Blog – Wisdom For The Journey
Importance of Lineage in Yoga
At the beginning of every Yoga Well Institute class, we chant in a Vedic style in honor and remembrance of our teachers. We do this because we acknowledge Yoga’s long and distinguished history. And we value the Tradition and Lineages that have passed these precious...
What is Ayurveda?
Āyurveda is another one of those terms that we see a lot in wellness social media posts. Blogs invite you to take a quiz to determine your doṣa, or prescribe things to do or avoid in order to practice Āyurveda. But there isn’t much information out there that explains...
Benefits of Oils in Ayurveda
Oils are fundamental in Āyurveda. They are used internally and externally to prevent, as well as treat, disease. Used on the skin, or in the body’s orifices like the mouth, nostrils and ears, oil protects our bodies from outside stimulus, impurities and antigens (that...
How Meditation Helps Your Health
A health problem is your body’s way of saying, “I’m out of balance.” And it’s likely to be accompanied by negative thinking, sadness, anxiety and/or nervousness. When you get sick, your mind is as affected as your body is. And you can’t actually meditate if you can’t...
Yogic Breathing: Yoga for Breathing
For at least the past 2000 years, the two main practices of Yoga have been conscious breathing (prāṇāyāma) and meditation (samādhi). Meditation is the means of liberation and breathing is one of the quickest, most efficient means of shifting the state of mind and...
The Yoga Sūtras of Patanjali: What Yoga’s About
How to Practice Yoga on the Mat & in Everyday Life. WHAT IS YOGA? Yoga is often thought of as a physical exercise that happens in a gym or on a mat. This idea of Yoga misses a huge part of what Yoga is about. Yoga actually describes a way of being that...
Dinacharya: Āyurvedic Rituals for Good Health
Āyurveda’s main pursuit is a long, healthy life. In support of this, it suggests principles and practices that apply to almost every aspect of our life. Dinacharya (spelled dinacaryā in Sanskrit) are rituals that promote good health, both physical and mental. They...
Benefits of Becoming a Yoga Therapist
BENEFITS OF BECOMING A YOGA THERAPIST “The success of Yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.” -T.K.V. Desikachar Completing a Yoga Teacher Training is a huge milestone....
Recovering from Burnout as a Yoga Teacher
Recovering from Burnout as a Yoga Teacher “Here is why you suffer, and here is what to do about it.” In my role with the Yoga Well Institute, I have heard Chase Bossart tell the story of how he first heard Mr. Desikachar say these words many, many times. And they are...
Different Approaches to Attaining the State of Yoga
If you’ve been studying Yoga with us at the Yoga Well Institute for any length of time, you are undoubtedly familiar with Patañjali’s Yogasūtra. These important teachings are known as raja yoga, which means the “Royal” or “Kingly” Yoga. Patañjali’s approach to...
Introduction to Haṭha Yoga Pradīpika
The Haṭha Yoga Pradīpika provides an excellent overview of the practice of haṭha yoga. This 15th Century Sanskrit text describes many of the principles and techniques that form the foundation of the practice of Yoga in modern times. Divided into four chapters, it...
East and West in Yoga Therapy
The Yoga Well Insitute’s Yoga Therapist Training Program educates from both Eastern and Western perspectives. The Eastern tradition of Yoga practices and principles (along with its complementary ancient Indian perspectives, such as Āyurveda) combined with Western...
The Role of a Yoga Mentor
When we speak of Mentors at Yoga Well, we mean much more than professional guidance from someone with experience in the field of Yoga Therapy. In the first chapter of the Yogasūtra, Patañjali offers different practices for reducing agitation so we can see and act...
How Yoga Therapy Turned My Life Around
I experienced Yoga Therapy with my Mentor before I even understood what it was. I had left my job, moved across the country and split up with my husband. Between watching my two small kids and nursing a range of feelings over the break up, my life was turned upside...
Using Your Intuition to Make Tough Choices
Making tough decisions is never easy. That’s why they’re called “tough decisions.” But sometimes when you’re faced with an important decision, you can clearly see the best path forward. At those moments, a quiet voice inside you — call it intuition or knowing —...
How to Choose A Yoga Therapist Training Program
Considering deepening your Yoga training? Here’s 6 tips for choosing a Yoga Therapist Training Program that will truly prepare you for your new career. 1. Does the program teach from an authentic Eastern perspective? Yoga has incredibly useful models for understanding...
5 Reasons to Work with a Yoga Therapist
Yoga therapy can be used for healing from trauma, recovering from a physical ailment, or to help you show up as your most authentic self in life. Here are 5 Reasons to Work with a Yoga Therapist #1 Individualized: Personalized Attention In this day and age of Teledoc...
How Yoga Changes Your Mind
When we talk about Yoga, what we’re really talking about is the behavior of the mind. This is clear from the first chapter of the Yogasūtras, in which Patañjali says: yogaś-citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ (YS I.2), or “Yoga is the restraint of the activities of the mind.” In...
The Effect of Perception on Experiences
Experiences come in many forms — the laughter of a child, the discomfort of a bed in a hotel room far from home, another car cutting in front of us while driving to work. While it can be tempting to describe these experiences as inherently positive or negative, the...
Everything You Do Is Yoga — Or Can Be
Every time I come back to the Yogasūtras, there’s always another ‘aha’ moment, like another puzzle piece magically fitting into place. Except the puzzle is not only a classic Yoga text, it’s also my life and all the relationships that tether me in the world. Yoga is...