One of my favorite parts of a yoga class is when the teacher ends the class with a bow and greets everyone with the sacred word “Namaste” and the class members respond with the same greeting. Namaste is a Sanskrit word that means “the light within me salutes the light within you.” Whenever I say this word to myself or others, I am reminded of our divinity. Click here to read a short Yoga Journal article about the meaning of Namaste.
One of the things I love to do is watch yoga-inspired films. This year, I fell in love with filmmaker Suzanne Bryant’s YOGA IS documentary. It tells the story of her yoga adventures in India and the power of the practice in her life. The film begins with Bryant sharing how she thought she had it all until her mother died of cancer. As she grieved her mother’s transition, she turned to yoga as a healing tool and was led to India to study Ayurveda and yoga with Indian teachers. Upon her return to the United States, she began to explore what yoga means to people in the West. She used YOGA IS to document her findings. Click here to learn more about Bryant and her amazing journey and film.
In honor of National Women’s Health Week (May 12-18), I am celebrating the many contributions women yoga teachers make to women’s health and wellness. Sariane Leigh, a Washington, D.C.-based yoga teacher, health activist, blogger, writer, and wellness instructor uses her Anacostia Yogi web site, blog, podcasts, classes, and workshops to promote health awareness and yoga for women and individuals recovering from trauma-related experiences such as HIV/AIDS diagnosis, conflicts, natural disasters, poverty, and institutional racism. Leigh’s healing approach marries Hatha and Kemetic yoga principles to the psycho-social healing tradition from African-American women’s spirituality.
During an afternoon tea meetup at Teaism in February, my digital sister and fellow yoga teacher Julia Coney, founder of AllAboutThePretty.net, suggested I read The Way of the Happy Woman: Living the Best Year of Your Life by Sara Avant Stover. I am so glad Julia made the recommendation because Stover’s book, e-newsletters, and web site have become a lifeline for me as I deepen my yoga practice and commitment to greater health. The Way of the Happy Woman offers easy and natural self-care practices including yoga and meditation that help women minimize their stress, become aligned with their natural cycles, and honor the four seasons of spring, summer, fall and winter. I adore and have incorporated the yin and yang yoga practices for the spring season. They have helped me nurture my spirit, heart, mind, and body with greater care. Click here to learn more about Stover and her amazing work.
What books do you use to deepen your yoga practice?
I love writing and reading stories about characters who practice yoga. One of my favorite yoga-inspired fiction books is Yoga Mamasby Katherine Stewart.
Yoga Mamas, one of my favorite yoga fiction books
Yoga Mamas is a great chick-lit book to read during the spring or summer seasons. It tells the story of four pregnant women who take an exclusive prenatal yoga class at a Soho yoga studio in New York City. The main character Laura is the book’s narrator. When the book begins, it seems like the only things Laura has in common with her three chic, well-to-do, Prada-wearing mothers-to-be is her pregnant belly and a yoga mat. They do lunch (like the Sexy and the City gals) and become fast friends as they share stories about their lives and partners. You’ll travel with them through their NYC and Long Island adventures. You’ll also witness the unravelling of a juicy secret that gives birth to scandal (it’s a good one….). So pick up the book and read it!
What are your favorite yoga-inspired fiction books?
I love the DC Yoga community. Why? They come together each year to offer yoga lovers an opportunity to practice free and $5 yoga classes during DC Yoga Week. This year, over 40 yoga studios are participating in DC Yoga Week which will be held on April 29 through May 5. The week closes on May 5 with Yoga on the Mall at the Constitution Gardens by the Vietnam War Memorial. The event will begin at 11:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 p.m. Three of my favorite studios, Embrace Yoga, Flow Yoga Center, and Tranquil Space are participating in the week-long celebration. Smith Center for Healing and the Arts is a partner for the event (FYI – I work at Smith Center as an artist-in-residence). Click here to learn more about the events.
If you are in DC, are you planning to participate in DC Yoga Week?
If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle
My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase the book on Amazon.com.
Janice Gates’ book Yogini: The Power of Women in Yoga
Happy Yoga Monday and Earth Day!
Yoga is a sacred gift because it helps promote self-acceptance and self-love. Check out my yoga video that shares yoga wisdom on self-acceptance and self-love from Janice Gates’ book Yogini: The Power of Women in Yoga .
Today is also Earth Day, an annual celebration that is held across the globe that calls individuals, communities, organizations, and governments to acknowledge the amazing planet we call home and take action to protect it.This year’s theme is “The Face of Climate Change.” Click here to learn more about the day.
Take a few moments and breathe in the beauty of Mother Earth today. Give thanks for all the planet does for you and your loved ones. Make a promise to do three things to support the sustainability of our global home. If you are in DC, stop by the Earth Month celebration at Union Station this month.
How are you celebrating and honoring Mother Earth?
OM #YogaMonday OM! OM Mother Earth OM!
PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle
My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.
I started practicing yoga to support my running practice in 1995. Right after I turned 40, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a yoga teacher at Flow Yoga Center in 2005. Click here to watch a video about my personal yoga journey. Enjoy!
Why did you start practicing yoga?
OM #YogaMonday OM!
PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle
My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.
Today, I want to share the Uttarabodhia mudra, a yoga hand movement you use to remind yourself of your oneness with everyone and everything in the universe. It’s a perfect way to practice yoga on the go! Click here to watch my short video. Enjoy!
Healing Mudras by Sabrina Mesko is a great book for understanding mudras.
OM #YogaMonday OM!
PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle
My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.
Did you know that when you smile you are doing mouth yoga?
Yes, really. It’s not an April Fool’s joke! I learned it from one of my Buddhist teachers, Thich Nhat Hanh.
Click here to watch my short video on mouth yoga! Enjoy!
OM #YogaMonday OM!
PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle
My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.
Have you ever heard of The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali?
Pantanjali was a great sage that lived thousands of years ago. He is responsible for codifying the practice of yoga in The Yoga Sutras. They consist of 196 verses that contain knowledge, instructions, and wisdom that have inspired and informed yoga practitioners for centuries.
The Secret Power of Yoga
The Secret Power of Yogaby Nischala Joy Devi is my favorite interpretation of The Yoga Sutras. Devi offers a heart-centered, intuitive, and feminine perspective. Click here to watch my short video review of her book.
PS: If you would like to read about my yoga journey, check out my memoir That Which Awakens Me on Amazon.com. It is available on Kindle
My debut novel Love’s Troubadours – Karma: Book One features a main character who works as a yoga teacher in Washington, D.C. Click here to visit the Love’s Troubadours’ Pinterest board which contains some great information about the novel. You can purchase it on Amazon.com.
Ananda Leeke 