"We live in an ocean of air like fish in a body of water. By our breathing we are attuned to our atmosphere. If we inhibit our breathing we isolate ourselves from the medium in which we exist. In all Oriental and mystic philosophies, the breath holds the secret to the highest bliss."

~Alexander Lowen

  Watch this instructional video by my teacher Sandra Anderson of the Himalayan Institute to learn Kapalabhati breathing.

KAPALABHATI VIDEO

Due to the 40-Day Challenge program, the Wednesday 7:15 p.m. classes with Heather Raikes are temporarily suspended for a few weeks.

The Wednesday 7:15 p.m. classes will resume on February 15th.

In the meantime, Heather will be working on some new Hatha sequences that we can't wait to share with you all upon her return!

Stay tuned... 

Are you a student who would like to practice yoga on a regular basis but cannot afford it? Terra Yoga offers several KARMA YOGA opportunities for sincere students.

The following are some areas where we may be open to work trades:

- washing mats and straps

- cleaning the studio

- front desk work

- neighborhood flyer distribution

If you are interested in becoming a karma yogi or yogini, please click here to download an application.

Exchanges work best when students have practiced at Terra Yoga and know the value of what we offer. Please be sensitive to the fact that we often cannot offer work exchanges to all who may be interested.

  Kimberly Shay Morton is the

 co-owner of Becoming One, an initiated breath work healer and Registered Yoga Teacher. She enjoys blending various modalities together that quiet the mind, expand consciousness, and open the heart. Her goal is to connect with like-minded individuals to nurture and support holistic approaches to a more universal and harmonious life. 

Yoga is so much more than the poses that you do. It is a process of understanding and respecting yourself and those around you.  Yoga etiquette is an expression of Ahimsa - non-harming to yourself or others.  It's a great practice for developing awareness of your world and those around you.  The following guidelines are designed to help us all experience more compassion and kindness toward ourselves, others and our environment. We ask that you please be thoughtful and considerate by following these simple rules in the yoga room:
 
- Turn off your cell phone before entering the yoga studio.
- No gum or food are allowed in the practice room.
- Take off your shoes before entering the practice room.
- Arrive at least 10 minutes early for class.
- Sign in at the front desk before every class.
- Respect the SILENCE of the practice room upon entering - have any necessary conversations in the lobby.
- Do not snap out your mat - unroll it quietly.
- Refrain from wearing perfume or cologne.
- After class, replace all props back in their respective storage areas. 

Thank you!

I hope you had a great holiday season.

I have recently returned from a trip to visit family and friends in Brazil. While I was away, I had a chance to slow down, connect with people and nature, and practice being a better observer.  One of the things I observed is how Westerners in general don't know how to breathe. Oxygen is our most vital nutrient. However, the natural potential of our breath has long been restricted. Few of us know what it means to use the full capacity of our lungs. Fewer still know how to use the breath effortlessly, regularly and freely.

The breath should have the following qualities: slow, calm, smooth, continuous, soft and effortless. However, how many times have you caught yourself unconsciously holding your breath while in a stressful situation (when you're stuck in traffic, for example)? Recent studies have shown that holding the breath frequently and unconsciously while under stress is the cause of more heart attacks than the usual suspects (i.e. hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and cigarette smoking). Being physically active and eating a healthy diet are important in the prevention of heart disease; however, they are only part of the equation. Conscious breathing is indispensable for balancing out and completing that equation. Our breath is inhibited by tension in the chest, diaphragm, and abdomen. Physical tension has become so habitual that we don't even notice how much we are holding our breath, locking our knees, or clamping down our jaws, until it shows up as physical pain or worse.  Pranayama (the breathing exercises of yoga) is a method for releasing the breath from those tensions.

Mindful breathing during Asana practice is what differentiates yoga from other forms of physical fitness. Yoga is more than just a tool to build flexibility and strength in postures; it is a complete system of health and fitness that teaches us to manage prana, the vital life force. Prana is what makes it possible for the body to move and the mind to think. By becoming more attentive to prana and learning to enhance and direct its flow through the practices of hatha yoga, we can heal and invigorate the body and the mind, expand our inner awareness and tap into higher levels of consciousness.

Our state of mind is closely related to the quality of prana within our body. We can influence the flow of prana through the flow of our breath. Pranayama is the process of refining the quality of our breathing. By refining our breath, it becomes slow, calm, smooth, continuous, soft and effortless. These qualities then enhance the quietening of the mind. Therefore, practicing Pranayama replenishes the body, frees the mind from blocks, gets rid of stress, and leads us to greater clarity.

With all of that in mind, it is my goal to make Pranayama practices more available to you in 2012. Terra Yoga will be hosting a Group Breathing Circle with fabulous instructor Kimberly Morton once a month for the next three months, starting on January 15. We also plan to offer other Pranayama workshops later in the year to enhance your yogic experience and quality of life.

Happy 2012!

Carina Terra