Zephyr Yoga Inspiration

Take a deep dive with US Yogis in this episode with Mia, Kate and I sharing our experience teaching, practicing and uncovering in our own lives the Kleshas/mental emotional afflictions! Enjoy and let us know what topic you would like to hear us talk about next! Find out more about and where Mia & Kate teach: Mia Togo https://miatogo.com Kate Litwinko https://www.katelitwinkoyoga.com

Evolving from the work we did with the 5 Prana Shaktis in the previous podcast, this preamble & practice focuses on Back Bends, alternative vinyasa and applying the deeper philosophical insight the teachings offer. Jonni Pollard has been an inspiration to me and I share in my preamble (forgot to give a shoutout) his reduction of the teachings to this brilliant statement from his book The Golden Sequence: "Life is sacred. Love is your Nature. Wisdom is your Power. Fulfilment is your purpose". This book is a recommended read to inspire a recommitment to the practices for anyone. 5 Principle powers of creation expressed through the experience of our being.  Iccha Shakti: the unlimited power of will, determination and drive to fuel us and to become the unstoppable force in fulfilling our intention, purpose and experiences in our lives. Jnana Shakti: the boundless power to know from our intuitive wisdom of discernment from real and unreal, truth and untruth, virtue and non-virtuous.Kriya Shakti: the ab

https://youtu.be/yDUXKFpJE6g It's that time of year which we all spend a moment of pause to reflect on the year ended, lived and the year we have yet to live. With this new year many of us celebrate by placing intention of our hopes, desires and healings as aspiration for the path ahead. Mia, Kate and myself dove into this topic and had a frank discussion about our experience, what we teach and the support we offer to our students guiding them to find their own method of placing intention. We hope this serves you in finding an anchor that can bring stability when you need it, as well as some ideas to guide you as you move forward in the flow of life in 2020. May peace, love and connection (the force) 'be with you' celebrating a faith-filled, fearless and awakened life! Most of all, thank you for taking the time and listening to US Yoginis! Zephyr Wildman, Mia Togo and Kate Litwinko

Our unique human ability to self-reflect is one thing that sets us apart from all other sentient beings. The continual evolution of our consciousness to be awakened (for those seeking it) to that which is behind life itself is a wonder for us as humans philosophically, spiritually and cognitively. Gives a new sense to the expression; “may wonders never cease”. This New Year’s workshop will call upon our past experiences to inform our present, honouring those who supported us along the way. We will enter practices that promote that evolution by “burning” that which impedes us from growing forward in our lives. We will draw on the teachings of: – tantra that increase our capacity to acquire energy to positively affect all aspects of our lives. – asana to strengthen our vessel. – pranayama to build our vital force.– yoga nidra to heal and nurture.– meditation to open us to the boundless reservoir towards inspiring our potential for awakening.  We will call upon the 3-fold process of kriya yoga as the bl

Kate Litwinko, Zephyr Wildman, Mia Togo I am so delighted to introduce you to my US/American friends living in London; Mia Togo and Kate Litwinko. I have been looking, for a long time, for some local yogis to share life, teaching and everything in between with...and finally…like all good things that come to those who wait… they appear!  We've been getting together once a week lately and sharing so much that I had a crazy idea to start recording our morning breakfast chats and share them with my Yoga community. Mostly because we laugh so much but also because some of the topics are so relatable to many of my students I work with, I thought a Podcast was a good format to share with you. This is our first go at it, so a few bumps and digressions to be expected, however I feel our open, frank and individual experienced wisdom lends itself to inspire some reflection and contemplation to those fellow seekers.  In this episode, we start with a little background on how we met and our desire to find and nu

5 Principle powers of creation expressed through the experience of our being.  Iccha Shakti: the unlimited power of will, determination and drive to fuel us and to become the unstoppable force in fulfilling our intention, purpose and experiences in our lives. Jnana Shakti: the boundless power to know from our intuitive wisdom of discernment from real and unreal, truth and untruth, virtue and non-virtuous.Kriya Shakti: the ability to choose wise actions, that are aligned with your intentions and purpose, guiding you skilfully to fulfillment. Cit Shakti: the power of an illuminated mind, clear, undistracted, undistorted. To fully awaken to the light of knowledge resting within and expand in that light. Ananda Shakti: the known experience of being whole, complete, at one with all. Filled and embraced in Pure Conscious Awareness that is always present. Bliss, serenity, peace.  Using the mantra introduced to me by one of my teachers, Rod Stryker.“There is a light, that lights the whole world.It radiates the

5 Principle powers of creation expressed through the experience of our being.  Iccha Shakti: the unlimited power of will, determination and drive to fuel us and to become the unstoppable force in fulfilling our intention, purpose and experiences in our lives. Jnana Shakti: the boundless power to know from our intuitive wisdom of discernment from real and unreal, truth and untruth, virtue and non-virtuous.Kriya Shakti: the ability to choose wise actions, that are aligned with your intentions and purpose, guiding you skilfully to fulfillment. Cit Shakti: the power of an illuminated mind, clear, undistracted, undistorted. To fully awaken to the light of knowledge resting within and expand in that light. Ananda Shakti: the known experience of being whole, complete, at one with all. Filled and embraced in Pure Conscious Awareness that is always present. Bliss, serenity, peace.  Using the mantra introduced to me by one of my teachers, Rod Stryker.“There is a light, that lights the whole world.It radiates the

5 Principle powers of creation expressed through the experience of our being.  Iccha Shakti: the unlimited power of will, determination and drive to fuel us and to become the unstoppable force in fulfilling our intention, purpose and experiences in our lives. Jnana Shakti: the boundless power to know from our intuitive wisdom of discernment from real and unreal, truth and untruth, virtue and non-virtuous.Kriya Shakti: the ability to choose wise actions, that are aligned with your intentions and purpose, guiding you skilfully to fulfillment. Cit Shakti: the power of an illuminated mind, clear, undistracted, undistorted. To fully awaken to the light of knowledge resting within and expand in that light. Ananda Shakti: the known experience of being whole, complete, at one with all. Filled and embraced in Pure Conscious Awareness that is always present. Bliss, serenity, peace.  Using the mantra introduced to me by one of my teachers, Rod Stryker.“There is a light, that lights the whole world.It radiates the

Buddha Smiles as we practice the instructions from the Yoga Sutras  This practice merges the instruction from Yoga Sutra 1:33 and the Buddhist Practice that both point to a Loving Kind way of being and acting.  Looking to sutra 2:46 Stirum and Sukham and the Buddhist slogan “Strong back, soft front” Then directing your attention to 2:47 Loosening your effort while meditating on something specific becoming more effortless. Recall the work we did on Sutra 1:34-1:38 and the five areas of focus. Now by adding a “Buddha Nature Smile” we sweeten the practice with loving-kindness, compassion and wise understanding.  As a result of practicing in this way we understand Patanjali’s Sutra 2:48. The goal is to discover the pair of opposites cease to exist and no longer have an impact. We experience the fading of separation and are aware of a new bathing into oneness, wholeness and completeness of Love. 

Buddha Smiles as we practice the instructions from the Yoga Sutras  This practice merges the instruction from Yoga Sutra 1:33 and the Buddhist Practice that both point to a Loving Kind way of being and acting.  Looking to sutra 2:46 Stirum and Sukham and the Buddhist slogan “Strong back, soft front” Then directing your attention to 2:47 Loosening your effort while meditating on something specific becoming more effortless. Recall the work we did on Sutra 1:34-1:38 and the five areas of focus. Now by adding a “Buddha Nature Smile” we sweeten the practice with loving-kindness, compassion and wise understanding.  As a result of practicing in this way we understand Patanjali’s Sutra 2:48. The goal is to discover the pair of opposites cease to exist and no longer have an impact. We experience the fading of separation and are aware of a new bathing into oneness, wholeness and completeness of Love. 

Yoga Sutra 1.20 (my mistake, in the Podcast I said 1.2, it’s One point Twenty sorry for the confusion) Patanjali states 5 essential ingredients to a spiritual practice; Shraddha - Faith/Trust, Virya - Courage/Will-Power, Smriti - Memory, Samadhi - Absorption, Prajna - Illuminated Mind/Discernment.  This practice will guide you to create insight to what these concepts mean to you, how you can refine your relationship with them and be inspired to take these qualities of character off your mat and into your daily life. 

Yoga Sutra 1.20 (my mistake, in the Podcast I said 1.2, it’s One point Twenty sorry for the confusion) Patanjali states 5 essential ingredients to a spiritual practice; Shraddha - Faith/Trust, Virya - Courage/Will-Power, Smriti - Memory, Samadhi - Absorption, Prajna - Illuminated Mind/Discernment.  This practice will guide you to create insight to what these concepts mean to you, how you can refine your relationship with them and be inspired to take these qualities of character off your mat and into your daily life. 

Archer Warrior Sequence reflecting on the Yoga Sutras This practice draws from the Yoga Sutras & the Bhagavad Gita to heal, transform and inspire our lives.  First we cultivate Non Judgemental Awareness, Friendliness, Happiness and Compassion stated in Yoga Sutra 1:33. Then we will redirect our attention to the 5 suggested areas of focus from sutra 1:34-1:38;Breath Awareness, Sensation, Inner Illuminosity, Contemplate a Stable Mind, Open to the Stream of Consciousness refining our mind to become more anchored in the moment. Then we will look at our habits (conscious or unconscious) by understanding our three types of karma and how to wakefully remain awake making wise choices to satisfy our deepest heart’s longing. 

Archer Warrior Sequence reflecting on the Yoga Sutras This practice draws from the Yoga Sutras & the Bhagavad Gita to heal, transform and inspire our lives.  First we cultivate Non Judgemental Awareness, Friendliness, Happiness and Compassion stated in Yoga Sutra 1:33. Then we will redirect our attention to the 5 suggested areas of focus from sutra 1:34-1:38;Breath Awareness, Sensation, Inner Illuminosity, Contemplate a Stable Mind, Open to the Stream of Consciousness refining our mind to become more anchored in the moment. Then we will look at our habits (conscious or unconscious) by understanding our three types of karma and how to wakefully remain awake making wise choices to satisfy our deepest heart’s longing. 

Archer Warrior Sequence reflecting on the Yoga Sutras This practice draws from the Yoga Sutras & the Bhagavad Gita to heal, transform and inspire our lives.  First we cultivate Non Judgemental Awareness, Friendliness, Happiness and Compassion stated in Yoga Sutra 1:33. Then we will redirect our attention to the 5 suggested areas of focus from sutra 1:34-1:38;Breath Awareness, Sensation, Inner Illuminosity, Contemplate a Stable Mind, Open to the Stream of Consciousness refining our mind to become more anchored in the moment. Then we will look at our habits (conscious or unconscious) by understanding our three types of karma and how to wakefully remain awake making wise choices to satisfy our deepest heart’s longing. 

A bit of anatomy and physiology this week. This practice will offer you a deeper experience of the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle moving in a vinyasa practice. As well as a physical approach, Zephyr will invite you to go deeper in unraveling Vishnu Granthi, the physical/psycho/emotional holding we carry around our upper body using asana, pranayama, chanting of OM & SO HUM in practice. 

A bit of anatomy and physiology this week. This practice will offer you a deeper experience of the biomechanics of the shoulder girdle moving in a vinyasa practice. As well as a physical approach, Zephyr will invite you to go deeper in unraveling Vishnu Granthi, the physical/psycho/emotional holding we carry around our upper body using asana, pranayama, chanting of OM & SO HUM in practice.

This traditional buddhist practice acknowledges and celebrates that we as Yogis are the holders of suffering and the quest for healing, freedom and peace can be a liberating one. This is a provocative practice. We will be breathing in someone else’s pain and suffering at the same time we will be working on our own issues. This shared suffering is something magical as once you find your rhythm, you will find the strength to be of service to those more vulnerable, those that are ill and/or trapped in a cycle of suffering. This practice opens us to generosity of spirit, connection to our humanity and love that we can share knowing we all have a basic goodness, a desire to be happy and not to suffer. 

This traditional buddhist practice acknowledges and celebrates that we as Yogis are the holders of suffering and the quest for healing, freedom and peace can be a liberating one. This is a provocative practice. We will be breathing in someone else’s pain and suffering at the same time we will be working on our own issues. This shared suffering is something magical as once you find your rhythm, you will find the strength to be of service to those more vulnerable, those that are ill and/or trapped in a cycle of suffering. This practice opens us to generosity of spirit, connection to our humanity and love that we can share knowing we all have a basic goodness, a desire to be happy and not to suffer. 

Exploring your Kleshas (Mental Emotional Afflictions) Zephyr talks about how Yoga can bring up emotions that we can learn from. Using Tapas to create mental heat of concentration during our practice, Zephyr encourages you to acknowledge your reactions to the heat within your practice and use that awareness and conscious observation to learn more about who you are. Are these emotions helping or hindering?