Good Morning Yogis! We just completed our special Holiday week of Yamas practices. We typically take 5 days to practice each of the Niyamas, but today we will select one or two of our choice to practice today.
You are essentially who you create yourself to be, and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making. – Stephen Richards
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice any of the 5 Niyamas or personal observances of our choice. I am practicing Saucha with some cleaning and organizing, and Svadhyaya with a journal day! Need more ideas?
Practice Saucha with cleaning your surroundings or a personal deep-cleaning
Practice Santosha with mindfulness practices or living in the moment
Practice Tapas with a workout or getting something done you have been putting off
Practice Svadhyaya with a journal day or reading a sacred text of your choice
Practice Ishvara Pranidhana with acceptance and non-attachment with your actions and any difficult situations
What we have to learn, in both meditation and in life, is to be free of attachment to the good experiences, and free of aversion to the negative ones. – Sogyal Rinpoche
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice Aparigraha/ non-grasping with our actions. Today we will take action without making expectations of a particular outcome. Need some ideas? Sometimes we do nice things for others, hoping for a particular result and we then end up disappointed if the other person does not react how we planned. Try today to not hold expectations for another person’s behavior. Or perhaps set aside a few hours to relax, or enjoy time with loved ones, or just go for a drive without a pre-set agenda, and see where life takes you!
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Please comment and share how you decided to practice Aparigraha today. How did it make you feel? Always remember, be kind!
Good Morning Yogis – Happy Tuesday! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Today I bent the truth to be kind, and I have no regret,for I am far surer of what is kind than I am of what is true. -Robert Brault
Today is the third day of our Satya (truthfulness) practices. Today is also Zamenhof Day, honoring the creator of Esperanto. L. L. Zamenhof created Esperanto in 1887 as an easy-to-learn universal second language. Although Esperanto did not grow into the universal second language as it was intended, it has lived on and in fact grown a bit due to online language programs like Duolingo. Although linguistic Esperanto never really caught on, financial reporting Esperanto has been implemented fairly successfully through International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). As both an accountant and linguistics nerd who attempted to learn some Esperanto years ago, I was particularly excited to learn about Zamenhof Day and pleased it ties in with today’s Satya focus of correct speech.
We are in the middle of three days of Satya practice to cover each Satya practice recommended by the 8-Fold Path – correct thoughts, speech, and actions. So today we will practice Satya (truthfulness) with our speech. Correct speech from the 8-Fold Path means avoiding lying, idle chatter, and divisive or abusive speech. As we discussed this week, Satya means KIND truth, and is more about restraint than speaking your truth.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice Satya/ Truthfulness with correct speech from the 8-Fold Path! Try to apply the “Three Gates Rule” for your speech for today’s Satya / truthfulness day.
The Three Gates Rule is one of my favorite sayings about truth, and one of the easiest ways for me to remember the correct practice of Satya and correct speech with restraint and kindness.
Before you speak let your words pass through three gates. At the first gate ask yourself – is it true? At the second gate ask – is it necessary? At the third gate ask – is it kind? – Sufi Saying
Good Morning Yogis – Happy Monday! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both saltwater mixed with air. – Nayyirah Waheed
Holiday Season – Halcyon Days
Today is the second day of our Satya (truthfulness) practices, and we just ended 5 days of Ahimsa (non-harming) kindness practices. Today is also the start of Halcyon Days. Have you heard of this?! I had heard the name referenced by musicians, and it sounded vaguely familiar from my Classics classes especially Greek mythology, but never really knew. Well, I just learned so you will too 🙂
Halcyon Days nowadays refers to any calm period, but technically these are the 7 days before and after the winter solstice. This two week period is supposed to have particularly calm weather and seas, named after the Halcyon bird (European Kingfisher) which nests during this period. The Halcyon was thought to have the power to calm the seas, from the myth of Alcyone recorded by Ovid. I think random facts are cool…. maybe Halcyon Days will be a trivia question for you in the future!
We will take the next three days of Satya practice to cover each Satya practice recommended by the 8-Fold Path – correct thoughts, speech, and actions. So today we will practice Satya (truthfulness) with our thoughts. Although this concept of correct thoughts from the 8-Fold Path is fairly complex, we are going to take a simple view for today’s practice – refraining from ill-will against oneself or others. If you do decide to look further into this concept of correct thoughts, you will find Ahimsa is frequently referenced in this kindness in thoughts towards oneself and others. As we discussed yesterday, Satya means KIND truth. So, today we will revisit our challenging Ahimsa of thoughts positive thinking practice for today’s Satya correct thoughts practice.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice Satya/ Truthfulness with correct thought from the 8-Fold Path!
Remember the saying “if you do not have anything nice to say, it’s best to say nothing at all” and try to stop negative speech and thoughts in their track about yourself and others.
If you MUST give constructive criticism or other negative comments, make sure to give a compliment sandwich – positive statements before and after the gentle required critique or suggestion. PS whether this is an effective long-term management technique is debatable – but this is a special positivity practice today, so I am trying to counter any required negativity with a double dose of positivity.
Remember this can be a difficult practice, so be extra kind and patient with yourself today if today’s practice is difficult.. you have to start somewhere, check out some of the tools above for support!
Want more on Positive Thinking? Check our Positivity Board on Pinterest!
Please comment and share how your Satya practice went today. How did it make you feel? Always remember, be kind!
Good Morning Yogis – happy Sunday! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Be kind and honest, and harmful poisons will turn sweet inside you. – Rumi
Today is the first day of our Satya (truthfulness) practices, and we just ended 5 days of Ahimsa (non-harming) kindness practices. Today we will combine the two a bit with one of my favorite Satya (truthfulness) practices – sharing a kind truth with a loved one. Remember – Satya is translated as KIND truth, and is more about restraint than sharing your truth… please keep the three gates saying in mind with your Satya practice. We will take the next three days of Satya practice to cover each Satya practice recommended by the 8-Fold Path – correct speech, thoughts, and actions.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to share a kind truth with a loved one for our first Holiday Satya/ Truthfulness Day! Let’s make it big today… these are hard times and we could all use a big pick me up! Do not compliment someone about something that changes every day, like their hair or outfit. Need some ideas?
Contact your best friend just to say how much you admire their drive, or loyalty or the ability to always make you laugh.
Tell your significant other how much you appreciate the thing you love most about them.
Call a friend or family member who had a significant positive impact on your life, and let them know how thankful you are.
Message an old colleague or boss who helped you on your path, and thank them for their mentoring.
Reach out to someone you love and/or someone you know could use a pick-me-up.
Good Morning Yogis – we made it to the weekend! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Only love, and not reason, yields kind thoughts. – Thomas Mann
Today is the last day of our Ahimsa (non-harming) practices, so we will practice in a way we have not yet this week – with our thoughts. Many of us suffer from negative self-talk or other negative thoughts, and they do not serve us. There is much to be said for the power of positive thinking. So, today, we will practice kindness with our thoughts today to both ourselves and others. PS it is quite difficult to have a positive thought and negative speech, so our kind thoughts should extend to our words!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice kindness with our thoughts and speech for our final Holiday Ahimsa/ Non-harming Day!
Remember the saying “if you do not have anything nice to say, it’s best to say nothing at all” and try to stop negative speech and thoughts in their track about yourself and others.
If you MUST give constructive criticism or other negative comments, make sure to give a compliment sandwich – positive statements before and after the gentle required critique or suggestion. PS whether this is an effective long-term management technique is debatable – but this is a special positivity practice today, so I am trying to counter any required negativity with a double dose of positivity.
Remember this can be a difficult practice, so be extra kind and patient with yourself today if today’s practice is difficult.. you have to start somewhere, check out some of the tools above for support!
Follow us on Instagram – easy access to our daily positive practices Plus second daily reminder photo / edit On INSTAGRAM Only
@dailyyogi.world tag us with your Asana pics! enable notifications for pop-up reminders!
Please comment and share how you decided to practice Ahimsa with your thoughts and speech today. How did it make you feel? Always remember, be kind!
Good morning Yogis! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
I like the mountains because they make me feel small. They help me sort out what’s important in life. – Mark Obmascik
Today is International Mountain Day. This day was created by the UN to increase awareness about these fragile ecosystems. Also, I live in the mountains in Colorado, like 25% of the earth’s animals and 15% of the earth’s humans. So today we will focus on practicing Ahimsa (non-harming) with the environment today!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice kindness to the environment for Ahimsa/ Non-Harming Day!
Consider making a donation to the World Wildlife Fund to help protect endangered animals and their environments! I am an animal lover and environmentalist, this one is near and dear to me, but I apologize for repeating over and over 🙂
Plant a tree!
Perhaps go for a hike in the mountains, and maybe bring gloves and trash bags and do some extra clean-up in honor of Mountain Day.
If you are not near any mountains or have other plans, keep an eye out for litter while you are out and do a little clean up when the opportunity presents itself.
Find and participate in an organized local clean-up.. these events are usually great for maintaining social distancing!
Happy Thursday Yogis! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Kindness is the highest form of wisdom. – The Talmud
Festival of Lights – Love and Light – Happy Hanukkah
Today is Hanukkah – Happy Hanukkah to all Yogis who celebrate! This holiday is a winter festival of lights.. we will notice many cultures celebrate festivals of lights near the winter solstice – Diwali was just a couple of weeks ago! I grew up outside of Boston and loved celebrating friends’ Hannukkah traditions – especially the Latkes! Hanukkah is celebrated over 8 days beginning at sunset today, commemorating the 8 days of light from the traditional story. Today’s quote on kindness is one of my favorites, and is from the Talmud – a sacred text that includes the story of Hanukkah. PS – since I am a linguistics nerd… both Hanukkah and Chanukah are correct spellings – the latter is a more traditional transliteration from Hebrew to English!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice kindness to either Human or Animal members of our communityfor Ahimsa/ Non-Harming Day!
ANIMALS
Consider making a donation to the World Wildlife Fund to help protect endangered animals and their environments! I am an animal lover and environmentalist, this one is near and dear to me, but I apologize for repeating over and over 🙂
If you are an animal lover who cannot commit to pet ownership, volunteer to help support your local shelter! They always need cuddlers, walkers, and foster families as much if not more than financial support.
Happy Wednesday Yogis! We are in the middle of our special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Today we will focus on practicing Ahimsa (non-harming) with others today, since we focused on personal practice yesterday. I think one of the most classic traditions embodying the holiday spirit of giving and kindness is participating in the food, toy, and charity drives for those in need. We will get some bonus Asteya (non-stealing) generosity practice as well!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice kindness to others for Ahimsa/ Non-Harming Day!
Happy Tuesday Yogis! We just completed our positive practicing cycling through the 8 Limbs of Yoga. Today is the first day of special Holiday Yamas Practices! December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Today is the celebration of Bodhi Day (Enlightenment) for Zen Buddhists in Japan – called Rohatsu which translates to the 8th day of the 12th month. Bodhi Day is celebrated at different times of the year for different sects of Buddhism due to switching from traditional lunar calendars to the Gregorian calendar we use today, but most Buddhists recognize this holiday in January. This is a very reflective and quiet holiday, often practiced with up to a week of intense meditation called Sesshin. Since this is a very personal holiday, we will focus on practicing Ahimsa (non-harming) with ourselves today.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice kindness to ourselves for Ahimsa/ Non-Harming Day! Give yourself the kindness you need the most right now! Need some ideas?
Make time for a long meditation for yourself in honor of Rohatsu today.
Make time for extra self-care today – perhaps take a long bath, give yourself a facial or pedicure, make time for your favorite hobby, or check out this huge list of self-care activities.
If you are practicing Asanas regularly, remember to be kind to yourself and keep Santosha (contentment) in mind and do not push yourself to injury.. I am relearning this lesson after injuring my shoulder last month and having to take things slowly!
Whatever feels like the right way for you to actively practice kindness and compassion with yourself, or to make yourself happy today.
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Please comment and share how you decided to practice Ahimsa with yourself today. How did it make you feel? Always remember, be kind!
Happy Saturday Yogis! We just wrapped up practice of each of the Niyamas, and we are now on to Asanas, the 3rd Limb of Yoga. Today is the first of the holidays I get to discuss for our special Holiday month, and we will cover a festive Asana – Malasana or Garland Pose, often referred to as a “yoga squat.”
Holiday Yamas Practice Schedule
We will start early next week by counting down the 5 Yamas with 5 days of Ahimsa (non-harming), 4 days of Satya (truthfulness), and 3 days of Asteya (non-stealing). Then we will have a full week of Brahmacharya for the week of Christmas in the United States.. a time that I will enjoy the focus on moderation! We will focus on a different way to practice each of these Yamas each day.
PS sorry to our far eastern Yogis especially in Australia – I am changing our morning posting time to 9am Tokyo Time which is 12am universal RSS time for our app. If you would like to receive posts earlier in the day for your time zone, please contact me!
Holiday Season – Krampusnacht
Krampus!
We are celebrating a special Yamas / Interpersonal Ethics focused month. December is the holiday season for many worldwide nations, cultures, and religions, so this ties in with most other holiday seasons our Yogis may celebrate. I will continue my nerdy research through the month and tie in our practices with world holidays if they tie in with our daily practices… please contact me if you have any requests or suggestions!
Today is the first holiday for this season I am going to share – Krampusnacht! I have been into world history and traditions for many years, and Krampusnacht is the most amusing holiday to me.. partly because of the name “Krampus” which makes me giggle. This holiday is seriously like the Nightmare before Christmas!
Krampusnacht is celebrated primarily in Bavarian mountain towns the evening before St. Nicholas Day. This is a different European Christmas tradition than we are familiar with in the United States. St. Nicholas Day, celebrated earlier in December, is the day for gifts from St. Nicholas or Father Christmas – for only good children. The bad children do not get coal… they were either stolen, eaten, or scared straight by the monstrous Krampus the evening before!
I am guessing with this terrifying holiday, areas celebrating Krampusnacht have the best-behaved children in the world. I tried to make my Malasana picture a bit scary today for the Krampus theme!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to try today’s Asana– Malasana or Garland Pose. This pose is great to counter sitting at a desk all day!
Malasana – Garland Pose
Malasana – Garland Pose
This is a deep hip opener – make sure to practice a bit before attempting this pose! This seemingly simple pose is a journey pose, and you will begin to move your torso forward as your chest and hips open with practice!
Step your feet out a bit wider than hip-distance, and turn your toes out 45 degrees.
Bend your knees and slowly come into a full low squat.
Bring your arms forward between your knees, and bring palms together into a prayer position, pressing elbows into thighs.
Press gently into thighs and bring your chest forward.
Take note of your head and neck – keep in line with your torso
Take note of where your weight is in your feet, both front to back and side to side. Keep even side to side, and keep most weight in your heels.
Hold this pose for as long as comfortable while taking deep breaths into any tension you feel in your hips. Begin with holding 30-60 seconds, and work up to 3-5 minutes!
If you have tight hips and knees, or have trouble balancing here, you may want to sit on a block for support.
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
PS If you are comfortable with variations of these poses, please tag us with your pictures on Instagram!
Follow us on Instagram – easy access to our daily positive practices Plus second daily reminder photo / edit On INSTAGRAM Only
@dailyyogi.world tag us with your Asana pics! enable notifications for pop-up reminders!
Please comment to share your experience! Have you tried this Asana before? Is this your first time learning about Krampusnacht? Always remember, be kind!
Today is Satya or Truthfulness Day! We are staying synced up with our 30 Day Challenge group. We are continuing on with weaving practice of each of the Yamas into our day. Last time we practiced the second of the Yamas with a kind truth, but today we will examine and practice from a different angle.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to actively exercise Satya / truthfulness with ourselves. Need ideas? It can be big or small.
This usually means examining mindsets, practices, or people in our life that may not be serving us. For example, maybe you are like me and should really examine eating less candy and more veggies. Or maybe you have other unhealthy practices like smoking, or a medical issue you have been putting off getting examined. Perhaps you have “friends” who cut you down to bring themselves up or consistently take but never offer support.
We usually know deep down what truths we need to accept… perhaps meditate to allow these thoughts to come up. Accepting difficult truths is a big step, and do not push yourself to do anything until you are ready. But, if you decide you are up for it, plan a course of action to resolve what you had been avoiding.
If you are visiting or zooming family for Thanksgiving today, arguments are common around the holiday table. Rather than thinking you are projecting Satya on others (remember Satya is KIND truth), reflect on something shared with me by a wise friend – “we can either be right, or be happy” and reflect on whether engaging in conflict will make you happy.
Please remember this can be a difficult practice, so be gentle with yourself!
Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself, and all opinions expressed here are our own. This page contains affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, may earn me a small commission. Read full privacy policy here.
Please comment and share how you decided to practice Satya with yourself today. This can be difficult, but honestly is always the best policy. Always remember, be kind!
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