FHYtimes

Shakti Sistas: Heels over Head playshop

I went to a training recently where one of the teachers freely admitted that he spends a great deal of time upside down... He’s pushing 90 so it must…

Turmeric – An Aromatic Spice Worth Exploring

Today’s foods are often laden with unhealthy ingredients, such as sweeteners and artificial flavors. Although these are dangerous, people let their…

How to Achieve Pain Relief Without Drugs

A lot of people struggle with physical pain, but not many have built a tolerance for it. In these cases, some turn to painkillers to ease their agony. Being…

Set aside your expectations, set alight your dreams

I often get to this point of the year and come up with a huge to do list of things I want or don’t want anymore. I think this process of renewal is…

Why do you delay what is most important to you?

“Seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and all else shall be added onto you.” - Jesus "Since death is inevitable, why not do as the sages…

Pill-Free Probiotic Options for Kids

You may have a high-quality probiotics supplement on hand. It may possess the qualifications that an effective product should have. But have you ever…

Self Practice - Hanuman gets his name

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

Acupuncture for the Needle Phobic

Two years ago I decided to try acupuncture, and ended up going fairly regularly to a  practitioner who saw clients at the yoga studio I frequent. It…

The world owes you nothing

What a difference your attitude makes. Some people live this life believing they deserve more. They are right - everyone continually deserves more - but…

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

"Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify." Today my post is inspired by Henry David Thoreau and his classic work, Walden…

Opposite Ends of the Yoga Spectrum: Bikram vs. Kripalu

The other week I got a wild hair and decided to try out Bikram Yoga at Yoga Crossing. After having a brief conversation about my yoga experience with the…

Home Practice: Hanuman's beginnings

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

Emotional Chutes & Ladders

Kripalu Yoga teaches us to "ride the wave" of emotion using a technique abbreviated "BRFWA" -- Breathe, Relax, Feel, Watch, and Allow.…

Aparigraha – Taking nothing seriously

Aparigraha – non attachment, non grasping – is a key yogic principle. It’s often applied to external things, like possessions. But what I…

How to Replace Complaints with Contentment

A few months ago I was in a yoga class, and the instructor said something to the effect of: "Complaining is simply a rejection of the present…

Chanting Your Way to Joy

My First Kirtan Experience My first kirtan happened over 12 years ago, probably among one of the first couple of times I visited the Kripalu Center for…

We are all becoming. The Question is: Becoming What?

There's a goodness, a beauty, and a love that lives in our hearts -- it's who we are when we're not busy convincing ourselves we're not.…

Rebirth.

It’s getting colder.  Down into the 40s at night. The sun sets earlier and rises later. I walk Hank in the dark in the mornings. It’s…

Where is your mind now? And now...and now?

I believe that everyone should strive to be mindful, in everything we do--throughout our moments, hours, days, weeks, months, years and lives. This post…

Nutrition, Exercise and a Paradigm Shift.

I went to see a nutritionist ten days ago now. Not because I do not know how to eat healthy and properly, I’m aware of the whole; “Eat plenty of…

Turning upside down

For long stretches (pardon the pun) I find myself going without an inversion. That’s going upside down, technically when your heart is lower than your…

How to Prevent Jet Lag: A Remedy Reviewed

Before our recent trip to Belgium and Amsterdam, I decided to try an Ayurvedic remedy to prevent jet lag. Typically whenever I fly long distances with more…

Begin Again

“Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” Buddha The beauty about being human is that in every moment we…

A love letter to myself (by way of someone else)

A love letter to myself (by way of someone else)     I nearly got over you As if I were walking in the desert towards Peace And…

Living the Yoga wisdom, my experience at teacher's training course

Living for 21 days in the womb of the Himalayas which have been a stronghold of yogic wisdom and spirituality for millions of people was magical and…

No profit in Santosha. Why Mitt's a Twit.

So here’s the thing. I was watching a video of American Presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney and he was talking about how 47% of Americans don&rsquo…

Lean and Lazy Dinners for Busy Mothers: Veg Quinoa

When I cook my "lean and lazy" dinners, I just take pictures. Thanks iphone! My recipes are without amounts. Most of it you can just improvise as…

Miracle Daily: 4. Bookworms

It just happened at my youngest son's birthday party. I needed a little break from the high noise level in the house and the cozy room I prepared for…

Poor Kids, Rich Kids, and Food

This post is a guest blog from Justin Locke, a long-time kindred spirit on the road to good mental and emotional health. This nutrition-focused excerpt from…

Miracle Daily: 3. Cain and Abel?

Ugly handwriting, this is the issue. Especially if you are 11 and it is not getting better after years of trying. Still more if you are changing school,…

Miracle Daily: 2. Touch bottom

My body screams in pain for a long while. For months. Last year, moving from India to Ireland, I was too busy to be perfect. Great mother, team working…

Miracle Daily: 1. Yoga with Cows

Yesterday I started my new yoga class with 6th graders in the French school in Dublin. They were attentive, bright and curious. They were not aware that I…

Wake up and Smell the Coffee! (Tips for Santosha)

Stop and look around once in a while.... Santosha – Contentment I have just realised that I am a real life Billy Goat’s Gruff –…

What Do I Suck At?

A few weeks ago, I found myself at an interesting blog post titled "What do you suck at?" by Danielle LaPorte. For the most part, I feel like…

Home Practice: Celebration!

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

What are the causes of disease?

There is only one real cause  which combines every cause, and that is imbalance. Whether it is ecological or pertaining to our lifestyle, diet, mind…

What Makes You come Alive?

Don't ask yourself what the world needs - ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have…

My kids, my gurus

I have to say it: my kids are my biggest gurus. Their lessons are accurate, to the point, never ending and highly enlightening. No shortcuts, no…

Transform Your Eating Habits

I'm going out on a limb with this week's post, publicizing a highly personal struggle about which I feel very vulnerable. And, I trust that you, my…

How to Make the Best Indian Curry in the World

You cannot talk about Indian cuisine without mentioning curry. A traditional Indian dish made with various spices like turmeric (also called “curcumin…

Where to begin?

It’s such an exciting time right now for the yoga world. Suddenly it’s gone from this thing that your eccentric aunty did or you read about in…

Petitioning the Universe

Early in her book Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert describes an activity a friend had her do while she was waiting to hear from her lawyer about whether…

Walking in the air

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

Yoga & Loss

As many folks know, my husband and I recently lost Ferris, our feline friend. In this blog post, I discuss some of the challenges of the situation from both…

My First Juice Cleanse: A Mixed Blender

After a recent trip to NYC where I stumbled upon one of their stores, I was reminded of Organic Avenue, and ended up checking out their web site when I…

Yoga's Place in the Workplace: Part 3

Today I return to my "Yoga's Place in the Workplace" series with the second yama (character-building restraint) called satya. (Please see Part…

The Yoga of Childbirth; Homebirthing a Mountain!

Our son was nameless his first ten days in the world. I had felt certain his name from his beginnings in the womb was “Kailash”, but my…

Home Practice: The End of the Rainbow

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

6 Common Barriers to Meditation, and How To Overcome Them

Since I started leading a weekly meditation group a few months ago, I've chatted with lots of folks about meditation--both those who are interested (but…

TANTRA

TANTRA: Tantra is a practical system. It is called a sadhana shastra, which means that it is a practice  oriented scripture. Its purpose is to give…

Basic Facts and Information About Tulsi Tea

There is no shortage of so-called "pick-me-up" beverages today, ranging from the wildly popular coffee to pure and milk tea. One that is anchored…

What Women want when they Say "Nothing"

“The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity. ”  ~ Virginia Woolf…

The Yogi at a Dance Convention.

After not having set foot on a West Coast Swing dance floor for about 3 months, this past weekend I attended Boston Dance Challenge. I started doing this…

Home Practice: Step 3, Fly Free

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

I have finally met the Real Guru...

  I am humbled and feel blessed to have met, learnt and polished by the projected manifestations of the pure energy embodied as various masters~…

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.

  What makes for happiness and self-acceptance over the long haul? When confronted by inevitable disappointment, how is it that some people are able…

It's all Hatha Yoga!

I was at a yoga event recently. Waiting to register and pay, I heard a woman ask what Hatha yoga was and the official answered; "Hatha is more of a…

Home Practice: Step two, plug in

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

Take it to the Bridge.

Listening to music and even better, learning to play a musical instrument is an amazing way to take a quick "holiday". Many hours can fly past by…

Yoga Teacher Assistant.

It is Friday evening, 10 minutes to 9pm. The dinner is nowhere near  ready , kids are running around and screaming and I am trying to create three…

"BREATHE" Ireland's Yoga and Green living show.

BREATHE, The Irish Yoga and Green Living Exhibition is an exciting new event, and is the first of its kind in Ireland. It is a groundbreaking day …

Bring the softness back!

The other night in class I over heard a fellow Ashtangi student admitting “I’m frustrated – I’m even frustrated at being…

Live in the moment, live joyfully

This will be an ongoing series which is a practice you can do at home in your own time. Depending on the time you have available you can hold the poses for…

Understanding Avidya.

Avidya means having the wrong or incorrect comprehension of something. In our daily life, it is what stops us from seeing things as they really are. Our…

Attempts at resurrection.

 I was busy as she witnessed death and me again. She heard the story of how I found him dead, desperately forcing breath down his throat, hoping he…

What's outside is inside, what's inside is outside

  We've definitely witnessed the forces of nature over the last few weeks in the UK. Constant rain in the South East, much more like I remember…

The attachment of practice; The practice of non-attachment.

A little lesson came up for me recently that I had to learn the hard way. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t seem to learn lessons unless they are…

Am I yogi enough?

One of the most ridiculous conversations I have been having with myself lately is: “Am I “yogi” enough to be a yoga instructor? I am…

It is Possible to die of a Broken Heart.

Parents that suffer the loss of having their baby die within the first year, are more likely to then die prematurely themselves, a new report has found. …

Rejection 101.

  I’ve been a shoulder to a friend lately. All my shirts are wet from his tears. As I listen to the same story replay over and over and…

Polarities.

It is remarkable how often people respond to each other in opposite extremes - like children on a seesaw. If one goes up, the other goes down. As one…

Sex - The Hidden Tool of Enlightenment.

There is a good chance that the title of this chapter spiked your curiosity and you instinctively clicked on the link to take a peek at what this is all…

Service in Golf.

When we help those that are less fortunate we become a little more selfless and a little less selfish. How can this help your golf I hear you say? …

If You're Happy and You Know it; Just Sit There!

The other day, I had a great conversation with a friend about the nature of happiness, particularly about how as Americans, happiness seems to be something…

Patterns.

Each of us has emotional and behavioral tendencies that come out in our relationships. We're sensitive about certain things and we react in certain ways…

Be a Squirrel; 5 Ways to Move Beyond Fear.

Often referred to as anxiety, panic, or phobia, fear by any other name still indicates an attachment to the anticipation of something that has yet to…

The Ebb & Flow.

We are all a part of nature, and like the moon’s waxing and waning, the tide’s ebb and flow, and the rhythm of the seasons, we experience…

Self- Acceptance

Man can never accept himself and his faults; and in a way this is a good thing for it motivates him to overcome his apparent limitations and elevate himself…

HATHA YOGA

HATHA YOGA The word Hatha is composed of two syllables, namely ‘Ha’ and ‘Tha’. Ha means the ‘moon’ and Tha means the …

Fearing your Face

If Love is the basis of Union then Fear is the basis of Separation, in short, Love unites and Fear separates. Fear is that single force that alludes us from…

Mother! Every step is her inspiration her

Mother; a word that invokes, stirs, triggers, or out-pours the most basic emotion in deepest part of our beings, "LOVE". It is the most precious…

The Process of Overcoming Fear.

  The sky was grey as heavy rain clouded my windshield on the drive to the supermarket. A less than enthusiastic shopper, such a destination fills me…

Dealing with Change: Lessons from Epic Ramaya

RAMAYAN – Brief Outlines King Dashrath has four sons from his three wives. Recently, he has all of them got married. The eldest one, Ram (our hero…

The Three Treasures of Life

The Three Treasures of Life The Three Treasures of life are: Body (essence), Prana (energy) and Mind (spirit). They comprise the three fundamental levels…

What's YOUR Love Language?

Sometimes we have moments or days that are just bad. They are exhausting, long, tedious, overwhelming and just plain ol’ bad. They are full of doubt,…

Bhagavad Gita for a Fish

  Gita for a Fish Let’s say you are a fish Swimming in the sea. Only you’re a very very smart fish, Smart enough to…

Fasting –Can change of your life

Fasting is the world’s most ancient and natural healing mechanism. All animals except modern man fast instinctively when sick. To this day, primitive…

The Global Impact of Yoga

Worldwide, billions of people covet the industrial world's wealth and are replicating its system of modern consumerism as rapidly as possible. But what…

Surya -Sun God

Surya From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Surya (disambiguation). Surya A 19th century painting of Surya on his chariot …

Connected

It is truly amazing how connected we are in this life. Recently, I read a networking article that claimed we are no more than six degrees of separation from…

Pranayam

  PRANAYAMA As per yoga practice ,breath,life and energy are all interconnected.Yogis have a single word for all three--Prana. The word is…

Choose Stress

Since the publishing of my book, Choose Peace: A Practical Guide into Consciousness, I have noticed a funny trend in how people react to it. …

FLEXIBILITY

FLEXIBILITY When man is born, he is soft and flexible; When he dies, he grows hard and rigid. So it is with all things under Heaven. Plants and…

Healing in Haiti

I traveled to Haiti as one of a leadership team for the Urban Zen Foundation. As trained integrative therapists (UZITs) our objective was to ascertain…

EARN YOUR FREEDOM

Once was a city called Karniki located on the western coast of the river Reva. There lived a brahmin of superior grade. One day he gave his two sons to his…

The Tao: The way of Yin and Yang

The Tao of Health and Longevity “All the best medicines and good food in the world cannot help one achieve longevity unless   one knows…

What is Yoga?

When we hear the word yoga, what comes to mind for some of us (particularly those of us in the West) might be a type of exercise that involves…

Academic Advising: 5 Tips For An Ever Changin

Academic Advising within a higher education institution has a very special place in the life of the adult student. Many graduate level students are non…

Typing was my Vehicle of Change

  Dwight Morrow High School did not know what to do with me. I started out in the college-bound track, and about half way through my ninth grade…

Trust in Golf

When golfers go to the range or practice green and look for something that they can trust in their swing that tells me that they do not trust their swing…

DIABETES AND PANCREATITIS

WHAT IS DIABETES? Diabetes is a chronic disease in which there are high levels of sugar in the blood. Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is classed as a…

The “Paradox” of Freedom

  To be completely honest, I am afraid of true freedom…  Correction: my mind and ego are afraid of true freedom.  Why? Because…

LOL

Traffic Jam Lesson

I am probably the last one to share my experience of Freedom. So I will be short. Few weeks back I was driving my kids to school, then hurrying up to…

How Much Land Does One Man Need?

  The question: how much land does one man need? This is a very personal assessment, which can be made according to certain criteria. Having spent…

Freedom at the Bank

  A couple of months ago, I walked into a bank.  There was a photograph of a man sitting on top of a horse looking out toward the grand canyon…

Applaud: Bhagalpur's Dharhara 'plants 10' on

        Women all over the world faces gender issues. But there is one village 'Dharhara' who celebrates on the birth of girl…

Obesity

          Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with increasing prevalence in adults and children, and…

Because I knew you...

This year, for the first time in my life, I have felt completely free! I have finally found a “job” that I love & can make money at everyday…

Straight Walk, ALL THE WAY HOME.

“How many of us remember things how we want them to be?... You are retelling a story to a friend, and you are excitedly explaining a confrontation…

Diary of Yogi - True story

  Today in yoga class, all was going as usual. The sun-salutations were over – phew! But the excruciating standing postures were still going…

The Indomitable Spirit

  ADVENTUOUROUS An avid reader of biographies, I have always loved reading about dauntless women who traversed the globe in search of adventure…

What is self-love all about?

Lately I have been hearing a lot about self-love. I have been reading from Gala Darling about Radical Self-Love, I have been reading yoga articles and blogs…

One day everyone will be a patient or caregiv

The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once— Attributed to Albert Einstein. Many of us live our lives thinking of…

MENTAL PROBLEMS

MENTAL PROBLEMS Mental problems, phobias, fears and their elimination are such an important factor in our lives. The people who know that they have some…

I have root chakra issues

In yoga class this week, a friend asked, "Would you be friends with your inner voice?" My initial answer was: NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! She is…

IT STARTS HERE - Put your hand on your HEART-

"ITS STARTS HERE" - Put your own hand on your own heart-  - S. Ashley Hunt    The other night I attended satsang at…

Narad's Ego

NARAD'S EGO (from Shiv Puran, Dwitiya Rudra Samhita) Once the great sage and son of Brahma, Narad went to do great meditation in a deep Himalayan…

Story of Upmanyu

THE STORY OF UPMANYU (from Shiv Pruan, Vayavya Samhita) Upmanyu was a still a child when he meditated, found Shiva and asked for a lake of cow's…

Did you ever fall in Love?

Everything we need is inside of each of us

James S. Gordon, founder of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine (CMBM) in Washington D.C., and a professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine,…

I' m born nude

Do not advice me to be not naked ... I have this body which is mine, and will remain till I take my last breath, it bares a face through which you know…

DARE YOURSELF TO EXPOSE, FEEL, CONNECT

I am truly moved by your interest and your nature.  Thank you for being you--it is a blessing to be with you.  With Warmth, OM Shanti…

My 10 Intentions for 2012

I will focus my mind on what I can do, not on what I cannot do. I will take steps each day to make my dreams become reality. I will walk the earth in…

How to help children understand the loss

One the most memorable Saturday morning radio programs of my childhood during the late 1940s were about what happened to lost toys. Its theme still haunts…

Vegetarianism dealing with change of diet

VEGETARIANISM : 1- Modern methods of rearing animals for slaughter and human contaminated with various chemicals. The use of artificial methods of…

We don't forget

It was a small room, People were talking. Someone mentioned the holocaust, And an old man stopped breathing. "Never again" he said, "…

Sports-related injury concerns

The young athlete has many needs that must be taken in consideration because of their growing bodies, and, unfortunately, sports programs that should be…

Empty Your Cup

Empty Your Cup - The Japanese master Nan-in gave audience to a professor of philosophy. Serving tea, Nan-in filled his visitor’s cup, and kept pouring…

The card of "Strength"

The tarot speaks in symbol and each and every card is full of insight and knowledge, which can guide us and help us seek an answer. The strength card brings…

Tarot - The Hierophant

Hierophant – the hierophant card shows a man who seems to be a religious leader, a pope or a rabbi, sits in an gesture of blessing the priests or a…

Bullies: Cowards who belittle or exclude othe

Over the past several years, my normal routine has been to wake up and check in on Facebook, ordinarily finding an update or two from someone I considered a…

Art and Tarot

Kincha how many sunsets you have seen... but you dont wake up....wake up.... Gather yourself...collect yourself and wake up... For how long you want…

What we think, we become

Every being in the universe unconsciously or consciously seeks freedom. When this seeking is conscious we say that the spiritual process has begun.…

Interview

Misa Derhy asked few questions Christina Sell, yoga teacher and co-founder of School of Yoga. MD: What "Intent" and power of Intent means for…

Let the Intent Just Be

The last quarter of 2011 was spent in study and contemplation. I was blessed to attend a course on Indian scriptures, specifically ‘Patanjali’s…

School of Yoga

I m proud of presenting here School of Yoga, founded by Christina Sell and Darren Rhodes. I follow Christina since 2 years and she is my “virtual…

Yogi bussiness

The Yoga business seems like a big reflection of the world right now. And a lot of us are feeling stretched like a rubber band or, butter spread thinly over…

Seven Steps to Manifest your Intention

Be it a child who wants to get that new game in the market; a teenager who wants to look great among her friends; a young wall street ambitious soul…

Essentials of Yoga Physical Education

The most common and popular idea about Yoga nowadays is that of Yoga as physical exercise, or the practice of Yoga asanas (postural training). Yoga is then…

Wise Living Yoga Academy YTT

Wise Living Yoga Academy is an educational body affiliated to The Yoga Institute of Santacruz, Mumbai, India - the world's oldest organized Yoga…

My personal Intent

Simple, straight, stark and sensible, this new year which is so talked about ... so my new year resolution is 3 beautiful projects, 2 books to publish,…

Paradise in Costa Rica

New wonderful place for our yoga retreats... AHKI in Costa Rica. Karen and Greg made their dream true, and now make us dream about their little oasis…

The Lurker

Modern life does not make you happy, It allows you to suffer in comfort. Exercising in the gym will make you look good, But it cannot make you happy…

Wise Living Yoga Accademy

I met Jeenal and Daniel in Yoga Institute in Mumbai. Jeenal was one of our teachers and Daniel came sometimes to share his wisdom too. We all did long…

Letter to aspirants

Namaste friends and all the yoga aspirants!

I have been lately hearing to the Shanti Mantras and each time I hear to them, I feel tranquil and joyful. I…

Down Side Up in Saigon

  VIETNAM / Bến Thành Market - Lê Lợi, Ho Chi Minh City, Viêt Nam // DEC.09.2011 N 10°46'18.44" E 106…

How We Started

I first came to Murcia as a visitor 9 years ago and fell in love with its blue skies, un- spoilt beaches, mountains and best of all no tourism! I loved the…

My Five Elements of intent for 2012

I promise my being to be an instrument in the hands of Nature so that ……. YOGA Spreads like fragrance in AIR Ignites the spirit of…

The King and the Crocodile

This is a story taken from the Epic Mahabharat. Once upon a time, a King was in a jungle enjoying hunting. One of the four men who carried his '…

Discovery

2011 is going to end. In this year, what new things do you discover? New house?  New shops?  New jobs? Or new friends? All of these…

Letter from yogi

When you mentioned the word 'Intent' I first thought, that's a good way to look into the new year.......2012. So I began with asking myself…

Keep Going

What is intent?  That is the question that was put to me by a good friend of mine.  It got me thinking, I couldn't answer it straight away and…