Vula Yoga: Recent Episodes
Dom Catto
Vula Yoga is an online education resource for new yogis who are searching for an accessible practice, something that will help them build the foundations for a life-long journey and relationship with Yoga. If you’re someone who’s ready to take action and are willing to put in the work to get there, you are our kind of person.
Getting these 5 key beginners poses right will give you a fantastic foundation to start your Yoga practice.
Focus on the correct alignment, where you need to be engaging and where you need to be relaxing. Ensuring that you are holding your body in the correct shape of the pose and moving slightly deeper into the pose with each breath.
Remember to try to simulate the beautiful, strong, steady feeling of Tadasana (Mountain Pose) in all your other poses. Keep all the tips in mind as you hold each pose to constantly adjust the pose, constantly check in with your body and always make sure you are breathing deeply and fully.
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Our world is in crisis and our people are suffering. Use this meditation to connect with all beings, to bring healing and unconditional Love into your heart and around the world. Understanding that because we are so intimately connected when one is suffering we are all suffering. None can be free until we are all free.
This is a meditation for your own work, for your own heart, do the work to make sure your heart is strong so that, more importantly, you can do the work in yourself and in your communities to help dismantle white supremacy.
blacklivesmatter #blacklivesareimportant #blacklivesareworthy #blacklivesareneeded
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Today’s resolve is:
“I see the guru in everything and everyone. Every being who crosses my path is my teacher. I open my eyes and my heart to the enlightenment principle”
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The Guru Mantra Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru devo Maheshwara Guru sakshat, param Brahma, tasmai shri guravay namah Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Pq7MR5y0Z4xJIheaooj3v?si=J-aoXplETWS7fxXjJNF9AA
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Today’s resolve is: “I invite serenity into my life. I am calm, peaceful and serene. My true nature is Shantih, innate serenity and inner peace. Nothing outside of me can disturb my peace”
Yoga Nidra is a powerful technique in which you learn to relax consciously. True relaxation is an experience far beyond what we think relaxation is, it is far more than simple sensory diversions like reading a book or watching TV. For absolute relaxation, you must remain aware. This is Yoga Nidra, the state of dynamic sleep.
Yoga Nidra is a systematic method of inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. The term Yoga Nidra is derived from two Sanskrit words, yoga meaning union or one-pointed awareness, and Nidra which means sleep. But, in the practice, you are required to stay awake and not fall asleep. During the practice of Yoga Nidra, one appears to be asleep but the consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness. For this reason, Yoga Nidra is often referred to as psychic sleep or deep relaxation with inner awareness. In this threshold state between sleep and wakefulness, contact with the subconscious and unconscious dimensions occurs spontaneously.
In Yoga Nidra, the state of relaxation is reached by turning inwards, away from outer experiences. If the consciousness can be separated from external awareness and from sleep, it becomes very powerful and can be applied in many ways, for example, to develop the memory, increase knowledge and creativity as well as deep healing.
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maitrī karuṇā mudito-pekṣāṇāṁ-sukha-duḥkha puṇya-apuṇya-viṣayāṇāṁ bhāvanātaḥ citta-prasādanam
मैत्री करुणा मुदितोपेक्षाणांसुखदुःख पुण्यापुण्यविषयाणां भावनातः चित्तप्रसादनम्
To preserve the innate serenity of the mind, a yogin should be happy for those who are happy, be compassionate toward those who are unhappy, be delighted for those who are virtuous and be indifferent toward the wicked.
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This week's Resolves is:
“I accept myself for who I am. I am worthy, deserving and valuable just as I am. I am made up of divine energy and unconditional Love. I love and approve of myself just the way I am”
Yoga Nidra is known as Yoga Sleep.
It is that state between being asleep and wakefulness. When you are in this state you are very susceptible to positive affirmations, to relaxation and to harmony. The process of Yoga Nidra is for the person to lie down comfortably and purely listen to the teacher, making sure they do not fall asleep completely or wander off and think of something else. The student follows the teacher's voice into a deep state of rest and relaxation. Into a state of just being.
Lie down in Savasana, on your back. Make sure you are absolutely comfortable. Put a pillow under your knees and cover yourself with a blanket. Do whatever you need to to be comfy. You are asked not to move during the practice and also, not to fall asleep. This is very important.
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vastu-sāmye citta-bhedāt tayor vibhaktaḥ panthāḥ
वस्तुसाम्येचित्तभेदात्तयोर्विभक्तः पन्थाः
Each individual person perceives the same object in a different way, according to their own state of mind and projections. Everything is empty from its own side and appears according to how you see it.
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Join me for this calm and peaceful visualisation meditation.
Make sure you are completely comfortable, use some pillows under your knees when you lie down and cover yourself with a blanket.
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INHALE: LET
EXHALE: GO
Sit or lie comfortably.
Make sure you are absolutely comfy and your body is totally supported so you can relax completely.
Have a blanket and some pillow handy in case you'll need them.
If you'd like to add music to your meditation, use this Surrender to Love Sound-bath to enhance your meditation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmRwZ-BmS8A
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Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra I.2
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोध
Yogaś citta-vṛtti nirodhaḥ
When you stop identifying with your thoughts and the fluctuations of your mind, then there is Yoga.
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“I am aware that I am not my thoughts. I give myself the permission to step back from my thoughts. I am so much greater than my thoughts. I have the ability to choose my thoughts.”
Yoga Nidra is a powerful technique in which you learn to relax consciously. True relaxation is an experience far beyond what we think relaxation is, it is far more than simple sensory diversions like reading a book or watching TV. For absolute relaxation, you must remain aware. This is Yoga Nidra, the state of dynamic sleep.
Yoga Nidra is a systematic method of inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. The term Yoga Nidra is derived from two Sanskrit words, yoga meaning union or one-pointed awareness, and Nidra which means sleep. But, in the practice, you are require to stay awake and not fall asleep. During the practice of Yoga Nidra, one appears to be asleep but the consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness. For this reason, Yoga Nidra is often referred to as psychic sleep or deep relaxation with inner awareness. In this threshold state between sleep and wakefulness, contact with the subconscious and unconscious dimensions occurs spontaneously.
In Yoga Nidra, the state of relaxation is reached by turning inwards, away from outer experiences. If the consciousness can be separated from external awareness and from sleep, it becomes very powerful and can be applied in many ways, for example, to develop the memory, increase knowledge and creativity as well as deep healing.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vula-yoga/message
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra I.2
योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोध
Yogaś citta-vṛtti nirodhaḥ
When you stop identifying with your thoughts and the fluctuations of your mind, then there is Yoga.
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मैत्र्यदिषु बलानि
Maitri-adiṣu balāni
Through kindness, compassion and friendliness strength comes.
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Patanjali Yoga Sutra III.24
मैत्र्यदिषु बलानि
Maitri-adiṣu balāni
Through kindness, compassion and friendliness strength comes.
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Today’s resolve is:
“I give myself the permission to let go. I allow myself to surrender completely. I let go of what is no longer serving me.”
Yoga Nidra is a powerful technique in which you learn to relax consciously. True relaxation is an experience far beyond what we think relaxation is, it is far more than simple sensory diversions like reading a book or watching TV. For absolute relaxation, you must remain aware. This is Yoga Nidra, the state of dynamic sleep.
Yoga Nidra is a systematic method of inducing complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. The term Yoga Nidra is derived from two Sanskrit words, yoga meaning union or one-pointed awareness, and Nidra which means sleep. But, in the practice, you are require to stay awake and not fall asleep. During the practice of Yoga Nidra, one appears to be asleep but the consciousness is functioning at a deeper level of awareness. For this reason, Yoga Nidra is often referred to as psychic sleep or deep relaxation with inner awareness. In this threshold state between sleep and wakefulness, contact with the subconscious and unconscious dimensions occurs spontaneously.
In Yoga Nidra, the state of relaxation is reached by turning inwards, away from outer experiences. If the consciousness can be separated from external awareness and from sleep, it becomes very powerful and can be applied in many ways, for example, to develop the memory, increase knowledge and creativity as well as deep healing.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vula-yoga/message
Yoga Nidra is known as Yoga Sleep. It is that state between being asleep and wakefulness. When you are in this state you are very susceptible to positive affirmations, to relaxation and to harmony. The process of Yoga Nidra is for the person to lie down comfortably and purely listen to the teacher, making sure they do not fall asleep completely or wander off and think of something else. The student follows the teacher's voice into a deep state of rest and relaxation. Into a state of just being.
Lie down in Savasana, on your back. Make sure you are absolutely comfortable. Put a pillow under your knees and cover yourself with a blanket. Do whatever you need to to be comfy. You are asked not to move during the practice and also, not to fall asleep. This is very important.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vula-yoga/message
Sit or lie comfortably.
Make sure you are absolutely comfy and your body is totally supported so you can relax completely.
Have a blanket and some pillow handy in case you'll need them.
Compassion meditation (sometimes known as loving-kindness meditation) is the process of sitting with self while maintaining a connection to our emotional heart. As we sit with ourselves, we relax into the breath and body and connect and work with emotions as they arise. From this connected state, we set the intention of cultivating compassion and kindness then extend it to self and others.
If self-compassion, or compassion for others, is challenging or uncomfortable for you, know that with practice and intention, you can cultivate these traits.
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लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute to that happiness and freedom for all.
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लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु
May all beings everywhere be happy and free and may the thoughts, words and actions of my own life contribute to that happiness and freedom for all.
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Sit or lie comfortably.
Make sure you are absolutely comfy and your body is totally supported so you can relax completely.
Have a blanket and some pillow handy in case you'll need them.
All you are asked to do in this session is to listen. Try not to fall asleep or drift off with your thoughts. Keep bringing your awareness back to the sounds of the Tibetan Singing bowls.
Best to listen through headphones.
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atha yoga-anuśāsanam "Now this is Yoga as I have perceived it in the natural world"
Yoga is happening RIGHT NOW!
It is attainable and achievable and is happening all around us, if we only take a moment to stop, right NOW, and be present.
Atha - NOW
Yoga - Union with the divine
Anu - the smallest measure of time
"Sasa" from Shastra - to instruct
Asanam - Connection to the earth
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Yoga Nidra is known as Yoga Sleep.
It is that state between being asleep and wakefulness. When you are in this state you are very susceptible to positive affirmations, to relaxation and to harmony. The process of Yoga Nidra is for the person to lie down comfortably and purely listen to the teacher, making sure they do not fall asleep completely or wander off and think of something else. The student follows the teacher's voice into a deep state of rest and relaxation. Into a state of just being.
Lie down in Savasana, on your back. Make sure you are absolutely comfortable. Put a pillow under your knees and cover yourself with a blanket. Do whatever you need to to be comfy. You are asked not to move during the practice and also, not to fall asleep. This is very important.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/vula-yoga/message
Sat-sangatve nissangatvam nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nishchala-tattvam nishchala-tattve jivanmuktih
Bhaja govindam bhaja govindam bhaja govindam mudha-mate
Good and virtuous company gives rise to non-attachment. From non-attachment comes freedom from delusion. With freedom from delusion, one feels the changeless reality. Experiencing that changeless reality, one attains liberation in this life. I-AM is the ocean of awareness. Realizing this, one feels, ‘I am not the body and mind, although I have a body and mind.’ Realize Govinda, realize Govinda in your heart, O wise one!
Shri Adi Shankaracharya from Carpata-Panjarika
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Sat-sangatve nissangatvam
nissangatve nirmohatvam
Nirmohatve nishchala-tattvam
nishchala-tattve jivanmuktih
Good and virtuous company gives rise to non-attachment. From non-attachment comes freedom from delusion. With freedom from delusion, one feels the changeless reality. Experiencing that changeless reality, one attains liberation in this life. I-AM is the ocean of awareness. Realizing this, one feels, ‘I am not the body and mind, although I have a body and mind.’
Shri Adi Shankaracharya from Carpata-Panjarika
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Simple sit or lie comfortably and allow yourself to be absorbed, engulfed and enveloped by the beautiful sounds of the handpan.
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Om shanti shanti shanti
I wish you Peace,Peace, Peace.
The divine light in me recognises, respects and appreciates the divine light in you.
When I am in that place in me and you are in that place in you, we are ONE.
Namaste.
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Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih
May all be happy
May all be free from sickness
May all look to the good of others
May none suffer from sorrow
I wish you Peace, Peace, Peace.
The divine light in me recognises, respects and appreciates the divine light in you. When I am in that place in me and you are in that place in you, we are one.
Namaste.
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Om Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niraamayaah
Sarve Bhadraanni Pashyantu
Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet
Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih
May all be happy
May all be free from sickness
May all look to the good of others
May none suffer from sorrow
Spotify Playlist:
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Yoga Nidra is known as Yoga Sleep. It is that state between being asleep and wakefulness. When you are in this state you are very susceptible to positive affirmations, to relaxation and to harmony. The process of Yoga Nidra is for the person to lie down comfortably and purely listen to the teacher, making sure they do not fall asleep completely or wander off and think of something else. The student follows the teacher's voice into a deep state of rest and relaxation. Into a state of just being.
This Yoga Nidra Audio Class has been put together especially for you to help you reconnect with yourself and invite Self-Love and Self-acceptance into your life.
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As with all the practices we do in Yoga, like chanting Om, using pranayama and doing asana, Mula Bandha is all about sending energy UP!
Mula Bandha has the immediate effect of creating a deep sense of mental relaxation relieving stress, tension and anxiety. Please remember, however, that ultimately Mula bandha is not a muscular contraction. It is an intense and continuous desire for connection with the divine, with a higher intention, with the spiritual; to such an extent that energy begins to flow upward towards the divine.
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Mula bandha is a very important part of our practice and it starts the energetic lift of sending energy upwards. Physically, it helps us to lift up, grow tall and it activates the core muscles. It helps to protect the lower back and correct the alignment of the posture. Engaging Mula bandha is the feeling of cutting off the flow of urine, squeezing everything “down there” in and UP!
Mula bandha should be applied throughout the practice. It directs consciousness from the mundane to the spiritual and reminds us of our higher intention.
Bandha means to lock and refers to three interior body "locks" used in asana and pranayama practice to control the flow of energy. The bandhas are engaged through muscular contraction of specific parts of the body. Mula bandha is engaged throughout an asana class to support standing poses, activate deep core strength, and help achieve lightness in the body.
Mula Bandha helps you stay strong and steady in your asana practice. When you suck everything "in and up" it activates your core muscles and improves your posture.
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"You have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens." Louise Hay
This fascinating body of mine always supports me, allows me to play and giggle, allows me to breathe and connect, allows me to experience this life to the best of my ability... And I am SO unbelievably grateful for her!
What are you most grateful for with regards to your magnificent body?
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How incredible is my body?!?! How incredible is YOUR body?!?! Have you ever taken a moment to thank your magnificent body for all the mind-blowing things it does for you every single day without you having to consciously do anything at all?
Next time you start beating up on your phenomenal body, pause for a moment and thank this gorgeous creation of yours for it's constant help, support and life-giving brilliance. (Even when we are so judgmental and mean to it)
As yogi's our instrument is our own bodies and the practice asks us to get so intimately acquainted with ourselves that we know our bodies and ourselves inside out.
This week I challenge you to really BE in your body. Listen to her/him. Really feel what it feels like to move, to breath, to connect with yourself.
Maybe you'll be surprised at the things your body can teach you.
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Have you ever stood in the shower and thought "have I washed my hair already?" Arrived at work with no recollection of how you got there? This is us living on autopilot. And if we can do simple acts on autopilot, what else can we do so unconsciously? Have entire relationships on autopilot, live our entire lives?
This moment right now is all we have, there is nowhere else to be. This is where all our lessons live. This is where we have the power to direct our lives and fall madly in love with ourselves.
Make sure you've got access to a small portion of wall for this practice. We're turning ourselves into Spiderman!
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We all know that everything is made up of vibrations. Om is the vibration of the Universe. It is the sound and frequency that the entire Universe vibrates to. When we chant Om we are resetting our frequencies, our energy to this divine, Universal vibration. We are resetting the vibration of our body, mind and thoughts because these things are made up of vibration as well. We chant to reconnect with ourselves, this Universal energy, this divinity is inside you already. Chanting Om wipes the slate clean energetically. You can put your stuff to the side for a moment and connect with that divine energy and frequency that you are made up of. We chant Om to truly connect with ourselves, the true Self, the higher self.
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Yoga is known mostly for its physical practices, the poses (or asana) and yes, that is a very significant part of the practice. But did you know that Yoga also teaches mindfulness and being conscious in the present moment? It teaches about compassion, non-violence, respectfulness, self-love and learning how to live beautifully so you can die happily. What does Yoga mean to you?
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Okay, so what is an intention? The word ‘intention’ is a “thing intended; an aim or plan”, but interestingly within the field of medicine, it also refers to “the healing process of a wound”. It is so beautifully powerful to use your intention in your yoga class to heal yourself. An intention is something recognised as the practice of bringing awareness to a quality or virtue you’d like to cultivate for yourself.
And why is it so important to set an intention when we practice?
To focus our minds as we move through our practice and to give the monkey mind an object to focus on.
Consciously choosing an intention means you can direct your energy onto that object. You can constantly remind yourself of the object and bring your awareness back to it. In doing that, you are placing your awareness and ENERGY on this object, so you want to make sure that what you’re focusing on is something that will move, grow, serve or help you shift your perspective.
It gives you the ability to change things that need to be changed and ensures connection between mind, energy, breath, yoga practice and everyday life.
Make sure you've got two blocks and a wall handy for this one.
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Yoga Nidra is known as Yoga Sleep. It is that state between being asleep and wakefulness. When you are in this state you are very susceptible to positive affirmations, to relaxation and to harmony. The process of Yoga Nidra is for the person to lie down comfortably and purely listen to the teacher, making sure they do not fall asleep completely or wander off and think of something else. The student follows the teacher's voice into a deep state of rest and relaxation. Into a state of just being.
This Yoga Nidra Audio Class has been put together especially for you to help ease and let go of stress.
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Karma comes from the root word Kr - which means “to act”.
“The law of karma is a universal doctrine, operating as surely as the law of gravity. If you plant a seed in the ground, the karma of the seed is to grow. If you throw something up in the air, the karmic result is for it to come down. The word karma encompasses all movement, of the mind as well as the body. These movements can be conscious or unconscious; regardless, the karmic result is still ours.” - Jivamukti Yoga textbook
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These are by far my favourite group of poses. Opening into your hips can start out feeling a bit painful and scary. You may approach them with resentment and hesitation but once you start to work with these poses and get to the juiciness of them, that’s when the magic happens. Physically, hips openers work on releasing the psoas muscles, which are known as our "stress" muscles. They are the muscles that are activated when our sympathetic nervous system is triggered resulting in our "fight or flight" response. Because of our super stressful lifestyles, the muscles are constantly engaged and we are never afforded the opportunity to relax them to calm the nervous system. Working with hip opening poses gives us the perfect tools to start to let go of the tension in those muscles and take control of the damaging effects stress causes in the body. Emotionally, opening into the hips helps to release past, unresolved stress related to certain relationships we hold. We store a lot of our emotions in our bodies, especially in our hips. Working with the breath and hip opening Yoga poses will help you to release and resolve those emotions.
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Breathing is the most natural thing that we do. We breathe in, we breathe out, we are alive.
But most of us take our breath for granted.
Controlled or conscious breathing helps to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps us to calm down. Slowing the breath helps to slow the racing thoughts and calm the heart.
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Ujjayi breath, translated as "Victory" breath, is the type of breathing we use when we practice Yoga asana. It is the most important part of the practice. The point of using Ujjayi breath is to become victorious over your body and victorious over your mind by focusing so fully on your breathing and the present moment, there is no room for unconscious thinking and moving. Ujjayi breathing helps to give us absolute control over the breath, it heats our bodies up from the inside out helping to avoid injury and because it is an audible breath it gives our monkey minds something to focus on.
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