top of the candle wick. Don’t concentrate on not blinking. Instead, gaze with the intention of allowing the eyes to be relaxed and still. Let your whole awareness be on the flame. Your mind and your eyes are connected with the flame, as if it were the only thing in the whole universe.
After about 3 minutes, close your eyes but keep staring in the same direction. You might see an after-image of the flame. If you do, just keep focusing on it. If it moves around, keep staring at the center of your vision. If the image disappears or if you don’t see an after-image, just keep watching the black screen of your mind and notice anything that appears. When your eyes feel rested and the after-image has disappeared, you can repeat the process again.
To close the practice, rub your hands together vigorously to build up heat and energy. Cup them over your closed eyes. Gently open your eyes and let them rest, just gazing forward without focus for a few moments.
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our studio classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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The Power of Pranayama

In yoga, we call our breathing practices pranayama. Prana means life energy and yamameans control in Sanskrit. Put them together and our breath is our means to control our life’s energy. Powerful stuff, isn’t it?
According to The Complete Book of Yoga, when practicing full yogic breaths, “you are conscious that you draw more air into the lungs and empty them more thoroughly”. Your inhale should be carried to the point of feeling full, but not strained. Likewise, the exhale should give the feeling that you have emptied the lungs completely (although that is physiologically impossible). A yogic breath is complete when you are conscious of all the respiratory muscles working, you have a feeling of fullness and then a feeling of emptiness in the lungs.
A favorite pranayama practice for yoga movements is that of dirgha pranayama. In this simple but powerful practice, you inhale from the bottom of the lungs (it’ll feel like the belly) to the top (near the collarbones) and exhale from the top to the bottom. Imagine it like this: your trunk is an old-fashioned thermometer. Your belly is the bulb of mercury and when you inhale, energy builds and the temperature rises from bottom to top. As you exhale, the temperature falls again, returning the mercury back to the bulb, from top to bottom. Practicing pranayama fifteen to twenty minutes a day is ideal and “increases vital capacity, energizes, exercises the lungs and respiratory muscles, oxygenates and purifies the bloodstream, removes phlegm, cleanses the sinuses and nerve channels, soothes and tones the nervous system, improves thoracic mobility and broadens the chest, improves digestion, massages the abdominal viscera, and calms and concentrates the mind.” WOW!
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our studio classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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Compassion and the Yoga Sutras

maitri-karuna-mudita-upekshanam such-dukkha-punya-apunya-visharyanam bhavanatash-citta-prasadanam
The projection of friendliness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity towards objects – be they joyful, sorrowful, meritorious, or demeritorious – bring about the pacification of consciousness.
–Yoga Sutra 1:33
Yoga is, traditionally, a solitary practice. Our time on a mat provides great potential for transformation, for awakening, and for growth. Sure, we know how to breathe and center while in a balance pose. Holding chair pose for several breaths is tough, but we know how to soften around the challenge. And we learn to settle our racing minds during meditation. But, often, it is our time between yoga sessions that test the strength of our practice. It is when we are interacting with the world, from strangers on TV to our most intimate relationships, that we can truly examine ourselves as yogis.
According to Patanjali, cultivating compassion is part of the journey toward the “pacification of consciousness”. It’s hard to find calm if you don’t also seek compassion – for yourself, for others, and for all beings in the universe. And Patanjali is hardly alone in his direction to live with compassion. According to 1 John 3:23, Jesus says, “Love one another”. The Dalai Lama is regarded as a reincarnation of Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of Compassion. In Japan, this Buddha is named Kannon, translated to “she who hears the cries of the world”.
Shouldn’t we all be hearing “the cries of the world” right now? The word compassion is from the Latin prefix com- and the Latin word pati. Put them together and compassion means “to suffer with”. We have been mandated to express compassion to, and share in the suffering of, everyone, all the time. And, according to Patanjali, in doing so we will be purified and rest in the “pacification of consciousness”.
We invite you to take some time this week and practice cultivating compassion.
  • Strengthen your compassion “muscles” by writing down all the ways you behaved compassionately each evening before bed.
  • Notice how often during the day you judge yourself. When a judgmental thought pops up, purposefully replace it with a compassionate thought (like “I’m doing my best right now”).
  • Show compassion to your colleagues, family, and fellow students by keeping their health, safety, and mental well-being in mind.
Actively practicing compassion isn’t easy. You may feel like you are giving up some comfort or happiness. It may feel like what you are doing is an unfair burden. Do it anyway. Share in the suffering of others so we can all grow together. Love one another by keeping each other safe. Hear the cries and respond with compassion.
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our studio classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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Make Mindfulness a Habit

Mindfulness has been in the news A LOT in the last few years – and with good reason! Science has shown that a mindfulness practice can:
  • promote empathy
  • enhance self-compassion
  • decrease stress and anxiety
  • improve general quality of life
Sounds good, doesn’t it? And the best part is you can start a mindfulness practice right now! It’s simple, powerful, requires no equipment, and is quite portable. Mindfulness simply means being aware of what is happening inside and outside without trying to change it.
Here’s an easy mindfulness practice: Name Three. Sitting right where you are, name 3 sounds you can hear. Name 3 sensations you are physically feeling. Name 3 things that are blue (or brown, or green, etc.). Just by stopping your endless loop of thoughts for a brief moment to observe what is happening right now gives your mind a chance to reset so you can go back to your normal routine, but hopefully with a bit of added peace. The more you practice mindfulness, the stronger those “muscles” become. Click HERE for some one minute mindfulness activities (sometimes called Brain Breaks). And click HERE to see how meditation has made positive differences in people’s lives.
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our studio classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.  See you in the studio!
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Your Inner Smile

An Ayurvedic teacher once said, “An illness is a function of the loss of the inner smile.” What is the inner smile? Where is it, exactly? And, if it is so important to health, how do we do it? How do we maintain our inner smile, even when our outside world may not be such a nice place?

According to the yoga master, Aadil Palkhivala, the inner smile lies deep in your Heart Center and only emerges when you truly feel connected with all things. Your inner smile is your bliss; your calm inner state, formed by your knowledge of connectedness. It is the feeling of true love, but not in the passionate or sentimental sense. No one and no event can bring you bliss, just as no one and no event can take away your inner smile. Your inner smile is a choice – do you choose to connect to your heart and soul, or do you choose to let your circumstances push you around?

One way to choose bliss is to practice Smiling Breath. Your breath is physically the closest you can get to your inner world. To develop Smiling Breath, smile from within on your inhales. In other words, smile with your eyes and heart (and lips) as you breathe in all that is good. Feel light and full. Then, on the exhale, calm your mind, focusing only on the feeling of breath on your upper lip. Repeat several times, smiling on the inhale and focusing on the exhale. In this way, you program your subconscious to link the sensation of breath with bliss. So even in the busy-ness of daily life, each of your breaths will remind you of your inner smile. With each breath, you choose bliss.

The real challenge to finding your inner smile comes during times of grief. Being connected to your Heart Center and knowing that bliss is a choice is a good start, but sometimes it takes more physical effort to smile (on the inside or the outside). One way to lift yourself out of anger or sadness is to actually lift your arms overhead. When you are upset, what does your body do? Clench up and pull inward – chest collapsing, fists squeezing, shallow breathing. Your body physically holds grief in your upper torso. So throw your arms up, open your armpits and chest. Do you notice that this posture looks a lot like someone celebrating? It’s not a coincidence! Lifting your arms has always been a joyous gesture. Back bends and twists also open the chest, giving your lungs more room to practice your Smiling Breath.

Your inner smile is always in there. Begin to notice it and practice finding it so you can enjoy your bliss, regardless of the circumstances and people surrounding you.

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Tap. Tap. Tapping.

Healthy food?
Check.
Plenty of rest?
Check.
Exercise?
Check.
Drinking water?
Check.
You’re trying to do all the right things to stay healthy and happy (including joining Y4A for yoga classes and workshops). But if you are looking for a little something extra to boost your emotional health, maybe you could try tapping? No – not like Shirley Temple or Gregory Hines, though that would be fun! This kind of tapping combines psychology and ancient Chinese medicine as a simple and portable tool for mental health. It’s like psychological acupressure!
“Basically, you touch or “tap” acupressure points to release energy. Simple tapping can stimulate the nervous system, relax muscles, move lymph, and promote healthy blood flow. Plus tapping is a healthy self-soothing behavior. It deactivates the fight-or-flight response and calms the body and mind. Tapping while experiencing negative or stressful events can reprogram our mind’s response to it. The tapping basically stops the panic message before it hits the amygdala in the brain. In one study, an hour-long tapping session reduced the cortisol (the body’s stress hormone) by 25%-50%!
Sometimes referred to as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), the tapping is most effective when used in the proper spots on the body and in conjunction with positive affirmations. In other words, while tapping you should be repeating a positive mantra. Several websites are available for quick demonstrations, and many videos are also available to educate yourself about the technique.” (Link to article here)
Shaking your body works in a similar way – and chances are you’ve used this calming technique without even realizing it! Think about a time when you were all wound up with extra energy. You might have taken a moment to “shake it off” to settle down. Three quick shaking practices to get out of a stress response are:
1) Ping Shuai Gong – Swing Hands Exercise: This simple swinging-hands exercise improves Chi (qi) and blood circulation through the theory of “Ten fingers connecting the heart” opening all our body meridians and stimulating bone marrow to rid toxins from the human body.
2) Kim Eng – Shaking Practice: This simple shaking can be done anywhere, just shake out the part which feels tense. Jump, kick and throw your hand up. Surrender to the shaking. Let out any sounds that want to come out. You will feel the release of tension.
3) Crawling – The Best Mind Body-Exercise: Just get on fours with the kids and crawl and shake away your tension.
There are so many paths to health and we are so proud to offer instruction in yoga, meditation, and breathing to our students across the country (and continent via Zoom)! Keep working on your mental and physical health however feels best to you. You are important!
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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Sweet Dreams

A bout of occasional insomnia isn’t unusual – we’ve all been there. And in these anxious times, falling asleep and staying asleep are often even more elusive than usual for many of us.
There are many traditional treatments for insomnia including turning off screens before bedtime, sipping chamomile tea, and avoiding caffeine. Been there. Done that.
Have you ever tried yoga and Ayurveda practices to help you slip into sound slumber? In clinical studies, yoga has shown to improve:
  • Sleep efficiency
  • Total sleep time
  • Total wake time
  • Sleep onset latency (the amount of time it takes to fall asleep)
  • Wake time after sleep onset
Some poses that improve sleep are legs-up-the-wall, supported bridge pose, reclined cobbler, child’s pose, happy baby, seated forward fold, corpse pose (savasana). These poses in particular cool the mind, relieve stress, activate the body’s natural resting response, reduce heart rate, and refresh the heart and lungs.
You might also try a special (and tasty) treat before bed based on Ayurvedic practices and have a cup of warm Golden Milk. The spices and milk proteins help settle the nervous system and build the Ojas (Deepak Chopra defines ojas as “the pure and subtle substance that’s extracted from food…the vital nectar of life”). Here’s the recipe (adapted from Balance & Bliss Ayurveda:
  • 1 cup organic milk (cow, soy, almond, rice, cashew, oat, etc.)
  • 1 spoonful Ghee (clarified butter) – you can make this yourself or buy it at some grocery stores
  • Maple syrup, to taste
  • A pinch or two of each spice, to taste:
  • Turmeric
  • Nutmeg
  • Cinnamon
  • Ground cloves
Warm ghee until it is melted. Add the milk and spices and heat. When warm, sip slowly.
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our studio classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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Yoga for Your Eyes

If you are like most of us these days, you’ve probably had enough screen time! Zoom meetings, virtual happy hours, distance learning, Netflix binges… We need a tech time-out for the health of our eyes!
To begin giving your eyes some TLC, start with the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20 second break to look at something 20 feet away. Looking far away relaxes the focusing muscle inside the eye to reduce fatigue. While you’re at it, add a few seconds for neck and shoulder circles, some seated cat/cows and twists, and a yawn or two.
You could also do some eye muscle “calisthenics”: Look far away for 10 seconds, then at something up close for 10 seconds (NOT your screen). Repeat looking far away and then close-up 10 times. Blink frequently during these breaks to avoid computer-related dry eye.
You could also add eye movements into your yoga routine! Here’s one from Yoga Journal:
Begin with the eyelids open, the head and neck still, and the entire body relaxed. Picture a clock face in front of you, and raise your eyeballs up to 12 o’clock. Hold them there for a second, then lower the eyeballs to six o’clock. Hold them there again. Continue moving the eyeballs up and down 10 times, without blinking if possible. Your gaze should be steady and relaxed. Once you finish these 10 movements, rub your palms together to generate heat and gently cup them over your eyes, without pressing. Allow the eyes to relax in complete darkness. Concentrate on your breathing, feel the warm prana emanating from your palms, and enjoy the momentary stillness.
Follow this exercise with horizontal eye movements—from nine o’clock to three o’clock—ending again by “palming” (cupping your hands over your eyes). Then do diagonal movements—two o’clock to seven o’clock, and 11 o’clock to four o’clock—again followed by palming. Conclude the routine with 10 full circles in each direction, as though you are tracing the clock’s rim.”
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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Mind Full or Mindful?

Mindfulness has been in the news A LOT in the last few years – and with good reason! Science has shown that a mindfulness practice can:
  • promote empathy
  • enhance self-compassion
  • decrease stress and anxiety
  • improve general quality of life
Sounds good, doesn’t it? And the best part is you can start a mindfulness practice right now! It’s simple, powerful, requires no equipment, and is quite portable. Mindfulness simply means being aware of what is happening inside and outside without trying to change it.
Here’s an easy mindfulness practice: Name Three. Sitting right where you are, name 3 sounds you can hear. Name 3 sensations you are physically feeling. Name 3 things that are blue (or brown, or green, etc.). Just by stopping your endless loop of thoughts for a brief moment to observe what is happening right now gives your mind a chance to reset so you can go back to your normal routine, but hopefully with a bit of added peace. The more you practice mindfulness, the stronger those “muscles” become. Click HERE for some one minute mindfulness activities (sometimes called Brain Breaks).
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.
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At Ease. At Home.

We’ll be the first to admit – venturing into the world of digital, streaming yoga classes is daunting! Hours of research, shopping, and trial-and-error, plus the patience of our students and flexibility of our teachers have come together in the creation of our “new normal”. And while it was a bit awkward at first and there are still a few technical glitches, we think Y4A has created a strong schedule of classes to keep you mentally and physically healthy. We hope you think so, too!
If you are still unsure about turning your living room into a yoga studio, or if you still feel a bit weird about the whole thing, here are some ways to get comfy with yoga at home:
  • Props: Most of us don’t have bolsters and blocks at home but never fear! Use a necktie, bathrobe strap, towel or scarf for a strap. Grab a footstool, box of wine, or duct tape a stack of books together for a block. Blankets, pillows, and towels work for bolsters. Don’t have a yoga mat? No problem! Practice on your carpet for a bit of cushion. Take one of your single socks (crew or knees socks work best) and fill it about 1/3 full of rice, tie a knot at the top and you’ve got an eye pillow for savasana. Pro-tip: keep it in the freezer for a cooling experience as the days get hotter.
  • Environment: You can create the experience you want! Looking for a mini-vacation during your practice? Play some Hawaiian music in the background and light a pineapple scented candle. Need to blow off some steam? Crank loud music. You are in control of the room’s temperature, lighting, ambience…it’s truly a personalized experience! Wear your usual yoga clothes, stay in pajamas, rock your robe. It is totally private because no one else in class can hear you and you can choose to turn off your camera, too! And pets! Your pets are invited to join you for the class, or maybe just for a post-savasana cuddle session.
  • Instruction: Often in studio classes, your teachers wander the room, adjusting students’ postures and observing the class. In the streaming classes, the teachers are usually moving through the postures right with you so you can really see how the teacher adapts his/her own practice in real time. Our instructors have also tightened up their instructions and cues to keep you safe and strong from a distance.
Explore more about wellness, the physiology of yoga, the science behind the practice, and the peaceful power that yoga cultivates in our classes, Y4A’s unique workshops, and on our Facebook page.