Sonic Shamanic with Nicole Doherty – Special Guest DJ Marques Wyatt

Lightning in a Bottle 2013 happens July 11th-15th 2013 at Lake Skinner in Temecula, CA.

Go Deep & Come Home! This workshop combines the ancient wisdom of vinyasa flow yoga, shamanic healing rituals and tribal medicine music to help you release energetic blockages, raise your vibration and re-connect you to the Universal Heart. Using prayer and ceremonial intention, we will design a safe and sacred container for you to dive deep within the many realms of existence. Guided meditation, victorious breath, and fluid asana movement will enable you to observe the energetic blockages and patterns that hold you back from what you are wanting to create. To eliminate these blockages, you will be guided using visualization, meditation, and the shamanic sound healing tools of drums, singing bowls, rattles, and mantra. As you dissolve barriers on your journey, you will come to the portal of awakened consciousness and the threshold to absolute and unconditional love, remembering who you REALLY are. Our workshop is listed here: http://lightninginabottle.org/artists/yoga/

Lightning in a Bottle 2013 happens July 11th-15th 2013 at Lake Skinner in Temecula, CA.
Choose your adventure: http://lightninginabottle.org/
Get Tickets: http://lightninginabottle.org/tickets
https://www.facebook.com/LightningInaBottle

Peru is a powerful energetic vortex. The ancient wisdom of the indigenous tribes of the Andes and the Amazon remind us of the importance of connecting to Mother Earth and all of life.  I was on a bus going through the Sacred Valley when a passenger asked the driver, “What is the religion of the people here?” and he replied, “We practice what the Incans believed, we pray to the earth, the sun, the stars, the animals, the plants – all living creatures.” 

In traveling and working in Peru, I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing Shamans both male and female who have showed me the power of working with the plants of the Amazon for my own personal healing and with others.  There is a vast wealth of information deeply rooted in the Shamanic culture about the nature of the Earth, its ability to heal, and our role as children of this planet. I’ve worked with many types of plants learning their vibrations, their songs and their teachings.

This last visit I spent one week dieting a master healing plant that provides protection and strength for people who do energetic healing work like myself.  I had a very limited diet of rice and beans and was not allowed to talk to anyone or see anyone. I could use no technology. I was confined to a small hut, tambo, with only permission to take walks through the jungle, shower, swim, read for a few hours, sing and do art.  The shamans could visit me if I needed help, but the point was to be in silence and connect with the Earth. The shamans said after a few days, I might get vivid dreams and begin to feel the power of the plants and receive messages from their spirits. For years, as a Yogi, I’ve talked to people who’ve practiced 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreats and talked about its profundity, so I was looking forward to a similar experience. I got so much more than I ever could have imagined.  I was able to tap into the wisdom teachings of the Yoga Sutras and watch the mind in great detail.

The first few days, I battled my fears.  The reptilian brain’s survival response was on high alert with all the jungle noises – will a jaguar come into my tambo and attack me or will snakes bite me or a spider sting me?   I witnessed the high level of stress that I operate under daily.  I became uncomfortable doing nothing because I’m so used to the external nature of my work and the packed schedule I keep.  I saw how my mind loves routine and creates unconscious habits. I found myself creating schedules each day that mimicked the day before.  In the Sutras, we call habits samskaras, and we try to break them, so I tried to do things differently each day once I noticed what I was doing. I began to listen in and act more instinctually to what I needed. I saw too how I’d fallen victim to circumstances in my life that were driving choices I made that didn’t necessarily feed my soul’s purpose or dharma. I saw deep, old patterns and obstacles, vikalpas that were blocking my deepest intentions, sankalpas, for what I want to create in my life. I was able to feel some emotions that were hidden underneath it all that I was able to dance with and move through the system. (Thank you for this learning, courtesy of Rod Stryker and his book, The Four Desires!)

It took me about four full days to rid myself of unwanted behaviors and override the lower mind and move more into the higher mind, buddhi. On day four I dropped in.  I began practicing yoga longer, meditating for longer periods of time and found myself just swinging in a hammock gazing at the trees.  I was able to listen to the trees and the sounds of the jungle. It became absolutely magical.  My fear based dreams and subconscious projections were replaced with vivid dreams of loved ones, plant life, and healers. I was waking up singing devotional chants and songs. I started to feel the vibration of the Earth beneath my feet and my body began tingling with the waves of a juicy, beautiful Savasana throughout the entire day.

The challenges I was facing in the first four days dissipated.  I was filling up with an incredible amount of strength and Shakti. I was awakening to my Divine Nature, Prakrati and seeing my Soul, Purusha with great awareness. I became romantic with all that surrounded me. A hummingbird stopped mid flight and shared a few transmissions about joy with me eye to eye. A butterfly landed next to me and we intuitively spoke of transformation. It was incredible what I was feeling come through in the silence of my mind. It was as if someone plugged me into Mother Gaia.

For the next three days, I felt supercharged like I would imagine Neo felt like when he plugged into the Matrix.  I was singing non-stop. My memory improved. I was able to learn chants and information easily.  It was like all the information I was taking in was already in me and now was just flowing easily and effortlessly from me. It is what we Yogis refer to as Samadhi, Pure Bliss.

I was ignited once again with remembrance of All That Is and all that I AM. I remembered the importance of creating true space and the importance of connecting to Nature, which is what we mirror. I experienced my own vibration and felt the power of my love, my light and my joy. I wrote my dharmic code and saw the vision of my life’s work. I saw the deep traumas of my life as expansive, amazing gifts given to me as tools to help others embody their own strength and courage.  I saw the limitless possibilities of life and the infinite nature of the Universe.

In writing this blog, I’m feeling the immense humility for the power of silence.  It’s an extraordinary gift to give oneself, especially in the age of technology.  There are mountains of evidence that the amount of stress we have created is causing major illness as relates to a crowded mind– heart attacks, strokes, tumors, Altzheimers, cancer, etc.  In the Shamanic point of view all illness is a result of trapped emotions and projections of the mind.  It’s our job to connect deeply with our unconscious, to transmute dark to light and live in present awareness.  We are God Consciousness witnessing itself. We are energy in a state of expansion.  We are glorious, incredible beings birthing new endless possibilities.  In order to know this and live this, we must get still.  We do not need to endure the suffering we are creating for ourselves. 

My recommendation is to do a silent retreat if you ever can. Create space for things that nourish your body, mind and spirit.  Create silence for your mind. Take technology holidays. Take weekends off every now and again.  Create less external distractions and tap into your heart.  Find a meditation practice, even if you start with just 5 minutes a day.  The keys to the Universe are inside and all around us in the living creatures we share this planet with. Heaven is Earth. Take hikes, swim and walk the beach.  Love yourself. Listen to the songs of the plants.  Feel the wind on your face.  Get yourself to Peru. Illuminate. Breathe in God’s Breath of Life! 

Resistance. As yoga teachers we talk a lot about this subject in class.  Letting go of your resistance. Surrendering to your practice.  Relinquishing the mind.  The dictionary defines resistance as “the opposition offered by one thing to another.”  What is it that we are opposing and what can we gain as a result of our practice?

1. Stress vs. Calm:  The amount of stress that we undergo as a culture is killing us. Literally. So getting on the mat offers a great opportunity to release this bound up energy and move it through the system. In most yoga classes we give you a decent cool down and a Savasana that offers the nervous system a much-needed break. Your body moves into the parasympathetic system of restoration and relaxation, when your body is literally being healed.
2. Mental Chaos vs. Meditation: In our society we are bombarded with stimulus that pulls us in every direction.  Between cars, traffic, computers, cell phones, etc. our brain is on overload.  Time in a yoga class is a technology holiday and a chance to shut off.  There is no way to get a hold of you, cell phones off.  The brain can take rest and move into meditation.
3. Unconscious vs. Conscious Thoughts: This is one of my personal favorites and why yoga became my life path.  When we are running around all day, we’re not really listening. We are in a mode of reactivity and mostly unconscious behavior. But on the mat, once we slow down a bit, we get the gift of observation.  We start to feel the mind-body-soul connection. We hear the little voices in our heads and we can observe our thoughts.  Our thoughts become our actions, so we start to understand the importance of becoming conscious of them.

We tend to be in a state of resistance and opposition often. Resistance is a state of being. Contrast is what offers us choice and helps us to form our preferences. So when you enter into resistance and you are asked to surrender begin to observe what you are holding onto, attaching to and preventing yourself from experiencing that could bring you more happiness and sustained joy.  

Feel free to comment on this article and let me know what it is that you feel you resist and what the opposite state of being has brought into your life.

Life is moving really fast.  What is happening with our time?  Don’t you remember when you were a kid and summer camp felt like an entire year’s worth of time?  Now a friend says “I’m pregnant” and a few weeks later the baby’s picture appears on your iPhone, right? ;)

We are all moving at warp speed.  We are busy people, living busy lives and making things happen.  Yet with this much productivity we fail to take a moment to just be.

Sometimes just being is confronting. I remember when I went to do my healing work in Peru for three months at the Temple of the Way of Light. That was probably one of the most confronting times of my life. I had no choice but to sit and not do anything for long periods of time. No technology, cars, traffic or electricity. I was with myself…in the jungle… alone.  I felt very alone. It was one of the most terrifying, challenging, revealing, and rewarding experiences of life.

Coming out of that and moving right back to the city was quite a jarring transition. Our lives are fast paced, dynamic, active and frankly a bit insane here in the U.S.. What are we all running around so much for? What are we escaping? What is this race against time? What is this competition we’ve created to build the best resume?

I’m very challenged in this way. I’m overly productive. For example, after teaching 11 yoga classes on top of my full time 40 hour a week job, I decide that Friday night I will build a new website. So I did. Saturday day I wrote a yoga workshop and training.  Sunday I taught two classes and practiced a new song with my guitar partner. Yet, this was my weekend off! Really Nicole?

Sunday night I was tired, yet I felt compelled to meditate. I have been reading Rod Stryker’s book, The Four Desires, that I highly recommend everyone read!  It includes incredible case studies of people that have transformed their lives through his Yoga of Fulfillment workshops and the meditations that accompany it. I learned from the book that when his clients’ wanted to find their dharma (their soul’s purpose) and create the means by which to get there, what they really needed to do was slow down and listen for the answers which are always within us.

Most of his meditations are 20 minutes or longer.  For a person like me compelled to move, this is a lifetime of stillness!  I felt a lot of resistance to sitting up for that long after such a packed week, so instead I turned on my iPod to an hour-long ambient sound meditation track. I figured I’d try to sit, but honestly I just figured it would put me to sleep.

When we stop moving, it’s extraordinary what appears!  I set an intention before I began this track to ask God how I could work less and slow down more in pursuit of my dharma. I closed my eyes and I began to go inward. About 20 minutes later I was rattled awake (I think I fell asleep) by a very clear, loud female voice that said, “Nicole, TRUST!” and I blinked my eyes open. 

I was confused at first because it was so clear that I thought it was for a moment a part of the meditation CD. I checked too. It wasn’t. ;) It was my inner voice, my highest Self, that which is connected and is God, telling me that if I trust myself, my guides and my path that I am supported.

It resonated so powerfully that I decided to say no to a few sub gigs this week. As I did more and more appeared. It was as if the universe was showing me that opportunities are abundant always.  We get to choose what we do from moment to moment from this place of abundance.

If I say no and let go a little bit of my control and my pushing, I can live more in my heart and in the flow of life. I am beginning to reset my mind on abundance versus lack. Going back to my work with the Laws of Attraction, I know this, but putting things into your life is a practice and often times we get sucked in to patterns and we forget.

What this also revealed to me is this same programming that controls our language around time. We say we don’t have enough time.  Yet that is also lack mentality versus abundance mentality as well.

The reality is, time is something we have created, but there is no big clock in the sky that is running out of time. There is timelessness. Energy is everlasting, maybe not in this particular form (and that program could probably be changed too), but always and forever it will be. We have all the time in the world actually. 

Instead of saying “I don’t have enough time” and letting myself be controlled by the Ego, I’m observing that patterning and redefining the concept of time for myself. What about saying “I have all the time in the world” and “I’m watching patiently as things unfold in timelessness”? What if I say, “I’m filling my life with amazing opportunities” as a way of expressing my energy instead?

My beloved and I created a “Should” jar, knowing the malfunction of this program.  We filled it with enough money to support a good portion of our trip to Belize this December!

I think another jar is in order. It’s in my nature to be productive, so I will continue to be. I will also be sure to sit more, slow down, breathe, create more ways to listen and above all, TRUST!

What does it mean to appreciate? 

The dictionary states appreciation is an awareness and recognition of aesthetic values, and an expression of admiration, approval and gratitude.  The Law of Attraction would say that to appreciate guides one’s feelings toward better feeling states and thoughts which in turn increases the positive flow of energy and improves our overall state of well being.  When we feel better we are more inspired, thus we begin to tune into a more positive frequency and we attract more of what we want. With more positive energy, we enter a vortex of well being and line ourselves up with Source or the Universal Matrix where we are tapped into life and things flow easily and effortlessly.

How can we appreciate?

I listened to an amazing audio book recently, The Power of Appreciation by Mike Robbins and I want to acknowledge him for inspiring me with some additional information for my toolbox.  Mike Robbins, you have impacted me greatly and for that I’m very thankful!

Change your Perception -  Easier said than done. We live in a society that encourages cynicism and criticism of just about everything. I call it the Seinfeld syndrome. Jerry Seinfeld made complaining cool. I do believe this is changing but look at your attitude.  Can you look for what is working in your life or do you always look for what isn’t.  Notice what you like more than what you don’t.  Flip your perspective and look for the fun and pleasurable.  Release the judge and the critic.  It is challenging in the work and public environments. It seems conversations or stories revolve around people’s faults, how one measures up, one’s demise or the collapse of something. Yoga and meditation have been miraculous practices for me in noticing my negative thought patterns and how I’ve been programmed. In the Yoga Sutras, this practice is called Pratipaksa Bhavanam.  We work to catch the destructive thoughts and focus our minds and cultivate opposite, positive thoughts.  The glass can certainly be full!

Practice, Seek and Take Action – Once you are aware that you need to change your perspective, practice seeking out things to appreciate.  Take action and do and say things that are appreciative. The challenge in our society to acting appreciative is our perception that we lack time.  But little things go a very long way in the field of appreciation.  Buy a stack of cards that inspire you and keep them so that when you want to thank someone you can shoot them a quick note.  Have little post it notes near your desk and when someone does something awesome, post a note on their computer screen. Surprise someone. People love surprises in the world of all things planned. Send an inspirational quote to a friend’s Facebook page just to let them know you are acknowledging them for something. Leave a short voicemail honoring someone each day. Buy small gifts that you have on hand that you give to people you want to appreciate. Learn to be motivating, inspiring and empower people through your encouragement.

Acknowledge Externally – For just a few minutes in the morning and evening take time to journal, pray or meditate on the things that went well in your day.  From the bed that you slept on, to the clothes on your back, to the food that nourished you, to all the people that supported you, to the car that drove you to work, and so on.  There are many daily things that we own, use or encounter that have a huge impact on our lives and the choices we make day to day. Start to recognize even what seems mundane as a true miracle that you and have created in your life.

Acknowledge Yourself – For just a few minutes in the morning and evening take time to journal, pray or meditate on the things that you did well. Sometimes our own goals get in the way because we are trained to see what we didn’t achieve. We spend a disproportionate amount of time concentrating on the negative. So flip this and think about compliments that came your way.  Appreciate tasks you completed or goals you achieved.  Even if you had a rough day, acknowledge that you made it through the day, you used your breath, and you did your best.  There will always be something positive that you can appreciate about yourself.

Be Authentic in Your Appreciation:  It’s easy to say a laundry list of things that you appreciate just to get it done, but that’s not really what the magnetic laws of attraction are all about.  You need to not only name what you appreciate, but really feel the vibration of it. So be genuine when you are appreciating. Place your attention in your heart, not in your mind. Tap into your heart and let the appreciation flow from this authentic place.

Through all these practices of acknowledgment and gratitude, the wellspring of abundance appears naturally.  It really is the principle of “the more you give the more you get”, a natural law of the universe.  When we give abundantly, support appears in return.  Gratitude spreads contagiously because it makes us all feel good and joyful.

I hope today that you can find the time to take a step toward creating a life of abundance by finding a way to appreciate yourself.  Appreciating yourself is the first step in any life practice toward happiness and well being! 

by Nicole Doherty, recently published for American Athlete Magazine

Unfortunately, we don’t have any consumer reports on yoga, but maybe we need one now that yoga has become so popular. As highly trained consumers in this society, we will logically embark on the search for yoga in much the same way that we buy any product.

When searching for cars, for example, we do our research. We may ask the opinion of our family and friends. We start scoping out the cars on the street parked in our neighborhood. We go online and we noodle around on Google and watch videos. We read consumer reports. We break down our comparisons into a variety of priorities across many categories such as performance, cost, value, brand, safety, fuel economy, comfort and design. Then we develop a long list, a short list and soon enough, our top three. Eventually, we make a firm decision and we purchase the car.

In the same way our purchase is based on our individual needs, so too the style of yoga you practice must meet the criteria relevant to why you’re starting yoga in the first place. Whether it’s to be more flexible, less stressed, more balanced, less overweight, more awake, less agitated, (and the list could go on and on…) yoga functions as an adaptogenic practice that will give you exactly what you need. Ironically, what we need isn’t always what we wanted when we started. And thus we navigate the inner landscape of who we are and the healing journey of what we’re not. Regardless of the style you choose, when you make the commitment to yourself to practice what feels right for you, you will discover an ocean of unprecedented sensations in mind, body, and spirit.

What are the basic considerations for discovering the yoga that feels right for you? How can you filter all the information that’s out there? Here are some things to consider when you begin your research:

1.) Convenience. Let’s face it, if the studio is far away, you probably won’t go. Find studios that are relatively close to either your work or your home. Luckily, yoga is move available than ever before. Try out multiple studios. The key to finding the yoga that’s right for you is to pay attention to how you feel after class and ask yourself, am I getting my needs met?

2.) Interview trusted friends & family who practice yoga. Ask them a few simple questions to begin your research:

• Why did they start a yoga practice?
• What do they love about their practice?
• What style of yoga do they practice?
• How has yoga helped them?

3.) Yelp. There are Yelp reviews for most studios. Of course like anything, the opinions are completely subjective, especially with a practice that’s so meaningful and personal. But you can get a vibe about the cleanliness and conditions of the studios, the styles of yoga they teach (even if you don’t know yet what they are), and the experiences people are having there.

4.) Considerations. You will begin to make a list of priorities. Some characteristics will resonate as more appropriate for you. Note:If you have any specific medical or physical conditions then you will also need to address them specifically.

• Physical vs Spiritually – Based
• Heated vs Non-Heated Rooms
• Held Poses vs Flow Based
• Slow vs Fast
• Easy, Hard or Challenging
• More vs Less Teacher Instruction & Guidance
• Creative Sequencing vs Repetition of Poses
• Wide Variety vs Few Consistent Offerings
• Younger vs Older Students
• Price Variables vs Donation-Based

5.) Trial beginner classes. Talk to the students. By now you have begun to formulate an opinion about what you like, so go out and take some classes. I suggest beginner classes at first to keep your body safe from injury as you learn the basic poses. Ask the students about their experiences. Beginner classes may seem slow if you are that fast-paced type, but don’t fret, we crawl before we walk.

6.) Don’t give up. Don’t take one class and formulate an opinion about all of yoga. That would be tantamount to going on one date and judging the entirety of the opposite sex base on a single experience. Trust that you will find classes and teachers that work for your needs.

The bottom line is that you need to just grab the key and start the car. The old adage, “it’s about the journey, not the destination,” applies here. As you deepen your yoga practice and transform your life in ways you can’t possibly imagine, so too the style you choose, the studio where you practice, and the teacher who inspires you will also be subject to change.

All you have to do is practice your yoga consistently. Stay with it. Give yourself this gift. You are guaranteed access to what we all aspire to feel… Whole and complete exactly as you are.

Click here for link to Yoga in Mind column in American Athlete Magazine

Recently I attended a workshop about the sacred knowledge of the Maya with Miguel Angel Vergara Calleros, a shaman and former director of Chichen Itza who studied for over 20 years with the Mayan elders learning their oral traditions, ceremonies and culture.

The Mayans were a highly advanced and very spiritual culture. They had a profound connection and understanding of the interrelatedness of cyclical time, Mother Earth, the Cosmos and Universal Consciousness. “They understood the cosmology of evolution of consciousness and the nature of spiritual inner transformation.”(pg 8. Sacred Knowledge of the Maya) 

A Maya is considered one that has brought his heart and mind into a perfect state of balance and has linked his soul with Great Spirit. The Maya calculated this date as the end of a major cycle in time and an opportunity for transformation from the world of duality to that of unity consciousness.

It is said that in their time they ascended their physical bodies into alternate dimensions through portals and gateways that opened in time, similar to what we may come to experience and understand in December. It’s clear that an opportunity for new beginnings is on the horizon and a critical shift is occurring.

It’s time for us, according to Miguel, to arrive to the frequency of unconditional love. Through forgiveness we can prepare our bodies, mind and spirit for entrance to other dimensions.

In his opinion, one of the most important ways to prepare is through connecting to Mother Earth. We are children of the Earth and as such we need to respect and love her. We need to thank her daily for all the things we have. We need to show love and gratitude for her wisdom, our food, our shelter, and the energy she provides us. We need to become friends with all embodiments of Great Spirit – such as trees, animals, and rocks.  

I’m fortunate enough to have the opportunity to light the path of raising frequency in preparation for this time. I want to extend you an invitation to join me on an 8-day all-inclusive pilgrimage into the land of the Mayan jungles and immerse yourself in sacred ceremonies and spiritual practices designed to align you with the transformation of the ages!! Through Mayan adventures, yoga, nutrition, astrology, transformational bodywork, dharma talks, and sustainable travel we are giving you the opportunity to reset your system, release patterns of resistance, and source the light.

MAYANTENTION: Be the Transformation You Seek
Spiritual Wellness Retreat in Belize – Yoga, Bodywork Astrology, Mayan Expeditions, Sacred Ceremonies
DECEMBER 17TH – 24TH, 2012

The land of the Maya calls us to come together and transform ourselves anew this Winter Solstice.  Now is the time to answer the evolutionary call for change within yourself and join hands with kindred spirits who have made a conscious choice to walk the path of awakening.  This place in time is the transformational doorway you have long sought, the stargate through which new worlds are seeded.

We’re inviting 13 soulful individuals on a one-week, all-inclusive* journey into the heart of the Mayan civilization.  Practice yoga twice daily, receive bodywork astrology, enjoy locally grown vegetarian cuisine, explore ancient Mayan ruins, and participate in sacred ceremonies designed to open you to the beauty and power of your true nature.  Embark on this initiation with us and assist in the creation of the quantum leap that will catapult Earth into a new spiral of being.

The yogis say NAMASTE… “The light in me bows to the light in you”

The Lakota say AHO MITAKUYE OYASIN… “We are all related”

The Maya say IN-LAK’ECH… “I am another you”

 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON OUR AMAZING TRIP VISIT MY RETREAT PAGE!

Some like it hot. Some like it not. Hot yoga boils down to personal preference: Some people love to sweat and some people don’t. But does it have more benefits? Here, the top myths about hot yoga—debunked.

Bikram is the most widely recognized hot yoga. It uses traditional yoga poses in a studio heated to minimum of 105°F with 40% humidity throughout the 90-minute class. The practice consists of a specific series of 26 traditional hatha yoga poses. Not all hot yoga classes, though, are specifically Bikram, so the poses (or even the room temperature or humidity) may be different. One thing we know, though, if you take hot yoga, you will sweat!

There are a lot of misconceptions about hot yoga, though. We clear them up here.

MYTH: Hot yoga is a great way to detox.

TRUTH: You do sweat in hot yoga and that sweating may release trace toxins through the skin, but you’re definitely not sweating out a lot of toxins.

Heavy sweating may actually impair your body’s natural detoxification system. It’s the liver and the kidneys—not the sweat glands—that actually filter toxins from our blood. And if you don’t drink enough water to compensate for excessive sweating, you could get dehydrated and stress the kidneys. And this, in turn, could prevent them from doing their job.

MYTH: You have to sweat to get any benefit from exercise, particularly yoga.

TRUTH: The main purpose of sweating is to cool down your system. We need to sweat to lower our body temperature to cool our organs and our internal temperature (otherwise, we’d get heat exhaustion or heat stroke). In fact, your body is sweating throughout the day to regulate your system whether you’re aware of it or not. (We lose about 10% water per day through sweat, why it’s important to replenish with water—not just when you exercise.)

Sometimes, though, it just feels good to sweat. It gives us the perception that we’re working hard, and hard work gives us a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. But, the bottom line: sweating doesn’t ensure you’re getting any additional benefits.

MYTH: Hot yoga is better for you than any other style of yoga.

TRUTH: First, understand that yoga has many benefits without being practiced in a heated room. From the breath work to bodywork, we can cleanse our bodies internally with any yoga practice. We use the practice to support the health of all our body’s systems: nervous, circulatory, endocrine, respiratory, and digestive. We can experience heightened brain function, increased oxygen, and the alleviation of stress and ailments. We can use yoga for recovery and for injury prevention. The list of benefits goes on.

Also know that traditional yoga creates heat internally to warm up the body through the breath. When we are more focused on the breath providing the internal heat for our practice, the ability to listen to the sensations of the body is more acute.
If you practice in a heated room, there is an additional benefit: I’ve found that the sweating may help clean out (and clear up) the skin, the largest organ in the body. It can also help you become more flexible, but see the next myth for more about this.

MYTH: You’ll be super flexible in hot yoga.

TRUTH: For people challenged with flexibility, practicing yoga in a heated room creates an environment for more supple muscles, thus allowing them to go further into poses they may not be able to practice in a non-heated room. Bikram Choudhury, the founder of the Bikram-style of hot yoga, explained this theory, saying, “You have to heat it [the body] up to soften it, because a warm body is a flexible body. Then you can reshape the body any way you want.”

But, this is important to note, there is a false feeling of looseness created in hot yoga. It’s been proven in many cases that this leads to overstretching and injury. So be cautious—and don’t push your body beyond its limits!

It’s important to note, however, that flexibility isn’t everything: it’s quite natural for some to believe that we do yoga just to get flexible, but that’s certainly not true. How far you can bend to touch your toes does not make you a better Yogi. Read my past article, Do I need to be flexible to do yoga?

In conclusion, there are both advantages and disadvantages to hot yoga. But one thing is clear, yoga is beneficial regardless of whether you practice in a heated room or not. Sweating is not what makes hot yoga a healthy practice. The yoga is what makes you healthy. Practice from a mindful place and please, don’t overdo it!

Click through for article

Since living in Peru last year, I’ve submerged myself in the study of Amazonian Shamanism. As a result of the transformation I underwent during my stay in the jungle, I made a sacred vow to dedicate myself to the work of Shamanism, plant medicines and ultimately the wisdom of the Universe expressed through these vehicles. This journey has been extraordinary.
 
Through this work, we are shown the vast complexity of the human psyche. I call this ‘work’ because it is no simple task to face our shadows and consciously reenact what we have tried to forget. However, stuffing emotions and creating dormancy is no longer an option.
 
Our fragmentation and separation from Source has caused us pain and suffering. Without a vehicle for release, our suffering imprints our DNA and is re-birthed continuously until its unconscious patterns are identified, made conscious, and alchemized from suffering to forgiveness.
 
Through the shamanic tools of sacred song, sound and plant medicines, our deeply rooted unconscious patterns are revealed to us quickly. As we continue to peel back the layers, appearing abysmal at times, we ultimately arrive to the doorway of understanding that the Universe beyond the Ego is comprised of Love. Love is the epicenter of the Universe.
 
For me, April was impeccable in revealing latent patterns woven in the fabric of my family tree. This month, I have spent disentangling an immense web of ancestral patterns mired in the energy of “the perpetrator”. I am facing the shadows, completing the stories, and breaking the chain of violation that takes on many forms – verbal, emotional and sexual – that my Ego has been so fondly feeding upon.
 
The byline “I am not ______ enough” accompanies my story. Yet, it wasn’t until I began this work that its origins were firmly exposed. When you need to cure “dis-ease”, you look to the root of the problem for its solution. Most of us are in a state of disease. We need to radically purge what no longer serves us in order to raise our vibration and that of the planet to ride this incredible wave of accelerated expansive energy home, to the Universal Heart.
 
The Shamanic medicine path is phenomenal. It is the most incredible magic carpet ride filled with discovery, forgiveness and healing. As I have fully surrendered to the lessons and gifts, I feel as though I have plugged into a Universal Matrix. I no longer sit in the dark, fearful and wondering why I am here.
 
There is no stopping the energetic momentum created once you step into this knowing. I have come to realize the amazing powers of intention, meditation, visualization, sacred ritual, mantra and music as keys to unlocking our marvelous manifesting abilities. We all have these abilities. Now, is your time to unravel and put your stories to rest.
 
As I sit here writing, we are playing through the Scorpio full moon, a powerful time (http://www.bodyworkastrology.blogspot.com/ )for planting the seeds of intention and watching them manifest. What will you offer this world in service of the greatest good? The world is waiting for YOU and YOUR unique gifts!
 
If you want to hear more about my personal passage, experience ancient yogic wisdom, receive the keys to manifestation energy, and explore the path of Shamanism, come to a weekend of “Sacred Yoga & Shamanic Journeying”.

A Weekend of Sacred Yoga & Shamanic Journeying
with Nicole Doherty & The Joyful Warrior

Sat. July 7 1-4pm: “Seeing with The Heart: An Introduction to Shamanic Journeying for On-Going Practice”
Sun. July 8, 1-4pm: “Sacred Yoga,Tribal Sounds & Shamanism”

yoga • breath • meditation • mantra • song • music • drums • shamanic savasana

You can attend one or both workshops!

THE CONSCIOUS MAP…

Saturday: An introductory weekend experiential workshop in which the classic method of shamanic journey work is taught. Utilizing the way of the shaman, we connect with the inner levels of reality, awareness and experience to find our spirit helpers and teachers, those inner sources who are intimately connected with our life purpose, and who provide us with power, protection, knowledge and support.

Sunday: We invite you on a journey that will cleanse your body, clear your mind and raise your vibration. With a combination of vinyasa flow yoga, Native American tribal sounds and shamanic healing rituals, this workshop integrates ancient wisdom and healing modalities from multiple traditions. The pulsating sounds of shamanic drums, singing bowls and sacred chants weave powerfully with guided movement, focused breath and mindful meditation. Together as one, we will cultivate our prana (life force energy), liberate our hearts and elevate our consciousness in an invigorating celebration of love and transformation.

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Sacred Yoga Ceremony by Nicole Doherty: 500-RYT Yoga Instructor Wellness Coach | Blogger | Spiritual Entrepreneur Nicole incorporates 10 years of spiritual practice and shamanic study into her unique style of Aya-YogaSM, an invigorating asana flow that integrates breath work, meditation, mantra, song and inspirational music. Her classes have been described as outrageously fun, brilliantly sequenced and challenging in all the right ways. Nicole’s mission is to facilitate a deep inner exploration, life-changing breakthroughs, and the Self-empowerment you need to reach your highest potential. wellness.nicolepresents.com

Shamanic Shavasana with The Joyful Warrior: Shaman
In a World Calling for Conscious Evolution, Holly Finds Joy in Serving as a Contemporary Spirit-Initiated Shaman. She in an expert in the field of Human-Energy Dynamics and serves as The Joyful Warrior – writing about and facilitating break-though experiences for individuals and organizations. She is inspired by the light that is the spark of the divine in each person’s heart, that which is the same as her own, and the creative principal behind all of Existence. She is committed to helping shape a harmonious future for humanity through positive change and conscious evolution in The Self & for The Planet. Find out more at HollyBaade.com.
 
To RSVP:  Contact Goda Yoga, Culver City.
Godayoga.com

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In boundless joy…
Nicole

Spring is a time of awakening. Now is the time to awaken. As the Yoga Sutras state, “Atha Yoga Anusasanam”. Now is Yoga! We are warriors of spirit. The messages we have been receiving from Source are clear. It is time to remember who we really are. We are being called to wake up and open our hearts to pure love, the seed of our Soul. It’s time to release our habits, our samskaras.

Disentangle from the labels that we use to define the story of our lives. Release the victim, the judge, and the persecutor. Awaken. The conscious shift of humanity is here. Our transformation is now. If beliefs are just thoughts that we keep on thinking, then let’s be radically self-expressive, creative, positive and playful with them. Let’s create a new belief system based in joy – not fear, worry and chaos.

The Universe works in perfect, sacred order. We are the Universe. We are perfect even in the imperfect. We are Divine energy. We are all one, dynamic, beautiful, connected unit. The illusion, maya, is separation. Begin to acknowledge your oneness and your greatness. Accept your Divinity. Act as jivatman, the living spirit. “How?” you may say. Pay attention. Focus inward (pratyahara). Concentrate (dharana). Slow down. Meditate (dhyana). Move your body (asana). Feed your soul with nourishing activities and clean food (14 day yogi spring seasonal food cleanse)!

Create a sacred ritual with each breath you breathe. Breathe breath. Give thanks all the time. In this and every moment search for the best intent. Find consciousness. Be the observer to what you are thinking. Ask yourself if you are acting for the highest good. Are your words transmitting Source energy and inspiration or are they tearing something down? Are you judging and placing people in boxes? Are you being impeccable with your word? Be honest. Be in integrity.