Patanjali and his 8 fold path of Yoga

This art of right living was perfected and practiced in India thousands of years ago and the foundations of yoga philosophy were written down in The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, approximately 200 AD. The core of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is an eight-limbed path that forms the structural framework for yoga practice.

In the video below Deepak Chopra gives a very brief description of the 8 limbs.

The 8 limbs are:

Yama : Universal morality

Niyama : Personal observances

Asanas : Body postures

Pranayama : Breathing exercises, and control of prana

Pratyahara : Control of the senses

Dharana : Concentration and cultivating inner perceptual awareness

Dhyana : Devotion, Meditation on the Divine

Samadhi : Union with the Divine

Ever wonder? I have been wondering lately. I've been saying "mine", "my", "I" and "me" too much lately.

Its amazing what doing a few little interviews does.

It makes you realize how you have defined yourself.

I love the press don't get me wrong... keep it comin'!

After all, this is yoga-land and teaching yoga is how I make my living so I do have to promote myself. I'd be crazy not to. If my classes are empty I'm not going to eat, plain and simple. But what I have been realizing lately is how I have been defining "myself" over and over again in a certain way, and by doing so I have been putting my happiness into the hands of something in which I have no control...

"I" am Lori Lucas and "I" am a yoga teacher.

If we label and define ourselves a certain way then what happens (and who are we), if it is all taken away? What if you label yourself a certain way, and then you get fired? Who are you then?

I have found myself putting too much stock into those things that are outside of myself lately.

Its all just a sign for me to up my meditation practice, thats all and it's all good.

I'm still hoping for busy classes and will quite happily take any good press that comes along!

I am just going to check in with myself and keep an eye on my mind (the ego).

Thats all we really can do.We are all sooo much more then our passing thoughts and feelings throughout the day, as well as any labels we or anyone else puts on us. It's important to remember that.

Namaste,xo

Do you do regular breast self-exams?

We want to be able to recognize any changes in our breasts as they come up if we can.

Nothing is fool proof, but whether you have noticed it or not our breasts change like the weather throughout our cycles and our lives.I was just up at the breast screening mammography clinic myself last week for a repeat mammogram and ultrasound due to some abnormalities in my own breasts (cysts). It happens to all of us whether we are aware of these changes or not. Our breasts are very busy through the month and always changing.

♥Make sure you Do them ♥ Get to know your breasts. Real well.

We want to do them throughout our lives, whether we are still having our periods, whether we have reached menopause, or any of the times in between. Including while pregnant, or if nursing.

-Check your breasts on a regular basis, (i.e. once a month)

-Check 5 to 10 days after your period starts so your breasts will be less tender.

-Irregular Periods? Pregnant? No longer have a period? Pick the same day of the month.

-Do not check more often than once a month, you might miss a change that is developing slowly.

-If you forget to check, don't worry; simply check your breasts the next month.

Click on the picture below and it will enlarge.

*I get a monthly reminder send to me via email. You can too!

Click here