Inspiration strikes and I usually see bits of a completed piece. I’ve learned to keep a sketchbook on my nightstand, my car and in my bag.

I created these small warriors during one of my yoga trainings. The circles of metal represent the ongoing learning and growth process for each of us. The vintage fabric is from India, it’s delicate and hand dyed. I tore the fabric, so the edges would be frayed. We are all connected in the tangles, the raw edges are intentional. My art always has details that are meaningful. This warrior is sculpted on a hand blown glass bottle, very worn and thick. I wrote intentions and slipped inside as a token of gratitude. She stands tall and strong, weathered and determined. This grit is in all of us. Our stories are written through the steps we take, finding our way and connecting. Each of us has a story meant to be shared.

The Sanskrit chant was apart of my training and resonated with my heart.
Here’s the translation—

May we be protected together
May we be nourished together
May we create strength among one another
May our study be filled with brilliance and light
May there be no hostility between us
OM, peace, peace, peace

At Saha Yoga we are preparing to open our doors to a new beginning. As we start transforming from Spring into early summer, we can sense the excitement of this new time. Each phase of Nature has a meaning and impact on our lives. When we practice yoga we start to intuitively live within the phases of nature and become aware of the potential each season can bring to us.

Spring is the beginning of the season cycle. A time of birth, new beginnings and of hope.

It is the energy of the element wood. This energy brings forth new growth.

On a personal level, this energy allows us to move foward, be asertive, have vision and change who we are.

It is the time to freshen up the landscaping after it’s long winter rest. A spring landscape clean up with assure your gardens maintain their health and beauty for many years.

EARTH symbolizes the late summer.

It is the shortest of the five season.

The pause betwen the element of wood and fire and the descending elements of metal and water.

It is the energy of Mother Earth.

Time of harvest.

Time to reap what we have worked for throughout the year.

The earth is good, the quality of the soil has the ability to produce food to nourish ourselves.

The shortened days and cooler weather makes this the best time of year for planting most everything.

Plants love this time of year, their leaves aren’t stressed by scorching sun. There is less demand for water from the roots and roots are in their most active phase of growth allowing for a well established root system before winter sets in.

METAL symbolizes autumn.

This is when nature rids itself of what is not needed.

Shedding leaves and producing compost, ensuring nutrients for the next cycle.

Metal helps us understand we are more than “Day to Day Life.”

We are connected to “ALL THAT IS.”

WATER symbolizes winter.

Time of rest and hybernation.

This is a quieter and more reflective time of year.

Water reminds us of our ability to flow and overcome obstacles. 

A good time to plan next seasons gardens.

YOGA NIDRA WORKSHOP with Inga Wilke

Join this two-hour workshop to learn about the Yogic Sleep– a powerful practice to reduce stress, release tension, and relax your body and mind. Yoga Nidra is for everyone; all you need to do is to lay down in Savasana(Corpse Pose).The practice includes body scanning, breath awareness, and visualization.

At our workshop, not only will you prepare and practically experience the technique but also get an idea of all the healing benefits that a regular practice of Yoga Nidra can bring into your life, including stress prevention, enhanced memory, emotional release and healing from old trauma. Researches indicate that Yoga Nidra can be used as a therapeutic technique to manage and cure psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, hostility, PTSD, or insomnia, as well as psychosomatic diseases like asthma, coronary heart disorders, or hypertension. 

Investment: $35 ($40)

Many of us have a yoga practice to create balance in our body and mind. Yoga is an ancient practice that originally was designed to guide and support the body to sit for long periods of time for meditation. Over thousands of years, yoga has evolved and many of us enjoy the physical practice of yoga. By default, with practice, we enrich our lives.

The more we practice yoga, the more we begin to seek something from within, which comes from being aware. The first time I heard ‘be aware of your breath’, I didn’t quiet get it. But, now, with years of practice and study, awareness brings balance, peace and harmony and isn’t this what we are all seeking? Awareness takes us out of our mind, which is focusing on the past or gazing into the future and lands us right here, right now.

Everything we experience is in consciousness, we just often aren’t aware, which is why we are living less than perfect lives. This is why we suffer from disease, over-eating, strong cravings and making poor food choices.

How Can Yoga Help My Diet?

By practicing yoga and creating a regular practice of being AWARE, we cultivate and deepen our intuition and understanding of how to live our lives on and off the matt.

So many of us get our information about nutrition from our friends or social media or whatever the new ‘Super Food’ that everyone is raving about. Although there is a lot of excellent information out there regarding nutrition, it isn’t always the right information for our particular body constitution or situation. Just like no two people are alike, what nourishes one person maybe very depleting to another.

In our Yoga Practice, we educate and nourish our body, mind and spirit through breathing (prana/energy), asanas (postures) and most importantly showing up and honoring where we are holistically that day. Yoga and nutrition are one in the same in many ways. Both nourish our mind, body and spirit. Just as conscious breathing and asanas invites greater prana or energy into our lives, so to does nourishing fresh foods and clean water create energy in our body and mind. Making choices that are in tune with our body are important in maintaining and creating perfect health.

Food is concentrated energy that nourishes the mind, body and spirit. Eating whole foods and drinking an abundance of fresh clean water, guides us towards a more harmonious person, we enhance our prana, which is the life-giving energy that enlivens our entire being.

In Ayurveda, a balanced diet doesn’t revolve around fats, carbohydrates, proteins, calories and vitamins. As you begin to deepen your yoga practice and become more aware on and off the matt, you will enhance your intuition… which is the body’s very own intelligence, knowing instinctively what it needs.

Over-indulgence, cravings, poor food choices generally have little to do with food itself. Generally, our stress levels dictate how we eat, when we eat and what we eat. It is impulsive, excessive, and goes back to being unaware. This is like allowing a stranger to manage our finances. We would never do that but when it comes to food and nutrition, we relinquish our power.  Find the culprit and become aware of yourself. Begin with awareness and ask yourself these simple questions before you eat:

1. What is my body craving?
2. Is It healthy and supportive for my well-being?
3. How will I feel AFTER I eat this?

Consider how wonderful it is to enjoy a beautifully prepared plate of food, abounding with fresh food. We feel energized and alive. As we learn to eat in harmony with our bodies, we learn to eat in ways that truly benefit us. Choosing foods intuitively, using nature’s cues helps prevent and heal us from illness and enables us to feel balanced, vital and whole.

Today’s Mantra: “I choose foods that help me thrive.”

By: Julie Kingston

Certified Integrative Nutritionist, Yoga and Meditation Teacher

*for more information or for a private consult please use the contact us page

Join Julie on Sunday morning for Meditation and Vinyasa