Happy December!

I hope you are staying warm and finding ways to get cozy!

Thank you all that attended the Gentle Yoga + Sound Bath event on Thursday! It was a lovely circle and I truly appreciate you coming out on a Thursday evening in December! We celebrated the Full Cold Moon, practiced gentle yoga and basked in the amazing frequencies of the sound bath by Dorothy-Inez!

This week and moving forward, I am excited to share a featured ethical tenet from yoga philosophy. The practice of yoga goes far beyond the physical pose practice; the postures are just one of 8 limbs of the 8-fold path of Ashtanga Yoga that together create a way of living.

The 8 limbs are: Yama, restraints; Niyama, observances; Asana, the physical poses; Pranayama, breathwork; Pratyahara, sense withdrawal; Dharana, concentration; Dhyana, meditation; and Samadhi, a sense of unity or bliss. And of course, we can find a mudra or hand gesture to complement each guideline.

The 8-fold path comes from The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali. I am also referencing the books The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele, and Mudras for Healing and Transformation by Joseph and Lilian LePage.

Please reach out with any questions, comments or feedback.

With warmth and gratitude,
Barb

🤍 Featured Yama: Ahimsa – Non-violence

Ahimsa is the foundation of yoga philosophy. It means non-harming, but goes far beyond simply avoiding physical violence. Ahimsa invites us to cultivate a way of living rooted in kindness, compassion, and mindful awareness. Ahimsa was an important value in ancient India before the Buddha, but the Buddha taught active compassion for all beings. This shifted ahimsa from not doing harm, to actively cultivating loving kindness, the fullest expression of ahimsa. I believe that we must start ahimsa with ourselves in order to fully practice it externally. This practice starts with awareness, so see if you can start noticing when you are talking to yourself unkindly or thinking unkind thoughts about yourself. Can you think of a more compassionate way to treat yourself in this situation?

Some journaling prompts for exploration:

Where in my life am I the hardest on myself? Can I soften that or try another approach?

How does my inner critic speak to me? What would an inner ally sound like instead?

Where might I be causing unintentional harm through words or actions?

What small daily choices help me live more gently and feel more balanced, creating more capacity for compassion? 💗

🕊️ Featured Mudra: Kapota Mudra – Gesture of the Dove for Cultivating Non-Violence - Ahimsa

Why practice it: Kapota means "dove", the symbol of peace. Use this gesture when you want to cultivate a compassionate mindset, nurture openness to guidance or intuition, explore the inner sanctuary of your heart space, and feel the connection with all other beings on the earth.

🙌 How to Practice Kapota Mudra

• Hold the hands in prayer position in front of the heart with hands slightly away from the body

• Keep the fingers and base of the palms together while opening the knuckles away from each other, creating an open space between the palms, resembling a dove's breast

• Relax the shoulders back and down, with the elbows held slightly away from the body

Affirmations:

“I meet the world with an open and peaceful heart.”

"I choose gentleness in my thoughts, words, and actions."

🧘‍♀️ When to Use

Use this mudra before, during, or after meditation or anytime you notice yourself moving away from compassion.