Happy January 16, 2023 – Asanas (Poses): Sun Salutations – Talasana & Vrksasana
Happy Monday Yogis! As our 30 Day Challenge group is working on a detailed breakdown of each of the poses in the Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations Series, we will review these Asanas along with our challengers. Or, if you prefer, you can practice a twisted/sister version of each pose during this series!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to go “back to basics” with either Talasana / Palm Tree Poseor Vrksasana / Tree Pose. Both of these are great balancing poses for new Yogis! I find practicing balancing Asanas brings a calming stillness after focusing on holding the pose.
Happy January 15, 2023 – Asanas (Poses): Sun Salutations – Tadasana & Centering
Happy Sunday Yogis! As our 30 Day Challenge group is working on a detailed breakdown of each of the poses in the Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations Series, we will review these Asanas along with our challengers. Or, if you prefer, you can practice a twisted/sister version of each pose during this series!
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to go “back to basics” with either Tadasana / Mountain Poseor finding your preferred comfortable seat. I consider finding your preferred grounding pose to be finding your center. Most Yoga classes start and end with these Asanas. Centering Asanas are great poses for meditation.
Check out this little video for a few options for arms through Tadasana. I prefer to “swan dive” forward as in the first and second option. I find bringing hands up together above head and bringing prayer hands straight down to be most popular in the Yoga Studios I visit. You can also try bringing arms up straight in front of you… Try a few options, and pick your favorite!
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.
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The more man meditates upon good thoughts, the better will be his world and the world at large. – Confucius
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is any Meditation Practice for Upper Limbs Day. I recommend today’s breath focused meditation, which is challenging but a great meditation for progression through the Upper Limbs. Or, check out our meditation guide for more practice suggestions!
Want more on Meditation? Check our Meditation Board on Pinterest!
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Please comment and share what meditation you chose for today! If you have another favorite meditation, please share the link! Always remember, be kind!
Happy January 13, 2023 – Pranayama (Breathing): Diaphragmatic Breath
Happy Friday Yogis! Before we get into our detailed review of the Sun Salutations Asana Series discussed yesterday, we will take two days to cover the remaining 8 Limbs of Yoga. We are going to review Diaphragmatic Breathing today, along with our challengers, with an introduction to basic flowing for Asana and Pranayama.
Our breathing is designed to help us release any tensions that have become so much a part of us that we no longer sense their presence. – Carla Melucci Ardito
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is Diaphragmatic Breath, a Pranayama Practice with “flowing” between our first two Sun Salutations Series Asanas. This is an intro to linking breath and movement, if you are familiar with this already perhaps try a more advanced Asana class today and focus on your breath. Today we are going to start standing in Tadasana to prep for our Sun Salutations Asana Series rather than in a comfortable seat as we have done in the past. This is also a great calming technique for anxiety.
Diaphragmatic Breath
Start standing in Tadasana. Begin by evaluating your current breath pattern. Place one hand on your chest, and the other on your belly. Breathe in and out, and notice when the hands resting on your belly and chest move to indicate expansion. You SHOULD use your diaphragm and breathe into your belly, so your belly expands on the inhale and contracts on the exhale. Most of us breathe shallowly into our chest only, and our belly hand never moves!
Breathe in and make sure your belly expands, pushing your hand out as your entire torso fills with air
Breathe out, contracting the belly, making sure you empty the lungs completely
Now, on an inhale, raise your arms above your head to come into Talasana (Palm Tree Pose) or a gentle Anuvittasana (Standing Backbend) as you breathe into your belly
Exhale and lower your hands back to your sides to come back into Tadasana
Continue breathing in to a full count of 6, and out to a full count of 6, using your diaphragm to fill your lungs with air, and contract the belly to empty lungs completely. Raise your arms as your breathe in, and lower them as you breathe out, to start getting a basic flow coordinating your movement and breath. Focus on keeping your chest hand fairly still, and using your diaphragm to breathe into your belly.
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to again perform the traditional Asana series –Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutations Series. Remember to focus on incorporating Diaphragmatic Breathing or Ocean Breathing, and try to get a “flow” with one deep inhale or exhale for each pose as you are moving through this Asana series. I am keeping a KISS week and not adding anything to this round of reviewing each of the Asanas in the Surya Namaskar series, but I am planning to review transitions between poses during our next Intro Challenge in May – stay tuned!
The next few days as new Yogis doing our 30 Day Challenge are learning this series, we will re-examine variations of each of the poses and modifications in the Sun Salutations Series.. stay tuned!
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Just knowing you don’t have the answers is a recipe for humility, openness, acceptance, forgiveness, and an eagerness to learn – and those are all good things. – Dick Van Dyke
We first practiced the fifth of the Niyamas – Ishvara Pranidhana / surrender by working on practicing acceptance rather than upset reactions to a difficult situation. As we discussed in our intro, Ishvara Pranidhana is the most difficult of the Niyamas to understand and practice, but also one of the most rewarding. So, today we will work again on the challenging practice of acceptance in difficult times.
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice acceptance when something bad or less-than-positive happens today. Try a deep breathing exercise when you encounter a problem. If you lose your temper, perhaps try to step outside yourself and see yourself reacting to a difficulty, and ask yourself if your reaction was productive. If it is possible, try seeing the silver lining for potential for growth in a bad situation. If you are practiced in religious faith, perhaps try praying for your own peace, calm, and understanding instead of a solution to a problem you are facing. Again, this is a journey and this particular practice today is one of the most difficult, so be gentle with yourself. If at first you do not succeed, evaluate what your reaction contributed, and try again next time. Treat this as an experiment, and see how you feel later after trying different approaches to problems that arise.
Advanced Yogis who incorporate Ishvara Pranidhana into their lives may begin seeing difficulties as challenges to overcome, and opportunities to practice managing our responses. This is one of the keys of long-lasting happiness, since getting upset often does nothing to help a bad situation and only makes things more difficult for ourselves. Instead, try to stay calm, and do not allow a negative encounter to draw you into negativity. Of course, this is easier said than done! Remember, it is a journey.
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Please comment to share how this exercise impacted you. Feel free to share your successes or your struggles with this challenging practice. Always remember, be kind!
Life will only change when you become more committed to your dreams than you are to your comfort zone. – Billy Cox
We have had quite a few Tapas or discipline Days. Our intro Tapas day, we made a goal that was important to us. Each Tapas day, we check in on our progress. If you joined us on our last intro challenge in November, it has been nearly two months, so if you have kept up on your daily habit you have likely successfully formed a new habit! Congratulations, keep it up!! If you have not kept up, examine why you did not, and consider if you want to keep this goal or set a new one. Evaluate the electronic and visual reminders and/or rewards you set for yourself, and perhaps modify these systems to ensure your success!
Yoga is a practice, and successfully changing our habits is about consistency, so we will keep checking in on our goals on Tapas Days. PS I want to report I just completed 425 days in a row for my Duolingo daily habit, and completed the new Diamond League over the holidays! Follow me on Duolingo @TarrynTyler 🙂
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to monitor our daily habit goals, and set a new one if needed. Evaluate the electronic and visual reminders and/or rewards you set for yourself, and perhaps modify these systems to ensure your success! If you are having a hard time keeping up with the daily habits you have set for yourself, consider trying and sticking with a 30 Day Challenge! There are many free Apps for 30 Day Challenge workouts. My favorite is a free app called 30 Day Butt, which allows the pop-up phone notifications I love so much. We are in the middle of an Intro Challenge for January, which we will do again in couple months. We had a September daily Asana challenge, and a daily meditation challenge for October – these are great Daily Yoga Practices to integrate into your morning routine! If none of these resonate with you, please pick a habit that is meaningful to you to add to your life. Today is Monday so channel some Motivation Monday energy, and select a daily habit that will really motivate and inspire you to stick with it!
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.
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Please comment and share how you are doing. Have you kept up with your new habit? Are you changing your systems or perhaps setting a new meaningful goal? Always remember, be kind!
Good Morning Yogis! Our challengers are learning to remember to incorporate Santosha / contentment with Asana practice. We have discussed that Yoga is a practice, and I find nearly all of the limbs to be challenging. I personally have a hard time with Santosha, finding it especially difficult to “turn off” to just relax and enjoy where I am. So, today you have the choice between Santosha in the present moment, or Santosha with your Asana practice today.
The moment that judgement stops through acceptance of what it is, you are free of the mind. You have made room for love, for joy, for peace. – Eckhart Tolle
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice for SantoshaDay is either bringing Santoshainto our Asanapractice, or focusing on the present moment, ideally in nature.
Yogis practicing Santosha with their Asana practice – perhaps try a challenging balance pose! Here is a list of balance-focused Asanas and instructions from Yoga Journal. Personally, I am still recovering from a shoulder/neck injury that affects my daily Asana practice, and am working on Santosha with slowly rebuilding my upper-body strength.
For those Yogis practicing finding happiness in the “now” – here are some of our best tips!
Go on a walk, and perhaps literally stop and smell the roses.
Take a run and feel the wind on your face.
Being around water is especially calming, maybe head out for a walk down the beach, around a lake, or by a river.
Go for a hike and appreciate the beauty around you rather than focusing on finding a perfect selfie spot.
Since we are still in the days of social distancing, maybe pack a picnic and head to the back yard or a nearby park.
Read a book on your deck or by the window.
Sit quietly, and go through all of your senses one by one to appreciate your surroundings.
Any way that feels right for you to get out of your head, and appreciate the beauty of the world around you.
PS calmly notice when your thoughts drift back to the past or forward to the future. Try to bring yourself back to the present moment by focusing on the sight, sounds, smells, taste, or feel of your surroundings.
Do not push yourself to pain on your Yoga Journey! Many Yogis of all levels embrace all kinds of blocks and props. Do not hesitate to grab a couch pillow for extra support, a block for extra support or when you cannot reach the floor, or a strap for extra arm-reach and leverage.
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.
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Please comment and share how your Santosha Day went on the mat or focusing on living in the now. Please share any favorite practices or tricks! Always remember, be kind!
Happy Saturday Yogis! We are restarting the Niyamas for our daily practices with Saucha or Purity Day. We are going to keep our practices synchronized with the challenge group!
Don’t take your health for granted. Don’t take your body for granted. Do something today that communicates to your body that you desire to care for it. Tomorrow is not promised. – Jada Pinkett Smith
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is a deep cleaning or pampering of our bodies for SauchaDay. Need some ideas? I recommend focusing on skin today – I am going to do a face mask and at-home pedicure!
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.
Want more Self-Care Ideas and hacks? Check our Self Care Board On Pinterest!
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Please comment and share how you decided to practice Saucha today. How did it make you feel? Always remember, be kind!
Happy January 6, 2023 – Aparigraha (Non-Attachment)
Happy Friday Yogis! Today we are going to stay sync-ed up with our challengers and revisit the positive practice of Aparigraha (non-attachment) today: Gratitude. This is one of my resolutions / focuses for 2022!
When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. – Tecumseh
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice isto make a list of 5 things you are grateful for in your life, right now. Need some ideas? They can be big or small. You may be grateful for physical things like your health or your long hair or your home or your beautiful garden. You may be grateful for your family or friends or pets. You may be proud of something you accomplished or positive personal traits like humor or loyalty. You may be grateful for past learning experiences or positive changes you see in yourself or the world. Or, these are tough times.. if you are proud for getting out of bed or taking a shower, or putting on pants for your zoom meeting, then celebrate small victories! This practice is about finding the joy and blessings in the moment. Focus your attention to positivity and abundance already in your life, rather than putting off your happiness for something in the future.
Perhaps get some bonus Svadhyaya (self-study) by making your gratitude list today in your journal!
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Please comment and share how today’s practice for Aparigraha Day made you feel! Always remember, be kind!
Happy January 5, 2023 – Brahmacharya – (Moderation)
Happy Thursday Yogis! Today is Brahmacharya or Moderation Day. I personally need more work-life balance in my life right now, so we are having another KISS (keep it super simple) Day!
I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self. – Aristotle
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to exercise moderation or take the Middle Path in a way that is meaningful for you today for Brahmaharya Day. Remember – the middle path is about moderation, not denial! Need some ideas?
Look for temptations during the day, and neither deny nor fully indulge the craving, but instead make a healthy choice. Like maybe a salad or healthy sandwich instead of fast food, or fruit instead of candy, or yogurt instead of cake or ice cream. Maybe have just a couple pieces of candy instead of NOMMING the whole bag (this one is both inspired by and directed towards me!), or have one very small serving of exactly what you are craving.
Make today the first day taking steps to minimize an unhealthy lifestyle choice. Perhaps get a nicotine gum or patch to stop smoking, or plan a reasonable cut-back schedule with small goals you can reach rather than the cold-turkey approach.
If you have been super busy with work and family with our current quarantine situation, ask for help and take 15 minutes minimum to spoil yourself with a bath or workout or even a nap, whatever you need!
Take a digital break – plan today to have an evening without phone or social media.
Choose your own way to practice a more balanced lifestyle today that feels right to you.
The law of prosperity is generosity. If you want more, give more. – Bob Proctor
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is to practice a random act of generosity for today’s Asteya(non-stealing) Day. Need some ideas?
Ask someone you care about who is having a tough time if you can help with household chores, or yard work, or anything else to make their lives easier and take something off their plate.
If you have old luggage you no longer use, please consider donating to a foster care agency, since many foster children are forced to move with garbage bags.
Purge toys, books, kitchen gadgets, and/or electronics you no longer use, and consider donating as appropriate to a local organization for the elderly, women and/or children.
Consider making a cash donation to your local food bank, hospital, animal shelter, or another nonprofit or charity that is meaningful to you (I usually donate to World Wildlife Fund).
Do a closet clean-out and donate clothes you do not wear any more… or consider starting a wardrobe tracking method to help identify what you do not wear and could donate. PS consider making the extra effort donating directly to local organizations for the homeless, elderly, women, or children rather than the easy dropboxes for Goodwill.
Good Morning Yogis! Today is Satya (truthfulness) Day. We are staying synced up with our 30 Day Challenge group. We will practice today focusing on the “benevolent truth” translation of Satya from Sanskrit.
The good words we speak are powerful, motivating and inspiring, they can travel to places we can’t go, to solve problems, resolve conflicts, comfort and liberate in times of pain, sorrow and trouble. – Bamigboye Olurotimi
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is sharing a kind truth with someone you care about for Satya (truthfulness) Day. Let’s make it big today… we could all use a big pick me up! 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.
Give an acquaintance or a passer-by a compliment about something that changes every day, like their hair, outfit, or a unique accessory.
Happy Monday Morning Yogis! We are beginning our cycle practicing each of the Limbs of Yoga with Ahimsa (non-harming). We also have a 30 Day Challenge Group starting positive practices today, and we will stay mostly coordinated with the Challenge group most of the month. Today we will focus on the positive opposite of non-harming, or kindness for our Ahimsa practice today.
Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change. – Bob Kerry
Today’s Positive Practice suggestion
Today’s Daily Yogi Practice is a random act of kindness for today’s Ahimsa (non-harming) Day. Need ideas?
Bring home a favorite meal or special treat for a loved one.
Be extra friendly driving in the car, giving someone the right of way.
If you can, pay for the order for the person behind you in a drive through. Has that ever happened to you? It happened to my sister, it made her day!
If we are no longer in the days of social distancing or you are in your household, hold the door open for the person behind you, or help someone who is struggling to reach or carry something.
Volunteer.
Give to charity (I recommend donating to WWF or supporting 4Ocean – a business doing great things for ocean clean-up!)
Plant a tree.
Whatever feels like the right way for you to actively practice kindness and compassion, or to do your small part to make someone else smile, or make the world better today than it was yesterday.
