Posts in the Feel Good category:

Meowga! Why doing yoga with your cat will be good for you

Posted on by Yoga Hive
Cat

Move over downward facing dogs. Cats have taken over yoga. Do you know the latest trend in yoga? Get your cat to your yoga mat and do some meowga. Carry the beautiful experience with you the entire day.

Yoga with your cat Meowga If you have a cat at home, you may have noticed how the curious little monster wants to join you on the yoga mat. Instead of getting annoyed at the situation, when you actually embrace it to start a whole new yoga trend, you are the guru of peace and happiness. And here’s why it is a whole lot of fun.

And here’s why it is a whole lot of fun.

As you can see, you don’t have to really do anything. The cat will do its job because its simply needs to scratch its back, wants your attention and is a curious little thing. This just makes it aperfect yoga companion, a stress buster like no other. You will smile as you plank, cuddle as you lie in child’s pose. You will just add a lot of happiness to your yoga sessions. Which is why yoga studios all over Canada are encouraging their members to get their cats to the studio once a week. They are even tying up with local shelters to get all their cats some meowga activity. Fun, eh? Here’s another reason why you should give this a shot. The sound of purr! “Soft kitty. Warm kitty. Little ball of fur! Happy kitty. Sleepy kitty. Purr Purr Purr.” Do you remember this cute lullaby from your childhood? You must have seen Penny sing it to Sheldon on Big Bang Theory quite often. The sound of purr is considered one of the most relaxing sounds in the world. Combine the purr with the powerful chanting of Ommm and you have yourself the ultimate peace concoction for your soul. Combining the cuteness of cats with anything is always a good idea. But combining it with yoga means that it is going to enhance the happy factor and hence, make your asanas more effective at nourishing you from within.

If you don’t agree with us, we’ll have a cat explain it to you.

Did we just hear an Awwwwwmmmm? Meowga is a whole lot of fun and a welcome change from the spin, flow, hot yoga loop that you already follow. Give it a shot and tell us how you liked it. We’d love to hear your Meowga stories and see your pictures or videos. Share your thoughts on Facebook and Instagram. #KeepMoving and namaste.

5 Life Lessons To Learn From Your Yoga Practice

Posted on by Yoga Hive
life lessons from yoga practice

Your yoga practice, those 45 minutes or more that you spend on the yoga mat, give you much more than balance, health and Instagram clicks. They give you some valuable life lessons that mold you silently into a becoming a better yogi and a great person, too! Have you been taking notes? Well, we’ve taken them for you.

5 Life lessons your yoga practice teaches you

1. Every day is not the same

Some days your yoga moves flow seamlessly. One asana after the other, you do a fab job at acing the class in your yoga studio. You return home feeling content, your muscles stretched and worked out just enough.But other days, you seem to be all over the place. Your yoga teacher has to come to the rescue and get you into and out of that complex yoga pose. Just like that, every day in life is not the same. Some days are good, some days are bad. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Take each day like you take your yoga class. Give it your best and enjoy it.

2. Take baby steps

Learn to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. We’ve all heard that, right? But we are impatient to get to the finish line. In relationships, at work, while learning a new language or teaching someone, we get restless and want the icing on the cake first. Yoga practice teaches you to start slow and steady. If you don’t take those initial baby steps, you will never be able to get to the complicated moves ahead.

3. This too shall pass

Remember how difficult it gets when you are in that uncomfortable hip opening pose, but you stay in that and embrace it with all your energy. And then it’s over, you are back to your standing pose again. It’s just a few moments of discomfort but they make you appreciate ordinary stance like standing straight or lying down. If you’re going through a bad phase, your yoga practice teaches you to hang in there, it’s just a phase, focus on the light at the end of the tunnel. 

4. Be glamorous and sweaty, be you

You don’t wake up every morning looking like Kim Kardashian or like all those pretty Vancouver yoga girls and Toronto yoga teachers you follow on Instagram. When you do yoga you get sweaty, the foundation won’t stay and you lose the cool new hairstyle you just made while watching a youtube tutorial. But after your yoga class, especially your hot yoga class, you are going to probably go for a shower and step out with a healthy glow. And she’s back, the glamorous diva! Just love yourself for whatever you are, sweaty or pretty. Take this lesson from your yoga practice and embrace yourself the way you are. You’ll get the time to look great and flawless, don’t pressurize yourself and push too hard. You are pretty, always. Yoga is your you time, and sometimes

5. There is never a destination

Is there an end to your yoga practice really? Where do you see yourself a few years from now? Maybe in a different yoga studio, or maybe teaching a yoga class. Wanderlusting? There is no real destination. It’s the journey that matters. Yoga is a beautiful journey, that never stops. And so is life. Stop to smell the flowers. Inhale and exhale. Don’t worry about where you are headed to. Just enjoy the trip.

From the yoga studio to your every day life, your asanas are teaching you something new every day. Stay in touch with your inner self, when you hear your soul, your body won’t need to scream. Share these lessons with your yoga friends and spread the knowledge. Namaste!

How to treat Thyroid with yoga: 3 easy asanas

Posted on by Yoga Hive
Yoga poses for thyroid conditions

1 in 10 Canadians suffer from a thyroid condition of one type or another! As many as 50% are undiagnosed! Thyroid related diseases are becoming more common due to our lazy and convenient lifestyles. Long hours of desk jobs, abnormal eating habits and stress can make our bodies lose the much needed hormonal balance to keep it healthy and in shape. While the dangerous effects of thyroid conditions can include heart diseases and cancer, most of us are familiar with the more common and visible symptoms. And the one which takes most of our attention is the abnormal weight gain or loss. It’s important to have a healthy and normal thyroid to look good, feel good and live an active fulfilled life, and yoga is a great remedy. A lot of doctors recommend yoga asanas to help thyroid patients improve their health. Medications are less effective when compared to some tried and tested yoga asanas.

YogaHive has compiled a list of three simple asanas that can help you keep your thyroid healthy and bring it in perfect harmony with your body. These will help you control all the symptoms of an abnormal thyroid, including those that are weight-related. And they work equally well for men, women and even kids. Even if you have thyroid issues due to a genetic disorder, yoga is powerful enough to help you control the symptoms.

Hypothyroidism

You may have hypothyroidism if you have been gaining weight and are having trouble shedding it, even with a lot of exercise. Which means you have an underactive thyroid and you need yoga to make your thyroid gland more active.

Here are 3 yoga asanas to help control hypothyroidism:

1. Shoulder Stand

Yoga Shoulder Stand

The shoulder stand stimulates the thyroid gland to function properly because of the pressure effect and also helps stimulate other glands in the head region which in turn push the thyroid gland.

2. One-legged Forward Bend

One legged forward bend

This pose stretches the spine and thrusts the pelvis inwards which helps push the right buttons for your thyroid.

3. Plow pose

Plough pose

This pose strengthens the back and makes your body more flexible. It pushes the thyroid gland to work faster.

The Fish Pose, Cat Stretch and fast-paced Sun Salutations also work really well for losing weight and hence, indirectly impact the thyroid.

Hyperthyroidism

You may have hyperthyroidism if you have been losing weight at an abnormal pace while maintaining a regular lifestyle with no diet regulations or exercise. You have an overactive thyroid and you need yoga to slow your thyroid gland.

Here are 3 yoga asanas to help control hyperthyroidism:

1. Bridge Pose

Bridge pose

This asana regulates your blood pressure and relaxes the nervous system which in turn helps calm the thyroid gland.

2. Child Pose

Child pose

This pose is great at reducing stress and fatigue which may be causing your thyroid to over work.

3. Corpse Pose

Corpse pose

This pose is great for relaxation and that is exactly what your thyroid gland needs.

Along with these three asanas, slow-paced Surya Namaskars (sun salutations) also work great for controlling symptoms of hyperthyroidism.

There is no health problem that yoga can’t conquer. And if done regularly, yoga can take you off those medications and bring you back to a normal healthy life. Namaste!

How To Start Your Day Better

Posted on by Chris Lam
Girl waking up in the morning

Every new year, we make resolutions about eating healthy, de-stressing, losing weight or blocking out all the negativity from our lives. We get over-excited and set out unrealistic goals. From the first week itself, we barely manage to stick to them and then the usual madness kicks in.

As months pass, we forget about those resolutions until it’s time to make some more. And we make the same ‘new’ year resolutions, again.

What if we told you there was a way you could do a little everyday, as a result of which, you’ll be so healthy and energetic that next time you can actually make resolutions that are not about health, stress and weight. Take it one small step at a time.

Yep! All you have to do is start your day right. And here are 5 ways you can do just that.

Drink two glasses of water

In Japan, people have the habit of drinking two glasses of water, first thing in the morning, as soon as they wake up. Did you know that Japan has the greatest longevity in the world? There are more than 50,000 Japanese people who are 100+ years old. They must be doing something right! Drinking two glasses of water in the morning hydrates your dehydrated body and pushes all the right buttons that kick your metabolism. This not only helps you lose weight, or stay fit, but also helps in enhancing your immunity against serious diseases like cancer.

All you really need is water, two plain glasses of water.

Wake up the right way

When you wake up from a restful night and open your eyes to the bright world, it’s the same as waking up from meditation. After meditation, we yogis open our eyes slowly and awake every tiny cell in our bodies to the bright light outside. We have to do the same thing when we wake up in the morning. A very healthy and peaceful ritual is rubbing your hands to generate heat and then spreading that heat to your eyes and your face.

This isn’t some just some ritual, but is based on proven scientific logic. Here’s how it goes:

When we sleep, our body relaxes and generates positive energy. And when we wake up, we pounce to mobile technology, check for any notifications, hop off the bed and get the day started. We need to pause right there. Go back to when we first wake up. We should get up and sit on the bed, with our feet firm on the ground. Before we open our eyes, we should bring our hands together and rub the palms against each other, to generate all that warmth that our body has collected during the night and then spread that warmth to our face. Just like we apply a facial cream. This small ritual will bring us peace and prepare us for the day. It’s like an alarm clock for our soul, offering it the energy to wake up.

Eat an apple

An apple a day, keeps the doctor away. Here’s a fun fact about this old adage – it’s true! Lose that coffee or that green tea. The best thing to break your fast with, is an apple. It fuels your brain and fires up your metabolism. With soluble fibres and just the right amount of calories, an apple also enhances your exercise endurance. So if you are going to be hitting the gym or going for your morning jog, you need to replace those caffeine shots with apple slices and you will probably see better results.

Perform 12 rounds of Sun Salutations

They are called sun salutations for a reason, because they are supposed to be done in the morning! Sun salutations performed in the morning, are much more powerful than those performed in the evenings. The morning rays of the sun work in tandem with your body to naturally heal you from inside. They help you time your body with the rhythm of the nature and enhance metabolism while healing from within. Amongst other benefits, they even help you lose weight.

For those of you who don’t know what sun salutations are and probably imagine them to be some yogic performance that requires gymnastic abilities, here’s a definition. They are a set of 12 easy yoga asanas which bring your body, breath and mind together. One complete round of sun salutation, exercises all the muscles in your body and also detoxifies the internal organs. And 12 is the number of rounds you need to do daily, as a part of your regime to start your day right.

Keep a To-Do list

There is something really positive about ticking things off a list. It’s just the easiest way to de-stress. When you put your tasks down on a paper or in your mobile, they all seem achievable. It’s like a mini plan-of-action you make everyday. And if you make one at the end of each day, you just need to refer to it, first thing in the morning, to feel like it’s all taken care of. When you note everything down, you will also be able to manage your time accordingly. You won’t be in two places at the same time or having that feeling of forgetting something perpetually. You will have your little list ready to assure you, everything is in order.

There you go. 5 simple hacks to help you start your day better. There’s really nothing to them. And once you get started, they will just become a part of your life. Isn’t that what we started with? Adopting a lifestyle and not just running behind resolutions. Every day’s another chance… to get stronger, eat better, live healthier & to be a better version of you.

And every day’s a chance to take a new step towards that healthy resolution. Just keep moving.

Laughter is the best medicine

Posted on by Chris Lam

Yoga and laughter

Giggle, chuckle, tee hee, lol, crack up, ROTF, yuk, even LMFAO. Regardless of what you call it, do it. April 14 marks International Moment of Laughter Day and we’re here to say, LAUGH!

Is laughter actually good for you? Yup! Just think about how good it feels when you’ve had a good chuckle with your friend. Your belly hurts, you tear up, and you just have an overall sense of happiness. If that alone doesn’t tell you it’s good for you, then you’re probably doing it wrong.

When we laugh, our body changes from a physiological standpoint. Think about it, your muscles in your face (and body) start to stretch, your pulse increases and your blood pressure also goes up. You start to breathe faster which sends more oxygen to your tissues. This is a very similar reaction than exercise has on the body (but don’t replace exercise with laughing). But if you need actual physiological reasons, we’ve got ‘em too.

  1. Endorphins. Laughing releases endorphins which is your body’s natural “feel-good” chemical. Endorphins promote temporarily relieve pain, and provide a sense of well-being, and well, happiness. And if you don’t believe us, take it from Elle Woods from Legally Blonde.
  1. Natural immune boost. Laughing also decreases your stress hormones and increases your body’s infection-fighting antibodies. This translates to your body being a little more resistant to diseases.
  1. Relaxation. Think about how incredibly relaxed you feel after you’ve shared a good, long, hard laugh with someone. After your stomach stops hurting. After you’ve wiped away those tears of laughter. Laughing has been proven to relieve physical tension as well as stress, and leaving you relaxed for up to 45 minutes.
  1. Heart-healthy laughs. Because a good, hearty laugh increases blood flow and improves your blood vessels’ functionality, this can ultimately help keep your heart healthy by protecting against heart attacks and other cardiovascular issues.
  1. Good for the mind. Not only is laughing good for the body, it’s great for your mental health as well. Laughing helps improve your mood, it relieves stress, helps ease anxiety and fear and it’s just simply, fun.

The moral of the story? Stop taking things so seriously and take a moment to enjoy a little laugh today and every day. Make it part of your daily routine. Tell someone a joke, watch a funny movie, or watch dogs play at the park. Regardless of what makes you laugh, make sure you enjoy every second of it.

Namaste!

Spring Clean Your Soul – 4 tips to get you started

Posted on by Chris Lam

Spring-Clean-Soul

Spring is a symbolic time for change for everyone. It’s a time when the winter is coming to an end, the snow starts to melt (if you live in a snowy place), the birds start chirping again, plants and flowers start to bloom. The winter is ending and the summer is on the horizon. How beautiful is that?

With this time for change, comes a time for cleaning. Cleaning out your closets. Winter clothes go into hibernation, while your spring-wear comes out. It might not yet be time for short sleeves, but the anticipation is palpable. Aside from your wardrobe, people often take the time to effect spring cleaning in the kitchen as well. Time to take everything out of the cupboards and dust out the old, and put in the new.

But what about your soul? Although you should be keeping tabs on your mental health regularly, spring is a great time to check yourself to make sure you’re in touch with your core beliefs and your chakras are aligned. Here are a few tips to get you started with a little spring cleaning for your soul this March.

1. Look Inward.

Now is a great time to sit down and evaluate where you are doing things right and where you might need to bring change. Take a nice, long look. Do your actions speak to your morals? If not, where could you maybe change?

2. More Positive. Less Negative.

Positive affirmations and positive reinforcements are imperative to making yourself happy from the inside out. Think about how life will be different, and better, when you take all the negative out of your life. How much lighter you will feel.

3. Surround Yourself with Good.

Often times, we have people and things around us that bring out the negative thoughts and feelings. It’s important to clear those as much as possible. Instead, surround yourself with like-minded people – whether family, friends, co-workers or groups – whoever they are, they will help to foster positivity. Happy begets happy. Remember that.

4. Do Unto Others.

The old adage really does hold true. You will get what you give out in the world. Be kind, and you will receive kindness in return. This might sound hokey but it really works. And if it doesn’t, so what? You will have only done good and you will automatically feel better for it. That’s how these things work.

The moral of the story? To bring about change, positive change, in your life, you must first look inside and change what you can. No one ever said changing negative thoughts and patterns would be easy, but with baby steps, anything is possible.

If you have a spring cleaning for the soul routine you do on a regular or annual basis, share it with us in the comments below. We’d love to know what works for you!

Namaste

Show Your Love(s) Some Love.

Posted on by Chris Lam

February Love

February is a time for love. Of course, because Valentine’s Day is on the 14th, but also the non-romantic kind since in Canada most provinces celebrate Family Day. In Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario celebrate it on February 15 and British Columbians celebrate it on February 8.

So what is there to do during these times that would show your family or someone you care about that you, well, care? The answer is LOTS!

For starters, this year (regardless of what province you’re in), you’re in luck because these holidays fall on the weekend. For BC, that’s two weekends of back-to-back love fest. For the others, that’s one love-filled long weekend. Either way it’s a win-win.

Here are some ideas to get your started.

  1. A long weekend getaway. Take them someone special. A cabin in the woods, a quick weekend jaunt to the carribean (or Florida), or a spa. The idea is to get away from the everyday and treat yourself to something a little special that weekend.
  1. Have a dress-up dinner party at home. Cook up his or her favourite meal, put on your fancy slacks and your prettiest pearls, get your hair did and celebrate the love… chez soi (at home). It’s probably a little less expensive than a fancy dinner out, but equally fun. Make it black tie, or just wear your favourite little black dress. Either way, it’s your party.
  1. Couples yoga anyone? Meditating together and joining your chakras could be a spiritual experience you’ll both learn to love. It’s a great way to start the weekend and relax before you get into anything else.
  1. Bring the family together and take a trip down memory lane. Bring out all the old family albums and share in the love through the years. Whether it’s a decade or generations, recalling old family stories will make this a special weekend for everyone.
  1. You know what they say, the family that volunteers together… Wait, what? Regardless, why not spend an afternoon volunteering together wherever your passions lie. Whether it’s the local animal shelter walking the puppies, preparing sandwiches at the soup kitchen, sorting clothes at the donation sites, or… Bonding while helping others is a magical experience. You can even turn it into an annual family tradition.
  1. Leave love notes around the house for your special someone(s) to find. Turn it into a scavenger hunt with clues, or just leave them where you know they’ll eventually look. Finding little tokens when reaching for your hairbrush or socks is always a fun and heart-warming surprise anyone would love.

Make sure to share your plans with us for this year’s Family and Valentine’s Days. We’d love to hear how you celebrate those you love.

Why it’s important to create realistic resolutions you can keep

Posted on by Chris Lam

Resolutions

Fifty per cent of us make New Year’s resolutions. So rest assured you’re not alone. And you’re certainly not alone when it comes to dropping your resolutions or not achieving them. Sure the first few weeks of January we’re all “Ra. Ra. Ra.” But then February rolls around and we start to slip. Whether your resolution is to lose weight, settle your debt or quit smoking, it’s likely not going to happen overnight.

The thing is, resolutions are essentially goals we set for ourselves. Goals that require us to change our behavior. Behaviour that has become habit year-over-year. These bad habits, as they were (bad, because if they were good we wouldn’t be changing them), aren’t easy to get rid of. And that’s why our failure rate, year-over-year, is so high.

The Next 21 Days

They say (the Internet) that it takes about 21 days of continuous repetition to change or to form a habit. But really, if you think about it, how long did it take for you to acquire this habit? Probably more than 21 days. In fact, probably more like years, even decades to get to where you are now. So why expect something is going to change in three weeks? A more realistic timeframe is 60 days. Let’s go with that and tell us how you’re doing by March 1.

Baby Steps

The other thing to consider is how realistic your resolution truly is. Are you expecting to quit smoking overnight? Maybe lose 50 lbs in 2 months? Possible? Perhaps. Likely (or healthy)? Not really. If it were, you probably would have done it already. Am I right? So instead, how about breaking down your resolution into something more realistic, more achievable. Go from five cigarettes a day to four or three. Get a piggy bank and put $10 in it every week (but don’t take it out!). And in February, put $15 or $20 every week. Keep saving your pennies.

Celebrate the Wins

Remember how we mentioned it’s “Eat Chocolate Cake Day” on January 27? Well, why not create a time for you to celebrate all your small victories. When you’ve managed to lose a few pounds and keep them off, do something to mark that achievement. Because after all, it’s an achievement. If you’ve broken down your resolution into smaller, more manageable goals, you’ll be constantly #winning, and looking forward to the next party. This works for practically any resolution you can think of, not just the big ones. Planning a trip to a far off place takes a lot of planning and saving your pennies (or nickels now that we don’t have pennies anymore). Spending more time with your parents or grandparents means less time with your friends or less time at work, so make it fun. Volunteering is an achievement in it of itself, so I’m not even gonna go there. If you don’t feel good after that, you’re an awful person (lols of course).

The bottom line is, paying off all your credit cards isn’t unrealistic, but expecting to do it after winning the lottery on January 8 is. Pay off small amounts at a time, and you’ll feel better about it, and you can celebrate that milestone.

Share with us your resolutions (or why you don’t have any) and what you’re doing to make them more achievable and realistic.

Super-size your courage this year

Posted on by Chris Lam

2016 Yoga Resolutions

If you ask me, New Year’s resolutions are not my thing. You might agree with me when I say that it feels tiring and over-repetitive to hear (wherever you go in January) – New Year, new you, kind of “motivation.”

How about; same old you, new attitude. Or a new skill. Or even your old skill, but super-sized.

Not sure if courage is a skill, but it sure is a useful one.

Courage: the ability to do something that frightens you.

Why courage?

Every day we face so many new things – new jobs, new places to live, new people to meet, (a whole NEW year!). Only by being a 100% active member of our society, we can fully enjoy being a true community – by being open to all those new things. And that takes courage!

Yoga teaches us to face our fears of the unknown and test our limits in every asana we do on the yoga mat. Every day is different. Every day it feels different in the body. And, of course, your mind plays new tricks on you, every single day. So, by facing the fears, the temptations, the challenges or simple changes we meet on our daily journey as a human, we sharpen the saw and strengthening the skill of courage.

The more courageous we are, the more fully we experience life – we are living fully.

When we truly experience every moment we are in, it is easier to see how many things we are blessed with, every day. Where there’s darkness, there’s light. There’s always something to be grateful for.

So this fresh January day, while New Year’s resolutions and goals, and the magic of the new phase of our life hasn’t worn out yet – how about we promise to be brave? How about we super-size our courage, for a more full, enjoyable 2016!

Connect with us on Facebook or Instagram, to share your stories of courage, or what new/refreshed commitments (to yourself) you are making this year.

Namaste.

Keep Moving. Be Courageous.

6 Inspiring Resolutions For Yoga Lovers (Cake is on the list)

Posted on by Chris Lam

Yoga Resolutions in 2016Yoga lovers! It’s 2016. Can you believe it? Like most people, we’ve sat down and put some serious thought behind what we vow to do differently, something new we want to add to our daily routine, or even, perish the thought, something we want to stop doing altogether.

Instead of going for the typical resolutions, why not commit to something genuine, something realistic, something… Awesome? Here’s a list of realistic, simple and achievable resolutions you can add to your list this year, without worrying you’ll fail before January 2.

  1. Say hello to a stranger. OK sure, this might seem hoaky, but it’s not. There are plenty of do-gooder movements across Canada and the World that are inspiring people to be kind to others. A group of Vancouverites started #SayHiToAStranger movement. Check out their video and take a chance. “A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet.” http://www.sayhitoastranger.com/
  1. Help. Donate. Volunteer. Be. Not everyone can afford to donate money to causes. And there are a lot of great causes out there. But what we can all do is help or volunteer. Whether it’s helping a senior struggling across the street, or whether it’s taking one hour a week to walk the dogs at your neighbourhood shelter, we can all afford to spend 30 minutes or an hour of our time. Think about what’s important to you, and make an effort to be present and help them out.
  1. Eat cake. As Marie Antoinette famously never said (she actually never said this exactly), but “Let them eat cake.” Who doesn’t like love cake? And did you know that January 27 is “Eat Chocolate Cake Day?” And who cares that you pigged out during the holidays. Who cares that you’re supposed to be on a fast-track healthy lifestyle kick. Eating cake is important. It’s what life is all about. Cake in this instance is synonymous with whatever you enjoy so much it makes you weak in the knees. Once in a while, it’s ok to indulge; just make sure it was the best dang cake you ever had!
  1. Very few of us are actually responsible for saving lives. (So if you do, actually save lives, please ignore this point.) But for the rest of us, our jobs are mostly inconsequential – enough that we shouldn’t stress over it to the point of illness or exhaustion. As long as you’ve put in your best effort (and sometimes beyond), and as long as you know, in your heart-of-hearts, that you made every effort to make things great, that’s really all anyone can ask of us. Learn to let go. Learn to not take things personally. It’s not healthy. So let’s let it go, shall we?
  1. Take time away from social media. Put the phone down and experience life through your eyes, not through the lens of your smartphone. Pin later, hold the tweet, later-gram. ‘Like’ the moment you’re in for the sheer sake of being ‘in’ the moment, and not because you HAVE to share it with everyone and their @dog. #LiveForYourself
  1. Lastly. Be. This one’s pretty simple, methinks. Just be yourself, who cares what others think. Just be present (see #5 above) for the sake of those around you. Just be in love without overthinking or overanalyzing. Just be.

Do you have anything to add to this list? What inspirational things will you promise to start doing this year? Share. We love hearing from you!

Don’t lose your crazy. Full Moon survival guide.

Posted on by Helen Stepchuk

Moonlight

It’s Full Moon and it’s time to pause and reflect. It brings out everything to the surface and amplifies our emotions. If you are spiritually grounded, you will feel more empowered. But if you are not sure of your path, this Full Moon will confuse you even more. This is a good thing, since this is a sign to listen to yourself and an invitation to become more self-aware.

Here are a few rituals you can adopt to explore a new side of you:

  • Spend some time alone. Turn of that TV and put that book down. Alone meaning, literally alone with yourself. No music, no chatter around. Perhaps go for a walk and just be with you, with your thoughts.  Observe what’s happening in your mind.
  • Do not judge yourself or others. When we judge other people, or ourselves, we close the door of expansion. We block ourselves from good things coming through, as judgement is never a positive thing, and negativity is poisonous. Stay on the positive way. You don’t need to be fake-happpy, but try not to be judgemental. Be curious.
  • Slow down. Meditate or just be slow. Walk slower than usual. Eat slower. Listen to others more patiently. You will be amazed at how many incredible things we miss around us, by being always in a rush.
  • Watch your feelings and accept them for what they are.  Do not overanalyze your behaviour or your feelings. Sometimes things are just the way they are without any logical explanation. We do not need to know where our feelings are coming from, we just need to learn to live with our feelings. Humans are so complex, so if every time we have a strange thought or feeling we’d try to find a logical reasoning behind it, we’d drive ourselves crazy. Just live with your feelings. Acknowledge them, feel them, know them, but don’t try to fix them. Accept them for what they are without any stories.
  • Have an open mind.  Expand your perception of things around you. What if, just what if, some of the things you’ve been clinging to, are not worth it. Or, what if something you believed your whole life, is not serving your any more? Or what you thought was good for you, is actually giving you the anxiety you have today. Maybe. What if.

The best way to tackle an emotional turbulence is to be aware of it first. So, don’t hide your madness today. Tune in inwards. Follow your light. Explore. Surrender. Be curious.

Tell us how it goes. Do share your favourite Full Moon rituals with us on Facebook>>.

Namaste.

The new moon rituals for the rookie.

Posted on by Helen Stepchuk

If you have any friends or relatives working at the police or ER, they would tell you that the Moon affects their work. Well, not directly, but  the amount of calls and accidents happening during the Full Moon is uncanny. Something definitely is going on when the Moon is full. From not being able to sleep during Full Moon to mood swings and heightened anxiety, I am sure all of us have experiences the effect of the Moon one way or another. But what about the new Moon then? Does it affect our behaviour as well?

Apparently, both phases are very similar, although only the Full Moon got the bad reputation, the New Moon has a similar effect on humans. Not as strongly as the Full Moon though. So, let’s take a look how we can benefit from the cycles and what we can do to improve our human lives during the various cycles of the Moon.

New Moon - Full Moon - Rituals

With November 11th – the New Moon and November 25th the Full Moon (you may want to mark your calendar), here are a few simple rituals to try out a few days before and few days after the occurrence.

The New Moon

1. Reflect. This is the great time to start a new project, set goals, or simply review your progress and to re-shuffle your priorities. Even if you are not much into astronomy or the spiritual affects  or the whole Moon cycle theory, it never hurts to look at your life with fresh eyes once a month (at least). We see the new Moon 12 times a year, so not that often when you think about it.

2. Try something new. It doesn’t have to be anything too extraordinary, but something like trying a new recipe or a new yoga class – anything new, something you’ve always wanted to try, but was waiting for the right moment to do it. Now’s your chance.

3. Forgive. That’s right. Is there someone in your life who is on your “do not talk to, avoid, she/he is such a #$%” list? More often than not, we avoid things/people who stir strong reactions/negative emotions in us. And oftentimes, this means that whatever they’ve done, *we believe* they did us wrong. And this is a sure way to the grudge-ville. Nothing good comes from holding grudges. Besides, the only person who suffers the most is the one who holds the  grudge. Once a month reconsider the list. You don’t have to love them, but you could forgive them. Moreover, no one is perfect. We all did something wrong once or twice. 😉

Stay tuned for the second part of this article later this month with the three easy-but-useful rituals to survive the Full Moon. And seriously, do mark your calendar – November the 25th – Full Moon. 😉

Tell us, do you have any New Moon rituals our YogaHive.ca community should know about? Head over to Facebook and comment on our New Moon post there. Do share your wisdom with the world. See you there. 

Namaste.