12/16/15 12/16/15

New Year Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation

Sound healing meditation to reflect and renew

Many cultures recognize the importance of music and sound as healing power. In the ancient civilizations of India, the Orient, Africa, Europe, and Native Americans, the practice of using sound to heal and achieve balance from within has existed for years. The Tibetans use bells, chimes, bowls and chanting as the foundation for their spiritual practice. In Bali, Indonesia, the echoing, gamelong, gong and drum are used in ceremonies to uplift and send messages. The Australian aboriginals and native shamanists use vocal toning and repetitive sound vibration with instruments created from nature in sacred ceremony to adjust any imbalance of spirit.

We are excited to bring this healing practice to Yogalife Studios this holiday season with a New Year Tibetan Singing Bowl Meditation with Neil Haggard.

Celebrate the New Year with an Asana and guided Meditation practice to reflect on the important things in life. Wellness. Peace. Health. Family. Renewal. Movement. Focus.

When we hear inspiring stories and take time to reflect on what is important in our lives, taking stock, we can see our lives in new ways, focus on what is great about life! Taking some time to relax, listen to our hearts, move the body, calm the busy mind, restore the senses and learn to breathe - a sure way to being healthy and a great practice to take into the year to come.

Walk away with a renewed sense of well being and deep commitment to the important things in our lives! Click here to register!

new years singing bowl meditation workshop

11/20/15 11/20/15

YOGA FOR ANXIETY, FEAR AND STRESS RELIEF

Finding the tools that work for you to manage and overcome anxiety.

Yoga is a practice of many things: self-love, awareness, quiet, patience, balance. We often refer to our mats as a sanctuary where we can escape into peace. For some of us, this may be the only place we feel this relief. Yoga aims to teach us to live our practice off the mat and into the world, but the power of anxiety and stress can overshadow the positive qualities of our practice in our day-to-day lives. Anxiety disorder (and the stuff that comes along with it) is very real for many people - around 12% of Canadians to be exact! This goes beyond pre-exam nerves or date jitters; this form of stress can be debilitating.

Being a human is a work in progress and our yoga practice is just that, a PRACTICE! (not a perfect). Sri Swami reminds us “practice becomes firmly grounded when well attended to for a long time, without break and in all earnestness” in The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. In other words, keep at it. Sometimes we just need the tools, and then to be reminded of them.

Talk about your anxiety

Anxiety has been a prevalent topic on our blog because it is a very real issue. We believe in the commitment to self through the regular practice of self-love, meditation, asana, pranayama, and whatever else works in YOUR toolbox of life. Above all, it's important to talk about it. If you're feeling alone, know that you don't have to be.

A bit from a past blog:

"The thing that kept me coming back [to my mat] was the knowledge that there was a quiet place within that offered a sensation of control and self-patience I had never quite been able to harness. I guess you could simply say it offered me SOURCE. I found that even when I was off my mat I could slip into this place and enjoy my inner sanctuary. As yoga has become a huge part of my life, it is most certainly a deeply-rooted impulse to honour why I’m here. I absolutely fall off course, have the occasional panic attack and most certainly have bad days, but I know deep down that the place I first fell in love with – that sanctuary in my heart – exists."

Learn more about managing anxiety

If this is something you would life to learn more about join us December 5th for an in-depth offering, Yoga for Anxiety, Fear and Stress Relief with Michelle Chung.

This workshop is specifically designed to help those that suffer from anxiety and stress. Using LifeForce Yoga ® principles and techniques, you will learn to move into more balanced (sattvic) state and move towards positive emotional, mental, physical state of equanimity and self-awareness. You will learn yoga practices that calm feelings of anxiety, which includes asana (postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), relaxation (yoga nidra), yoga chakra sounds and mantras. No previous yoga experience necessary.

LifeForce Yoga is a practice of compassion that creates a big enough container to embrace and accept all the dualities of mood.