Aparigraha, or nonattachment, brings us to the end of the Yamas portion of Patanjali’s Yamas and Niyamas. It invites us to enjoy life to the fullest while simultaneously being able to drop everything. This requires trust. Like a trapeze artist, who must let go fully…

Whether we find ourselves overdoing it with food, work, exercise or any other preferred distraction of choice, brahmacharya or nonexcess, invites us to remember the sacredness of all life. This guideline is a call to leave greed and excess behind and walk in this world with appreciation and gratitude

When we clearly realize that the source of disharmony and misery in the world is ignorance, we can open the door of wisdom and compassion.

Asteya, or nonstealing, calls us to live with integrity. The creative ways in which we steal are without limit. We steal from the future every time we compromise the present. We steal from the planet, others, and ourselves. We even steal from our own chance…

When you encourage your mind to relax, your body gets the signal that it is okay to repair itself. It’s the opposite of the flight-or-fight response. Heart rate and blood pressure drop, your immune system becomes more active and digestion soothes – all of which help stress levels decrease

Perhaps the biggest challenge with Satya is ourselves. We just get caught up in it all and before we know it, we’re running around on auto pilot.

“What is Real?” asked the Velveteen Rabbit.  “Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse.  “It is a thing that happens to you when a child loves you for a long, long time.  Not just to play with, but really loves you, then…

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects more than 10 million Americans. But you don’t have to be diagnosed with seasonal depression to feel moody in the wintertime. A subclinical version brings subtler symptoms such as a desire to sleep in, a craving for carbs, and a lack of “umph.

Compassion is the heart of Ahimsa. We learn compassion as we do simple acts of kindness, remember gratitude and soften boundaries that keep us from understanding. Compassion is a clear, heartfelt response to the needs of the moment. The more present we are, the more possibility we have to practice it.

In an attempt to create structure in our lives, we often place limits on our selves and hold unrealistic expectations of others. It may be a subtle voice that says “it’s too late” or a belief that someone will never change. The good news is that it is rarely too late. Whether it be a mood, thought or flower – everything changes eventually.